title: Temperature and humidity profile of the anterior nasal airways of patients with nasal septal perforation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most frequent symptoms of patients with nasal septal perforations are crusting and bleeding. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of septal perforations on temperature and humidity of the anterior nasal airways.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intranasal temperature and humidity were measured in the nasal valve area, the anterior turbinate area and in the nasopharynx during normal respiration. A miniaturized thermocouple and a humidity sensor were used for continuous detection. Ten patients with septal perforations were enclosed into the study. The results were compared to matched healthy control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences of the temperature and humidity values between the left and right side of the nasal cavity in each study group. At the end of inspiration, nasal air temperature did not differ significantly between the two study groups. The humidity values at the end of inspiration were statistically significantly lower in the patient group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nasal septal perforations seem to be related to lower humidity in the anterior nasal airways during inspiration. Reduced humidity may contribute to crusting as a main symptom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. wiesmiller-lindemann@t-online.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindemann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kühnemann
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stehmer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leiacker
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rettinger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Keck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000293:injuries*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric