Effects of External Nasal Dilators on Nasal Respiration and Patency in HealthyKorean Adults: An Acoustic Rhinometric Study.
- Author:
Soon Kwan HONG
1
;
Mu Seong CHOI
;
Chun Dong KIM
;
Sung Wan BYUN
;
Sang Il PARK
;
Jae Yeun LEE
;
Yun Joung KIM
;
Yoon Hee CHO
Author Information
1. Department of Otolaryngology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea. soonkwan@unitel.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
External nasal dilator;
Nasal respiration;
Nasal patency;
Korean;
Acoustic rhinometry
- MeSH:
Acoustics*;
Adult*;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group;
Continental Population Groups;
Female;
Humans;
Male;
Nasal Cavity;
Nose;
Respiration*;
Rhinometry, Acoustic;
Sensation;
Visual Analog Scale
- From:Korean Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
1998;41(11):1426-1430
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although physiological effects of external nasal dilators (ENDs) were recently reported on white and black people, there are no available data on Asians. Nasal geometry is affected by many factors such as race, age, or sex. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ENDs on nasal respiration and patency in healthy Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred healthy Korean adults (50 females and 50 males, aged 20 to 39 years) without nasal complaints, history of sinonasal surgery, nor major structural abnormalities of the nose were recruited. All subjects were required to assess their own sensation of nasal respiration on a 100 mm visual analog scale. Minimal cross-sectional areas (MCAs) and volumes from 0 cm to 5 cm from the nostril (V5s) of both nasal cavities were measured by acoustic rhinometry and added together to obtain the total MCA and V5, respectively. All measurements before application of an END were compared with those 5 minutes after application. RESULTS: The sensation of nasal respiration improved significantly after application of an END in both female and male. The END increased MCA and V5 significantly in both sexes. These acoustic rhinometric changes resulted in 21.1% (male) and 20.5% (female) increment in MCA and 10.0% (male) and 12.5% (female) increment in V5, respectively. However, there were no significant correlations between changes in the subjective and objective parameters. CONCLUSION: ENDs significantly improve the subjective sensation of nasal respiration and increase MCA and nasal cavity volume in healthy Korean adults. However, this improvement in nasal patency does not always coincide with the improvement in the subjective feeling of nasal respiration.
