ENDOSCOPIC SCORING SYSTEM IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS

Visual inspection of the airways in patients with chronic bronchitis a nd asthma by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and the relation of these finding s to bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid analysis or some clinical para meters have been reported previously. In this study, we have attempted to assess and grade airway inflammation in allergic rhinitis patients (ARP) by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. During the procedure, BAL was obtai ned and visual inspection of airways done by the method used by Thomps on et al. Ten ARP with bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) (Group 1), 10 A RP without BHR (Group 2) and 2 nonatopic, healthy subjects (Control Gr oup) were studied. The fluid recovery and differential cell concentrat ion were similar in the three groups. The inflammatory scores were 11. 0 +/- 7.0, 13.8 +/- 6.9, 15.0 +/- 4.2 in group 1, group 2 and control group, respectively, without showing any significant differences betwe en the groups. There was no correlation between the inflammatory score and PC20 to methacholine. This indicates that BHR in ARP will need ex planations other than the inflammation within airways.