Sequential nasal eosinophil determinations in an allergy practice

Abstract

Nasal eosinophils are often observed in allergic rhinitis, nasal polyposis, allergic fungal sinusitis, and non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome(NARES). Determinations of nasal eosinophils quantities are performed by most clinical laboratories and are often viewed as an adjunct to diagnosing upper airway inflammatory disease(1). Although increasing nasal eosinophils have been observed during seasonal allergen exposure(2), the role of monitoring nasal eosinophils has not been defined in the context of clinical practice. The purpose of this paper is to describe serial nasal eosinophil quantities in 3 patients treated over time in a single allergy practice and to discuss the relevant recent literature regarding nasal eosinophil quantification techniques and their utility.