CT of the paranasal sinuses is the diagnostic reference standard for chronic rhinosinusitis and related inflammatory sinus pathology. nNO levels have been investigated as a diagnostic tool in sinus disease because it decreases with sinus obstruction.
The study aimed to determine the correlation of passive and dynamic nNO to CT findings of sinus inflammation and sinonasal symptoms measured by the modified Sinonasal Outcome Test.
Subjects had baseline and humming nNO levels were measured with chemiluminescence NO analyzer, and each subject underwent CT imaging and completed the SNOT-26 survey. The correlation was calculated by linear and ordinal regression analysis that compared measurements.
Fourteen subjects were recruited by researchers. LM scores had a positive pairwise correlation with total SNOT-26 scores and nasal-specific SNOT-26 scores. Baseline nasal nNO scores negatively correlated with LM scores, full SNOT-26 scores, and nasal-specific SNOT-26 scores. Although baseline nNO levels were associated with LM and SNOT-26 scores, humming nNO levels did not show a similar correlation.
The study concluded that baseline passive nNO might be a useful and inexpensive point-of-care screening test for sinonasal opacification.
Reference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1945892418801389
