Nasal valve dysfunction is one of three main causes of nasal breathing problems. Nasal valve insufficiency is assumed to be one of the principal causes of nasal airway obstruction, however, the data on the prevalence of this condition in patients with trouble nasal breathing are conflicting.
Aim. To establish the prevalence and distribution of nasal valve insufficiency in patients with nasal breathing problems.
Patients and methods. 144 patients aged 15-69 were enrolled in the study. ENT examination which included nasal valve insufficiency screening, optic endoscopy, acoustic rhinometry, and anterior active rhinomanometry was performed. Currently, the criterion of successful diagnostics is the possibility to verify true diagnosis while the criterion of diagnostic method utility is the determination of treatment approach. If study result do not change treatment approach, the efficacy of diagnostic test (even the most informative) is questionable. Association between nasal valve insufficiency and comorbid intranasal pathology was revealed.
Results. Cottle sign was positive in 82 patients (57%). Nasal valve dysfunction has significant impact on trouble nasal breathing. Despite literature data, no age or sex differences in the prevalence of this condition were revealed.
Conclusions. No significant differences in nasal valve pathology rate were revealed. More than a half (57%) of patients with nasal airway obstruction report on the improvement of nasal breathing after nasal valve dilation thus indicating insufficient specificity of Cottle test. Objective methods are required for complete examination of patients with nasal valve pathology.

Key words: nasal valve, Cottle test, nasal obstruction.

For citation: Sobolev V.P., Spiranskaya O.A., Makhambetova E.A. Epidemiology of nasal valve pathology // RMJ. Otorhinolaryngology. 2016. № 4. P. 254–256.