Analysis of Nasalance in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Background and Objectives:This study was designed to compare the nasalance between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients and normal controls and to determine the correlation of nasalance with nasal volume, nasal resistance, CT score, and polyp score in CRS patients. Materials and Methods: This study enrolled 150 CRS patients and 154 normal adults. All subjects underwent acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry. Nasalance scores were measured with the nasometer. All CRS patients were graded according to the Lund-Mackay CT staging system and the degree of nasal polyp. Results: Nasal volume was decreased and nasal resistance was increased in CRS patients compared with normal controls. However, the nasalance scores for oro-nasal and nasal passages were significantly higher in CRS patients compared with normal controls. In CRS patients, the nasalance score for the nasal passage showed positive correlation with nasal volume and negative correlation with nasal resistance and Lund-Mackay CT score. However, no significant correlation was found between nasalance score and endoscopic polyp score. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, nasalance was increased in CRS patients despite decreased nasal volume and increased nasal resistance. Thus, nasal resonance likely depends on a multitude of factors other than changes in the sinonasal cavity.

Changes of nasalance scores in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

“…Park et al 10 . reported a nonsignificant correlation between the polyp‐grading scores and nasalance scores.…”

“…Park et al 10 reported a nonsignificant correlation between the polyp-grading scores and nasalance scores. We attributed this observation to the distribution of disease severity in their study population.…”