Ocular symptoms improvement from intranasal triamcinolone compared with placebo and intranasal fluticasone propionate: A meta-analysis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis is a prevalent disease, which can be classed as seasonal (SAR) or perennial. In addition to nasal symptoms, up to 75% of sufferers experience itching, redness, and tearing of the eyes. Intranasal corticosteroids are effective in controlling the allergic nasal symptoms, and increasing evidence suggests that they also can relieve some of the allergic ocular symptoms.

Objective: To evaluate the magnitude of efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide (TAA) compared with placebo or fluticasone propionate (FP) on ocular symptom improvement in patients with SAR.

Methods: A meta-analysis of summary data from 8 randomized, double- or single-blind trials, assessing mean change in total or individual (tearing, redness, and itching) eye symptoms was conducted. Trials that administered a daily dose of 220 μg TAA vs placebo or 200 μg FP over at least 2 weeks' duration, in patients aged 12 years or older with SAR, were analyzed.

Results: Total eye symptom reduction after 2 weeks was greater with TAA than placebo, with a mean treatment difference of -0.32 (95% CI, -0.444 to -0.203). In addition, significant reductions in tearing, but not itching or redness, were observed after TAA treatment compared with placebo. No significant treatment difference was seen between TAA and FP in total ocular symptoms at any of the time points measured (weeks 1, 2, 3, and overall). All treatments exhibited similar safety profiles and were deemed well tolerated.

Conclusion: The meta-analysis demonstrated the positive clinical improvements TAA has on total ocular allergy symptoms, especially tearing, in addition to its recognized nasal symptom efficacy in SAR.