title: Regular CPAP utilization reduces nasal inflammation assessed by nasal cytology in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze nasal inflammation in a group of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by means of nasal cytology and to describe the changes induced by continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two consecutive patients affected by OSAS (mean age 46.9 years) and 13 control subjects (mean age 49.1 years) were enrolled. Detailed clinical, laboratory, and polysomnographic studies were obtained in all participants and, in particular, nasal cytology was performed; inflammatory cells (neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, lymphocytes), bacteria, and spores were counted. A subgroup of 19 OSAS patients underwent regular nasal CPAP for eight weeks while the remaining 13 were noncompliant. Nasal cytology was repeated after eight weeks in all patients and controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients with OSAS were affected by some form of rhinopathy, mostly subclinical, which was not found to influence compliance to CPAP. Regular CPAP treatment induced a significant reduction of cell infiltration (neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and muciparous cells), which was not seen in nontreated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nasal inflammation/infection is a very frequent finding in OSAS and can be reverted by the regular use of CPAP.
authors: Otolaryngology Unit, Department of Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Gelardi
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Carbonara
authors: Enrico
authors: E
authors: Maffezzoni
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Marvisi
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Quaranta
authors: Raffaele
authors: R
authors: Ferri
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D012882:Skin Tests; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*