MONITORING FLUCTUATIONS IN NASAL PATENCY IN CHILDREN - ACOUSTIC RHINOMETRY VERSUS RHINOHYGROMETRY

Simple rhinohygrometry and passive rhinomanometry studies have suggest ed that the 'nasal cycle' in children is often different in pattern of that of adults and experimental animals. We aimed to establish whethe r this assertion was correct, using a reliable and sensitive method, a coustic rhinometry (AR), and to compare results with those of simple r hinohygrometry (RH). Healthy children with no evidence of nasal diseas e were examined (n = 15; age range three to 10 years; mean age six yea rs). Simultaneous recordings using AR and RH were made on each child e very 10-15 minutes over two to four hour periods. Six children underwe nt nine additional AR studies on separate occasions. 'Classical' recip rocal alternating patterns were evident in 80 per cent (12/15) AR and 53 per cent (8/15) RH studies, 'in concert' patterns in seven per cent (1/15) AR and 20 per cent (3/15) RH studies and 'irregular' patterns in 13 per cent (2/15) AR and 27 per cent (4/15) RH studies. The agreem ent between the two methods was 47 per cent, with a kappa (kappa) valu e of -0.17 (poor agreement compared to chance). Agreements between the acoustic rhinometry parameters were 'fair' for all data (kappa = 0.34 ) and excellent (kappa = 1.0) if irregular patterns were ignored. Repe ated studies showed that the pattern of fluctuation varies within any particular individual. The nasal cycle is similar in pattern in childr en and adults, and acoustic rhinometry is currently the method of choi ce to further investigate and clarify this phenomenon.