A Clinical Method for Determination of Nasal Airway Resistance

Abstract

Quantitative determinations of nasal airway resistance (Rn) must be made at specified flow rates (V) through the nose. The most reliable method to determine Rn is when V and the pressure drop across the nose (Pn) are recorded simultaneously during spontaneous breathing. A new rhinomanometric method using a flow regulator is described. The values of Rn obtained from this method have been compared to those obtained from simultaneous recordings of Pn and V on the same subjects. Ten healthy persons and a number of rhinitic patients were examined with both methods and very good agreement was found between the results of the two methods. Furthermore, the new method gave information on abnormalities of vascular reactions in nasal diseases when other methods do not. The transducer and recording system were later exchanged for a liquid or mechanical manometer which makes the new method very convenient for clinical use.