Study on Mechanism of Local Heated Aerosol Therapy in Perennial Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

To detect probable mechanisms of local heated aerosol inhalation in nasal allergy, we measured nasal resistance before and after house dust antigen challenge to the nasal mucosa in 13 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis treated with local hyperthermia for 2 weeks and in 15 untreated patients. Mean nasal resistance either on expiration or inspiration 15min. and 8 hours after antigen challenge in treated patients was significantly lower than in untreated patients. We measured nasal resistance before and after histamine challenge to the nasal mucosa in 9 perennial allergic rhinitis patients before and after hyperthermial treatment and 6 voluntary healthy subjects. Mean nasal resistance right after histamine challenge either on expiration or inspiration in patients before treatment was significantly higher than in patients after treatment or healthy subjects. The frequency of sneezing due to histamine challenge to the nasal mucosa in patients after treatment was significantly lower than in patients before treatment, and no significant difference in frequency of sneezing was seen between patients after local hyperthermia and healthy subjects. Local heated aerosol therapy for more than 1 week, twice a day, may suppress both early- and late- phase allergic reaction and nonspecific hypersensitivity by histamine in the allergic nasal mucosa.