Once‐daily mometasone furoate aqueous nasal spray (Nasonex®) in seasonal allergic rhinitis: an active‐ and placebo‐controlled study

Abstract

Mometasone furoate aqueous nasal spray (Nasonex) was compared with beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) aqueous nasal spray in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-dummy, parallel-group study of adults with moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis. Patients allergic to at least one tree and/or grass aeroallergen received one of the following regimens for up to 4 weeks; mometasone furoate 100 micrograms once daily [OD] (n = 126) or 200 micrograms OD (n = 126), BDP 200 micrograms twice daily (n = 126), or only placebo spray (n = 123). Physician-rated nasal and total symptom scores, and global evaluation of overall condition and therapeutic response by physicians and patients, showed that the three active treatments were equally effective, and all three were significantly superior to placebo at most time points. Overall, mometasone furoate 200 micrograms OD demonstrated somewhat greater numerical, but not statistical, superiority to mometasone furoate 100 micrograms OD at the earliest evaluation time point. At the end of treatment, complete or marked relief was obtained in 77% of patients with mometasone furoate 100 micrograms/day, 79% with mometasone furoate 200 micrograms/day, and 74% with BDP, compared with 54% of placebo vehicle control patients. Mometasone furoate and BDP were equally well tolerated. It was concluded that mometasone furoate adequately controls symptoms of moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis, offers the advantage of OD treatment, and is well tolerated.