Keypoints
- Evidence has shown that the sensation of nasal breathing is related to
nasal mucosa temperature variation produced by airflow. An appropriate
nasal airflow is necessary for changing mucosal temperature.
Therefore, the correlation between objective measurements of nasal
airflow and patient-reported evaluation of nasal breathing should be
correlated to the level of nasal airflow.
- The airway of 79 patients was evaluated using NOSE score and peak
nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF). Three subgroups were created based on
NOSE score and three subgroups were created based on PNIF level to
find if correlation between NOSE and PNIF was dependent on nasal
symptoms or on nasal airflow.
- The mean value of PNIF for the 79 patients was 92.6 l/min (SD 28.1
l/min). The mean NOSE score was 48.4 (SD 24.4). The correlation
between PNIF and NOSE was statistically significant (p =0.03),
but with a weak association between the two variables
(r =-0.248). Evaluation of correlation based on symptoms
demonstrated a weak or very weak association in each subgroup
(r =-0.250, r =-0.007, r =-0.104). Evaluation of
correlation based on nasal airflow demonstrated a very weak
association for the subgroups with middle-level and high PNIF values
(r =-0.190, r =-0.014), but a moderate association for the
subgroup with low PNIF values (r =-0.404).
- This study has shown a weak correlation between objective measurement
of nasal airflow and patient-reported evaluation of nasal breathing in
patients not selected according to symptoms of nasal obstruction or to
the level of nasal airflow.
- This study has shown that a low nasal airflow prevents the sensation
of a good nasal breathing. Therefore, patients with symptoms of nasal
obstruction and inappropriate nasal airflow may require improving
nasal airflow as an essential step to improve nasal breathing
sensation.