Guidelines for nasal provocations with aspects on nasal patency, airflow, and airflow resistance

Under the auspices of the international Rhinologic Society (IRS) there is a n 'International Committee on Objective Assessment of the Nasal Airways: In 1984 Rhinology published the Committee's recommendations regarding rhinoma nometry (Clement, 1984). During the last Congresses of the European Rhinolo gic Society (ERS) a subcommittee within that committee has discussed nasal provocations and the value of measuring nasal patency, airflow and airflow resistance to evaluate such provocations. The following is an effort to a c onsensus of indications and techniques for nasal provocation and to a criti cal analysis of methods 20 measure the effects. Only the most known methods will be discussed, ie. acoustic rhinometry, rhinostereometry, nasal peak a irflow and rhinomanometry with its different techniques. For graded respons es after provocations the use of such methods is of clinical value only in combination with scores from symptoms such as sneezes and secretion, as all ergic rhinitis symptoms consist of obstruction, sneezing, itching and conco mitant symptoms of the neighbouring organs. For research all methods can be recommended to be used and their respective value is depending on the spec ific scientific purposes.