Mucosal inflammatory cellular infiltrates are correlated with nasal complaints in symptomatic allergic rhinitis. Some authors suggest inflammation of a neurogenic or immunogenic nature as an underlying disorder for idiopathic rhinitis (IR). We looked at the possible involvement of inflammatory cells in the pathogenesis of IR. Nasal biopsies were taken from sixty-five IR patients with significant nasal complaints and from twenty healthy controls with no nasal complaints. Inflammatory cells were quantified using monoclonal antibodies directed against lymphocytes, antigen-presenting cells, eosinophils, macrophages, monocytes, mast cells and other IgE-positive cells. No significant differences were found, for any cell, between IR patients and controls. We conclude that inflammatory cells do not seem to play an important role in this meticulously characterised group of IR patients.