title: Nasal inspiratory flow: at rest and sniffing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study quantifies the time-varying flow rate during inspiration at rest and in sniffing, both predecongestion and postdecongestion. It aims to provide a better understanding of nasal airflow mechanics, for application to the physiological modeling of nasal respiration and to therapeutic drug delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The temporal profiles of nasal inspiration were measured at high fidelity in 14 healthy individuals using simultaneous bilateral hot-wire anemometry. Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) rate, acoustic rhinometry (AR), and the sinonasal outcome test (SNOT) provided complementary clinical measurements. The impact of decongestion was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the initial phase of inspiration, a rapid rise in flow rate was observed. Flow first exceeded 150 mL/second in either passage within a median time of approximately 120 ms for inspiration at rest and approximately 60 ms in sniffing (∼20 ms in the fastest sniffs). The mean sustained flow rate attained and the overall period of each measured inspiratory profile were analyzed. AR showed a significant change in nasal volume with decongestion, although these change were not manifest in the temporal profiles of inspiratory flow (barring a weak effect associated with the most vigorous sniffs).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Novel methods were applied to investigate the temporal profiles of nasal inspiration. Characteristic features of the profile were identified and found to be significantly different between inspiration at rest and sniffing. Decongestion was found to have little effect on the temporal profiles for the flow regimes studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare Trust, London, UK. c.rennie08@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rennie
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gouder
authors.forename: Donal J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Neil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Tolley
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Schroter
authors.forename: Denis J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Doorly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D001239:Inhalation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000502:physiology; D014663:Nasal Decongestants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000502:physiology; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D023842:Rhinometry, Acoustic; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D014663:Nasal Decongestants; C009695:xylometazoline