Nasal resistance and allergic inflammation depend on allergen type.
BACKGROUND
Allergic rhinitis is characterized by inflammatory cell infiltrate and increased nasal airflow resistance.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sensitization type, inflammatory cell pattern, and nasal airflow resistance in a group of rhinitics with monosensitization.


METHODS
Seventy-seven subjects (40 males and 37 females, with a mean age of 33 +/- 4.4 years) suffering from allergic rhinitis were studied. Skin prick test, nasal cytology and electronic rhinomanometry were assessed in all subjects.


RESULTS
The number of subjects monosensitized to house dust mites was 23, to grasses 20, to cypress 17, to Parietaria 11, and to olive tree 6. Significant differences were observed between each type of allergen sensitization concerning both the nasal airflow resistance (p = 0.002) and the nasal cytology pattern: eosinophils (p = 0.004), degranulated eosinophils (p = 0.002), mast cells (p = 0.006) and degranulated mast cells (p = 0.008). Furthermore, goblet cells were higher in house dust mite-sensitized subjects compared with the pollen-sensitized group (p = 0.018), in which a prevalence of eosinophils, degranulated eosinophils, mast cells and degranulated mast cells was observed (p = 0.049, p < 0.001, p = 0.022 and p = 0.007, respectively). Nasal resistances were higher in the pollen group (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence that inflammatory cell pattern and nasal resistance depend on the type of allergen sensitization.
Gelardi
Matteo
M
Dipartimento di Oculistica e Otorinolaringoiatria, Università di Bari, Bari, Italy.
Maselli Del Giudice
Alessandro
A
Candreva
Teresa
T
Fiorella
Maria Luisa
ML
Allen
Michaela
M
Klersy
Catherine
C
Marseglia
Gian Luigi
GL
Ciprandi
Giorgio
G
D000328:Adult; D000403:Airway Resistance; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology