Comparison of topical silver nitrate and flunisolide treatment in patients with idiopathic non-allergic rhinitis

In this study, 90 patients with idiopathic non-allergic rhinitis were divided into three groups. Silver nitrate was given to Group I, flunisolide to Group II, and placebo to Group III. Healing results according to symptoms, physical findings, nasal smear findings and biopsy findings were compared. Improvement was noticed in symptoms (rhinorrhea 93%, sneezing 89%, nasal congestion 80%), physical findings (color of mucosa 89%, concha hypertrophy 87^, rhinorrhea 82%), nasal smear findings (94%) and biopsy findings (epithelium 76%, basal membrane 80%, edema 84%, eosinophilia 95%, inflammation 87%) in Group I. Recurrence was observed in symptoms and physical findings of 30% of the patients in Group I during the 6 month- follow-up period. In Group II, improvement was noticed in symptoms (rhinorrhea 73%, sneezing 70%, nasal congestion 61%), physical findings (color of mucosa 72%, concha hypertrophy 69%, rhinorrhea 62%), nasal smear findings (87%) and biopsy findings (epithelium 67%), basal membrane 63%, edema 70%, eosiphilia 77%, inflammation 70%). But symptoms recurred in all patients in approximately 1-3 months after completion of treatment. There was a statistically significant difference between silver treatment and flunisolide or placebo treatment.