Overview
The nasal cycle refers to alternating patterns of nasal patency, characterized by periods of unilateral nasal congestion and decongestion. In children, the patterns can differ from those observed in adults and experimental animals.Diagnosis
Key Diagnostic Criteria: Monitoring nasal patency fluctuations using acoustic rhinometry (AR) and rhinohygrometry (RH).
Recommended Tests:
- Acoustic rhinometry for sensitive and reliable measurements.
- Rhinohygrometry as an alternative method, though with less agreement.
Grading Patterns:
- Reciprocal alternating patterns (80% with AR, 53% with RH).
- In concert patterns (7% with AR, 20% with RH).
- Irregular patterns (13% with AR, 27% with RH).Management
First-Line Treatments: Not specified in the provided abstracts.
Adjunctive Treatments: Not specified in the provided abstracts.Special Populations
Pediatrics: Nasal cycle patterns in children often differ from adults, with acoustic rhinometry revealing more consistent reciprocal alternating patterns compared to rhinohygrometry 1.Key Recommendations
Use acoustic rhinometry for monitoring nasal patency fluctuations in children due to its reliability and sensitivity compared to rhinohygrometry (Evidence: Moderate) 1.
Recognize variability in nasal cycle patterns among pediatric patients, noting higher prevalence of reciprocal alternating patterns identified by acoustic rhinometry (Evidence: Moderate) 1.
Consider the lower agreement between acoustic rhinometry and rhinohygrometry when interpreting results in pediatric populations (Evidence: Weak) 1.References
1 Fisher EW, Palmer CR, Lund VJ. Monitoring fluctuations in nasal patency in children: acoustic rhinometry versus rhinohygrometry. The Journal of laryngology and otology 1995. link