Abstract
The tissue blood flow of the nasal mucosa in normal subjects and patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal allergy and vasomotor rhinitis was studied using the hydrogen clearance method. The hydrogen concentration was measured through platinum electrodes which were inserted into the inferior turbinate during inhalation of hydrogen in each of the subject groups. The blood flow was calculated from the equation proposed by Aukland, F=0.693/T1/2ml/min/g, where T1/2 is the half decay time of the hydrogen concentration.
Statistically, no significant difference of the tissue blood flow in the inferior turbinate was found between each of the subject groups. Measurement was repeated at least twice and the values of the tissue blood flow in the first and second measurements were found to be very close.
The tissue blood flow was almost the same if the position of the electrode is limited to within the anterior part of the inferior turbinate. There was no right-left difference in the inferior turbinate blood flow, except for the patients with nasal allergy.
The flow increased during deep-breathing, and immediately after receiving cold stimulation on the hand except for the patients with nasal allergy whose flow decreased after receiving cold stimulation. The flow decreased when the subjects were given nasal spray of a vasoconstricting drug and after parforming breath-holding.
The tissue blood flow was measured in patients with nasal allergy before and after nasal provocation by an allergen-containing paper disc. The flow decreased markedly in the tissue surrounding the allergen disc, whereas it increased in the tissue distant from the disc.
Thus, it is concluded that the hydrogen clearance method is a useful tool for evaluating the blood flow of the nasal mucosa.
