Ambient cold air decreased nasal mucosa blood flow measured by laser Doppler flowmeter.
BACKGROUND
With its potentially conflicting physiological roles of both air-conditioning and body-heat recovery, the response of nasal mucosa blood flow (NMBF) to ambient cold air is not well understood.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the NMBF in response to cold ambient air.


METHODS
The NMBF was continuously measured by laser Doppler flowmetry in nine participants exposed to different air temperatures (24 degrees C and 4 degrees C).


RESULTS
The NMBF significantly decreased at 4 degrees C compared with that at 24 degrees C (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The response to ambient cold air in the nasal microcirculation is similar to that of the body-surface blood vessels, suggesting that body-heat recovery rather than air-conditioning is the predominant function.
Chu
Yueng-Hsiang
YH
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lu
Da-Wen
DW
Wang
Hsing-Won
HW
D000328:Adult; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply*; D012016:Reference Values