Salma Saud Al Sharhan1,2, Eun Jung Lee1, Chi Sang Hwang1, Jae Sung Nam1, Joo-Heon Yoon1,3, Chang-Hoon Kim1,3, Hyung-Ju Cho4,5. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea. 2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University and King Fahd Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 3. The Airway Mucus Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. 4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea. hyungjucho@yuhs.ac. 5. The Airway Mucus Institute, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. hyungjucho@yuhs.ac.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Inferior turbinate hypertrophy could be a result of allergic rhinitis (AR) that leads to nasal congestion and nasal airway obstruction, which is the most bothersome complaint in patients with AR. However, evidence regarding whether patients with AR have a more hypertrophied inferior turbinate than do patients with non-AR is lacking. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the degree of inferior turbinate hypertrophy according to the presence of AR using radiological measurements of the inferior turbinate. METHODS: For evaluating the inferior turbinate, which contributes to nasal obstruction in patients with AR, we enrolled 90 adult patients with septal deviation and divided them into two groups (AR group: n = 49; non-AR group: n = 41). Allergic rhinitis was diagnosed according to the presence of an allergic history, positive multiple allergen simultaneous test, and serological total immunoglobulin E level (≥ 100 kU/L). We analyzed the minimal cross-sectional area on acoustic rhinometry for both groups. The bilateral total width as well as medial mucosa and nasal cavity space in the anterior and posterior portions of the inferior turbinate were measured using computed tomography. RESULTS: We could not find any significant differences in the anterior and posterior dimensions of the inferior turbinate, intranasal space, and choanal spaces between the AR and non-AR groups. Instead, the anterior part of the inferior turbinate in both the groups showed significant differences between the deviated and contralateral sides. The contralateral side had a larger width than did the deviated side, but no significant difference was noted in the posterior portion of the inferior turbinate. CONCLUSION: The degree of inferior turbinate hypertrophy showed no difference between patients with and without AR. Therefore, we suggest that surgical treatment for reducing the size of the inferior turbinate hypertrophy should be considered when performing septoplasty in patients with symptoms of nasal obstruction, regardless of the presence of AR.
BACKGROUND: Inferior turbinate hypertrophy could be a result of allergic rhinitis (AR) that leads to nasal congestion and nasal airway obstruction, which is the most bothersome complaint in patients with AR. However, evidence regarding whether patients with AR have a more hypertrophied inferior turbinate than do patients with non-AR is lacking. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the degree of inferior turbinate hypertrophy according to the presence of AR using radiological measurements of the inferior turbinate. METHODS: For evaluating the inferior turbinate, which contributes to nasal obstruction in patients with AR, we enrolled 90 adult patients with septal deviation and divided them into two groups (AR group: n = 49; non-AR group: n = 41). Allergic rhinitis was diagnosed according to the presence of an allergic history, positive multiple allergen simultaneous test, and serological total immunoglobulin E level (≥ 100 kU/L). We analyzed the minimal cross-sectional area on acoustic rhinometry for both groups. The bilateral total width as well as medial mucosa and nasal cavity space in the anterior and posterior portions of the inferior turbinate were measured using computed tomography. RESULTS: We could not find any significant differences in the anterior and posterior dimensions of the inferior turbinate, intranasal space, and choanal spaces between the AR and non-AR groups. Instead, the anterior part of the inferior turbinate in both the groups showed significant differences between the deviated and contralateral sides. The contralateral side had a larger width than did the deviated side, but no significant difference was noted in the posterior portion of the inferior turbinate. CONCLUSION: The degree of inferior turbinate hypertrophy showed no difference between patients with and without AR. Therefore, we suggest that surgical treatment for reducing the size of the inferior turbinate hypertrophy should be considered when performing septoplasty in patients with symptoms of nasal obstruction, regardless of the presence of AR.