The noncycle nose

Approximately 600 resistance values were obtained for 50 subjects. Of the 50 subjects, 14 did not have evidence of a normal nasal cycle. These 14 subjects were selected for the study of the noncycle nose. The other 36 subjects with normal nasal cycles served as controls. By use of a mask flowmeter technique of rhinomanometry, three separate categories of noncyclicity were determined. Type 1 noncycle nose had no evidence of a nasal cycle and no fluctuation of either the right or the left side. Type 2 noncycle nose had no fluctuation of nasal resistance on one side and moderate fluctuation of nasal resistance on the opposite side. Type 3 noncycle nose had fluctuation of nasal resistance on both sides but the dominance did not reverse or change from one side to the other. This is the first study to characterize the noncycle nose and to subdivide it into three separate types using rhinomanometry.