Nasal Cytology as a Marker of Atopy in Children

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytological picture of nasal mucosa in children with atopic diseases and to determine the diagnostic value of the test for the diagnosis of atopic diseases. The study included 140 children from 4 months to 17 years old. Among children with a history of atopy, there were 30 children with atopic dermatitis, 30 children with asthma, and 46 children with allergic rhinitis. The control group consisted of 34 healthy children. The nasal scraping technique has been used to collect samples from the nasal cavity. The samples were evaluated under light microscope. Epithelial cells as well as infiltrating cells were assessed. The only statistically significant group of cells differentiating children with atopic disease and without atopy were eosinophils, which in children with atopy were significantly more common. Assuming a significant eosinophilia value of at least 5% of all cells in cytogram, the sensitivity of nasal cytology in allergic rhinitis was 52.2%, in asthma 33.3%, and in atopic dermatitis 13.3%. The specificity of the test in atopic diseases was 94.1%. It can be concluded that nasal cytology with eosinophilia assessment can be a useful tool for an early diagnosis of atopic disease in children.