The effect of triamcinolone acetonide aqueous nasal spray on the nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus

BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of triamcinolone acetonide aqueous (TAA) intranasal spray that was used for 2 months to treat allergic rhinitis (AR) on the nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus (NCSA). METHODS: A total of 125 adult AR patients (study group) and 133 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled for the study. The subjects were diagnosed with AR after a detailed history, physical examination, and prick testing. The AR subjects were administered TAA in a daily dosage of a 220-microg intranasal route. Nasal cultures were obtained on the 1st (baseline), 55th, and 60th days, and the subjects in the last two cultures of whom S. aureus was detected were accepted as NCSA. RESULTS: After all exclusion criteria were used, 110 AR and 114 control group subjects were enrolled in the study. Based on the culture results that were obtained on the 55th and 60th days, 10 (%9.1) patients from the study group and 18 (%15.7) individuals from the control group were defined to be NCSA (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the use of TAA treatment for AR does not increase the prevalence of NCSA. However, additional studies with a larger series are required to explain the effects of steroids on nasal colonization of S. aureus.