The Protective Role of the Nose During Acute Exposure to Passive Smoking.

Analysis of the laboratory testing:

The measurement of NO for the respiratory tract was performed with a Ecomedics CLD 88spNO analyzer as follows: the examinee performed tidal breathing with a closed nose, through a special mouthpiece and then took a deep breath and exhale steadily with a flow of 50ml/sec. After 3 attempts, during which we obtained an exhaled NO measurement each time, until we obtained a reliability index CV <10%.

For the oscillometry (IOS) of the respiratory tract the Master Screen IOS VIASYS was used, the examinee breathed quietly through the mouthpiece with his/her nose closed for a period of 1 minute. In this way we measured the impedance Z at 5 Hz, the resistance to 5,10,20 Hz respectively, the reactance in 5,10,20 Hz respectively, the central and peripheral airway resistance and resonant frequency.

Rhinomanometry was done by the Master Screen IOS VIASYS system, the examinee breathed calmly through the examined nostril, while the other was closed, 5 breaths per attempt were performed. After 3 attempts for each nostril, we assessed the average inspiratory resistance for each nostril separately.

The plethysmography took place on the Master Screen Body of VIASYS, the door of the Body was closed as well as all the doors of the room and without the presence of motion in the test room. The subject performed calm breaths with a closed nose, through the mouthpiece and then took a deep breath, followed by deep exhalation. At the end of the effort we had values for the total lung capacity (TLC), residual volume (RV), airway resistance (R), vital capacity (VC), the functional residual capacity (FRC), Exhaled residual volume (ERV) and the ratio RV / TLC. This was repeated 3 times and one was selected to be the most representative.