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Objectives: the possible impact of nasal septal deformities (SD) on cardiac pathology has not been well studied, despite growing evidence among data showing that upper airway obstruction has a negative effect on cardiac function in general and a “deviated nasal septum” being considered one of the most frequent factors responsible for impaired nasal breathing.
Methods: a retrospective, case-control, double-blind study was performed on 249 patients who survived an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) attack. All patients underwent coronary angiography and were divided into coronary angiography positive (123 pts) and coronary angiography negative (126 pts) groups. The quality of nasal breathing was not considered in this study, but morphological aspects of the nasal septum (nasal septal deformities) were observed by anterior native rhinoscopy and endoscopic examination of the nose following the application of superficial anaesthesia. Mladina classification of nasal septal deformities was used.
Results: there was a statistically significant difference between coronary angiography negative and positive patients in Mladina type 1 to Mladina type 7 groups (p=0.000, Χ2 =54.605). The incidence of nasal SD types 5 and 6 was higher in the group of ACS patients with the positive coronary angiography, whereas general distribution of the particular types of nasal septal deformities as they appear in the general population was found in the coronary angiography negative group.
Conclusion: the fact that types 5 and 6 are inherited deformities and not related to trauma against the nose suggests the possible genetic predisposition for the onset of ACS with positive coronary angiography.