Vasomotor rhinitis--pathophysiological aspects.

Vasomotor rhinitis is commonly defined as an unspecific hyperractivity of the nasal mucosa. The symptoms might be due to increased parasympathetic activity to the nose with the release of vaso-secretory active substances. Experimental data from the cat suggest that the postganglionic parasympathetic mediator of nasal secretion is cholinergic, whereas the vascular responses appears to be due to a different mechanism. Apart from a rich sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation of the nasal mucosa there are other nerve fibres containing substance-P (SP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The secreto-vasomotor responses can be influenced by activation of these fibres and the atropine resistant vasodilatation seen following Vidian nerve stimulation thus may partly be due to activation and release of SP and VIP. Furthermore, other vasoactive substances released such as e.g. SRS or Kallikrein may participate in these reactions.