title: The effects of pregnancy on nasal physiology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nasal congestion that is not present before pregnancy represents a distinct clinical entity called pregnancy rhinitis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of nasal physiology over the course of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with 85 pregnant women and 26 nonpregnant controls. We measured nasal airway patency objectively via acoustic rhinometry (ARM) and anterior rhinomanometry (RMM) and subjectively via the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale in each trimester and compared the results to those of the controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The NOSE scores of control and pregnant women showed no difference (p = 0.866). Minimal cross-sectional area (MCA1; minimal cross sectional area at nasal valve and MCA2; minimal cross sectional area at the level where the head of inferior turbinate is placed) decreased significantly between the first and third trimesters: first trimester 0.37 cm(2), third trimester 0.31 cm(2). There was no difference between each trimester with regard to total nasal resistance. The correlation analysis between the NOSE score and both total volume and MCA1 in all patients showed no significance (r = -0.10, p = 0.318; r = -0.04, p = 0.654, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnancy affects nasal physiology adversely and impairs nasal breathing in some women. However, based on the findings of this study, we concluded that this clinical entity may not be considered as a disease without complementary symptoms despite the presence of objective changes in nasal parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Uludag, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Uygar Levent
authors.initials: UL
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Bilge Cetinkaya
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Ege
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztosun
authors.forename: Ozlem Ozgun
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Uyaniklar
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ocakoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: acoustic rhinometry; nasal symptoms; pregnancy; rhinitis; rhinomanometry