# Intranasal Oxymetazoline and Xylometazoline Use in Patients With Deviated Nasal Septum: A Cross‐Sectional Telephone Survey

## TL;DR

This study explores how patients with a deviated nasal septum use nasal sprays like oxymetazoline and xylometazoline, finding that many overuse them due to lack of awareness.

## Contribution

The study identifies a strong association between lack of awareness about OXM risks and increased risk of overuse or addiction.

## Key findings

- Approximately one-third of patients admitted to overusing oxymetazoline/xylometazoline.
- Lack of awareness about chronic OXM use consequences was linked to a 6.5-fold increased risk of addiction.
- Many patients were unaware of alternative treatments like intranasal steroid therapy.

## Abstract

To assess the pattern of oxymetazoline and xylometazoline (OXM) use in patients with deviated nasal septum (DNS).

A retrospective Computer‐Assisted Telephone Interviewing survey.

Patients who underwent septoplasty in University Clinical Hospital in Opole, Poland.

A retrospective Computer‐Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) survey was conducted among patients who underwent septoplasty between 2018 and 2024. The questionnaire included inquiries about the frequency of OXM use, awareness of the consequences of long‐term OXM application, and alternative treatment options, all prior to septoplasty.

The study was conducted on 159 of 305 (52.1%) patients identified in the hospital database. Approximately one‐third of respondents (55 of 159, 34.6%) denied using OXM, about one‐third had used OXM for no more than 7 days (52 of 159, 32.7%), and the remaining one‐third (52 of 159, 32.7%) admitted to OXM overuse. Lack of awareness of the consequences of chronic OXM use was associated with a 6.5‐fold increased risk of addiction (OR = 6.5, 95% CI: 1.2‐33.6, P = .02). Furthermore, 16 of 52 (30.8%) respondents were unaware of intranasal steroid therapy in the preoperative period.

DNS may increase the risk of OXM dependence; however, further controlled studies are needed. Increasing awareness about the risks of OXM overuse substantially reduces this risk.