Evaluation of acoustic rhinometry in a nasal provocation test with allergic rhinitis

OBJECTIVE: The nasal provocation test is not widely available due to lack of standardized methods and related research. We evaluated the clinical utility of the nasal provocation test using acoustic rhinometry. STUDY DESIGN: All patients underwent skin tests and were graded according to severity of reaction. METHODS: We performed nasal provocation tests using acoustic rhinometry in patients with allergic rhinitis from January 2003 to December 2006. A total of 836 patients participated in our study. The mean age was 36 years and the male:female ratio was 5:4. RESULTS: The mean nasal volume was 10.86 cm(3) and the mean minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) was 0.66 cm(3) before the study. Relationship between the severity of the reaction and change in mean nasal volume and MCA was statistically significant. The relationship between the severity of the reaction against the antigen and the severity of clinical symptoms was also statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The nasal provocation test can be helpful in evaluating the severity of allergic rhinitis. However, we must be careful in interpreting the results alone. (C) 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. All rights reserved.