The presence of ovarian hormone receptors in the nasal mucosa and their relationship to nasal symptoms.

Background: There is evidence in the literature showing a link between ovarian hormones and changes to nasal physiology.

Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to identify and quantify female hormone receptor positive cells in the nasal mucosa and to establish if there is a correlation with rhinitic symptoms.

Methods: Twenty-five adult patients attending a university hospital for routine, elective nonrhinological ENT procedures under general anaesthetic (mainly tonsillectomy) were recruited pre-operatively. Background information about each participant was recorded. Biopsies were taken from the inferior turbinates. These were analysed using immunohistochemistry techniques to assess for the presence of Progesterone, Oestrogen-alpha (ERalpha) and Oestrogen-beta (ERbeta) receptors. The mean number of cells positive for the receptors in each biopsy was deduced using a stratified random sampling technique.

Results: All nasal biopsies were negative for progesterone and ERalpha receptors. ERbeta receptors were present in the mucosal glands in 24 out of the 25 biopsies. Using unpaired t-tests to compare the sexes, smoking status and atopic history no statistical difference was shown between any of these groups (p > 0.05). However, the rhinitis quality of life questionnaire score and the mean number of ERbeta receptor positive cells per biopsy showed a positive correlation (Pearson correlation of 0.4, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The number of oestrogen receptor positive cells appears unaffected by sex, smoking history, hormone status, age or atopy. However, there is a significant positive relationship between the mean number of ERbeta positive cells and nasal symptoms. Pharmacological downregulation of ERbeta positive cells may reduce rhinitic symptoms and is the subject of further research.