Effect of intranasal triamcinolone acetonide on basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in children with allergic rhinitis.

Intranasal corticosteroids are the most effective medication class for controlling allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms. However, limited data are available on their effects on basal hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function in children. This study was designed to determine the effect of 6-week triamcinolone acetonide aqueous (TAA-AQ) nasal spray treatment on HPA axis function by measuring 24-hour serum cortisol area under the curve (AUC((0-24h))) in children with AR aged 2-11 years. This phase 4, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study randomized children with AR to receive TAA-AQ (110 mu g, 2-11 years old, or 220 mu g, 6-11 years old) or placebo. At pre- and posttreatment domiciled visits, 24-hour serum cortisol and reflective total nasal symptom scores (rTNSSs) were assessed. Safety assessment included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) at each visit and trough levels of 24-hour serum cortisol. A total of 140 subjects (mean age, 7.2 years; males, 59%) were randomized; 66 from each group completed treatment. The ratio of TAA-AQ to placebo for change from baseline in serum cortisol AUC((0-24h)) was 0.966 (95% confidence interval, 0.892-1.045). Reduction from baseline in mean rTNSS was significantly greater in the TAA-AQ than in the placebo group (difference: least square mean +/- SE = -0.85 +/- 0.24; p = 0.0007). The safety profile was similar (TEAEs, TAA-AQ, 27.5%; placebo, 25.4%), and so was the mean change in serum cortisol trough level (TAA-AQ, -0.4 mu g/dL; placebo, -0.1 mu g/dL; p = 0.1818 for treatment difference) from pre- to posttreatment. TAA-AQ was safe, well tolerated, and not associated with clinically meaningful suppression of serum cortisol AUC((0-24h)) in children with AR. Clinical trial NCT01154153, www.clinicaltrials.gov.