Does long-term allergic rhinitis narrow the nasal airway?

"While it is known that asthma causes changes in the airways, few studies have looked at this in allergic rhinitis," says Dr George.

Dr George and colleagues assessed nasal function in 100 patients with persistent allergic rhinitis. Half had had rhinitis for a short time (no more than two years) and half for a long time (at least six years). They had a physical examination, skin-prick tests and rhinomanometry, which measures airflow and pressure in the nose.

Patients with long-term rhinitis had lower nasal airflow values than those with short-term rhinitis, so the longer the disease, the narrower the nasal airway. The duration was clearly shorter in patients with moderate blockage than in those with severe blockage.

"As in asthma, where a poor response to bronchodilators may point to changes in the airway, a reduced response to decongestants may point to the same thing in allergic rhinitis," Dr George says. The study was published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery in 2008.