The nose offers an attractive noninvasive alternative for drug delivery. Nasal anatomy, with a large mucosal surface area and high vascularity, allows for rapid systemic absorption and other potential benefits. However, the complex nasal geometry, including the narrow anterior valve, poses a serious challenge to efficient drug delivery. This barrier, plus the inherent limitations of traditional...

UNLABELLED The inflammatory diseases of the nose, rhino-pharynx and paranasal sinuses (allergic and non allergic rhinitis, NARES; rhinosinusitis with/without nasal polyposis, adenoidal hypertrophy with/without middle ear involvement) clinically manifest themselves with symptoms and complications severely affecting quality of life and health care expenditure. Intranasal administration of cortico...

BACKGROUND Cluster headache is a form of primary headache in which attacks are rapid in onset with very severe pain. The mainstays of acute therapy are inhaled oxygen and sumatriptan succinate injection. OBJECTIVE To evaluate zolmitriptan nasal spray in the acute treatment of cluster headache. METHODS Ninety-two patients, aged 40 +/- 10 years (mean +/- SD) (80 men and 12 women), with Intern...

The case of a 6 year old child who presented with convulsions and coma after unsupervised self administration of intranasal desmopressin (DDAVP) for nocturnal enuresis is presented. Children with enuresis can be embarassed by their condition and may believe that multiple doses of their nasal spray may bring about a rapid resolution. Water intoxication is an uncommon but serious adverse effect o...

In their systematic review, Caruso et al. identified 14 zinc trials (the above paper). They used the quality scoring approach so that for the identified trials they gave one point for each of 11 quality items if it was satisfied. In two tables and one figure, Caruso et al. described the distribution of quality scores and the individual quality features of the trials. They considered that only s...

UNLABELLED Background. Clinical experiences in vitro and clinical studies have demonstrated the curative potency and safety of Citrus/Cydonia compositum in seasonal allergic rhinitis treatment. Objectives. To compare the efficacy and safety of two routes of administration (nasal spray versus subcutaneous injections). METHODOLOGY Design. a national, randomised, comparative clinical trial with ...

Oxymetazoline is an alpha-1 adrenergic receptor agonist that is commonly used for nasal decongestion and is readily available without a prescription. We report the case of a 64-year-old woman who developed prolonged chest pain associated with elevation of cardiac biomarkers after using oxymetazoline.

Methods Patients (≥12 years old) with moderate-to-severe SAR (n=610) were randomized into this double-blind, placebo-controlled, 14-day, parallel-group trial to MP2902*, commercially-available AZE or FP nasal sprays, or placebo (all given as 1 spray/nostril bid [total daily dose: AZE 548μg; FP 200μg]). The primary efficacy variable was change from baseline in reflective total nasal symptom scor...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and safety of lidocaine nasal spray before nasogastric tube insertion in an emergency department. DESIGN Double-blind, randomised controlled study. SETTING Emergency department of a major regional hospital in Hong Kong. PATIENTS A total of 206 adult patients, for whom nasogastric tube insertion was indicated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome wa...

We have compared four methods of topical anaesthesia of the nostril for fibreoptic airway endoscopy in a randomized study with 31 unpremedicated volunteers, each serving as his or her own control. Lignocaine spray, EMLA cream, three cotton swabs soaked in 4% lignocaine solution, or 2% lignocaine gel was applied in a nostril for 3 min. Application of lignocaine spray was rated as the most unplea...