Allergic Fungal Sinusitis Associated with Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis: An Uncommon Sinobronchial Allergic Mycosis

Abstract

The identification of allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is still controversial and much more recent than that of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Their association has been reported very rarely in the literature. The aim of this study was to present a review of 6 cases of AFS associated with ABPA from a series of 12 cases of AFS and to compare AFS associated with ABPA and isolated AFS. All cases of AFS presented with chronic rhinosinusitis. The six cases with AFS and ABPA were atopic, asthmatic, with pulmonary infiltrates (five cases), central bronchiectasis (four cases), and both (three cases). The mycological and immunoallergological features of isolated AFS and AFS associated with ABPA were similar: eosinophilic allergic mucin with noninvasive fungi hyphae, high levels of blood eosinophils, total IgE, specific IgE, IgG, and positive skin tests to Aspergillus. The association of AFS and ABPA was concomitant (two cases) or remote in time (four cases). The treatment with oral corticosteroids and sinus surgery (six cases) associated with antifungal drugs (four cases) led to resolution in three cases, considerable improvement in one case, and therapeutic failure in two cases (follow-up longer than 5 years in all cases). Independently of the signs linked to the organs involved (sinuses and bronchi) the mycological and immunoallergological features were similar for AFS and AFS associated with ABPA. AFS and ABPA can be isolated or associated in a sinobronchial allergic