Poster 1021: Use of paper filter discs for measurement of local biomarkers of nasal mucosal inflammation

Methods Nasal secretions from 12 patients with AR to grass pollen and 12 healthy controls were collected. Two preweighed filter discs were placed bilaterally under direct visualization on the anterior third of the nasal septum. Five minutes later, they were removed and weighted again. After adding 2 ml 0,9% NaCl solution to the discs and centrifugation, the nasal secretions were stored in aliquots at -20°C until analysis. Biomarkers such as total IgE, grass pollen specific (gx3) IgE, total IgG, IgG4 and tryptase were measured. Patients with AR were selected based on symptoms during the grass pollen season and based on a positive skin prick test for grass pollen. Control patients were healthy patients without rhinological or allergic disease and with negative skin prick test to the standard panel of allergens.