Low Dose, Short-Term Oral Methylprednisolone for Nasal Polyps: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

Authors

  • Romeo C. Sanchez, Jr. Department of Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery East Avenue Medical Center
  • Benjamin SA. Campomanes, Jr. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, East Avenue Medical Center; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, St. Luke’s Medical Center
  • Natividad A. Aguilar Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, East Avenue Medical Center; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Manila Central University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32412/pjohns.v21i1-2.825

Keywords:

Nasal polyposis, methylprednisolone, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, anosmia

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of a 7-day treatment of methylprednisolone 16mg in

reducing the size of nasal polyps and on improvement of nasal symptoms.

 

Methods:

Design: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Setting: Out-patient department of the East Avenue Medical Center

Patients: Patients 18 years old and above with nasal polyposis determined by history and endoscopic examination

 

Results: There was a significant decrease in polyp size by an average of 16% (P < .05) among 12 out of the 23 patients (52.17 %) in the steroid group versus placebo. The treatment group also exhibited an improvement in nasal symptoms of rhinorrhea, congestion and anosmia compared to the placebo.

 

Conclusion: Medical treatment with oral methylprednisolone given at a low dose of 16 mg for one week resulted in reduction of the size of nasal polyps and improved the symptoms of rhinorrhea, nasal congestion and anosmia. Other associated symptoms like headache, epistaxis,  sneezing, itchiness, epiphora, cough, postnasal drip, throat discomfort, facial pain, eye complaints and fever did not differ between the steroid and placebo groups.

 

Recommendation: One week of oral steroids can be used to treat nasal polyps initially. If there is response, this mode of management can be combined with a long-term course of intranasal steroid sprays9,10. Patients who do not respond may be referred for surgery.

 

Keywords: Nasal polyposis, methylprednisolone, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, anosmia

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2006-11-29

How to Cite

1.
Sanchez RC, Campomanes BS, Aguilar NA. Low Dose, Short-Term Oral Methylprednisolone for Nasal Polyps: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial. Philipp J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg [Internet]. 2006 Nov. 29 [cited 2024 Apr. 20];21(1-2):24-7. Available from: https://pjohns.pso-hns.org/index.php/pjohns/article/view/825

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 1-2 (2006): Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Section

Original Articles

License

Copyright transfer (all authors; where the work is not protected by a copyright act e.g. US federal employment at the time of manuscript preparation, and there is no copyright of which ownership can be transferred, a separate statement is hereby submitted by each concerned author). In consideration of the action taken by the Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in reviewing and editing this manuscript, I hereby assign, transfer and convey all rights, title and interest in the work, including copyright ownership, to the Philippine Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. (PSOHNS) in the event that this work is published by the PSOHNS. In making this assignment of ownership, I understand that all accepted manuscripts become the permanent property of the PSOHNS and may not be published elsewhere without written permission from the PSOHNS unless shared under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.