Eustachian tube obstruction after provocative nasal antigen challenge.

To test if allergic rhinitis is associated with abnormal eustachian tube function (ET), juvenile rhesus monkeys were passively sensitized with serum samples from patients allergic to timothy grass or ragweed pollen. Tympanostomy tubes were inserted for direct measurement of ET function by inflation-deflation and forced-response testing before and after provocative intranasal challenge. Intranasal challenge with pollen (antigen) resulted in rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction. Slight increases in passive ET function values and significantly impaired active ET function were observed after antigen challenge. No changes in nasal airway patency or active ET function resulted from control nonantigen pollen challenges. These data complement our studies in man and support the use of this model to evaluate the relationships among allergic rhinitis, ET function and middle ear disease.