Background. The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the clinical profile, microbiological flora and radiological features in primary atrophic rhinitis patients and to identify their association with the etiology of primary atrophic rhinitis. Study design. Prospective case study. Materials and methods. Patients with primary atrophic rhinitis over a two years period were included in the study. Complete blood count, total protein and microbiological analysis from nasal swab were done to evaluate iron deficiency anemia, nutritional status and identification of the pathogenic bacteria respectively. Radiological evaluation was done to study the radiological features of primary atrophic rhinitis. Observations. Ninety cases of primary atrophic rhinitis were studied. The most common symptom was nasal crusting. Nasal crust, odour and atrophy of mucosa were the most consistent finding. Nasal myiasis was found in 26.6% cases. The nasal mucociliary clearance time was markedly increased. On investigation there were low value of hemoglobin and total protein in 46.6% and 25.5% patients, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (37%) was the commonest organism isolated from culture. On radiological evaluation evidence of different grade of sinusitis was seen in 87.7% case. Conclusion. The present study suggested that certain bacterial infections, anemia, poor nutrition and hereditary factor may contribute significantly to the etiology of primary atrophic rhinitis. 1. Introduction Primary atrophic rhinitis or ozaena is a well-known disease for ages and was first described by Fraenkel in the latter part of the nineteenth century [1]. The disease is characterized by a sclerotic change in the mucous membrane and abnormal patency of the nasal passages due to atrophic changes in the mucosa and underlying bones, along with thick viscid secretions which, when dry, emit a characteristic foul smell. Atrophic rhinitis can be classified into two types, that is, a primary or idiopathic type where the etiology is not known and a secondary type where the disease develops secondary to some other primary disease. The condition is predominantly seen in young and middle aged adults, especially females (F？:？M = 5.6？:？1) [2]. Its prevalence varies in different regions of the world. It is a common condition in tropical countries such as India. In the countries with higher prevalence, primary atrophic rhinitis can affect 0.3%–1.0% of the population [3]. The exact etiology of primary atrophic rhinitis is unknown though many theories and hypotheses have been postulated for
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