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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Symptom Assessment of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis Using an Allergen Exposure Chamber
Published on: March 3, 2023
Comparison of optical rhinometry and active anterior rhinomanometry using nasal provocation testing
Eike Gunther Wüstenberg1, Thomas Zahnert, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany. eike.wuestenberg@uniklinikum-dresden.de
Objective:
To investigate whether there is a correlation between active anterior rhinomanometry (RMM) and optical rhinometry (ORM) data in the detection of changes in nasal congestion.
Design:
In 70 subjects both ORM and RMM were performed. Changes in nasal congestion were induced by nasal provocation with histamine, allergens, solvent, and xylometazoline hydrochloride, 0.1%. Using visual analog scales, subjects rated the degree of nasal congestion and how comfortable each of the 2 measures was. In total, 136 measurements were evaluated.
Subjects:
Seventy subjects were included in the study. All had a normal otorhinolaryngologic status with no acute or chronic infections.
Interventions:
Nasal provocation tests with allergens, histamine, control solution, or xylometazoline were performed.
Main Outcome Measures:
Congestion or decongestion of the nasal mucosa was measured via nasal resistance (RMM), changes in light absorption of the nasal tissue (ORM), and visual analog scale.
Results:
When comparing the relative change in light extinction in ORM with nasal airflow in RMM, we found correlation coefficients up to r = -0.69. Results from RMM were correlated with the subjects' ratings of nasal congestion (r = -0.63). In comparison, the correlation coefficient between these ratings and ORM was r = 0.84. In addition, ORM was rated to be more comfortable than RMM.
Conclusions:
The subjects' ratings of nasal congestion correlated to a higher degree with the results from ORM than with those from RMM. In addition, ORM was rated as more comfortable than RMM. Overall, ORM appeared to be a valid technique for the assessment of changes in nasal congestion.
