Goblet cell density of the inferior turbinates in patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.

Nasal mucus production is regulated by submucosal glands and epithelial goblet cells. The role and especially the number of the latter are quite debatable. The present study compares the distribution and density of goblet cells in the inferior turbinates of patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis to normal controls. The periodic acid Schiff-alcian blue whole-mount method was used to identify and count their number. Goblet cell distribution was found nonhomogeneous, and considerable variations were observed among adjacent localities of the same specimen. The mean number of goblet cells per mm2 was 6499 in normal controls (n = 12), 6818 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (n = 13), and 6801 in patients with perennial nonallergic rhinitis (n = 18). Statistical analysis confirmed that the density of goblet cells did not differ significantly between patients with and without allergy, as well as between each group of patients and controls. Therefore, it could be concluded that the number of goblet cells in the inferior turbinate is not influenced by the presence of perennial allergic or nonallergic rhinitis.