GOBLET CELL-DENSITY OF THE INFERIOR TURBINATES IN PATIENTS WITH PERENNIAL ALLERGIC AND NONALLERGIC RHINITIS

Nasal mucus production is regulated by submucosal glands and epithelia l goblet cells. The role and especially the number of the latter are q uire debatable. The present study compares the distribution and densit y of goblet cells in the inferior turbinates of patients with perennia l allergic and nonallergic rhinitis to normal controls. The periodic a cid Schiff-alcian blue whole-mount method was used to identify and cou nt their number. Goblet cell distribution was found nonhomogeneous, an d considerable variations were observed among adjacent localities of t he same specimen. The mean number of goblet cells per mm(2) was 6499 i n normal controls (n = 12), 6818 in patients with perennial allergic r hinitis (n = 13), and 6801 in patients with perennial nonallergic rhin itis (n = 18). Statistical analysis confirmed that the density of gobl et cells did not differ significantly between patients with and withou t allergy, as well as between each group of patients and controls. The refore, it could be concluded that the number of goblet cells in the i nferior turbinate is not influenced by the presence of perennial aller gic or nonallergic rhinitis.