Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T21:07:32.134Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women have any effect upon nasal physiology?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2008

D C Wild ,
C M Philpott ,
C R Wolstenholme  and
G E Murty
D C Wild
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Colchester, UK
C M Philpott*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, Colchester, UK
C R Wolstenholme
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Colchester, UK
G E Murty
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Colchester, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Carl M Philpott The Cottage, Debenham Road, Middlewood Green, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5EZ, UK. Fax: 0116 2586082, E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Previous studies have suggested that the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and the oral contraceptive pill have an effect upon nasal physiology.

Objectives:

This study aimed to assess the effects upon nasal physiology of female hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women. This has not been previously studied.

Methods:

Twenty post-menopausal women (age range 36 to 70 years; mean age 57.0 years) underwent measurements of the nasal airway, including anterior rhinoscopy, peak nasal inspiratory flow rate, acoustic rhinometry, anterior rhinomanometry, mucociliary clearance time and rhinitis quality of life questionnaire. Measurements of nasal patency were recorded prior to commencing hormone replacement therapy and at a time point 77–195 days (mean 101.9 days) following commencement.

Results:

There was no statistical difference found for any of the variables, using the paired t-test (p > 0.05 for all).

Conclusions:

Female hormone replacement therapy has no discernable effect upon nasal physiology and should not be considered a cause of rhinitic symptoms.

Keywords

Hormone Replacement TherapyNasal CavityRhinitisPhysiology
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 122 , Issue 7 , July 2008 , pp. 707 - 710
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Poster presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery conference, 25–28th September 2005, Los Angeles, California, USA.

References

1 Bresgen, . Chronic inflammation of the nose and throat [in German]. Deutsche Med 1881;34:594Google Scholar
2 Holmes, T, Goodell, H, Wolf, S, Wolff, H. The relation of nasal to sexual function. In: Thomas, CC, ed. The Nose; an Experimental Study of Reactions Within the Nose in Human Subjects During Varying Life Experiences. Springfield: Thomas, 1950;89–100Google Scholar
3 MacKenzie, J. The physiological and pathological relations between the nose and the sexual apparatus of man. Alienst Neurol 1898;19:219–39Google Scholar
4 Philpott, CM, Conboy, P, Al-Azzawi, F, Murty, GE. Nasal physiological changes during pregnancy. Clin Otolaryngol 2004;29:343–51CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5 Philpott, CM, El-Alami, M, Murty, GE. The effect of the steroid sex hormones on the nasal airway during the normal menstrual cycle. Clin Otolaryngol 2004;29:138–42CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Bende, M, Gredmark, T. Nasal stuffiness during pregnancy. Laryngoscope 1999;109:1108–10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 Wolstenholme, CR, Philpott, CM, Oloto, EJ, Murty, GE. Does the use of the combined oral contraceptive pill cause changes in the nasal physiology in young women? Am J Rhinol 2006;20:238–40CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Fairley, JW, Durham, LH, Ell, SR. Correlation of subjective sensation of nasal patency with nasal inspiratory peak flow rate. Clin Otolaryngol 1993;18:19–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Jackson, AC, Butler, JP, Millet, EJ, Hoppin, FG Jr, Dawson, SV. Airway geometry by analysis of acoustic pulse response measurements. J Appl Physiol 1977;43:523–36CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Hilberg, O, Jackson, AC, Swift, DL, Pedersen, OF. Acoustic rhinometry: evaluation of nasal cavity geometry by acoustic reflection. J Appl Physiol 1989;66:295–303CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Mackay, IS. Measurement of nasal airflow and resistance. J R Soc Med 1979;72:852–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12 Eccles, R. Physiology of the nose. In: Jones, A, Phillips, D, Hilgers, F, eds. Diseases of the Head and Neck, Nose and Throat. London: Arnold, 1998;675–6Google Scholar
13 Juniper, E, Guyatt, G, Andersson, B, Ferrie, P. Comparison of powder and aerosolized budesonide in perennial rhinitis: validation of rhinitis quality of life questionnaire. Ann Allergy 1993;70:225–30Google ScholarPubMed
14 Toppozada, H, Toppozada, M, El-Ghazzawi, E, Elwany, S. The human nasal mucosa in females using contraceptive pills. J Laryngol Otol 1984;98:43–51CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15 Ruskin, S. Rationale of estrogen therapy of primary atrophic rhinitis. Arch Otolaryngol 1942;36:632–49CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16 Molteni, A, Warpeha, RL, Brizio-Molteni, L, Fors, EM. Estradiol receptor-binding protein in head and neck neoplastic and normal tissue. Arch Surg 1981;116:207–10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17 Philpott, CM, Robinson, AM, Murty, GE. Nasal pathophysiology and its relationship to the female ovarian hormones. J Otolaryngol 2007, in pressGoogle Scholar