title: Subjective cold hyper-responsiveness grade reflects age- and duration-related increase of nonspecific nasal hyperreactivity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the effect of patients' age and duration of allergic rhinitis on nonspecific nasal hyper-reactivity (NHR) using cold dry air (CDA) provocation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 156 patients of various ages with allergic rhinitis and different symptom duration, we evaluated the change of symptoms, the subjective cold hyper-responsiveness (SCH) grade, the change of acoustic parameters such as total nasal volume (TNV) and minimal cross-sectional area (MCA), and the amount of rhinorrhea before and after CDA provocation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in different age or duration groups did not show significant differences in the change of each nasal symptom. SCH grade 2 or 3 was more frequently observed in patients older than 30 years (p=0.018). There was a significant correlation between the age of the patients and the SCH grade (R=0.184, p=0.022). Patients with >10 years of duration reported higher SCH grade (p=0.022). There was a significant correlation between the duration of disease and SCH grade (R=0.284, p<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the change of TNV and MCA, and the amount of rhinorrhea after CDA provocation between different age and duration groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCH grade reflects the age- and duration-related increase of NHR. Further studies to elucidate the pathophysiologic mechanisms are needed in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hyo
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Young
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000388:Air; D002648:Child; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D023842:Rhinometry, Acoustic; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult