Nasal lavage cytometry in the diagnosis of nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES)

The nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES) is a type of chronic rhinitis, characterized by intense (> 20%) eosinophilia of the nasal secretions. In this study, screening for NARES in 81 patients with nonallergic chronic rhinitis was performed using a modified nasal lavage cytometric method. Twenty-one of the 81 investigated individuals (25.9%) showed nasal eosinophilia greater than 20%, therefore being diagnosed as having NARES. No statistical difference in total serum IgE concentration (Prist Pharmacia) was observed between the NARES subjects and those with other forms of chronic rhinitis, confirming the seemingly nonallergic nature of NARES. In 28.6% of these cases the presence of anosmia was detected: in 19.0% of cases with NARES (all subjects complaining of long-lasting symptoms and suffering from anosmia), nasal polyposis coexisted. Our results confirm that nasal lavage cytometry may represent a useful clinical tool in the diagnosis of chronic rhinitis.