Abstract
Methacholine, usually used in the research for responsiveness of lower airway, causes swelling of nasal mucosa and hypersecretion, and consequently nasal respiratory resistance increases. Patients were instructed to inhale Methacholine through nose with Astograph and a change of nasal respiratory resistance was observed. Subjects were 19 males and 34 females, who had nasal obstruction, watery rhinorrhea and sneeze, and had an abnormal sense at pharyngeal area.
Nasal respiratory resistance increased after inhalation of Methacholine in 26 subjects and nasal respiratory resistance did not change in 27 subjects. We devided the 26 subjects with increased nasal respiratory resistance into four groups according to their past medical history, existence of eosinocyte in nasal secretion, result of allergen skin test, IgE RAST, and MEFV curve pattern. Four groups are: 1) non-allergy: 6 subjects, 2) nasal allergy: 6 subjects, 3) nasal allergy with asthma in the past history: 8 subjects, 4) nasal non-allergy with asthma in the past history: 6 subjects.
Primary nasal respiratory resistance (Rrs·N·cont) increased in order of the first group, the fourth group, the second group, and the third group. Minimum dose of Methacholine that caused an increase of nasal respiratory resistance (Dmin·N) decreased in order of the third group, the fourth group, the second group, and the first group. Slope signifying increased of nasal respiratory resistance (Sd · N) increase in order of the first group, the second group, the fourth group, and the third group.
From the above observations, we obtained following results. Responsiveness of the nasal mucosa in patients with nasal allergy and with asthma in the past history is higher than those with nasal allergy alone or those with asthma alone in the past history.
In the nasal mucosa, there is stronger responsiveness in patients with responsiveness of lower airway than those with responsiveness of upper airway.
