Trigeminal Sensitivity in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) are of high importance in otorhinolaryngology. Some of their symptoms are related to changes in the nasal trigeminal sensitivity. The aim of this study was to compare nasal trigeminal sensitivity in patients with AR, CRSwNP, and healthy controls (HC). Methods: A total of 75 individuals participated (age 19–78 years; 34 AR, 10 CRSwNP and 31 HC). Olfactory function was determined using the extended Sniffin’ Sticks test battery. Trigeminal sensitivity was assessed with CO2 detection thresholds. Trigeminal negative mucosal potentials (NMP) and EEG-derived event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded in response to selective olfactory (phenylethyl alcohol) and trigeminal (CO2) stimuli using high-precision air-dilution olfactometry. Results: In comparison to HC, AR patients had lower CO2 thresholds, also reflected in shorter peak latencies in NMP and trigeminal ERP measurements. CRSwNP patients had a decreased sensitivity for trigeminal stimuli, also reflected in prolonged trigeminal ERP latencies, and reduced olfactory function compared to HC. Conclusion: AR patients seemed to be more sensitive to trigeminal stimuli than CRSwNP patients. Importantly, the differences could be shown on psychophysical and electrophysiological levels. The changes in trigeminal sensitivity appear to be present already at the level of the respiratory epithelium. The differences between the two groups may depend on the specific inflammatory changes accompanying each disorder, the degree of inflammatory activity, or duration of the inflammatory disorder. However, because the sample sizes are relatively small, these results need to be confirmed in the future studies with larger groups. Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:654–660, 2023.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)654-660
Number of pages7
JournalLaryngoscope
Volume133 (2023)
Issue number3
Publication statusPublished - 17 Feb 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 36504410
WOS 000898148700001
ORCID /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/146645389

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal mucosa, olfaction, trigeminal, Chronic rhinosinusitis, Allergic rhinitis, Olfaction, Nasal mucosa, Trigeminal, Humans, Middle Aged, Carbon Dioxide, Rhinitis/diagnosis, Rhinitis, Allergic/complications, Young Adult, Nasal Polyps/complications, Nose, Adult, Aged, Chronic Disease, Sinusitis/diagnosis

Library keywords