ABSTRACT
The distribution and clearance of aerosolized radioactive technetium 99m pertechnate in physiologic buffered saline was analyzed in four human adult asymptomatic volunteers following delivery into one nostril in the same manner as for nasal challenge testing (i.e., 0.1 ml via a 251 DeVilbiss atomizer powered by a compressor delivering 0.10 +/- 0.01 gm/spray). For comparison, squeeze bottles and spray bottles from commercial sources, a 114 and a 127 DeVilbiss atomizer, and a pipette were employed. Lateral imagery via minicomputer processing was used to determine both distribution and clearance of the radiotracer. The counts after 1 minute were lower following pipette delivery than with the other devices. None yielded discernable , wide-spread distribution of aerosol throughout the nasal cavity. Following delivery from the 251 atomizer, mean clearance at 17 minutes was 60.0%. Similar clearance rates were obtained with the other spraying methods except for lower values with the squeeze bottle. Analysis of six hour clearance studies by linear regression showed a relatively rapid initial phase, which is probably due largely to mucociliary clearance, and a prolonged late phase related to the very slow disappearance of residual material located far anteriorly in the nose. Achieving good initial retention and rapid clearance of material deposited anteriorly in the nose are desirable attributes of devices employed for administering materials intranasally.
Subject(s)
Administration, Intranasal , Aerosols , Nasal Mucosa/physiology , Adult , Aerosols/analysis , Cilia/physiology , Half-Life , Humans , Minicomputers , Nasal Mucosa/ultrastructure , Nose/analysis , Regression Analysis , Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m , Technetium/analysis , Tissue DistributionABSTRACT
Confirming previous work by Connell, it was shown that challenging nine subjects intranasally on successive days with short ragweed extract (SRW) resulted in a priming effect manifested by significantly augmented increases in nasal airways resistance as well as in increasing subjective symptoms. Priming was reproducible and transient. In contrast, significant priming to an irritant, ammonia gas (NH3), could not be unequivocally demonstrated over a similar period of time in these same subjects under the conditions employed. Also, priming these subjects with SRW extract failed to enhance responsiveness to NH3.
Subject(s)
Allergens/administration & dosage , Ammonia/administration & dosage , Irritants , Nasal Mucosa/immunology , Adult , Airway Resistance , Female , Humans , Male , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/diagnosisABSTRACT
During 1978 a double blind study compared the efficacy of preseasonal short ragweed (RW) extract intranasal immunotherapy with a histamine placebo; in 1979 more prolonged treatment with a larger dose of polymerized ragweed (PRW) was evaluated. In neither year did the placebo-treated patients show significantly more severe disease as assessed by daily symptom diaries, examination in season, comparison of overall symptom severity with previous years or changes in nasal challenge tests. Following treatment in 1979 there was a significantly greater amount of secretory IgA and IgG ragweed antibodies secreted by the nose of the PRW-treated group, but these titers did not correlate with clinical results.
