Diagnostic significance of nasal eosinophilia in allergic rhinitis

Nasal eosinophilia is one of the potential tests for substantiating the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.

The aim was to establish the validity of nasal eosinophilia in allergic rhinitis, to study it's various clinical correlates and interpret it in context of skin sensitivity pattern.

Prospective cased study.

Hospital based.

The patients were selected on the basis of history and clinical examination and were from the Himalayan region.

Diagnostic.

The patients and the equal number of controls, were subjected to nasal smear for eosinophilia and intra-dermal skin tests to various allergeus.

Overall, eighty percent of nasal smears were positive in various degrees among the cases. Around eighty-eight percent of cases showed both smear and skin test positivity, thereby signifying a high degree of harmony among them and further validating and confirming the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.

Nasal eosinophilia was found to be a useful diagnostic test in allergic rhinitis, with a moderately high sensitivity and a high specificity.