The Nasal Smear for Eosinophils, It’s Value, and It’s Relation to Nasal Mucosal Eosinophilia in Allergic Rhinitis

Introduction There is no single test as a gold standard for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR). This study was to assess the usefulness and validity of nasal smear as a quick, easy and inexpensive diagnostic method for diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. Mehdi Bakhshaee. MD Assistant professor of otorhinolaryngology, Membership of ear, nose, throat, head and neck surgery and related sciences research center Mohammad Fereidouni Medical student of Birjand University of Medical Sciences Mehdi Farzadnia. MD Assistant professor of pathology Abdol-Reza Varasteh. Ph.D Assistant professor of immunobiochemistery Corresponding author: Department of otorhinolaryngology, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. E-mail: [email protected] Tell: +985118413492 Fax: +985118413492 Received date: 6 Jan 2010 Accepted date: 18 May 2010 Materials and Methods This study was conducted in a university hospital setting. Nasal smears were taken from 39 patients with a clinical history of nasal allergy and a positive skin prick test to at least one aeroallergen as well as 26 controls without any history and negative test. Biopsy specimens from the inferior turbinate as well as nasal smears of 19 cases including 9 patients and 10 controls with the same criteria were taken. Nasal smears and biopsy slides were stained with Giemsa and Hematoxilin-Eosin and were examined blindly by two separate