[Influence of smoking on nasal airway resistance].
OBJECTIVE: To discuss the influence of smoking on nasal airway resistance (NAR). METHOD: The unilateral and total NAR of 40 normal controls, 41 slight smokers and 42 heavy smokers were evaluated by anterior rhinomanometry before and after nasal decongestion. RESULT: Before nasal decongestion, the unilateral and total NAR of heavy smokers increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with that of normal controls. After decongestion, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). Whenever before or after decongestion, there was no significant difference between slight smokers and normal controls (P > 0.1). CONCLUSION: Long-time and heavy smoking can enhance the NAR, which may be due to the chang of blood vessels in nasal mucosa.