Prevalence of Chronic Rhinosinusitis in the Jazan Region of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most common medical problems worldwide. It has a significant impact on the quality of life and productivity of many people. The prevalence of CRS varies throughout the world. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of CRS in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, using an online questionnaire to collect data on demographic, Sinonasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22), chronic diseases, and smoking status. The prevalence was estimated based on the established diagnosis and a high SNOT-22 score with the presence of three of the cardinal symptoms of CRS. Variables associated with the presence of CRS were evaluated. Results: The 1081 contributors that met our inclusion criteria included 594 males and 487 females with a median (interquartile range) age of 31 (17) years. More than half of all participants (n = 653, 60.4%) had high SNOT-22 (>18/110), but many did not fulfill the criteria for CRS in this study. Of the 1081, 215 had an established diagnosis and had three or more of the cardinal symptoms of CRS. In addition, 134 cases had not been clinically evaluated before but were suffering from three or more of the cardinal symptoms of CRS. Based on this, the estimated prevalence of CRS among our sample was 349 CRS patients (32.3%). CRS was less in people from mountainous areas (24.8%, P = 0.020). Conclusions: CRS was more prevalent in the hotter plains and coasts than in the mountains. Further studies are warranted to estimate the annual incidence and the impact on the health-care services as well as on the occupational and personal lives of the individuals.