title: Endonasal geometry changes in elderly people: acoustic rhinometry measurements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skeletal nasal changes in elderly people have been extensively investigated, but data on variation of the endonasal architecture with age do not exist. We evaluated endonasal parameters in an elderly population as compared with those in a young group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acoustic rhinometry measurements were performed on 165 participants in the age range of 20-93 years. The rhinograms provided the endonasal volume from the nostril entrance to a 7.0 cm cephalic point (V0-7) and the minimal cross-sectional areas (MCA1 and MCA2). Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson correlation and one-way analysis of variance, using age as a continuous or categorical variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistical difference in gender distribution within each age group. The results obtained for the left and right nostrils were similar. Endonasal volume V0-7 and the narrowing areas MCA1 and MCA2 significantly increase with age, except for men over 80 years in which a relative decrease was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acoustic rhinometry examination of the endonasal architecture in a healthy young and elderly population demonstrated a gradual increase of endonasal volumes and minimal cross-sectional areas with age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Zeriffin, 70300, Israel. Limorm@barak-online.net
authors.forename: Limor Muallem
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kalmovich
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elad
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zaretsky
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adunsky
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chetrit
authors.forename: Siegal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadetzki
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D023842:Rhinometry, Acoustic / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity