title: Objective and subjective responses to a mechanical external nasal dilator in healthy children and children with nasal congestion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nasal congestion is a frequent symptom of allergic rhinitis. Mechanical external nasal dilators (MEND) can be applied to the outside of the nose to provide temporary relief from nasal stuffiness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the objective and subjective benefits and tolerability of MEND in healthy children and in children with nasal congestion due to allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two studies were performed, one in healthy children and one in children with nasal congestion. The study of healthy children was a single-center, randomized, crossover study of two pediatric MEND variants, "tan" and "stars." The study of children with nasal congestion was a single-center assessment of the stars MEND. In both studies, nasal patency was measured via peak nasal inspiratory flow in the seated position and in the supine position at baseline and after the pediatric MEND was affixed to the nose. Assessment questions were administered at baseline and after MEND application, while seated and while supine, to evaluate subjective reduction in nasal blockage and tolerability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty healthy and 26 children with nasal congestion were assessed. Pediatric MENDs showed a statistically significant improvement in peak nasal inspiratory flow for both healthy children and children with nasal congestion while seated and for healthy children while recumbent. Pediatric MENDs were perceived as decreasing nasal obstruction in both healthy children and children with nasal congestion in both positions, and there were statistically significant improvements in most subjective measures. Pediatric MENDs were well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric MENDs provided significant objective increases in nasal patency in healthy children and children with nasal congestion in the seated position and also subjective reduction in nasal airway stuffiness in both seated and supine positions; they were also well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Asthma and Allergy Medical Group and Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Eli O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000009:adverse effects; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome