ABSTRACT
This study prospectively examined the intranasal distribution of nasal spray after nasal septal correction and decongestant administration.A cohort of 20 patients was assessed for the distribution of nasal spray before and after nasal septum surgery.Sprays were dyed and administered one puff per nostril when patients hold their head up in an upright position.Before and after decongestant administration,the intranasal distribution was semi-quantitatively determined by nasal endoscopy.The results showed that the dyed drug was preferentially sprayed onto the nasal vestibule,the head of the inferior turbinate,the anterior part of septum and nasal floor.As far as the anterior-inferior segment of the nasal cavity was concerned,the distribution was found to be influenced neither by the decongestant nor by the surgery (P＞0.05).However,both the decongestant and surgery expanded the distribution to the anatomical structures in the superior and posterior nasal cavity such as olfactory fissure,middle turbinate head and middle nasal meatus.No distribution was observed in the sphenoethmoidal recess,posterior septum,tail of inferior turbinate and nasopharynx.It was concluded that nasal septum surgery and decongestant administration significantly improves nasal spray distribution in the nasal cavity.
ABSTRACT
Recent clinical trials have shown the possibility of probiotics in prevention and treatment of allergic diseases. The purpose of this experimental study was to assess the influence of lysed Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 (LFK) on allergic responses in different mouse strains. We performed a comparative study on the effects of LFK for allergen-induced peritoneal accumulation of eosinophils and serum total IgE concentration by using BALB/c, C57BL/6, C3H/HeN and C3H/HeJ mice. There was no significant difference in total number of peritoneal accumulated cells induced by cedar pollen allergen between the control and LFK groups in any strain of mice (p > 0.05); however, the ratio of eosinophils to total accumulated cells was significantly decreased in LFK-treated mice of BALB/c (p = 0.016), C3H/HeN (p = 0.010) and C3H/HeJ (p = 0.004), but not C57BL/6 (p > 0.05). No significant difference in serum total IgE concentration was found between the control and LFK groups of different mouse strains (p > 0.05). These results reveal a different effect of LFK on suppressing allergen-induced local eosinophila in inbred strains of mice, suggesting the effectiveness of probiotics on limiting allergy might be under the influence of individual genetic background.