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. 2022 Apr;42(2):155-161.
doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N1617.

Accuracy of peak nasal flow to determine nasal obstruction in patients with allergic rhinitis

Gardênia Maria Martins de Oliveira  1 , Marco Aurélio de Valois Correia Júnior  2   3 , Emilia Chagas Costa  3 , Georgia Véras de Araújo Gueiros Lira  3 , José Ângelo Rizzo  3 , Steve Hunter  4 , Nádia Gaua  4 , Emanuel Sávio Cavalcanti Sarinho  3
Affiliations

Accuracy of peak nasal flow to determine nasal obstruction in patients with allergic rhinitis

Gardênia Maria Martins de Oliveira et al. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2022 Apr.

Abstract
in English, Italian

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow (PNIF) and Peak Nasal Expiratory Flow (PNEF) measures to predict symptoms of nasal obstruction.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, carried out in 131 individuals (64 with symptomatic allergic rhinitis and 67 asymptomatic) aged between 16 and 50 years.

Results: PNIF and PNEF were higher among non-rhinitis. In the curve analysis (receiver operating characteristic), a value of 115 was found for PNIF with a sensitivity of 98.4% and specificity of 87.5% (AUC = 0.99, p < 0.001) and 165 in PNEF with a sensitivity of 65.7% and specificity of 85.1% (AUC = 0.92, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: PNIF and PNEF values were lower in patients with AR compared to asymptomatic cases. Our findings present reference values of PNIF and PNEF in the evaluation of nasal obstruction symptoms and reinforce the importance to complement more refined assessment of patients' symptoms. PNEF can be a valuable tool in screening patients and to complement PNIF measurement.

Accuratezza del flusso nasale di picco nella determinazione dell’ostruzione respiratoria nasale nella rinite allergica.

Obiettivo: Lo scopo di questo studio è indagare la capacità delle misure del flusso di picco inspiratorio nasale (PNIF) e del flusso di picco espiratorio nasale (PNEF) nell’ostruzione respiratoria nasale.

Metodi: Si tratta di uno studio trasversale, condotto su 131 soggetti (64 con rinite allergica sintomatica e 67 asintomatici) di età compresa tra 16 e 50 anni.

Risultati: PNIF e PNEF erano più alti nei pazienti senza rinite. Nell’analisi, il valore di PNIF è risultato essere 115, con una sensibilità del 98,4% e una specificità dell’87,5% (AUC = 0,99, p < 0,001) e mentre il valore di PNEF è risultato essere 165, con una sensibilità del 65,7% e una specificità di 85,1% (AUC = 0,92, p < 0,001).

Conclusioni: I valori di PNIF e PNEF erano inferiori nei pazienti con rinite allergica rispetto agli asintomatici. I nostri risultati mostrano i valori di riferimento delle misure PNIF e PNEF nella valutazione dei sintomi di ostruzione nasale e rafforzano l’importanza di integrare tali dati con la valutazione sintomatologica dei pazienti. La misurazione del PNEF e PNIF, può essere uno strumento prezioso per lo screening dei pazienti con ostruzione nasale.

Keywords: diagnostic techniques; nasal obstruction; respiratory system; rhinitis.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Area under the curve from peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF - A) and peak nasal expiratory flow (PNEF-B). AUC: Area under the curve; CI: confidence interval.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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