Treatment of rhinosinusitis and histopathology of nasal mucosa: A controlled, randomized, clinical study : CRS and Histopathology of Nasal Mucosa

To correlate objective and subjective clinical parameters with molecular, cellular, and histologic markers and to acknowledge the importance of these basic science parameters in a severity classification system for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for CRS in an academic institution. The preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans of all patients with CRS scheduled for surgery were graded according to Lund and Mackay. The patients completed a Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT)-20 questionnaire and had a preoperative nasal endoscopy performed, which was graded by assigning an endoscopy score according to Lanza and Kennedy. Subjects had a medical questionnaire regarding presence of aspirin sensitivity, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and medication usage. Subjects also underwent pulmonary function testing and had skin tests for allergies. At the time of surgery, blood was drawn to determine the level of peripheral eosinophilia and the degree of polymorphisms of the leukotriene C4 synthase gene. Sinus mucosal and polyp tissue was examined pathologically for the number of eosinophils per high-powered filed (HPF) and was stained for EG2 to determine the portion of activated eosinophils. Leukotriene C4 levels (pg/g of tissue) were determined using a sensitive competitive enzyme immunoassay. Endoscopy and SNOT-20 scores were reevaluated 1 year after surgery. Data were analyzed for disease-severity correlation to recommend a severity classification system for CRS that incorporates the contribution of clinical, molecular, cellular, and histologic parameters. The presence of polyps resulted in higher preoperative CT scores and higher preoperative and postoperative symptom scores. Average preoperative CT scores were significantly higher in asthmatics and allergy patients and correlated with endoscopy scores. Patients with more than five eosinophils/HPF of sinus tissue had higher frequency of polyps and asthma and higher CT and endoscopy scores than patients without sinus tissue eosinophilia (less than or equal to 5 cells/HPF sinus tissue). The subgroup of patients with eosinophilic nasal polyps (eosinophilic hyperplastic rhinosinusitis) had more severe disease by CT and endoscopy than the subgroup of patients with nasal polyps (hyperplastic rhinosinusitis) but without eosinophilia. Similarly, patients without polyps but with tissue eosinophilia had more severe disease than patients without polyps and without eosinophilia. Leukotriene C4 levels were elevated in all patient groups. Symptom scores did not correlate with any of the parameters. We suggest the following severity classification system for CRS: 1) eosinophilic chronic hyperplastic rhinosinusitis (ECHRS): patients with polyps and sinus tissue eosinophilia; 2) noneosinophilic chronic hyperplastic rhinosinusitis (NECHRS): patients with polyps but without sinus tissue eosinophilia; 3) eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS): patients without polyps but with sinus tissue eosinophilia; 4) noneosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (NECRS): patients without polyps and without sinus tissue eosinophilia.

Rhinosinusitis (RS) affects approximately 1 in 7 adults in the United States, and its effect on quality of life, productivity, and finances is substantial. During the past 10 years, several expert panels from authoritative bodies have published evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of RS and its subtypes, including acute viral RS, acute bacterial RS, chronic RS (CRS) without nasal polyposis, CRS with nasal polyposis, and allergic fungal RS. This review examines and compares the recommendations of the Rhinosinusitis Initiative, the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters, the Clinical Practice Guideline: Adult Sinusitis, the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2007, and the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Points of consensus and divergent opinions expressed in these guidelines regarding classification, diagnosis, and management of adults with acute RS (ARS) and CRS and their various subtypes are highlighted for the practicing clinician. Key points of agreement regarding therapy in the guidelines for ARS include the efficacy of symptomatic treatment, such as intranasal corticosteroids, and the importance of reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics in ARS; however, guidelines do not agree precisely regarding when antibiotics should be considered as a reasonable treatment strategy. Although the guidelines diverge markedly on the management of CRS, the diagnostic utility of nasal airway examination is acknowledged by all. Important and relevant data from MEDLINE-indexed articles published since the most recent guidelines were issued are also considered, and needs for future research are discussed.

Describe detailed histopathologic findings from a cohort of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and evaluate whether histologic measures correlate with baseline clinical factors. Cross-sectional study with planned data collection. Tertiary medical center. Adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were prospectively enrolled and demographic data and medical comorbidities recorded. Disease severity was measured by computed tomography (CT), endoscopy, Smell Identification Test (SIT), the Chronic Sinusitis Survey, Rhinosinusitis Disability Index, and SF-36 General Health Survey. Mucosal specimens were assessed for the presence of mucosal inflammation, including cellular (eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, mast cells, plasma cells, macrophages), epithelial (squamous metaplasia, basement membrane thickening, goblet cells), and stromal markers (subepithelial edema, fibrosis). Histopathologic findings were correlated to baseline clinical factors. A total of 147 subjects were enrolled with histologic samples available for review. Presence of inflammatory markers was diverse, with lymphocytes present in 100 percent of subjects, eosinophils in 49.7 percent, and neutrophils found in 0.7 percent. Total eosinophil counts correlated with the presence of nasal polyposis (r = -0.367; P < 0.001), asthma (r = 0.264; P = 0.001), and aspirin intolerance (r = 0.279; P = 0.001). Mucosal eosinophilia correlated with worse disease severity on CT (r = 0.414; P < 0.001), endoscopy (r = 0.376; P < 0.001), and SIT (r = -0.253; P = 0.002), with the highest correlations seen in subgroups without nasal polyps. Histopathologic findings did not significantly correlate with any quality-of-life measure. Mucosal eosinophilia correlates with objective disease severity as defined by CT, endoscopy, and SIT scores. Although other histologic markers of inflammation are present, none show similar correlations. The presence of mucosal eosinophils does not correlate with quality-of-life scores.