Measurement of water loss in human nasal mucosa.

Background: Regulation of the barrier function in the nasal epithelium seems to be affected by the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. The measurement of transepidermal water loss has proven to be an important noninvasive method for assessing the efficiency of the skin as a protective barrier. Although the nasal mucosal epithelium also has such a protective function, the precise mechanism still is unknown.

Methods: We studied the alteration of nasal mucosal water loss in the basal state and after the nontraumatic applications of physiological saline, hypertonic saline (10% NaCl), nasal barrier cream, and 10% glycerol on the mucosal surface of the inferior turbinate.

Results: We observed that nasal mucosal water loss was increased by hypertonic saline and decreased by nasal cream and glycerol.

Conclusion: For the first time, we showed the human nasal mucosal water loss both in the basal state and after topical application of various substances.