Effect of Nasal Anti-Inflammatory Treatment in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Background Sinonasal inflammation and symptoms are often underdiagnosed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. So far, it is not known to what extent anti-inflammatory nasal treatment may reduce sinonasal symptoms in COPD patients. This study was designed to examine the effects of nasal anti-inflammatory treatment on sinonasal symptoms and cough in COPD patients. Methods Thirty-three COPD patients on stable bronchial therapy (salmeterol/fluticasone propionate 50/500 mg b.i.d. for >6 weeks) were randomized to receive fluticasone furoate (FF) or placebo nasal spray at 110 μg once daily for 12 weeks. Sinonasal symptoms and cough were monitored at baseline, at 6 and 12 weeks of treatment, and at 4 weeks after cessation of the treatment using a visual analog scale. Levels of cytokines were measured in nasal secretions. Results In contrast to the placebo group (n = 13), FF patients (n = 14) reported less nasal blockage (10.62 ± 4.21 mm versus 36.57 ± 8.01 mm; p = 0.0026), postnasal drip (1.46 ± 0.29 score versus 2.83 ± 0.38 score; p = 0.03), and nasal discharge (0.23 ± 0.12 score versus 1.77 ± 0.43 score; p = 0.01) after 6 weeks of treatment compared with baseline, which was still present at 12 weeks. FF patients reported less cough compared with baseline (25.54 ± 4.46 mm versus 36.79 ± 5.75 mm; p = 0.04), which was not the case in the placebo group (49.58 ± 10.44 mm versus 42.00 ± 8.05 mm; p = 0.38). Nine of 14 patients in the FF group (64%) reported slight to total relief of nasal symptoms, and this subgroup had a significant decrease in IL-8 levels in nasal secretions after 6 weeks of treatment (850.7 ± 207.2 pg/mL versus 1608 ± 696.5 pg/mL; p = 0.03) compared with baseline. Conclusion Nasal FF treatment in COPD patients significantly reduced sinonasal symptoms, in parallel with reduced IL-8 in nasal secretion levels and cough.