Rhinosinusitis symptoms, smoking and COPD: Prevalence and associations.

OBJECTIVE (S): To estimate the prevalence and associations among rhinosinusitis symptoms, smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Population-based.

PARTICIPANTS

All adults aged 40 years or more living in the selected households in the city of Florianópolis (Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Assessment instruments comprised household interviews, anthropometric measurements and spirometry. Rhinosinusitis symptoms were based on the responses to the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) questionnaire; smoking status was defined by the criteria of the CDC, and the functional diagnosis of COPD was done by spirometry.

RESULTS

The prevalence (n = 1056) of rhinosinusitis symptoms, smoking and COPD was 14.7%, 17.9% and 8.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that, with the exception of COPD, all other clinical variables (smoking, previous diagnosis of rhinitis, previous diagnosis of gastritis/ulcer/gastroesophageal reflux, and symptoms of depression) remained associated with higher prevalence of rhinosinusitis symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Rhinosinusitis symptoms were common both in smokers and in patients with COPD. However, only tobacco was significantly associated with rhinosinusitis symptoms and can act as a cofounder in the association between COPD and rhinosinusitis symptoms.