Assessment of nasal obstruction by subjective methods and peak nasal inspiratory flow in children and adolescents with chronic rhinitis.

INTRODUCTION

Nasal obstruction (NO) is the most irritating symptom of chronic rhinitis (CR). The results of studies that correlated subjective and objective methods of NO in children and adults were contradictory.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the correlation between subjective NO scales and peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) measurements and compare the subjective NO assessment and PNIF in children by age.

POPULATION AND METHODS

Participants were patients with CR. The correlation between the subjective NO assessment using a visual analog scale (NO-VAS) and the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) and nasal airflow measurement pre- and post-vasoconstrictor administration using the PNIF was estimated. The differences in the subjective NO assessment and PNIF between children aged 8-11 years and 12-15 years were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 79 patients aged 8-15 years were included. No correlation was established between the NO-VAS and the PNIF before and after vasoconstrictor administration (r = -0.19; p = 0.11 and r = -0.18; p = 0.15 respectively) or between the NOSE and the baseline PNIF (r = -0.23; p = 0.07). Differences were observed in the PNIF between children aged 8-11 years and 12-15 years (p =<0.0001), but there were no differences in the subjective perception assessed with the NO-VAS (p = 0.7591).

CONCLUSION

No correlation was demonstrated between the subjective NO score and the PNIF in children and adolescents with CR. Older children have a lower perception of NO than younger ones. Subjective NO scales cannot replace the PNIF measurement in patients with rhinitis.