GWALTNEY JM, HENDLEY JO, PHILLIPS CD, BASS CR, MYGIND N, WINTHER B; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1999 Sep 26-29; 39: 433 (abstract no. 1898).
Univ. of Virginia Sch. of Med., Charlottesville, VA
BACKGROUND: Fluid which may contain bubbles is commonly demonstrated in paranasal sinuses by coronal CT scan during uncomplicated common colds in adults. The possibility that the fluid might be deposited in the sinuses by propulsion of nasal mucus into the sinuses by coughing, sneezing or nose blowing was examined.METHODS: 14 normal adult volunteers were utilized. Intranasal pressure in 4 volunteers was measured with a Millar catheter pressure transducer positioned in the midportion of the nasal cavity during coughing, sneezing and noseblowing. Likelihood of propulsion of nasal mucus into sinuses during transient pressure elevations associated with these activities was determined using a simple fluid model incorporating the viscoelastic properties of mucus. In 10 volunteers radiopaque contrast medium was instilled in the nasopharynx prior to coughing or sneezing or noseblowing; sinus CT scanning was done to determine whether there was deposition of contrast in the sinuses.RESULTS: Mean (+/-SD) maximal intranasal pressure was 6.6 (+/-3.8) mm Hg during 18 coughing bouts, 4.6 (+/-3.8) mm Hg during 13 sneezes, and 66 (+/-14) mm Hg during 35 nose blows. In the simple fluid model a single nose blow can propel up to 1 ml of mucus from the middle meatus into the maxillary sinus, but sneezing and coughing do not generate sufficient pressure to propel mucus into the sinus. Contrast medium placed in the nasopharynx appeared in one or more sinuses in 4 of 4 subjects after a nose blow but was not seen in the sinuses after sneezing (3 subjects) or coughing (3 subjects).CONCLUSION: Nasal mucus is a source of the fluid found in the paranasal sinuses during a common cold. Nose blowing is the mechanism by which nasal fluid is propelled into the sinus.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Adult
- Common Cold
- Contrast Media
- Cough
- Humans
- Maxillary Sinus
- Mucus
- Nasal Cavity
- Nasopharynx
- Nose
- Nose Diseases
- Paranasal Sinuses
- Pressure
- Sneezing
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed
- radiography
Other ID:
UI: 102245672
From Meeting Abstracts