Peripheral Eosinophil Counts Correlate With Nasal Eosinophil Counts in Patients With Rhinitis

Eosinophilic inflammation affecting the nose indicates a TH2 immune response, which is typical in allergic rhinitis and in nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophils (NARES), as well as in eosinophilic asthma [1]. Nasal cytology is a convenient method that is very useful in clinical practice, mainly in the diagnostic and prognostic work-up of patients with rhinitis [2]. In addition, it has been reported that the nasal eosinophil count correlates better with symptom severity and IgE level [3,4]. In their cross-sectional study of adults with moderate- severe asthma, Amorim et al [5] demonstrated a convincing association between nasal and sputum eosinophilia and a link between the former and bronchodilator response, ie, postsalbutamol FEV1.