Recurrent Chronic Rhinosinusitis Research Articles

Impact of Septal Deviation on Recurrent Chronic Rhinosinusitis after Primary Surgery: A Matched Case‐Control Study

To evaluate the impact of untreated deviated nasal septum (DNS) on recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) among patients undergoing revision endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Case-control study. Tertiary academic center. We performed a retrospective review of 489 patients undergoing revision ESS for CRS at a tertiary academic center. Patients undergoing septoplasty were matched to nonseptoplasty controls based on age and sex. Preoperative Lund-Mackay score (LMS) was compared between cohorts. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of LMS and ostiomeatal complex (OMC) obstruction. Thirty-six matched pairs (72 patients) were selected for analysis: 36 undergoing septoplasty and revision ESS and 36 undergoing revision ESS alone. Compared with nonseptoplasty controls, the septoplasty group had a significantly higher average LMS (17.8 vs 14.6, P = .02) and a greater rate of OMC obstruction (89% vs 61%, P < .01). The septoplasty group also had significantly higher opacification scores in the maxillary (1.5 vs 1.2, P = .03) and posterior ethmoid (1.8 vs 1.4, P = .02) sinuses. On multivariable analysis, DNS was an independent predictor of LMS ( P = .02) and OMC obstruction ( P < .01). Untreated DNS is associated with radiographic markers of CRS severity among patients undergoing revision ESS and may contribute to the multifactorial pathogenesis of persistent CRS.

Rare case of low-grade extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, arising in the setting of chronic rhinosinusitis and harboring a novel N-terminal KIT mutation

BackgroundExtranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTCL-NT), is a rare aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by angioinvasion, angiodestruction, necrosis and strong association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). ENKTCL-NT occurs worldwide and is more prevalent in Asian and the Native American populations of Mexico, Central and South America. It represents approximately 10% of all peripheral T-cell lymphomas worldwide. The aim of this report is to present a rare case of ENKTCL-NT with an unusually indolent clinical course and low-grade histopathologic features.Case presentationA 71-year-old Asian woman with a long-standing history of seasonal rhinosinusitis presented with persistent nasal congestion, cough, and fever unresponsive to antihistamines and antibiotics. Histopathological evaluation of a polypoid nasal mass revealed an atypical infiltrate with predominantly small lymphoid cells that were CD2+, surface CD3-, cytoplasmic CD3+, CD5(dim)+, CD7(dim)+, cytotoxic markers (granzyme B and perforin)+, EBER+ and CD56-. The Ki-67 proliferative index was very low (< 1%). T-cell receptor gamma gene rearrangement studies were positive for a monoclonal rearrangement, and sequencing studies identified a novel KIT mutation (p. K167 M, c. 500 A > T). A diagnosis of low-grade ENKTCL-NT was rendered.ConclusionsOur case of ENKTCL-NT is unusual due to (1) an indolent clinical course (2) low-grade histopathologic features including a low proliferative index (3) lack of CD56 expression and (4) a novel KIT mutation. This case raises awareness of the existence of a subset of cases of ENKTCL-NT that can potentially be misdiagnosed as a reactive process, particularly in patients with recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis.

Expression and Functional Analysis of CST1 in Intractable Nasal Polyps.

In this study, we found Cystatin SN (CST1), a type 2 cystatin subfamily member, to be highly expressed in nasal polyps from patients with intractable chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with nasal polyps, using a whole-transcript analysis with next-generation sequencing. Eosinophilic CRS (ECRS) involves nasal polyps that are refractory and recur immediately after endoscopic sinus surgery. We hypothesized that CST1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of ECRS. We examined the expression of CST1 in nasal polyps from patients with ECRS by assessing mRNA expression levels using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. CST1 showed significantly greater expression in the epithelial cells of nasal polyps from patients with ECRS than in those from patients who did not have ECRS (non-ECRS). In particular, CST1 showed very strong expression in patients with severe ECRS. The expression of CST1 may be correlated with the recurrent and refractory nature of ECRS. We examined the function of CST1 using nasal epithelial cells and nasal fibroblasts. Stimulation by a combination of IL-4 plus double-stranded RNA plus CST1 significantly elevated mRNA expression levels and protein levels of TSLP in nasal epithelial cells. Stimulation by TSLP or IL-33 significantly elevated mRNA expression levels of CST1 in nasal epithelial cells. Stimulation of CST1 significantly elevated mRNA expression levels of CCL11 and POSTN in nasal fibroblasts. CST1 could amplify eosinophilic infiltration and T-helper cell type 2 inflammation by interacting with epithelial-derived cytokines and fibroblasts on nasal polyps. CST1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of ECRS, and may contribute to the severity and recurrence of CRS with nasal polyps after endoscopic sinus surgery.

Assessment of endoscopic sinus surgery in management of sinonasal diseases

Background: functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) has revolutionized surgical care, opening new horizons in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis and other paranasal sinus disorders Messerklinger established and reinterated the importance of the sinus ventilation and pattern of mucociliary clearance. FESS was first described independently by both Messerklinger in German literature and Wigand. Aim of the work: this study aimed to assess the efficacy, safety and benefits of FESS in cases of chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis, fungal sinusitis,septal and turbinate pathology and CSF rhinorhea in terms of morbidity, mortality and recurrent of disease. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in Bab Elshaerea University Hospital and Hearing and Speech Institute from July 2017 to August 2018. A total of 50 patients with clinical evidence of sinonasal diseases were categorized into 4 groups (Chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis (20 patients) ,fungal sinusitis (10 patients),septal and turbinate pathology(10 patients) and CSF rhinorhea(10 patients)). Patients were evaluated with nasal endoscopy and computed tomographic (CT) evaluation prior to FESS. Results: out of 50 patients, 26 were male and 24 were female in the present study. Male: female ratio was 52:48. Depending on symptoms, endoscopic examination and CT scanning, three patients only had a recurrence (Two patients from group of chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis and one patient from fungal sinusitis group). Conclusion: FESS provided an excellent and safe method for treating sinonasal disease. The success rates were encouraging, but because of the nature and chronicity of the disease, longer follow-up was necessary to truly assess the surgical effectiveness of the procedure.

Assessment of endoscopic sinus surgery in management of sinonasal diseases

Background: functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) has revolutionized surgical care, opening new horizons in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis and other paranasal sinus disorders Messerklinger established and reinterated the importance of the sinus ventilation and pattern of mucociliary clearance. FESS was first described independently by both Messerklinger in German literature and Wigand. Aim of the work: this study aimed to assess the efficacy, safety and benefits of FESS in cases of chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis, fungal sinusitis,septal and turbinate pathology and CSF rhinorhea in terms of morbidity, mortality and recurrent of disease. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in Bab Elshaerea University Hospital and Hearing and Speech Institute from July 2017 to August 2018. A total of 50 patients with clinical evidence of sinonasal diseases were categorized into 4 groups (Chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis (20 patients) ,fungal sinusitis (10 patients),septal and turbinate pathology(10 patients) and CSF rhinorhea(10 patients)). Patients were evaluated with nasal endoscopy and computed tomographic (CT) evaluation prior to FESS. Results: out of 50 patients, 26 were male and 24 were female in the present study. Male: female ratio was 52:48. Depending on symptoms, endoscopic examination and CT scanning, three patients only had a recurrence (Two patients from group of chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyposis and one patient from fungal sinusitis group). Conclusion: FESS provided an excellent and safe method for treating sinonasal disease. The success rates were encouraging, but because of the nature and chronicity of the disease, longer follow-up was necessary to truly assess the surgical effectiveness of the procedure.

Comparison of Clinical Presentation and Surgical Outcomes Between Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

The authors assessed clinical presentations and anatomic variants among patients with recurrent acute rhinosinusitis (RARS), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), and CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Additionally, differences in the postoperative improvement of each category were evaluated. The authors performed an analysis of 304 patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery. They were divided into groups with RARS, CRSsNP, and CRSwNP. Patients had to complete the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) on surgery 1 day before and 6 months after surgery. Patient demographics and comorbidities were reviewed. We reviewed all patients' computed tomographic findings to analyze anatomic variants. No significant differences were found among the average preoperative SNOT-20 scores of the 3 groups. Patients with RARS were significantly more likely to show agger nasi cells, Haller cells, and septal deviation on computed tomography. Those with CRSwNP had significantly smaller mean infundibular widths. All groups showed significantly improved SNOT-20 scores postoperatively. The different anatomic variants found among patients with RARS, CRSsNP, and CRSwNP can facilitate surgical prognostic evaluation.

Efficacy of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyethyl starch in preventing adhesion following endoscopic sinus surgery.

Adhesion is a major complication of endoscopic sinus surgery that may lead to recurrence of chronic rhinosinusitis, necessitating revision surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyethyl starch (HA-HES) relative to hyaluronic acid and carboxymethylcellulose (HA-CMC) with regard to anti-adhesion effect. In this multi-center, prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled study, 77 consecutive patients who underwent bilateral endoscopic sinus surgery were enrolled between March 2014 and March 2015. HA-HES and HA-CMC were applied to randomly assigned ethmoidectomized cavities after the removal of middle meatal packing. At the 1st, 2nd and 4th weeks after surgery, the presence and grades of adhesion, edema, and infection were, respectively, examined via endoscopy by a blinded assessor. The incidence and grades of adhesion at the 2-week follow-up were significantly less in the HA-CMC group than in the HA-HES group (p<0.05). However, with the exception of week 2, there were no significant differences in the incidence or grades of adhesion, edema, and infection between the two groups. When the primary endpoint-the presence of adhesion at the 4-week follow-up-was compared between two groups, the incidence of adhesion in HA-HES group at the 4-week follow-up was 32% and in HA-CMC was 41.3%, indicating that HA-HES was not inferior to HA-CMC in terms of anti-adhesive effect. No severe adverse reactions were noted during the study period. In conclusion, HA-HES is a safe substitutional anti-adhesion agent that has equivalent effect as HA-CMC after endoscopic sinus surgery.

Study toward resolving the controversy over the definition of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis.

Dysbiosis of the microbiome on the airway mucosa leads to the development of chronic inflammatory and allergic disorders. The aim of this study was to consider the potential diagnostic criteria for allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) and nonallergic fungal rhinosinusitis (FRS), and the role of fungal presence in an environment for the development of AFRS. In this study, 136 patients were divided into two groups: patients with positive specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and fungal finding (AFRS group), and patients with negative sIgE and positive fungal finding (FRS group). The study design included: anamnesis data, sIgE, eosinophil count and skin-prick test, rhinology and computerized tomography (CT) observation and mycological finding. Our results showed: (i) the prevalence in Serbia is: AFRS 1.3%, FRS 2.8%; (ii) 30.4% patients with sIgE+ had more often severe and recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) (P = .005) and the presence of polyps (P = .025); (iii) 46.4% patients with sIgE+ had positive fungi on the sinonasal mucosa and were considered as AFRS; (iv) patients with AFRS had more frequent asthma (P = .024) and chronicity of CRS >10 years (P = .000). The persistent fungal presence and prolonged duration of CRS could be a silent threat for the progression of inflammation and development of FRS. Lavage with hypertonic-NaCl should be included in the everyday hygiene routine in an effort to decrease fungal load and antigenic exposure. The presence of allergological parameters and better response to corticosteroid therapy in AFRS patients should be considered as crucial diagnostic criteria for AFRS.

The management for pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis with upper respiratory tract concomitant diseases

Objective:To analyze the clinical impact of upper respiratory tract concomitant diseases in pediatrics chronic rhinosinusitis(CRS) and treatment methods, efficacy and timing of the concomitant diseases.Method:Two hundred and sixty-seven cases with CRS at a tertiary children's medical center from March 2013 to March 2015 were included in this study. The cases were divided into two groups according to the concomitant diseases. 66 cases without concomitant diseases were allocated into group A；201 cases with concomitant diseases were classified into group B. Group B was further divided into two subgroups according to treatment methods: subgroup B1(97 cases) and subgroup B2(104 cases). Group A and B1 were given the same basic treatment for 3 months，while Group B2 was given the basic plus targeted treatment for the same duration. Comprehensive evaluation was conducted at 3, 6 and 15-months after commencement of treatment. Result:The therapeutic effect of Group A was significantly superior to Group B1 in 3 months（P<0.05）.The clinical efficacy of Group A decreased slightly while Group B1 showed significantly reduced efficacy at 6 and 15-months （all P<0.05）. Comparing Group B1 and B2, the comprehensive effect of Group B2 was considerably better than Group B1 at 3 months（P<0.05）. Furthermore, Group B2 showed no decrease in efficacy while Group B1 decreased significantly at 6 and 15-month. Conclusion:Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, allergic rhinitis, adenoid hypertrophy and chronic tonsillitis, were common the upper respiratory tract accompanying diseases in children with CRS, and they had significant influence on the efficacy and recurrence of CRS. The basic plus targeted treatment can improve the efficacy and reduce recurrence.

The prognostic role of serum eosinophil and basophil levels in sinonasal polyposis.

Predicting which patients are at a higher risk for recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is one of the most challenging problems in clinical rhinology. A direct association between CRSwNP recurrence rates and serum eosinophil and basophil counts was reported. This study aimed to identify best-fitting cutoffs for binarizing preoperative serum eosinophils and basophils (counts/percentages) for prognostic purposes in cases of CRSwNP recurrence after surgery. A secondary endpoint was to distinguish said cutoffs for prognosticating recurrence in subcohorts of patients with histologically diagnosed eosinophilic/non-eosinophilic CRSwNP. A retrospective study was performed on 280 patients (127 eosinophilic and 153 non-eosinophilic CRSwNP) examining the prognostic role of serum eosinophil and basophil levels. For all patients examined, mean preoperative serum eosinophil and basophil levels were significantly higher in patients whose CRSwNP recurred. Patients with eosinophil counts ≥0.24 cells × 109 /L and percentages ≥3.7% had odds ratios (ORs) of 2.57 and 2.19 for recurrence; patients with basophil counts ≥0.03 cells × 109 /L and percentages ≥0.5% had ORs of 2.19 and 2.24, respectively. Among histologically eosinophilic CRSwNP patients, mean eosinophils and basophils (counts/percentages) were significantly higher in cases that recurred. Serum eosinophil and basophil values were directly correlated. The recurrence odds were OR 2.52 for high eosinophils (≥5.9%), and OR 2.52 and 2.69 for high basophils (≥0.04 cells × 109 /L and ≥0.5%, respectively). High serum eosinophil and basophil values should be further investigated because they could pinpoint patients at higher risk of eosinophilic-type CRSwNP recurrence. These preliminary results support the increasing interest in the role of basophils in CRSwNP.

Factors affecting revision rate of chronic rhinosinusitis.

ObjectiveChronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a variable multifactorial disease. It can be divided into forms with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and without (CRSsNP). Sinus and/or nasal polypectomy surgery are considered if maximal conservative treatment is insufficient. The predictive factors of the need of revision surgery comprise mostly the CRSwNP phenotype and are not fully understood.Study DesignThe aim of this follow‐up study was to evaluate the factors associated with the revision surgery rate in CRS patients with variable extent of disease.MethodsData of CRS patients (N = 178) undergoing sinus surgery and/or nasal polypectomy in 2001 to 2010 were used. Patient characteristics and follow‐up data were collected from patient records and questionnaires. Associations were analyzed by Fisher's exact, Mann Whitney U, and the Kaplan‐Meier method with log‐rank test. Unadjusted Cox's proportional hazard models were used for 12 variables and were fitted for the need for revision sinus surgery and/or nasal polypectomy during follow‐up of in average 9 years.ResultsThe proportion of CRS patients who had undergone revision in 5 years was 9.6%. After adjustment, the following factors associated significantly with the need for recurrent CRS surgery: allergic rhinitis, corticosteroid treatment, previous surgery of CRS, and recurrent NP.ConclusionIncreased risk of progressive CRS phenotypes with the need for revision surgery would putatively be recognized by relatively simple clinical questions. Further studies with increased sample size are needed to evaluate whether these predictive factors would be relevant for developing better detection and management of progressive CRS.Level of Evidence2b.

Role of atopy in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: does an atopic condition affect the severity and recurrence of disease?

The role of atopy in chronic rhinosinusitis is unclear: it is particularly controversial in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. A prospective study of 210 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps was performed. Patient demographics, visual analogue scale scores, Lund-Kennedy endoscopy scores, Lund-Mackay computed tomography scores, serum total immunoglobulin E levels, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels and Phadiatop test findings were analysed. There were no significant differences in age, sex, visual analogue scale score, Lund-Mackay computed tomography score, total serum immunoglobulin E level, serum ECP level or Phadiatop test results between patients with primary and recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. A total of 99 patients (47 per cent) had positive atopy tests. No significant differences in sex, visual analogue scale score, Lund-Kennedy endoscopy score, Lund-Mackay computed tomography score or recurrence rates were found between atopic and non-atopic patients; however, atopic patients were significantly younger than non-atopic patients. Atopy status did not correlate with disease severity. There was no association between atopy status and either disease severity or recurrence in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, although atopic patients were younger than non-atopic patients.

Chronic rhinosinusitis and extraesophageal reflux: Who is the candidate for antireflux treatment?

During the past decade, extraesophageal reflux (EER) has been hypothesized to be one of the possible factors that contribute to the worsening of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, the relationship remains indeterminate due to its complexity, and it is not clear whether antireflux treatment is indicated for patients with recurrent CRS and who would benefit from it. The aim of the study was to determine the severity of EER in patients with variable durations of CRS and different numbers of previous endoscopic endonasal surgeries (EES). Ninety patients with CRS were recruited for the prospective case series. The age, sex, body mass index, reflux symptom index, duration of treatment of CRS with corticosteroids, and the number of ESS within the previous 5 years were ascertained. The severity of EER was evaluated by oropharyngeal pH monitoring by using the Restech system (the presence of EER, value of the RYAN score) and compared among the groups with varying durations of treatment of CRS (≤10 years, 11-20 years, >20 years) and different numbers of ESS within the previous 5 years (no ESS, 1-2 ESS, >2 ESS). Pathologic EER was present significantly more often in patients with CRS treated for >10 years (p = 0.0054) and in patients who underwent >2 ESS within the previous 5 years (p = 0.0001). Patients with CRS treated for >10 years and those who had undergone >2 ESS within the previous 5 years had significant EER. Antireflux therapy (e.g., proton pump inhibitors) can be recommended for these patients. However, its effect has to be confirmed in further studies.

Evaluation of Long-term Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients with Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Nasal Polyposis

Evaluation of Long-term Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients with Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis without Nasal Polyposis

Immunoglobulin deficiency in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: Systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis

Several studies have shown a high prevalence of immunoglobulin deficiencies in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We sought to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate this prevalence more precisely and to identify patients who need substitution treatment. All case series published after 1990 describing patients with CRS, which was defined as symptomatic rhinosinusitis for more than 12 weeks and documented immunoglobulin deficiencies (including deficiencies of IgG with subclasses, IgA, and IgM; specific antibody deficiencies; and potential common variable immunodeficiency), were retrieved. A meta-analysis of the proportion of any combination of common variable immunodeficiency, IgG deficiency, IgA deficiency, and IgM deficiency in patients with CRS was performed by using logit transformation of the prevalence. Recurrent CRS was defined as rhinosinusitis not controlled by appropriate conservative management for 4 months, and difficult-to-treat CRS was defined as noncontrollable rhinosinusitis despite successful sinus surgery and appropriate conservative management for at least 1 year. The meta-analysis revealed a prevalence of pooled IgG, IgA, and IgM deficiencies in 13% of patients with recurrent CRS and 23% of patients with difficult-to-treat CRS. The prevalence of IgG subclass deficiency (5% to 50%) and specific antibody deficiency (8% to 34%) was increased in patients with CRS, as was the prevalence of respiratory allergies in patients with recurrent CRS (31% to 72%). Immunoglobulin deficiency is a frequent condition in patients with CRS. An even higher prevalence of atopy was observed in patients with recurrent CRS. Therefore immunoglobulin titers and accurate allergy diagnostic workups are strongly recommended in these patients to provide specific treatments for symptom alleviation. However, there is a need for larger prospective studies addressing the effect of specific therapeutic interventions for CRS.

Esthesioneuroblastoma Masquerading as Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Background: Esthesioneuroblastoma, a rare tumour of the nasal vault, can present with symptoms that can be mistaken for common conditions such as chronic rhinosinusitis or recurrent epistaxis. Case presentation: A 52-year-old, previously healthy, Caucasian female presented to the emergency room with two months of nasal congestion and a spontaneous, protracted nosebleed that required a nasal clamp to settle. In the following months she had another episode of epistaxis in addition to fatigue, headaches, anosmia, difficulty breathing, worsening vision, weight loss and behavioral changes. Subsequent investigations led to the diagnosis of esthesioneuroblastoma. Conclusion: When patients present with recurrent epistaxis or chronic rhinosinusitis that does not respond to a reasonable course of medical therapy and/or have atypical associated symptoms, further investigations should be considered. The presences of red flags, such as weight loss, severe headaches, vision changes or bizarre behavior are also clues that alternate diagnoses and further additional workup should be considered.

Effectiveness of itraconazole on clinical symptoms and radiologic findings in patients with recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis.

Background:This study was done to evaluate the effect of itraconazole on clinical symptoms and radiologic findings in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis after surgery.Materials and Methods:In a clinical trial which was conducted in Alzahra and Kashani hospitals, from November 2011 to December 2012, 22 patients with recurrent postsurgical chronic sinusitis and polyposis entered the study. At the start of the study demographic data, subjective clinical symptoms (severity of rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, hyposmia, and dyspnea), quality of life (QoL) by sinonasal outcome test-20 (SNOT-20), serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), and score of computed tomography (CT) scan (by Lund-Mackay) were recorded. Itraconazole (100 mg, twice per day) prescribed for 3 months and patients were followed in the 1st, 3rd, and 6th months. Liver enzyme tests and side effects were evaluated monthly.Results:Severity of rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, hyposmia, dyspnea, and QoL (by SNOT-20) improved during 3 months of treatment. Serum IgE was 265 (±277) at the start of the study, and decrease to 193 (±183) after 3 month. After 3 month, Lund-Mackay score of CT scan lowered from 19 (±4) to 15 (±6) (P < 0.05). At the 6th month, severity of clinical symptoms except dyspnea and QoL were better than first evaluation.Conclusion:This study showed the beneficial effect of 3-month itraconazole treatment on clinical symptoms and radiologic findings and QoL in patients with recurrent postsurgical chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis.

Doxycycline for Recurrent Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps

Objectives: Evaluate factors related to improvement after doxycycline treatment for patients with recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Methods: We conducted an open label study from 2012 to 2013 on 32 patients with difficult-to-treat chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps uncontrolled after endoscopic sinus surgery and long-term low-dose clarithromycin treatment. Patients received doxycycline 100mg per day for 12 weeks after a three-month wash-out period. The main outcome measure was a meaningful improvement in SNOT-20 (&gt;0.80). Other outcome measures were the SNOT-20, NOSE, and Lund-Kennedy scores. The following parameters were analyzed: asthma, rhinitis, DREA, and blood testing before treatment for C3, C4, IgG, IgA, IgE, IgM, ANCA, and blood eosinophil count. Results: 53.1% (17/32) of patients showed a clinically significant improvement in SNOT-20 (&gt;0.8) score after treatment. The patients also showed a statistically significant improvement in SNOT-20 (p&lt;0.001), Lund-Kennedy (p&lt;0.001), and NOSE (p&lt;0.004) scores. Presence of asthma (p&lt;0.001), AERD (p&lt;0.008), increased level of blood eosinophil count, and increased serum IgE (p&lt;0.018) were factors associated with a worse prognosis after treatment. Conclusions: Our group of patients showed a positive result after treatment with doxycycline, especially in patients without asthma, DREA, andincreased serum levels of IgE and eosinophil counts.

Analyzing Serum Eosinophil Cationic Protein in the Clinical Assessment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is a major granule-derived protein with cytotoxic activity found in eosinophils and has been known as a useful marker of allergic inflammation. In this study, we assessed the clinical significance of ECP in chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa by evaluating the relationship between eosinophil activity and serum ECP concentration in a cohort of subjects with or without chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and allergic rhinitis (AR). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 492 subjects and analyzed eosinophil percentage in nasal smears, serum eosinophil counts, serum ECP concentrations, symptom scores, CT scores, the size of nasal polyp, and recurrence of CRS at follow-up. Elevated serum ECP concentration was closely related with higher eosinophil expression in all subject's nasal smears and sera. CRS subjects without AR had a higher percentage of immune cells that were eosinophils compared with control subjects and it was similar to subjects' with AR only or with both CRS and AR. CRS subjects without AR also had significantly higher serum ECP concentrations and eosinophil counts compared with control subjects. Additionally, serum ECP concentration was significantly correlated with CT scores, symptom scores, polyp size, and recurrence rate in CRS subjects without AR. Serum ECP concentration can be used as a marker of local and systemic eosinophil expression. We conjecture that although serum ECP elevation may not be specific in AR, analysis of serum ECP concentration could be particularly useful in estimating the progression and prognosis of CRS.

Anatomical Characteristics through Computed Tomography Analysis in Patients Undergoing Revision Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Background and ObjectivesZZThe aim of this study was to evaluate the non-dissected anatomic structures and abnormal computed tomographic findings that contribute to the recur rence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) or the trail of revision endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Subjects and MethodZZThe medical records of 34 subjects who were diagnosed with recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis, and required to undergo revision endoscopic sinus surgery were collected retrospectively. The subjects’ computed tomography results were examined by a radiology specialist. ResultsZZThe most common anatomic factors associated with the revision ESS for recurrence of CRS or retained inflammation were residual uncinate process (47.0%) and residual anterior ethmoidal cells followed by undissected posterior ethmoidal cells (38.2%) and obstructed sphenoid sinus ostium (32.3%). In addition, the uncorrected septal deviation, retained agger nasi cells or Haller cells and lateralized middle turbinate were also identified in the patients. ConclusionZZFrom these data, we analyzed anatomical structures and CT findings related to the failure of primary ESS. We suggest that careful attention be given to these structures after primary ESS so as to reduce the failure rate and increase successful outcomes. � Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2013;56:764-8