ABSTRACT
The effects of a three-month course of oral ketotifen on the histology and histochemistry of nasal mucosa, assessed on punch biopsy material, were studied in 30 adults with perennial allergic rhinitis. Ketotifen treatment was associated with reversal of the histopathology and enzyme changes in every case. Two months after stopping therapy, the rhinitis changes had returned in all 10 patients from whom posttreatment punch biopsies were taken. Other patients whose symptoms were relieved declined a third biopsy. Five normal volunteers were included as controls. The pretreatment mucosal biopsies showed variations in goblet cell population, thickened basement membranes, hypertrophied serous glands, diminished or absent mucus glands, and varying degrees of cellular infiltrates. There was marked edema with separation of collagen fibers and epithelial metaplasia especially in patients with long-standing allergy and nasal polyps. Ketotifen therapy was linked with reversal of the epithelial changes to normal, marked reduction in edema and cellular infiltration, and the retention of granules by mast cells. Changes in mucosal content of succinic dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase; high tissue levels of both which are associated with allergic rhinitis, also diminished towards the control levels during ketotifen therapy, only to return after its cessation.
Subject(s)
Ketotifen/therapeutic use , Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial/drug therapy , Acid Phosphatase/analysis , Adult , Biopsy , Drug Evaluation , Female , Humans , Male , Nasal Mucosa/enzymology , Nasal Mucosa/pathology , Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial/pathology , Succinate Dehydrogenase/analysisABSTRACT
The fine structure of the maxillary antral mucosa was studied in 5 cases. The findings revealed the similarity of the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosae. Certain differences were recorded denoting relative diminished activity of the seromucinous glands, diminished exchange between tissue fluid and blood, diminished number of cilia, delicacy and loosening of the epithelium. Thus, in inflammation there is lower resistance of the sinus mucosa to infection and easier penetration for microorganisms, requiring early systemic administration of antibiotics with postural drainage and antral irrigation subsequently in treatment.
Subject(s)
Maxillary Sinus/ultrastructure , Adult , Arterioles/ultrastructure , Capillaries/ultrastructure , Cilia/ultrastructure , Epithelium/ultrastructure , Exocrine Glands/ultrastructure , Female , Humans , Male , Maxillary Sinus/blood supply , Microscopy, Electron , Mucous Membrane/ultrastructure , Mucus , Nasal Mucosa/ultrastructure , Sinusitis/etiology , Sinusitis/therapy , Venules/ultrastructureABSTRACT
The fine structure of the allergic nasal mucosufollowing vidian neurectomy was studied in 15 patients. The structure of the mucous glands, venules, arterioles and tunical cellular elements returned to normal 1 month after the operation, while that of the epithelium and of the capillaries only 3 months post-operatively. The effect of interrupting the hyperactive cholinergic nerve impulses on the various constituents of the nasal mucosa is described.
Subject(s)
Nasal Mucosa/innervation , Parasympathetic Nervous System/surgery , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Blood Vessels/ultrastructure , Eosinophils/ultrastructure , Epithelium/ultrastructure , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Humans , Intercellular Junctions/ultrastructure , Male , Mast Cells/ultrastructure , Nasal Mucosa/ultrastructure , Plasma Cells/ultrastructure , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/pathology , Vasomotor SystemABSTRACT
The fine structure of human nasal sero-mucinous glands was studied in 15 chronic allergic patient. There was total absence of the mucous glands, and proliferation of seroud elements, with hugely dilated lumina containing large numbers of intact zymogen granules, and absence of microvilli. The relation between the goblet cells and the nasal glands was discussed. An interchange between the serous and mucous elements was deduced.
Subject(s)
Exocrine Glands/ultrastructure , Nasal Mucosa/ultrastructure , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/pathology , Chronic Disease , Exocrine Glands/pathology , Humans , Nasal Mucosa/pathologyABSTRACT
The fine structure of human nasal blood vessels was studied in 15 chronic allergic patients. The venules showed gaping of the interendothelial junctions and lamination of the basal lamina. The capillaries displayed numerous endothelial cytoplasmic processes. The arteriolar walls showed thinning and destructive changes. A reciprocal relation between the vascular endothelium and its basal lamina was deduced.
Subject(s)
Blood Vessels/ultrastructure , Nose/blood supply , Adolescent , Adult , Blood Vessels/pathology , Capillaries/pathology , Capillaries/ultrastructure , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Male , Nose/pathology , Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/pathologyABSTRACT
The fine structure of human nasal respiratory epithelium and tunical cellular elements was studied in 15 chronic allergic patients. The epithelium showed characteristic morphological details suggestive of oedematous infiltration occurring in these cases. Eosinophils, mast cells and plasma cells showed ultrastructural changes explaining the role played by each of them in allergic rhinopathies.
