THE EFFECT OF ORAL-DRUGS ON THE CYTOLOGIC PICTURE OF NASAL-MUCOSA IN HAY-FEVER

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of H-1-antihi stamine and sympathomimetic drugs given orally on cytologic smears of the nasal mucosa. Thirty-five patients with hay fever evaluated cytolo gic smears of the nasal mucosa before and after a 2-week treatment. Fo urteen patients received chlorpheniramine with phenylephrine, 10 patie nts dexchlorpheniramine, and 11 patients pseudoephedrine. The investig ated drugs significantly changed nasal cytograms. The number of eosino phils increased after chlorpheniramine with phenylephrine and after ps eudoephedrine but decreased after dexchlorpheniramine. Thus, the sympa thetic nervous system stimulation seems to produce local eosinophilia on the nasal mucosa. In view of such a significant correlation between hay fever symptoms and the number of eosinophils in the cytograms, it can be concluded that the combination of antihistamine and sympathomi metic drugs may adversely affect the course of the disease. Although, at the initial stage of the treatment, sympathomimetics reduce swellin g and improve the patency of the nose through decongestion of the bloo d vessels, their negative effect can influence the immunologic mechani sms.