title: Assessment of nasal parameters in determination of olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess nasal cycle, nasal mucosal pH and mucociliary clearance time in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and healthy control subjects were recruited. Presence of the nasal cycle, nasal mucosa pH and mucociliary clearance time were investigated in all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 27 patients and 24 control subjects. The nasal cycle was present in significantly fewer patients than controls. Nasal pH and mucociliary clearance time were significantly higher in patients than in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parkinson's disease is associated with alterations in nasal cycle, nasal mucosa pH and mucociliary clearance time. Measurements of these nasal parameters may be useful for the early diagnosis of autonomic and olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya, Turkey. dilcankotan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dilcan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kotan
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tatar
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aygul
authors.forename: Hizir
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ulvi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000502:physiology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000503:physiopathology; D009666:Nose / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Mucociliary clearance time; Parkinson’s disease; nasal cycle; nasal mucosal pH