Abstract

VIANA, Jorge; GOMES, Raquel; LOUREIRO, Carlos  and  BOM, Ana Todo. Peak nasal inspiratory flow and scent test in rhinitis. Rev Port Imunoalergologia [online]. 2014, vol.22, n.4, pp.267-277. ISSN 0871-9721.

Introduction: Rhinitis is an inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa, characterized by sneezing, itching, rhinorrhoea and nasal congestion that can affect the olfactory function. For clinical and functional assessment, analogue scales of symptoms, rhinomanometry, peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) evaluation and olfactory tests can be used. Objective: To evaluate changes in the sense of smell and PNIF of patients with rhinitis, asthma or both and also in a control group, and to investigate their association with airborne allergen’s sensitization, age and anthropometric parameters. Methods: From a random sample of 2 200 individuals aged 18 to 74 years old, 275 individuals were selected to be submitted to clinical assessment, skin prick allergy tests to 12 allergens, determination of PNIF and a smell identification test. Results: The all study was completed by 259 individuals (with a mean age of 47,0 ± 15,1 years) including 185 with respiratory pathology: 82 (44 %) with rhinitis, 67 (36 %) with asthma and 36 (19 %) with asthma and rhinitis. Control group comprised 74 individuals with a mean age of 47.7 ± 14.6 years. Sensitization to at least to one of the 12 allergen tested was observed in 176 study participants. Body mass index of the patients group was 27.0 ± 5.3 kg.m‑2, and of the control group was 26.2 ± 5.3 kg.m‑2. The average NFIP was 85.12 ± 27.09 l; 39.24l ± 94.10; 31.54l ± 79.17 ± 36.43 and 87.36 respectively for rhinitis, asthma, and rhinitis associated to asthma and control group. PNIF correlated with weight (r=0,157, p=0,038). At the smell identification test, only 42 participants identified 8 or less scents, below 75 % of correct identifications. Orange scent differentiated the control group (95.9 %) from isolated rhinitis (86.6 %, p=0,042) and from rhinitis associated to asthma (77.8 %, p <0.001). Orange scent distinguishes rhinitis (95.1 %) from asthma (94 %,p=0,011) and from rhinitis associated to asthma (75 %,p=0,001). Conclusions: Global results suggest PNIF and Smell Identification Test as tools to be implemented in the evaluation of rhinitis.

Keywords : Asthma; rhinitis; epidemiology; peak nasal inspiratory flow; scent test.

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