title: Dynamic Changes in Heart Rate Variability and Nasal Airflow Resistance during Nasal Allergen Provocation Test.
abstract: Allergic rhinitis is a major chronic respiratory disease and an immunoneuronal disorder. We aimed at providing further knowledge on the function of the neural system in nasal allergic reaction. Here, a method to assess simultaneously the nasal airflow resistance and the underlying function of autonomic nervous system (ANS) is presented and used during the nasal provocation of allergic and nonallergic subjects. Continuous nasal airflow resistance and spectral heart rate variability parameters show in detail the timing and intensity differences in subjects' reactions. After the provocation, the nasal airflow resistance of allergic subjects showed a positive trend, whereas LF/HF (Low Frequency/High Frequency) ratio and LF power showed a negative trend. This could imply a gradual sympathetic withdrawal in allergic subjects after the allergen provocation. The groups differed significantly by these physiological descriptors. The proposed method opens entirely new opportunities to research accurately concomitant changes in nasal breathing function and ANS.
authors.affiliation: Center for Machine Vision and Signal Analysis, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Tiina M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Seppänen
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.|Research Unit of Otorhinolaryngology and Ophthalmology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli-Pekka
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Alho
authors.affiliation: Center for Machine Vision and Signal Analysis, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.|Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seppänen
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009299:Nasal Provocation Tests / Q000379:methods*; D009666:Nose / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens