Abstract
BackgroundThe relationship between allergies and sinusitis, though extensively studied, remains poorly defined. While several studies proposed a cause-and-effect relationship between allergy and chronic sinusitis, several others reported the lack of any existing association. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between allergy and sinusitis.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using a representative sample of the US population from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005‒2006 (n = 7244). A self-reported allergy questionnaire and total and allergen-specific IgE levels were used for analysis. Participants were divided into positive and negative allergy symptoms groups (PAS, NAS, respectively) to eliminate the influence of allergy symptoms on the apparent incidence of sinusitis. Pearson’s chi-square test and the linear regression analysis using Durbin Watson test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsSinusitis incidence in the PAS group (22.4%; 521/2327) was significantly higher than that in the NAS group (7.1%; 348/4917) [odds ratios (OR) = 3.788, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.272‒4.384, P < 0.001]. sinusitis incidence in non-sensitized and sensitized groups was not statistically different. After controlling for allergy symptoms, there was a negative correlation between sensitization status and the occurrence of sinusitis in the PAS group (OR = 1.407, 95% CI 1.156‒1.711, P < 0.01). Increase in serum total IgE levels correlated with decrease in incidence of sinusitis in both PAS and NAS groups. sinusitis incidence was significantly reduced in the PAS group in participants sensitized to allergens such as cockroaches, ragweed, ryegrass, Bermuda grass, oak, birch, and thistle.ConclusionAllergy is related to sinusitis incidence. It is likely that sensitization status could reduce the incidence of sinusitis, albeit in an antigen-specific manner.
Highlights
The pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis is complex and multifactorial
Tantilipikorn [9] provided a recent update on this topic in 2020, in which 11 studies were included in a qualitative analysis of the association between systemic allergy and chronic rhinosinusitis
We evaluated the relationship between allergic rhinitis and sinusitis by studying the relationship between sensitization status, allergy symptoms, and sinusitis; the relationship between total serum IgE and sinusitis, and the relationship between 19 allergen-specific IgEs and sinusitis, using this population-based dataset
Summary
The pathogenesis of chronic sinusitis is complex and multifactorial. In the past, chronic sinusitis was characterized as a disease caused by sinus ostia obstruction. Some studies have proposed a cause-and-effect relationship between allergy and chronic sinusitis [2,3,4], while other studies did not find any such association [5,6,7]. The study reviewed 24 studies, of which 18 explored the relationship between allergy and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Eleven of these showed a correlation, while seven showed no correlation between these conditions. Nine studies investigated the relationship between allergies and chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps, of which four showed a correlation and five indicated no correlation [8]. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between allergy and sinusitis
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