The effectiveness of nasal saline irrigation (seawater) in treatment of allergic rhinitis in children.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of nasal saline irrigation in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) in children and to assess whether nasal saline irrigation could be used as a complementary therapy for AR in children in combination with the intranasal corticosteroids (INS). METHOD: In total, 61 children with AR were divided into three groups: the nasal irrigation, intranasal corticosteroid, and combined treatment groups. Symptoms and signs of AR and eosinophils (EOS) in the nasal secretions were evaluated after 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: In AR children treated with nasal irrigation and a decreased the INS dose, a significant improvement in symptoms and signs and a significant decrease in the mean EOS count in nasal secretions were observed at week 12. CONCLUSION: Nasal saline irrigation with physiological seawater is well tolerated and benefits the patients with AR, and can thus be considered a good adjunctive treatment option to maintain the effectiveness of the INS at a lower dose, thus resulting in reduced side effects and a decreased economic burden.