TITLE:
Efficacy of Hypertonic Saline and Normal Saline in the Treatment of Chronic Sinusitis
AUTHORS:
Ramabhadraiah Anil Kumar, Borlingegowda Viswanatha, Nisha Krishnamurthy, Niveditha Jayanna, Disha Ramesh Shetty
KEYWORDS:
Chronic Sinusitis; Hypertonic Saline; Normal Saline
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.2 No.3,
May
24,
2013
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Chronic sinusitis affects all age groups
and is a cause for significant morbidity. Recent realization that noninfectious
inflammatory causes can predispose to infectious sinusitis has evoked renewed
interest in developing and documenting efficacious ancillary therapies that
could supplement antibiotic use. Hypertonic saline solution has been shown to
increase mucociliary clearance and ciliary beat frequency. Objectives: A double blinded randomized comparative study was
undertaken to evaluate the effect of hypertonic saline (3.5%) nasal drops and
normal saline (0.9%) nasal drops, to assess the tolerance of hypertonic saline
nasal drops and to know if hypertonic nasal drops improve the “quality of life”
in patients with chronic sinusitis. Methods: Fifty patients diagnosed as chronic
sinusitis in the age group of 18-45 years were randomized into two groups; Group
A was treated with normal saline and Group B with 3.5% hypertonic saline for a
period of 4 weeks. Pre and Post treatment x-rays of the
paranasal sinuses (Water’s view) were graded and radiological scores were given
accordingly. The symptoms were evaluated before and after treatment using
visual analogue score. Patients were queried about tolerance to the nasal solution
and scores were given. Conclusion: Hypertonic
saline nasal solution is more efficacious than normal saline solution in the
treatment of patients with chronic sinusitis. Hypertonic saline nasal solution
was well tolerated and it improved quality of life in these patients.