Combined intranasal treatment for allergic rhinitis: an option for children under 12 years of age

Intranasal treatments combining corticosteroids with antihistamines are a safe and effective alternative for treating moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis in children over 12 years of age and adults. Evidence for their use in children under 12 years of age is limited and based on four studies: three examining azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate combination (AzeFlu) (including one placebo-controlled efficacy study, one comparative efficacy study, and one safety study) and one examining olopatadine hydrochloride and mometasone furoate combination (OloMom) (a placebo-controlled study). The recommendations from these studies could be conditional for school children aged 6 to 11 years with seasonal (non-perennial) allergic rhinitis, but only when symptoms cannot be controlled with a single drug.