Nasal histamine reactivity in woodwork teachers

Woodworkers exposed to wood dust have an increased frequency of rhinitis. We have previously reported such rhinitis in woodwork teachers. To test whether their nasal complaints are related to nasal hyper-reactivity, we selected 14 woodwork teachers with work-related rhinitis and 14 healthy and non-allergic control persons for nasal histamine challenge using symptom scores (0-3 scale) and acoustic rhinometry for effect evaluation. Intranasal saline followed by doubled concentrations of histamine phosphate (from 0.062 to 16 mg/ml) was given at five-minute intervals. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding symptom scores or acoustic rhinometry during the challenge. The results indicate that nasal hyperreactivity is not a prominent factor in wood-dust-related rhinitis. Other mechanisms probably prompt the nasal complaints.