Intranasal steroids speed sinusitis recovery. (In Addition to Antibiotics).

DENVER -- Routinely adding 3 weeks of intranasal corticosteroids to conventional antimicrobial therapy for acute rhinosinusitis accelerates recovery and boosts cure rates, Dr. Rowena Dolor said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orolaryngology.

She reported on a total of 99 patients aged 18 or older who participated in the Ceftin and Flonase for Sinusitis (GAFFS) trial, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study conducted at 12 primary care and 10 otolaryngology practice sites.

All participants in the Glaxo Wellcome-sponsored trial had radiographically or endoscopically confirmed acute rhinosinusitis and a history of recurrent sinusitis or chronic rhinitis.

All received 250 mg of cefuroxime twice daily for 10 days along with two puffs of the topical decongestant oxymetazoline in each nostril twice daily for 3 days. In addition, they were randomized to two puffs of fluticasone propionate (Flonase) or an inhaled placebo in each nostril once daily for 21 days, explained Dr. Dolor of Duke University, ...