Investigation of the effectiveness of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the treatment of atrophic rhinitis

Aim: Primary acute rhinitis (AR) remains a clinical problem in developing countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration as an alternative to current treatment methods. Material and Methods: Eighteen rabbits were divided into three groups with six rabbits in each. Group 1 consisted of the rabbits followed up without any treatment as healthy animal group. Pasteurella multocida solution was inoculated into the noses of 12 rabbits in Groups 2 and 3 with a micropipette in order to induce atrophic rhinitis. After three weeks of inoculation, rabbits in Group 1 and Group 2 were sacrificed. Group 3 was administered 5 microgram/kg G-CSF and sacrificed after four weeks. Total turbinate thickness, turbinate bone thickness, turbinate mucosal thickness, degree of cilia loss in epithelial cells, amount of submucosal gland, inflammatory cell infiltration, and changes in the turbinate bones and mucosa were examined. Results: Total turbinate thickness, turbinate bone thickness and mucosal thickness were statistically significantly lower in Group 2 compared to Group 1 (for all, p<0.01). There was a statistically significant increase in the total turbinate thickness, turbinate bone thickness and turbinate mucosa thickness of the rabbits that we treated with G-CSF (Group 3), compared to the rabbits that we created an atrophic rhinitis model and did not give treatment (Group 2) (for all, p<0.01). Discussion: We obtained findings supporting the use of G-CSF as an easy-to-apply treatment method in the medical treatment of atrophic rhinitis.