Research on Underlying Causes of Long-term Use of Nasal Decongestants and the Structured Withdrawal of the Decongestant

NCT04898764 | Completed Phase 4

• 2 other identifiers: AGO/2019/0052019-003254-91
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 72
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Rhinitis medicamentosa (RM) is a form of non-allergic medication-induced rhinitis characterised by nasal congestion. This nasal congestion is the result of the overuse of intranasal decongestants which leads to rebound congestion when the medication wears off. This prompts the user of the nasal decongestant to administer more in order to obtain relief from the feeling of a blocked nose. Therefore, the patient ends up in a vicious cycle caused and temporarily relieved by the use of medication.The diagnosis of rhinitis medicamentosa depends greatly on the history of prolonged use of the nasal decongestant, since real diagnostic criteria have not yet been established. It is unclear if these patients suffer from an underlying (undetected and/or untreated) nasal condition which might have caused the patient to start using the nasal decongestant in the first place. Therefore, the aim of the first part of this study (Part A) is to characterize patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants to examine if an underlying nasal condition is present. The investigators will include healthy volunteers in part A of the study to be able to compare their test results with those of patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants and hence be able to detect differences. Thus far, the treatment of RM has been the topic of debate. Several treatment regimens have been proposed in literature, but most study authors agree that it is essential to stop the overuse of the nasal decongestant either immediately or gradually to limit withdrawal symptoms. For this part of the study (Part B: intervention study), the investigators aim to reduce the long-term use of nasal decongestants based on a structured withdrawal programme comprising medication (nasal corticosteroid spray) and motivational interviewing. Only patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants are eligible to participate in this part of the study. They will be rescreened prior to inclusion into this part of the study.

Conditions

Rhinitis Medicamentosa

Keywords

non-allergic drug-induced rhinitis

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Proportion of study subjects with long-term use of nasal decongestants able to completely withdraw the use of the nasal decongestant after 12 weeks of intervention.

  To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized, structured withdrawal plan based on Mometasone furoate combined with motivational interviewing to reduce the overuse of nasal decongestants. For this study, complete withdrawal is defined as at least 7 consecutive days without any use of a nasal decongestant.

  Assessed at follow-up 2 (12 weeks post start up intervention)

• Proportion of study subjects who were able to completely withdraw the long-term use of nasal decongestants at follow-up 2 (after 12 weeks of intervention) who relapsed by the time of follow-up 3 (6 months after the start-up of the intervention).

  To evaluate the relapse rates of patients with former nasal decongestant overuse. For this study, relapse is defined as daily use of a nasal decongestant for more than 7 consecutive days after prior full withdrawal of the nasal decongestant

  Assessed at follow-up 3 (6 months post start-up of the intervention)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Change from intervention baseline (part B) to week 12 of intervention in Rhinitis Control Assessment Test (RCAT) score (RCAT scores range from 6 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater rhinitis symptom control)

  Assessed at intervention baseline, follow-up 1 (6 weeks post start-up intervention), and follow-up 2 (12 weeks post start-up intervention)

• Change from intervention baseline (part B) to week 12 of intervention in home measured PNIF as captured in diary on a fixed day every week

  Assessed during screening period (2 weeks) and intervention period (12 weeks post start up intervention) on a weekly basis

• Change from intervention baseline (part B) to week 12 of intervention in hospital measured Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow (PNIF)

  Assessed at intervention baseline, follow-up 1 (6 weeks post start-up intervention), and follow-up 2 (12 weeks post start-up intervention)

• Change from intervention baseline (part B) to week 12 of intervention in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for nasal obstruction. Range 0mm - 100mm with higher values indicating worse outcome

  Assessed at intervention baseline, follow-up 1 (6 weeks post start-up intervention), and follow-up 2 (12 weeks post start-up intervention)

• Change from intervention baseline (part B) to week 12 of intervention in Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for nasal symptoms (nasal obstruction, runny nose, sneezing) as captured in the daily diary. Range 0mm-100mm with higher values indicating worse outcome

  Assessed during screening period (2 weeks) and intervention period (12 weeks) on a daily basis

Other Outcomes (1)

• Change from baseline (part A) to week 12 of intervention in exploratory biomarkers of inflammation and immune response in blood samples and nasal secretions (multiplex analysis of cytokines)

  Assessed at baseline (characterisation study) and at follow-up 2 (12 weeks of intervention)

Study Arms (2)

Healthy Volunteers

NO INTERVENTION

This study arm will only participate in part A of the study (Characterisation study) and thus will not receive the study drug. A maximum of 35 healthy volunteers will be included in this study arm.

Patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants

EXPERIMENTAL

A maximum of 100 patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants will be included in this study arm, for part A of the study (Characterisation study). The investigators will consecutively recruit patients from part A (Characterisation study) into part B of the study (Intervention study) until a total of 35 patients completed all study-related visits of part B. During the intervention study, patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants will administer Mometasone furoate intranasally, two doses (50µg/actuation) in each nostril, twice daily (total daily dose of 400µg) during a 12 week period.

Drug: Mometasone Furoate

Interventions

Mometasone Furoate DRUG

Mometasone furoate nasal spray suspension, 50µg/actuation

Patients with long-term use of nasal decongestants

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Aged 18 years or older
• Sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language

You may not qualify if:

• Subjective presence of nasal disease (i.e. the study subject indicates to experience any nasal symptoms, an occasional common cold not taken into account)
• Established diagnosis of a nasal disorder (e.g. allergy, nasal polyps, …) or a positive allergy test (skin prick test or blood test)
• Prior nasal surgery
• Asthma
• Use of an oral corticosteroid in the month prior to the screening visit
• Significant disease(s) that might interfere with the study, based on the judgement of the investigator
• Current use of a nasal decongestant, more than two episodes of 7 days use of a nasal decongestant in the previous year or less than two episodes of 7 days use (in the previous year) but last use less than a month prior to the screening visit
• Other medication used to treat nasal symptoms (intranasal corticosteroids, oral or intranasal antihistamines, oral decongestants …)
• History of rhinitis medicamentosa (either patient-reported long-term use of a nasal decongestant or a diagnosis of rhinitis medicamentosa)
• Pregnancy, trying to become pregnant (during the duration of the study) or breastfeeding
• Aged 18 years or older
• Daily use of a nasal decongestant for at least 6 months. Following ATC-codes are considered, when the spray or drops contain a nasal decongestant and the drug is thus intended for short-term use only: R01AA, R01AB, R01AD52, R01AD53
• Sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language
• Pregnancy, trying to become pregnant (during the duration of the study) or breastfeeding
• Use of an oral corticosteroid in the month prior to the screening visit

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Ghent: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ghent University Hospital

Ghent, 9000, Belgium

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Mometasone Furoate

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pregnadienediols; Pregnadienes; Pregnanes; Steroids; Fused-Ring Compounds; Polycyclic Compounds

Study Officials

• Philippe Gevaert, MD, PhD

  Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 4
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2020
• First Posted: May 24, 2021
• Study Start: October 21, 2020
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2025
• Study Completion: April 30, 2025
• Last Updated: January 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Locations

BE (1)