Does atopy influence the effectiveness of treatment of adenoid hypertrophy with mometasone furoate?

BACKGROUND

The effect of topical mometasone for adenoid hypertrophy treatment is well established. Nevertheless, the influence of atopy on this treatment remains ill defined.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to compare the effects of topical mometasone furoate treatment on the adenoid tissue between atopic and nonatopic children.

METHODS

Fifty-one children with obstructive respiratory complaints underwent a semistructured clinical questionnaire on nasal symptoms, prick test, and nasoendoscopy. Nasoendoscopic images were digitalized, and both adenoid and nasopharyngeal areas were measured in pixels; the relative adenoid/nasopharyngeal area was calculated. Patients were initially treated for 40 days with nasal saline solution. In a subsequent 40-day period, topical mometasone furoate (total dose, 100 μg/day) was used.

RESULTS

Topical mometasone significantly improved nasal obstruction, snoring, and apnea and also significantly reduced the adenoid tissue area related to the nasopharynx (p < 0.0001). Treatment with this glucocorticoid was not influenced by atopy, neither for symptoms nor for adenoid area.

CONCLUSION

Topical mometasone furoate significantly reduced the adenoid tissue area and led to a supplementary improvement of nasal symptoms. This improvement was similar for atopic and nonatopic patients.