Nasacort AQ Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis Study in Children With Allergic Rhinitis

Participants who met the following criteria were eligible for this study:

Inclusion Criteria

• History of AR documented by the investigator, as follows:
• At least a 1-year clinical history (6-month history if the participant was >= 2 to =7 years of age (or younger according to the governing institutional review board [IRB]) had to provide a signed assent form

Exclusion Criteria

• Concomitant medical condition that might have interfered with the administration of a nasal spray, including anatomical abnormalities of the nose, face (eg, polyposis, markedly deviated septum)
• Presence of any active, untreated, or clinically significant musculoskeletal, endocrinologic, gastrointestinal, hepatic, respiratory, cardiovascular, or neurological condition that might have interfered with the study
• Any conditions or treatment that might have affected the HPA axis or the plasma cortisol assay, including but not limited to:
• Documented disorder involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, or adrenal gland
• Current use of serotonergic, dopaminergic, adrenergic, cholinergic agonists and antagonists, opiates, immunomodulatory, hormonal drugs, and lipid-lowering agents
• Treatment with systemic corticosteroids (oral, intravenous, intramuscular, or intra-articular) within 3 months prior to Visit 1
• Treatment with systemic corticosteroids for > 2 courses received up to 1 year before Visit 1 was exclusionary. Up to 2 courses of systemic corticosteroids, each course not exceeding 14 days, up to 1 year before Visit 1 was allowed
• Treatment with inhaled, intranasal, or high-potency topical corticosteroids within 6 weeks of Visit 1
• History of hospitalization due to asthma within 1 year before screening. Participants with mild asthma that was well-controlled without the use of inhaled corticosteroids within 6 weeks prior to Visit 1 were eligible for the study
• Any clinically significant (as determined by the investigator) abnormal laboratory test at Visit 1
• Morning serum cortisol outside the reference range at Visit 1
• Any of the following missing serum cortisol samples from the Visit-2 collection: first sample (before administration of investigational product), 20-hour sample, 24-hour sample, or any 2 consecutive samples
• Any medical condition where use of corticosteroids might have been contraindicated or could have led to disease exacerbation (eg, glaucoma, cataract, ocular herpes simplex, tuberculosis, growth retardation)
• History of hypersensitivity to corticosteroids or to the rescue medication, investigational product, or to any of their excipients
• Unresolved upper respiratory tract infection, sinus infection, or nasal candidiasis (ie, symptomatic or under treatment) within the last 2 weeks prior to Visit 1 and Visit 3
• Females of childbearing potential not protected by effective contraceptive method of birth control or were unwilling to abstain from sexual activity and/or, were unwilling or unable to test for pregnancy. Only female adolescent with onset of menses were to be checked by serum pregnancy test at Visit 1
• Pregnant female adolescent (who tested positive for pregnancy at Visit 1) The above information was not intended to contain all considerations relevant to potential participation in a clinical trial.