Nasal obstruction and headache. A real correlation?
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the relationships between headache and nasal obstruction or nasal allergy on a group of Italian school children.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-six children suffering from headache, were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent an accurate clinical history, a complete ENT objective examination, an Anterior Active Rhinomanometry, an analysis of nasal mucociliary transport time and a skin test on the inner forearm.


RESULTS
Nasal resistances were increased in 101 out of 105 of children (96.2%) affected by severe headache (group A) and in 5 out of 21 (23.8%) of those affected by sporadic headache (P < 0.0001), for an odds ratio of 80.0 (95% CI, 19-343). The analysis of mucociliary transport time offered results comparable with those of the Anterior Active Rhinomanometry.


CONCLUSIONS
Dysfunctions of nasal physiology, as stated by the alteration of nasal resistances and nasal mucociliary transport, seem to be able to affect the development and the characteristics of headaches; specifically we found that children with an altered nasal physiology have more severe and more frequent attacks of headache.
ENT Department-University of Siena Medical School, Viale Bracci, 53100 Siena, Italy. passali@unisi.it
Desiderio
D
Passàli
Valerio
V
Damiani
Francesco Maria
FM
Passàli
Giulio Cesare
GC
Passàli
Luisa
L
Bellussi
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000502:physiology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000503:physiopathology; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D025363:Rhinomanometry; D012882:Skin Tests
D000485:Allergens