Comparative study of 3% hypertonic saline, Normal saline and 0.5% diluted betadine saline in the treatment of allergic rhinitis

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis is a diagnosis associated with a group of symptoms affecting the nose. Treatments for allergic rhinitis include: Nasal corticosteroid sprays, antihistamines, decongestants, Leukotriene inhibitors, allergy shots (immunotherapy). Nasal irrigation is common to both modern and traditional therapy regimes. Improvement in mucociliary clearance is well documented, with the use of normal saline, diluted betadine saline as well as hypertonic saline. This study was designed to compare the efficacy of hypertonic saline nasal irrigation over that of normal saline over that of diluted betadine saline nasal irrigation in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Materials and Methods: Prospective randomized comparative study was done on 60 diagnosed cases of allergic rhinitis patients by dividing into three groups and treated with 3% hypertonic saline, normal saline and 0.5% diluted betadine saline. The outcome between pre and post treatment was compared. Results: Among the three groups no statistically significant difference is seen in outcome. Conclusion: There was significant outcome following nasal irrigation, in all the three treatments but no significant differences between the treatments. All three modalities of treatment improve the quality of life. Keywords: Allergic rhinitis, Povidone-iodine, Diagnostic nasal endoscopy.