Persistent Nasal Obstruction: An Expression of the Pro-Inflammatory State?

Fernando M Calatayud-Sáez,Blanca Calatayud,Ana Calatayud

doi:10.3390/sinusitis5010010

Abstract

Introduction: During the first years of life, the oro-pharyngeal lymphoid tissue gradually increases in size, causing in some children difficulty breathing and often leading to surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids. The objective of the study is to assess the effects of the Mediterranean diet in children who had chronic upper airway obstruction. Material and methods: This was a prospective study pre-test/post-test comparison. Eighty-seven patients from two to eight years old were recruited. A food reeducation program based on the Mediterranean diet was applied for one year. Clinical, therapeutic, and anthropometric variables were studied. Results: The degree of nasal obstruction decreased in 95.1% of the patients. After the nutritional intervention, the number of colds with bacterial complications decreased by 80.26%; 60.9% had no bacterial complications during the year of the study. The use of antibiotics decreased by 81.94%. Symptomatic treatment decreased by 61.2%. Most patients did not require surgical intervention, and clinical evolution suggested that it would no longer be necessary. Conclusions: We can conclude by saying that the application of the traditional Mediterranean diet could be effective in the prevention and treatment of persistent nasal obstruction, limiting pharmacological and surgical intervention in many of these patients.

Highlights

During the first years of life, the oro-pharyngeal lymphoid tissue gradually increases in size, causing in some children difficulty breathing and often leading to surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids
The proposed surgical treatment sponsored by ENT specialists can vary between adenoidectomy, placement of tympanic drainages, and tonsillectomy, depending on the case, especially when it is associated with tubal obstruction and obstructive sleep apnea [10,11], and is somewhat of a failure of pediatric preventive medicine, which has not been able to prevent the excessive growth of tonsils and vegetations [12,13,14]
The objective of the study is to assess the effects of the traditional Mediterranean diet (TMD) during one year of application in children who presented persistent nasal obstruction

Summary

Introduction

During the first years of life, the oro-pharyngeal lymphoid tissue gradually increases in size, causing in some children difficulty breathing and often leading to surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids. Conclusions: We can conclude by saying that the application of the traditional Mediterranean diet could be effective in the prevention and treatment of persistent nasal obstruction, limiting pharmacological and surgical intervention in many of these patients. We see how many patients who come to the consultation from birth experience enlarging of these lymphoid structures, almost obstructing the oropharynx and rhinopharynx and developing a progressive obstructive pathology that prevents or hinders correct feeding and free air breathing, as well as anomalies in the conciliation of sleep [3] All of this affects the quality of psychosocial life, school absenteeism on the part of the child and work of the parents, and increased spending on medicines, emergency assistance, hospitalization, and surgical intervention [4,5]. The objective of the study is to assess the effects of the traditional Mediterranean diet (TMD) during one year of application in children who presented persistent nasal obstruction

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion