Rhinorrhoea in the elderly

Abstract

The ageing population has various medical problems, ranging from relatively minor to truly severe. The ageing process includes physiological changes that can also aggravate sinonasal problems such as rhinorrhoea. As one of the most troublesome condition of this population, the causes of rhinorrhea can be classified as age related, medication induced, secondary to rhinitis and other causes (tumour, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, etc.). The underlying aetiology should be meticulously investigated. Although common conditions such as allergic or infectious rhinitis are relatively easy to diagnose and threat, more serious causes such as primary spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea are hard to manage. The treatment options should be individualised to the patient according to his or her metabolic, cardiac and central nervous system status. Rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment of the pathology would not only increase the quality of life but also decrease morbidity and mortality of this population. As a conclusion, rhinorrhoea in the elderly is an important condition that should not be overlooked.