Yasuhiro Kase

Posture and Nasal Patency: Evaluation by Acoustic Rhinometry

Nasal passage geometry was measured by acoustic rhinometry in 8 healthy medical students (5 males and 3 females, 21-29 years old; mean age 24 years) after 6 min in different postures of head and body. The minimum cross-sectional area (A-min) and volume between the nostril and 7 cm posteriorly were measured on both sides. When changing from sitting to horizontal the total airway dimension (i.e., the sum of A-min for the two sides) decreased by about 16% (Mean +/- SD = 0.19 +/- 0.14 cm2), and when standing up it increased by about 12% (0.14 +/- 0.13 cm2). A-min seemed more sensitive than volume to detecting postural changes. Including the variation between the cavities, the coefficient of variation (CV = SD/Mean) for area was 24.8 +/- 6.7 and for volume 22.4 +/- 6.4 for the 8 subjects. For the total nasal airway passage the corresponding figures were 12.9 +/- 3.9 and 10.9 +/- 5.5. These figures are considerably higher than for subjects measured only in the sitting position under comparable circumstances. In conclusion, our findings indicate a composite response of the nasal cavity mucosa to both systemic (hydrostatic) and local conditions, probably induced by vascular and cutaneous reflexes. These factors must be taken into account in studies of environmental, clinical, and pharmacological conditions.

242 The Examination of the Association between the Chronic Rhinosinusitis and the Inflammation of the Lower Respiratory Airway by Using the Exhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) and the Respiratory Function Test.

Background It is said that the chronic rhinosinusitis influences the lower respiratory airway and there is a report that a tendency to increase the eosinophilic rhinosinusitis later, but they are still unknown. Methods We divided the chronic rhinosinusitis patients with the adaptation of the operation into 4 groups and exaed whether there was a difference in the respiratory function, exhaled NO, and the number of the blood eosinophil. Object 29 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who planned the endonasal sinus surgery. Results Comparing these 4 groups, it was the worst on the respiratory function (one second rate) in the group with nasal polyps and without nasal allergy. It was recognized the connection between the respiratory function and the presence of the nasal polyps. It was possible that the exhaled NO became the index to the lower airway inflammation. Conclusions We classified the chronic rhinosinusitis and evaluated the lower airway function. It helps the pathologic understanding of the chronic rhinosinusitis. And it leads to understand of the influence on the lower airway inflammation.