Effect of Chronic Nasal Obstruction on Pulmonary Function

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Upper and lower respiratory diseases are closelyrelated which has been well documented in literature. Eventhough a relationship between upper and lower airway diseasehas been described, altered pulmonary function in patientswith upper airway diseases is still not fully understood. Thepresent study was conducted to assess the effect of chronicnasal obstruction on pulmonary function and to compare thepulmonary function in same patients after surgical relief ofnasal obstruction.Material and methods: The present study was carried outin the Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery andDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Rohilkhand MedicalCollege and Hospital, Bareilly between November 2017to October 2018. 56 patients with chronic nasal obstructiondue to either deviated nasal septum or chronic rhinosinusitiswith or without nasal polyp underwent pulmonary functiontesting pre and post-operatively at 6 weeks and results werecompared.Results: The most common age group affected was less thanthirty years accounting for more than 50%. Mean age of totalsample size was 24.2 ± 6.98 years. Thirty three (58.9%) patientswere males while 23(41.07%) patients were females. Out of56 subjects, 34(60.71%) patients underwent septoplasty, while22(39.28%) patients underwent functional endoscopic sinussurgery. Clinically and statistically significant improvement inFEV1 and FVC was observed irrespective of age, gender orduration of obstruction.Conclusion: Patients with bilateral nasal obstruction hadworse pulmonary function initially and more significantimprovement after surgery, suggesting an association ofbilateral obstruction with bad prognosis.