Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol (2008) 265:1483–1487 DOI 10.1007/s00405-008-0673-1 123 RHINOLOGY Objective measurement of nasal airway dimensions and resistance using acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry in habitual snorers compared with non-snorers Shahriar Yahyavi · Faezeh Mahdavi Parsa · Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad · Neda Najimi Received: 20 July 2007 / Accepted: 1 April 2008 / Published online: 22 April 2008  Springer-Verlag 2008 Abstract Snorers represent a heterogeneous group that requires adequate assessment before recommending surgi- cal treatment. Most studies of the pathophysiology of snor- ing and obstructive sleep apnea have emphasized anatomical abnormalities in the oropharyngeal and hypo- pharyngeal airways. It is still unclear if nasal airway restric- tion plays an important role in sleep-disordered breathing and there is no general consensus if treatment of nasal pathology should be included in the management of patients with snoring or sleep apnea. The aim of this study was to compare nasal dimensions and airXow resistance of habitual snorers with non-snoring individuals by means of acoustic rhinometry and rhinomanometry. Sixty individuals were enrolled in this analytical cross-sectional study. They were divided in two groups: group A (case) consisted of 30 patients with a main complaint of chronic snoring referred to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) clinic of Hazrat-e-Rasoul University Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Group B (control) con- sisted of 30 individuals without any complaint of snoring. The subjects were assessed objectively with acoustic rhi- nometry and rhinomanometry. Nasal dimensions and airXow resistance were recorded for all individuals. The most common site of minimum cross-sectional area (MCA) was at the left concha-notch in both snoring and non-snoring individuals. SigniWcant reduction of cross-sectional area of both isthmus and concha notches was seen in habitual snorers (P < 0.05). The mean total airXow resistances in both pressures of 75 and 150 Pa was higher in habitual snorers. Whereas, these diVerences were not statistically signiWcant (P > 0.05). The results of our study illustrate that acoustic rhinometry, rhinomanometry may be helpful methods for quantitative assessments of nasal airway respiratory function, and con- Wguration in snorers; especially to evaluate site of MCA, decreased nasal cross-sectional area and increased nasal airXow resistance in habitual snorers which may lead to OSA. Keywords Snoring · Acoustic rhinometry · Rhinomanometry · Obstructive sleep apnea Introduction Anecdotal reports in the literature dating back to the 1800s, establish an association between nasal obstruction and snoring [1]. The recognition of the importance of snoring evolved slowly in rhinologic literature. There hardly exists a practi- tioner of rhinology who cannot recall an anecdote or two about a patient whose snoring was dramatically (if unex- pectedly) cured with nasal surgery. But as a snore cure by itself, nasal surgery was too unreliable for recommendation to all snorers. Most studies on the pathophysiology of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea have emphasized anatomical abnor- malities in the oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal airways. Yet the nose has not been completely ignored. S. Yahyavi (&) Otolaryngology Department, Head & Neck Surgery Research Center, Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Hemmat Highway, Tehran, Iran e-mail: dr_sh_yahyavi@yahoo.com F. M. Parsa Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran S.-M. Fereshtehnejad · N. Najimi Medical Students’ Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran