Efficacy and Safety of Surfrin Intranasal Spray, a Natural Phospholipid Spray, in Treating Patients With Acute Rhinitis: a Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Abstract Background: Phospholipids form a natural defense and self-cleansing system in the nose, and the phospholipids supplemented via nasal sprays might stabilize or restore the impaired “nasal surfactant,” thereby maintaining the natural moisture film, protecting and moisturizing the nasal mucosa, and facilitating mucociliary clearance. Acute rhinitis is a self-limited, prevalent human disease caused by viral infection of the upper respiratory tract and is characterized by nasal dryness, sneezing, nasal congestion and discharge. Acute rhinitis is currently treated by symptom alleviation. This study investigates the efficacy and safety of a natural phospholipid intranasal spray in attenuating the nasal discomfort of patients with acute rhinitis. Methods: In this randomized, positive control, noninferiority trial, 144 patients with acute rhinitis were recruited by otolaryngologists in two Grade 3A public and research hospitals, and randomly allocated to experimental and control groups in a 1:1 ratio to receive a natural phospholipid spray, i.e., Surfrin® Intranasal Spray (Surfrin®), or a physiological sea water nasal spray, i.e., Bright Nose® Physiological Sea Water Nasal Spray (BNNS), respectively. The primary outcome was the effective rate, which was judged by the nasal sign score reduction index. The secondary outcome was changes in the total scores of nasal symptoms (TNSS). Any adverse events (AEs) of the study were recorded.Results: In the final statistical analysis, there were 68 participants in the experimental group and 71 participants in the control group. The effective rates of Surfrin® and BNNS were 98.5% and 91.5%, respectively. The TNSS decreased from 5.75±1.83 to 0.96±1.35 in the experimental group, and from 5.65±1.48 to 1.20±1.38 in the control group. The experimental group had one AE not related to treatment (1.41%), and another occurred in the control group (1.39%) and was probably related to treatment. No serious AEs or adverse reactions occurred.Conclusions: The results of this trial demonstrate the good safety and efficacy of the natural phospholipid Surfrin® Intranasal Spray as an alternative treatment for acute rhinitis. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Identifier: ChiCTR1900025655, September 4, 2019, retrospectively registered).