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The relationship between water vapour saturation of inhaled air and nasal patency

Dept of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

CORRESPONDENCE: J. Lindemann, Dept of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ulm, Prittwitzstrasse 43, D-89075, Ulm, Germany. Fax: 49 73150026703. E-mail: joerg.lindemann@medizin.uni-ulm.de

Keywords: air condition, nasal cycle, nasal humidity, nasal patency, saturation

Received: July 9, 2002
Accepted September 30, 2002

The nasal cavity volume and the temperature of the nasal mucosa are considered to be the most important predictors of nasal conditioning. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the intranasal degree of water vapour saturation of inhaled air and nasal patency.

Intranasal humidity values at different locations within the nasal cavity of 15 healthy subjects were compared to nasal airway resistance detected by active anterior rhinomanometry (AAR). Repeated measurements were carried out during one day to obtain varying nasal cavity volumes due to the nasal cycle. The end-inspiratory humidity data were obtained with a miniaturised capacitive humidity sensor at defined detection sites within the anterior nasal segment without interruption of nasal breathing. Measurements were carried out at four different times during one day.

The degree of water vapour saturation did not correlate with the values of the AAR at any intranasal detection site and time of detection during one day.

The study supports the view that there is no correlation between the degree of water vapour saturation within the anterior nasal segment and the nasal resistance during the nasal cycle over the day. Although nasal patency varies because of the nasal cycle, the changes of nasal cavity volume due to the nasal cycle do not seem to influence the degree of water vapour saturation of the inspiratory air.