Allergy accelerates the disease progression of chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND

The role of allergy in the development of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in East Asians is not clear.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate the impact of allergies in the clinical characteristics of chronic rhinosinusitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 138 CRS patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery were included. A brief history of rhinosinusitis symptoms, blood eosinophil count, blood-specific allergen tests, computed tomography (CT) scan findings, Lund-Mackay (LM) CT scores, and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) Questionnaire scores, and sinoscopy findings at 3 and 6 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

The ImmunoCAP test was positive in 71(51%) patients and negative in 67(49%) patients. The mean age of those who received endoscopic sinus surgery was 7-years younger in the allergic group compared with the non-allergic group (p = .008). The peripheral eosinophil count in the allergic group was higher than that of the non-allergic group (p = .008). The LM scores and SNOT-22 scores were not significantly different between the two groups. The recurrence rate of nasal polyps in the allergic group was higher but without statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE

Allergy may accelerate the disease progression of CRS. The presence of the serum-specific IgE was correlated with peripheral eosinophil percentage, especially in the CRSwNP patients.