Trigeminal Sensitivity in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVE

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) are of high importance in otorhinolaryngology. Some of their symptoms are related to changes in the nasal trigeminal sensitivity. The aim of this study was to compare nasal trigeminal sensitivity in patients with AR, CRSwNP, and healthy controls (HC).

METHODS

A total of 75 individuals participated (age 19-78 years; 34 AR, 10 CRSwNP and 31 HC). Olfactory function was determined using the extended Sniffin' Sticks test battery. Trigeminal sensitivity was assessed with CO detection thresholds. Trigeminal negative mucosal potentials (NMP) and EEG-derived event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded in response to selective olfactory (phenylethyl alcohol) and trigeminal (CO ) stimuli using high-precision air-dilution olfactometry.

RESULTS

In comparison to HC, AR patients had lower CO thresholds, also reflected in shorter peak latencies in NMP and trigeminal ERP measurements. CRSwNP patients had a decreased sensitivity for trigeminal stimuli, also reflected in prolonged trigeminal ERP latencies, and reduced olfactory function compared to HC.

CONCLUSION

AR patients seemed to be more sensitive to trigeminal stimuli than CRSwNP patients. Importantly, the differences could be shown on psychophysical and electrophysiological levels. The changes in trigeminal sensitivity appear to be present already at the level of the respiratory epithelium. The differences between the two groups may depend on the specific inflammatory changes accompanying each disorder, the degree of inflammatory activity, or duration of the inflammatory disorder. However, because the sample sizes are relatively small, these results need to be confirmed in the future studies with larger groups.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 133:654-660, 2023.