title: Correlation between nasal eosinophils and nasal airflows in children with asthma and/or rhinitis monosensitised to house dust mites.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis and asthma due to mite sensitisation are diseases which are frequently associated and characterised by persistent inflammation. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between nasal airflows and nasal eosinophils in patients with asthma and/or rhinitis due to house dust mite sensitisation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four children with both rhinitis and asthma (R+A), 13 children with rhinitis and no asthma (R) and 10 non-allergic healthy children were evaluated prospectively. The patients belonging to the first two groups had moderate-severe grade of nasal obstruction. Total nasal symptom scores, peak nasal inspiratory flows (PNIFs) obtained by anterior rhinomanometry, skin prick tests, nasal eosinophils and FEV1 values were all assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Percentages of nasal eosinophils and PNIFs in patients with R+A and R (r=-0.415, p=0.04) were found to be statistically significant and to have an inverse correlation. Skin prick tests were also significantly correlated with nasal eosinophils and PNIFs (r=0.372, p=0.01 and r=-0.306, p=0.04, respectively). Both PNIFs and nasal eosinophils of patients with R+A were significantly correlated with FEV1 values (r=-0.641, p=0.001 and r=0.548, p=0.007, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, a close relationship was demonstrated between eosinophil infiltration and nasal airflows in children having asthma and/or rhinitis monosensitised to mites. Additionally, the significant association found between FEV1 values and nasal eosinophils or PNIFs supported the close link of upper and lower airways.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Gaziantep, Gaziantep, Turkey. Electronic address: ayfyukselen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ayfer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yukselen
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seval Guneser
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kendirli
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya Ufuk
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Altintas
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulbin Bingol
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Karakoc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000276:immunology; D009666:Nose / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013147:Spirometry
keywords: Asthma; Children; Nasal airflow; Nasal eosinophil; Rhinitis