receive treatment with either a combination of budesonide (Rhinorcort Astra Zeneca AB), 1 spray per nostril twice daily (total 256 μg/d) and 10mg oral montelukast tablet (Merck Sharp & Dohme Australia Pty Ltd) in the evening for 14 days (BD+MNT treatment group)

treatment with only intranasal budesonide 1 spray per nostril twice daily for 14 days (BD treatment group)

SAR patients received treatment of a combination of budesonide and montelukast tablet or only intranasal budesonide randomly for 14 days

The participants were asked by one investigator to fill in a questioner detailing the presence of nasal and eye symptoms (including nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, nasal itching, sneezing and eye itching), and to score each symptom on a 0-10 cm scale; with 0 cm = no symptoms and 10 cm = most severe and bothersome symptom. The same investigator calculated both the individual symptom and the average of the sum of 5 AR symptoms scores, before and at the end of 14 days' treatment. Any subject with a mean score of < 4 cm at baseline was excluded from this study.

Eccovision acoustic rhinometry was used to measure the nasal cavity volume (NCV) according to standardized recommendations. Measurements of nasal volume were made from the first 2 cm (V2), the first 4 cm (V4), from the first 6 cm (V6), from the segment between 0 and 5 cm (V0-5), and the segment between 0 and 7 cm (V0-7) of the nose. All measurements were performed three times by the same operator, and nasal volumes were calculated as the sum of both nostrils24. In the current study, the change in the nasal cavity volume was measured at 2-5 cm, as this seems to be an important variable for mucosal changes.24 Nasal airway resistance (NAR) was measured by anterior active rhinomanometry in a quiet room at temperature of 25°C and humidity of 70%. NAR was measured at 75 Pa point (R75T).