The MACRO Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Defining best Management in Adult Chronic RhinOsinusitis
IRAS ID
223922
Contact name
Carl Philpott
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Eudract number
2018-001100-11
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 5 months, 0 days
Research summary
Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a long-term sinus disease affecting 1 in 10 adults in the UK. Symptoms of CRS include a blocked and runny nose, loss of smell, facial pain, tiredness and worsening of breathing problems, such as asthma. Studies have shown that sinus disease can have a greater impact on quality of life than heart disease and back pain.
The type of treatments given by GPs and Ear, Nose and Throat specialists in the NHS varies greatly. This is due to doctors currently having limited information on how to effectively treat patients with CRS due to a lack of clinical trials in this area. Intranasal medications like nasal steroid sprays/drops and saline rinses (irrigations) play an important role in helping to improve CRS symptoms, and have been shown to be effective in trials. Saline rinses help wash away any excess mucus or irritants inside the nose, which can reduce swelling and relieve your symptoms. Nasal steroid sprays/drops help to reduce inflammation. Nasal steroids and saline rinses are considered “standard care”. Other treatments given may include further medications to reduce swelling, such as antibiotics, or operations such as endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), but there are few trials comparing these with standard care.
The MACRO Trial, which is part of a large programme of work funded by the government, aims to establish which treatments work best for adults with CRS with and without nasal polyps.
The MACRO Trial will investigate three different treatment options for patients with CRS. All participants who join the MACRO Trial will be asked to use standard care (intranasal medications), which are considered the current best practice for management of CRS. This intranasal medication includes nasal steroid drops/sprays and saline rinses.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0210
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jul 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion