RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE@#To test the immunoglobulin free light chain (FLC) from nasal secretion and serum of patients with allergic rhinitis(AR)and non-allergic rhinitis(NAR) for the purpose of exploring the possible immunological mechanism.@*METHOD@#Ninety consecutive patients were selected between January 2009 and January 2012, involving 45 patients with AR and 45 patients with NAR diagnosed by symptoms,signs,skin prick tests(SPT) and specific IgE (slgE). Forty-five volunteers were chosen as healthy control (HC). According to the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores,the nasal symptoms of AR and NAR,including sneeze. Nasal discharge. Nasal obstruction and nasal itching were compared. ELISA was used to detect the total IgE, IL-16, IL-17 in nasalsecretion and serum. The data was analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software.@*RESULT@#There was no statistical difference between AR and NAR group in nasal symptoms (P > 0.05); In serum, IL-16 and IL-17 increased in AR group comparared to NAR group (P < 0.05); IL-16 and IL-17 increased in NAR group comparared to HC group (all P < 0.05); In nasal secretion, IL-16 and IL-17 increased in NAR and AR group comparared to HC group (all P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#IL-16, IL-17 takes part in the path of physiological process of AR and NAR with the immunological mechanism.