The intranasal Schirmer test (INSCH) may help detect allergic rhinitis during a nasal provocation test. Among patients with allergic rhinitis, the INSCH revealed significantly increased nasal secretions upon exposure to relevant allergens such as mites or birch.
"The INSCH could serve as a simple tool in everyday clinical practice to quickly objectify nasal secretion," the authors wrote.
Paula von der Lage, MD, with the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on May 17 in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
The study included patients who smoke, despite evidence that smoking can lead to drier nasal mucosa.
The study received support from the Theodor und Ida Herzog-Egli-Stiftung, Switzerland.