Clinical assessment of nasal decongestion test by VAS in adolescents.

Nasal airflow, as measured by rhinomanometry, is frequently impaired in allergic rhinitis (AR). The decongestion test evaluates whether the application of an intranasal vasoconstrictor drug increases nasal airflow. The aim of this study was to verify the suitability of the use of the visual analogue scales (VAS) as a surrogate for rhinomanometry in the decongestion test assessment in adolescents with atopic rhinitis. The results show that the use of VAS appears as clinically relevant, in that it allows, with a fair reliability, to perform the decongestion test in the absence of rhinomanometry.