A comparative study of oronasal and nasal spirometry in normal and in nasopharyngeal obstructive disorders

Abstract

Airflow values may differ when a healthy person breathes only through the nose. Nasal values are likely to alter only by a small amount. Therefore comparison of nasal with oronasal value is likely to be more informative than absolute nasal values. In this study, oronasal and nasal spirometry values were compared in the following groups Normal subjects, Patients with adenoid hypertrophy pre- and post-operatively, persons with deviated nasal septum and persons with OSA. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student Newmen-Keuls method (multiple comparison procedure) was used to compare the oronasal and nasal spirometry parameters. p lt0.05 was considered statistically significant. Nasal FET values were greater than oral values in both sexes of normal healthy individuals. Nasal FIVC, PIFR and FIF50% were reduced in adenoids and marked increase was observed post surgically. Nasal FIVC, PIFR and FIF50% were reduced in adenoids and marked increase was observed post surgically. When oronasal flow rates are compared to nasal flow rates in control, DNS and OSA groups, nasal values are significantly less than oronasal values. For DNS and OSA, measurement of FET could be an ideal method for assessing nose nasopharyngeal obstruction newline