THE NASAL RESPONSE TO ISOMETRIC-EXERCISE IN NON-EOSINOPHILIC INTRINSIC RHINITIS

The exact pathophysiolopy of intrinsic rhinitis is not fully understoo d. The generally held belief is that it is due to an imbalance between the outflow of the nasal sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous syst ems, perhaps due to excessive parasympathetic or reduced sympathetic a ctivity. In this study the nasal airway response to a predominantly sy mpathetic stimulus, isometric exercise, was studied in 19 patients wit h intrinsic rhinitis and compared with 16 normal patients. Isometric e xercise took the form of a handgrip stimulus using a hand dynomometer. Following sustained handgrip, a small fall of nasal resistance in the normal group (0.058 kPas/l) and a moderate rise in nasal resistance i n the rhinitis group (0.242 kPas/l) was found. Pulse and blood pressur e changes were the same in both groups with a significant rise in puls e rate and diastolic blood pressure. The study shows that there is an abnormal response to isometric exercise in intrinsic rhinitis, perhaps due to relative nasal sympathetic hyposensitivity.