Efficacy of Hypertonic Saline and Normal Saline in the Treatment of Chronic Sinusitis

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.