Acoustic rhinometry of the oriental nose

Most studies have established normal values for acoustic rhinometric (AR) analysis of the nasal passage based on a primarily caucasian or mixed population. Because consistent anatomic differences do occur in anthropomorphic measurements of the nose of different races, AR analysis was performed on an Asian population to determine whether differences occurred in the minimum cross-sectional area (MCA). AR with expanded testing was performed on a non-Asian control group and an Asian study population containing 28 subjects, with 56 half-cavities (F: 20; M: 8; age range 21-58), including 16 Vietnamese, 8 Korean, 4 Thai, all of whom had physically typical mesorrhine noses. In the Asian population, the mean MCA of each half-cavity was 0.56 +/- 0.16 cm2, and 39.3% of subjects had significant asymmetry between their two half-cavities. The mean MCA increased to 0.67 +/- 0.12 cm2 after the placement of a Breathe Right Strip Dilator (BRSD) over the nasal bridge, which was a significant increase in 32% of subjects, and to 0.68 +/- 0.14 cm2 after the application of 1% Neosinephrine, a significant increase in 34% of those tested compared to the resting state. The combination of BRSD and Neosinephrine produced an MCA of 0.72 +/- 0.11 cm2, which was a statistically significant increase in 24 half-cavities (43%). Compared to our non-Asian population, the Asian group had fewer subjects with significant asymmetry (39% versus 59%) before expanded testing and fewer responders to BRSD (48% versus 79%).