Abstract
To clarify the nature of the reaction pattern of the nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis, nasal lavage with distilled water was performed in 9 patients with allergic rhinitis to Japanese cedar and cypress pollen in a non-dispersion season, and the protein concentration of the nasal washes was determined. Nasal lavage with saline solution was performed as a control, and the same procedure was performed in normal controls. The total protein, albumin, and 26 kD protein concentrations were higher in distilled water than in saline solution in the both allergic rhinitis patients and the normal controls. In particular, the concentration of albumin was 2.1 times higher in the distilled water lavage fluid in allergic rhinitis. However, the concentration of 26 kD protein was 3.4 times higher in the normal controls. These findings indicate that the nasal mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis is reactive to distilled water, especially in regard to vascular permeability.
