Objectives : The present prospective study aimed to detect the pH of nasal mucosa by objective method in
different nasal diseases and vertfij the effect of alkaline nasal wash on nasal mucosal pH.
Patients & Methods : The study included 160 persons divided into 2 main groups, the first group included
120 patients divided into 3 subgroups equal in number (40 cases in each group) suffering front infective rhinitis,
nasal allergy and nasal masses. The second group included 40 normal persons as a control group. pH of nasal
mucosa measured for all members in this study at first visit by using litmus paper and patients with nasal
diseases instructed to use alkaline nasal wash two times daily for one week before reassement of nasal mucosal
pH by the saute method.
Results: The age ranged in this study from 17-80 years with 93 males and 67 females. In control group, nasal
mucosal pH ranged from 5- 7.5 (6.35±0.6). In infective group, the pH at first visit was 7.9±0.4, and in second
visit it was 7.3±0.3 with significant difference between the two visits. In allergic group pH at first visit 7.1±0.5
and in second visit it was 7.2±0.4 with non significant difference between the two visits. The nasal masses
group also showed non significant difference between readings of the first and second visits which reported
7.9±0.5 & 7.9±0.6 respectively.
Conclusion :
The study showed significant change of nasal pH after using alkaline nasal wash in infective
rhinitis, on contrary no significant changes in allergic or nasal masses group, so the study recommended the use
of alkaline nasal wash as adjuvant treatment in infective rhinitis. |
