The relationship between nasalance and nasal resistance to airflow.

The relationship between nasal airway resistance and nasalance in healthy volunteers and in subjects suffering from symptoms of acute rhinitis was investigated. A non-invasive objective measure of nasalance using the Nasometer (Kay Electronics) was used and an inverse correlation between airway resistance and nasalance was found (r = 0.67, r2 = 0.46, p less than 0.0001). The effect of a topical nasal decongestant on nasal airway resistance and nasalance was investigated, and significant changes were seen both in resistance and nasalance (p less than 0.0001) with a correlation in the changes seen in both parameters (r = 0.82, r2 = 0.66, p less than 0.0001). The measure of nasalance may be useful in assessing various forms of nasal treatment including nasal, adenoidal and palatal surgery. The measurement of nasalance is well tolerated by subjects of all ages and is particularly useful in subjects with high nasal resistance where rhinomanometry tends to be unstable.