[An objective evaluation of nasal airway obstruction by enlarged adenoids in children].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical application value of nasal airway obstruction objectively and quantificationally by acoustic rhinometry (AR) in children with adenoid hypertrophy.
Method: Thirty patients with adenoid hypertrophy were examined with AR and questionnaire at preoperative and eight weeks after surgery. The values of AR were compared with those of 27 normal controls.
Result: There were significant differences between preoperative and postoperative in NAR and NPV (P < 0.01), no significant difference was observed between preoperative and postoperative in MCSA (P > 0.05); There were significant differences in NAR, NPV, MCSA between the patient group and the control group (P < 0.01); There were significant differences between postoperative and the control group in NPV and MCSA (P < 0.01), no significant difference was observed between postoperative and the control group in TNAR (P > 0.05); There was negative correlation between MCSA and symptom scores (r = -0. 519, P < 0.05). No significant correlation was observed between NAR and NPV and symptom scores (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Acoustic rhinometry was an objective and quantitative method for evaluating nasal airway in children with adenoid hypertrophy. In interpretation the relationships of the results of acoustic rhinometry reflection measurements and subjective symptoms, MCSA should be the main reference.