ObjectiveTo study the relation between etiology and pathogenesis of nasal polyps (NP) and antrochoanal polyps (ACP) via comparing the results of allergen assay in patients with these two types of nasal diseases.Methods42 patients with NP and 19 with ACP were tested with 44 kinds of allergens by skin prick test(SPT). Their SPT results were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsThe test results showed positive rate (at least one allergen was positive) of 47.6% (20/42) in patients with NP, and 31.6% (6/19) in those with ACP. The test also showed negative results of 17 kinds of allergens in both groups, including candida albican, crosslinking spore mold, pine, curry, fruit, meat,et al. At least one of the other 27 kinds of allergens showed positive reaction in 26 of all the 61 cases. As for the 27 kinds of allergens, the negative rate of SPT test in ACP patients was obviously higher than that of NP patients, and the difference was statistically significant (Z=-5.0445, P<0.05).ConclusionsThe etiology and pathogenesis of NP maybe different from those of ACP. Allergic reaction maybe one of the causes of NPand plays less significant role in ACP.