[Objective evaluation of the patency of nasal airway].

Objective: To obtain the normal values of acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry in adult Chinese, analyze the effect of sex and age on the value and investigate the correlation between the two methods.

Method: One hundred and three normal adults were recruited, Eccovision acoustic rhinometry was used to measure the minimum cross-sectional area (MCA) and the nasal volume from 0-5 cm, 2-5 cm, 0-7 cm (V5, V2-5, V7); ATMO 300 Rhinomanometry was used to measure unilateral and bilateral nasal resistance at 75 Pa and 150 Pa point (R75, R150, R75T, R150T) by anterior active rhinomanometry.

Result: MCA was (0.66+/-0.18)cm2 for male, (0.57+/-0.16)cm2 for female; V5 was (5.35+/-1.40)cm3 for male, (4.50+/-1.19)cm3 for female; V2-5 was (3.53+/-1.23)cm3 for male; (3.09+/-1.08)cm3 for male; V7 was (9.26+/-2.73)cm3 for male; (8.04+/-2.40)cm3 for female; R75 was (0.66+/-0.34)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for male, (0.77+/-0.33)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for female; R150 was (0.51+/-0.22)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for male, (0.58+/-0.22)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for female, R75T was (0.30+/-0.12)Pa x cm(-3 ) x s(-1) for male, (0.39+/-0.14)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for female; R150T was (0.24+/-0.09)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for male, (0.29+/-0.09)Pa x cm(-3) x s(-1) for female. Significant gender difference was shown in MCA, V5, V2-5, V7, R75, R75T, no significant gender difference was found in R150 and R150T. There was significant correlation between MCA, V5, R75 and age; and there was no significant correlation between R150 and age; significant correlation was found between R75, R150 and MCA, V5, V2-5, V7.

Conclusion: There is correlation between acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry. A statistically significant difference is found between male and female, and age can affect the measurement.