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Use of a portable spirometer for studies on the nasal cycle
1Common Cold Center, University of Cardiff, Cardiff School of Biosciences, United Kingdom.
American Journal of Rhinology
|December 6, 2001
Summary
A portable spirometer effectively measures nasal airflow partitioning, offering a simpler alternative to rhinomanometry for studying the nasal cycle. This device enhances nasal cycle research accessibility outside the lab.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Physiology
- Nasal Airflow Dynamics
Background:
- Studying the nasal cycle requires prolonged, multi-point measurements of nasal patency.
- Existing methods like rhinomanometry are often confined to clinical settings, limiting research accessibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of a portable spirometer for assessing nasal airflow partitioning.
- To determine if spirometry can be a viable, portable alternative for nasal cycle research.
Main Methods:
- A portable spirometer (Mir Spirobank) was adapted with a nasal adapter to measure expired air volume from each nostril.
- Hourly measurements of slow vital capacity (VC) fractions were taken over 5 hours in six healthy volunteers.
- Spirometry data was compared against nasal conductance measurements from posterior rhinomanometry.
Main Results:
- Spirometry measurements of expired volume partitioning strongly correlated with rhinomanometry airflow partitioning (r = 0.827, p < 0.0001).
- The portable spirometer proved easy to use for both researchers and participants.
- The device demonstrated direct comparability with established rhinomanometry techniques.
Conclusions:
- Portable spirometry is a valid and comparable method to rhinomanometry for assessing nasal airflow partitioning.
- Spirometry offers significant advantages in portability and ease of use for nasal cycle studies.
- This approach expands the feasibility of nasal cycle research in diverse settings.