Raising awareness of upper airway diseases: Overview of management and prevention strategies / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

The nose together with the paranasal sinuses is the main part of the upper airway,which is lined with pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium.There are several important physiological functions such as conditioning and filtration of the inspired air and the provision of end organ for the sense of smell.Besides the nose also fulfills a physical and immunological barrier as the nasal epithelium is the first site of interaction between the host tissue and foreign invaders,such as viruses,bacteria,fungi,allergens,and harmful particulates.Hence,nasal diseases such as rhinitis (allergic and infectious) and rhinosinusitis are the most common health problems worldwide,affecting millions of people of all ages.In the past 10 to 20 years,our understanding of the immuno-pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the common nasal diseases has been significantly enhanced by in vivo and in vitro studies.This allows the development of novel therapeutic strategies designed to improve the physiological and immune defense functions of the nose,as well as for other common airway diseases.Since the dynamically external changes of atmosphere,environment (pollution) and susceptible population,we are now facing some of new features on epidemiology and the types of upper airway diseases that require us to in-deep study the diseases through basic and clinical researches,so as to further understand the prevention,diagnosis and treatment of the diseases.