[Correlation between objective criteria and subjective evaluation of symptoms in chronic rhinosinusitis].
BACKGROUND
We evaluated the possible correlations between the extent of inflammatory infiltration of the nasal mucosa caused by mechanical irritation (septal deviation and hypertrophy of the middle turbinate) and nasal airway resistance measured by rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry. Subjective evaluation of the nasal obstruction, rhinorrhoea and headache was done by visual analogic scale and compared with the inflammation.


METHODS
40 patients with a more than 18 months' history of chronic rhinosinusitis associated with septal deviation and/or hypertrophy of the middle turbinate were included in the study. The density of inflammatory cells (graded from + to +3, where + means few and +3 abundant inflammatory cells) in the mucosa of the middle turbinate was evaluated histopathologically.


RESULTS
We found a significant correlation between subjective intensity of nasal obstruction and inflammation (mainly lymphocytes) of the middle turbinate mucosa and the value of nasal airway resistance measured by rhinomanometry. No correlation was found between the other parameters studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Mechanical stimulation at the level of turbinoseptal contact causes inflammation in the mucosa which correlates with both subjective nasal airway resistance and rhinomanometry values.
Giger
R
R
Unité de rhinologie/Clinique et policlinique d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève.
Kurt
A M
AM
Lacroix
J S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology