Effects of Surgical Correction of Nasal Obstruction on Oxygen Uptake and Ventilation Volume

This retrospective study aims to evaluate the effect of surgical correction of nasal obstruction on aerobic performance parameters in male athletes aged 20-32 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does nasal obstruction surgery impact running economy and ventilation during exercise?
• Does it affect oxygen consumption during submaximal running efforts?

Researchers will retrospectively compare male athletes who underwent nasal obstruction surgery (experimental group) to matched athletes without nasal obstruction (control group) to assess changes in respiratory function and exercise performance.

Participants were assessed by:

• Acoustic rhinometry to measure nasal cavity dimensions.
• The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to evaluate nasal obstruction symptoms and daytime sleepiness.
• Incremental treadmill exercise tests to collect data on gas exchange, oxygen consumption, ventilation, and running economy before and after the surgical intervention (or across a similar time period for the control group).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Nasal Obstruction; Athletic Performance; Septoplasty Surgeries
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Surgical correction of nasal obstruction

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 22
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For Experimental Group (EG):

• Diagnosed with nasal obstruction due to septal deviation and/or inferior turbinate hypertrophy
• Experiencing nasal breathing difficulties and sleep disturbance
• Deemed eligible for septoplasty and/or inferior turbinoplasty following physical and endoscopic examination
• Voluntarily agreed to participate in the study
• For Control Group (CG):
• No reported nasal obstruction or breathing complications
• Matched with EG participants by age, sport discipline, training level, and VO₂max (with a maximum variation of ±5%)
• Willing to follow a similar training program to their matched EG counterparts between pre- and post-testing periods

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of nasal surgery
• Presence of cardiopulmonary diseases
• Musculoskeletal disorders affecting physical performance or exercise testing
• Inability or unwillingness to follow the pre- and post-test training schedule
• Any surgical complication that would interfere with post-operative participation in physical testing (note: none occurred in this study)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Athletes Undergoing Septoplasty (EG); This arm included male athletes diagnosed with nasal obstruction who underwent surgical correction via septoplasty. Participants were evaluated before and approximately 2-3 months after surgery. Assessments included acoustic rhinometry to measure nasal cavity cross-sectional areas and volumes, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale. Aerobic performance parameters such as running economy, oxygen consumption, and ventilation volume were measured using an incremental treadmill test and respiratory gas analysis.	Procedure: Surgical correction of nasal obstruction; Surgical intervention to correct anatomical nasal obstruction, specifically septal deviation, performed under general anesthesia. The procedure involved the repositioning and reshaping of the deviated nasal septum to improve nasal airflow. The surgery was conducted by an otolaryngologist with experience in nasal airway procedures. No additional medications or postoperative interventions beyond standard care (e.g., saline irrigation, analgesics) were administered. Postoperative assessments occurred 2-3 months after surgery, including evaluations of nasal patency, sleep quality, and aerobic performance using treadmill-based gas exchange measurements.
No Intervention: Control Group; Male athletes without nasal obstruction, matched by age and training level with the experimental group. They did not receive any intervention but underwent the same aerobic performance testing protocol at the same time points for comparison.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Running Economy (ml/kg/min)	Running economy was assessed via an incremental treadmill test by measuring steady-state oxygen consumption (VO₂) at submaximal running speeds (e.g., 8, 10, 12 km/h). Improvement in running economy is defined by a decrease in VO₂ at the same speed, indicating greater efficiency.	Baseline and 2-3 months post-surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Oxygen Consumption (VO₂ max and submax VO₂)	Peak and submaximal oxygen consumption were evaluated using gas exchange analysis during a graded treadmill test. Reduced submaximal VO₂ values are indicative of improved aerobic performance.	Baseline and 2-3 months post-surgery
Change in Ventilation	Ventilatory volume was measured during each stage of the treadmill test. Increases in ventilation at submaximal intensities suggest improved airway function and respiratory efficiency.	Baseline and 2-3 months post-surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Tuba Melekoğlu
• Collaborators: Akdeniz University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tuba Melekoğlu, Phd, Akdeniz University Faculty of Sport Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 15, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): January 15, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 21, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): May 4, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 4, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: nasal surgery; aerobic performance; exercise economy; respiratory work
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Nose Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Respiratory Insufficiency; Airway Obstruction; Nasal Obstruction
• Other Study ID Numbers: TYL-2016-1350

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No