Changes in the cross-sections of the nasal cavity assessed by acoustic rhinometry in the study population as a guideline for attempts to standardize nasal provocation tests

INTRODUCTION: A specific difficulty in the standardization of nasal allergen challenge tests as measured by acoustic rhinometry is the lack of reference values measured according to dependent changes, for example height and weight/height- or weight-dependent changes. Human growth and development rates and other changes the human body undergoes throughout the lifetime depend closely on the environment, sex, and race. AIM: To assess selected anthropometric (body weight and height) and rhinometric (nasal cross-sectional areas) measurements concerning subject age and sex. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 633 subjects selected in multistage, stratified sampling (324 females and 309 males). Body weight and height were measured with a sliding weight scale and height measure. Nasal cavity cross-sectional areas were measured via acoustic rhinometry. RESULTS: We observed parallel increases in the evaluated anthropometric measurements and nasal cavity cross-sectional areas both in males and females aged ≤ 14 years, with the two sexes starting to differ significantly in terms of those measurements over the age of 14 (p < 0.0001; p < 0.000001). The evaluated rhinometric measurements showed a greater correlation with height than with body weight. The time of the most diversified and dynamic changes in anthropomorphic measurements was the age of > 12 years: with boys demonstrating significantly higher mean values of height and body weight than girls. CONCLUSIONS: Height showed a better correlation with rhinometric measurements (cross-sectional area of the nasal cavity) in younger subjects (at their age of development) than in older ones.