Background:

The fern test is a method for assessing the characteristics of the nasal section in the treatment of patients with mucous dysfunction of the airway.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the fern test in patients with rhinitis and to assess the classification of each type of rhinitis (types I-IV) in clinical practice.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study, which included consecutive patients from a third level Rhinology Unit, worked with 182 patients with rhinitis and 30 healthy subjects as control. The patients were subdivided according to their type of rhinitis: allergic rhinitis (59), infectious rhinitis (32), polyps (31), NARES (Non-allergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome) (30) and NARNE (non-allergic rhinitis with neutrophils) (30).

Results:

The control subjects had only type I or II rhinitis, whereas patients with rhinitis usually showed type III or IV. Allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps had the most serious deterioration according to the fern test (type IV).

Conclusions:

The fern test is effective for assessing mucus alterations in patients with rhinitis and it could be included as a new parameter in the study of rhinitis as a potential biomarker of the function of damaged epithelial cells.

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