Aspiration of nasal secretions into the lungs in patients with acute sinonasal infections

OBJECTIVES: To compare the amounts of nasal secretions aspirated into the lower airway by patients with acute sinonasal infection with that aspirated by healthy adults during sleep. STUDY DESIGN: Sixteen patients who had received a diagnosis of acute sinonasal infections by accurate history, anterior rhinoscopic examination, and radiological assessment and 13 healthy volunteers, aged 14 to 45 years. METHODS: A 10-mCi dose of technetium 99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin (Tc-99m MAA) with a concentration of 1 mCi/mL was prepared at midnight, just before sleep. Each subject was administered two puffs of this spray. At 8 AM the next morning transmission and emission views of the thorax were taken with a gamma camera. RESULTS: No significant difference between the two groups was observed in the amounts of nasal secretions aspirated into the lungs. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of nasal secretions aspirated does not increase during acute sinonasal infection. However, by irritating the mucosa of the lower respiratory tracts, bacteria, toxins, and inflammatory products existing in purulent secretions may play a major role in the pathophysiology of asthma and sinusitis.     

Peripheral eosinophilia in the diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between peripheral blood eosinophilia and chronic rhinosinusitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of consecutive operative cases during 1 calendar year. The preoperative complete blood count (CBC) were tabulated for three groups of patients: those undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery, those undergoing septoplasty with turbinate reduction alone, and a nonrhinologic control group. Statistical analysis was performed to determine differences in the components of the CBC among these three groups of patients and to identify significant associations between abnormal peripheral eosinophil counts and these diagnoses. RESULTS: A total of 87, 32, and 92 patients were identified for the endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), septoplasty, and control groups, respectively. Significant differences in the percentages of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and neutrophils were noted among the three groups (P <.05). Comparison among groups indicated that ESS patients had significantly higher percent peripheral eosinophilia when compared with both the control group and septoplasty group (P <.001 and P =.010, respectively); no significant difference was noted between the septoplasty group and the control group (P =.627). The sensitivity and specificity of the peripheral eosinophil count for chronic sinusitis were 49.4% and 84.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The peripheral eosinophil count in chronic sinusitis is elevated compared with both a nonrhinologic control group and a group of patients with septal deviation. Furthermore, abnormally elevated eosinophil counts are associated with chronic sinusitis but not chronic rhinitis alone. However, this association is not strong enough to be used in the diagnosis of chronic sinusitis because of poor sensitivity.     

The correlation between bacteriological findings in the nose and maxillary sinus in acute maxillary sinusitis

Nasal and sinus bacteriology have been investigated in healthy controls and in patients with acute maxillary sinusitis. Comparatively few healthy noses were sterile, and in controls the nasal bacterial flora commonly consisted mainly of staphylococci and diphtheroid rods. Nasal specimens from patients with sinusitis showed most common findings to be “no growth,” pneumococci, Haemophilus influenzae and staphylococci in that order. In aspirated sinus secretions there was a predominance of pneumococci, “no growth” and Haemophilus influenzae. Other bacteria were uncommon. Staphylococci were shown conclusively to be nasal contaminants. The same organisms were found in the nasal and sinus secretions of patients with sinusitis in only 64 percent, thus indicating that nasal samples are of low predictive value in reflecting sinus flora. It can be argued that in the individual patient with sinusitis it is more reliable to base therapy on the results of previous bacteriological investigations than on the individual bacteral findings in the nose.     

Study on endoscopic sinus surgery management of chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps

Endoscopic sinus surgery is commonly used to treat chronic sinusitis. Subjects were 79 chronic sinusitis patients--50 men and 29 women aged 17 to 79 years (average: 50.6 years) undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery in our department from January 1993 to December 1997. Mean follow-up was 17.5 months. We evaluated preoperative staging of chronic sinusitis based on Kennedy staging. Most were stage 3. This type of staging was not effective in predicting nasal polyp relapse. We found that cases with diffuse polyposis and associated disease such as bronchial asthma or aspirin-induced asthma tended to experience a polyp relapse. Our results suggest that postoperative treatment is important in maintaining patency of the ostiomeatal complex, nasal polyp or edematous mucosa relapse must be treated early in on in occurrence.     

变应性因素对鼻内镜手术疗效的影响

目的：探讨变应性因素对慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者行鼻窦内窥镜手术疗效的影响。方法对我院2011～2012年入院手术的II型慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者,术前根据其是否伴有变应性鼻炎症状和体征、是否伴有过敏性疾病史及支气管哮喘病史、术前鼻腔分泌物涂片嗜酸粒细胞检查、变应原皮肤试验、血清特异性IgE检查、过敏性鼻炎,筛选出伴有变应性因素的慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者为试验组。选择同期无变应性因素的单纯慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者作为对照组。比较两组患者手术后疗效,并同时比较各种变应性因素对手术疗效的影响。结果伴有变应性因素的慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者,手术疗效为80.95%（136/168）,同期单纯慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者,手术疗效为91.75%（189/206）,两组间差异有显著性（P〈0.01）。在各种变应性因素中,伴有变应性鼻炎症状和体征、嗜酸粒细胞阳性、变应原皮肤试验阳性、血清特异性IgE、过敏性鼻炎的慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者,与无变应性因素的慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者比较,差异均有显著性（P〈0.05）,伴有过敏性疾病史及伴支气管哮喘病史患者与无变应性因素的慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者比较,差异无显著性（P〉0.05）。结论变应性因素与鼻窦内窥镜手术疗效密切相关,是术后复发的重要因素。对慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者行鼻窦内窥镜手术时,必须加强围手术期抗变应性治疗。     

The microbiology of ethmoid and maxillary sinuses in patients with chronic sinusitis

PURPOSE: To investigate aerob-anaerob microorganisms growth in maxillary and ethmoid sinuses by evaluating aspiration materials from patients with chronic sinusitis. Patients and Methods: The study was performed prospectively, and there were 31 patients (23 men, 8 women; mean age, 31.4+/-14.15, between 18-65 years) who had endoscopic sinus surgery because of chronic sinusitis. During the operation, when the maxillary sinus ostium and ethmoid sinus were opened, readily aspirated materials from sinuses were evaluated regarding aerob and anaerob bacteria. Nose and throat swap samples were collected preoperatively to determine the upper respiratory tract flora and also to understand the relationship between the flora and the microorganisms aspirated from sinuses. RESULTS: Total aerob bacteria count, which was isolated from preoperative nasal swab cultures, was 36, and aerob-anaerob bacteria count that included cultures taken from maxillary and ethmoid sinuses during the functional endoscopic sinus surgery was 42. For each 2 samples, the most common isolated aerob bacteria were coagulase (-) staphylococci. Microorganisms were isolated in 87.0% of 27 patients, in which cultures taken from maxillary and ethmoid sinuses during the functional endoscopic sinus surgery were included. It is determined that the isolated aerob bacteria rate was 90.4%, and the isolated anaerob bacteria rate was 14.2%. All of the 6 samples in which anaerob bacteria isolated were all maxillary sinus aspiration materials. Microorganisms that isolated from the nose and the sinuses were similar with the rate of 25.8%, and microorganisms that isolated from the throat cultures and sinuses were similar with the rate of 22.5%. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the aerob and anaerob microbiology of the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses so the treatment of chronic sinusitis will be easier.     

A pilot study of quantitative aspiration in patients with symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea: comparison to a historic control group

OBJECTIVE: It has been shown that many healthy people aspirate secretions at night. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have frequent episodes of gasping at night that may predispose them to aspiration. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with symptoms of OSA are predisposed to pharyngeal aspiration. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study in which patients with symptoms of OSA were compared with a historic group of normal controls by using the same methodology. METHODS: The study was offered to patients with symptoms of OSA undergoing a sleep study. The radiotracer Technicium was infused through a plastic tube placed in the nasopharynx after the patient achieved stage II sleep. A chest radionuclide scan determined the amount of material aspirated. The Wilcoxon-rank sum test was used to compare the mean amount aspirated between the experimental and historic control groups. RESULTS: Fourteen patients successfully completed the study. One normal volunteer in our study aspirated a quantity similar to the historic normal control group. The amount of aspirated material in the study group ranged from 0.152 to 3.648 mL, with a mean of 1.24 mL +/- 0.905 (SD). When compared with the historic normal control group, the patients with symptoms of OSA aspirated significantly more radio-tracer (P <.01). There was a lack of association between respiratory disturbance index and amount aspirated. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest there is an apparent risk of increased pharyngeal aspiration in patients with symptoms of OSA.     

慢性鼻窦炎鼻息肉与变应性因素相关性的探讨

目的 探讨变应性因素在慢性鼻窦炎鼻息肉发病中的作用。方法回顾性分析1882例慢性鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者术前鼻腔分泌物涂片嗜酸粒细胞及变应原皮肤试验检查结果，并将其变应性症状和体征出现的比例与临床分型分期加以比较。结果①1882例慢性鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者中60．4％(1137例)的患者伴有不同程度的变应性症状和体征，25．3％(477例)的患者合并变应性鼻炎，2．1％(39例)的患者合并支气管哮喘；②在Ⅰ型(708例)和Ⅱ型(823例)各分期的患者中，合并变应性鼻炎及支气管哮喘的发生率和嗜酸粒细胞、皮肤变应原试验阳性率以及变应性鼻炎临床症状出现的百分率分别由低到高出现，Ⅱ型3期各项比例最高；③42．2％(795例)的患者变应原皮肤试验阳性，其中94．3％对常年性变应原呈阳性反应；④26．3％(495例)的患者伴有变应性鼻炎的临床症状，其中99．8％(494／495例)为常年性发作；⑤有前期手术史的病例占38．9％(732例)，其中合并变应性鼻炎者占有前期手术史例数的38．3％(280例)，占合并变应性鼻炎患者的58．7％(477例)。结论变应性因素特别是常年性变应性鼻炎与慢性鼻窦炎鼻息肉的病变程度和病变范围有关。同时变应性鼻炎也促进了疾病的复发。     

Chemotactic properties of retained maxillary sinus secretions

The chemotactic activity of 82 aspirated maxillary sinus secretions obtained from 32 sinuses in 29 patients was assayed with a modified Boyden chamber technique. The secretions were also analysed with respect to the proteolytic activity according to a modification of a technique described by Moroz. In only 3 of 24 sinus secretions obtained from untreated patients with purulent or mucopurulent sinusitis, but in 5 of 8 serous secretions from untreated patients with serous sinusitis a chemotactic activity exceeding random migration was found. A high proteolytic activity was found to be incompatible with a high chemotactic activity. Regarding mucopurulent and purulent sinusitis, treatment by repeated antral aspiration resulted in an increase of the proportion of chemotactically active secretions and a decrease of the proteolytic activity. Repeated antral aspirations in patients with serous sinusitis resulted in less uniform changes of the chemotactic activity.     

慢性鼻窦炎患者上颌窦粘膜微循环观察

目的:探讨慢性鼻窦炎患者上颌窦粘膜微循环血流量的变化。方法:在鼻窦内窥镜引导下应用激光多普勒血流计检测10例慢性单纯性鼻窦炎患者(慢性单纯性鼻窦炎组),10例慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者(慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉组)及10例健康者(正常对照组)上颌窦粘膜微循环血流量的状况。结果:慢性单纯性鼻窦炎组和慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉组上颌窦粘膜的微循环血流量均下降,分别与正常对照组相比较,其差异均有显著性意义(分别为P<0.05和P<0.01),但两组间比较,其差异无显著性意义(P>0.05)。结论:慢性鼻窦炎患者上颌窦粘膜微循环血流量明显减少。     

A protease inhibitor from human allergic nasal secretions

Protease and antiprotease activities were estimated in nasal secretions from patients with chronic sinusitis and nasal allergy, using [3H]-casein as substrate. In the purulent nasal secretions, strong protease activity was measured, but there was less activity in the allergic nasal secretions. In contrast, trypsin inhibitory activity in allergic nasal secretions was much higher than in nasal secretions from the patients with chronic sinusitis. A protease inhibitor was partially isolated from nasal secretions of the nasal allergic patients by Sephadex G-150 gel chromatography and characterized. This protease inhibitor has an apparent molecular weight of 10,000 D, determined by SDS-polyacrylamidegel electrophoresis. It depresses the activities of bovine pancreatic trypsin, bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin and proteases in nasal purulent secretions, whereas it does not inhibit porcine pancreatic elastase, papain, or human plasmin.     

Outcome analysis of endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with nasal polyps and asthma

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in the management of chronic sinusitis and asthma in patients with nasal polyps and steroid-dependent asthma. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: The study included 17 patients who underwent ESS with nasal polyps, steroid-dependent asthma with or without aspirin sensitivity and a minimum of 1 year postoperative follow-up. Nine patients were ASA sensitive, and eight patients were ASA tolerant. Chronic sinusitis and asthma were evaluated using subjective (patient complaints) and objective (computed tomography scans, pulmonary function tests, steroid doses) criteria. Preoperative data were compared with data obtained 12 to 18 months postESS. Tissue samples were graded for degree of inflammation and edema. RESULTS: Thirteen of the 17 (76.5%) patients reported improved clinical symptoms postESS. The postoperative Lund-Mackay scores were statistically lower for the 17 patients (P <.0001). The group experienced improvement in postoperative forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) (P <.014). Twelve of 17 (70.6%) experienced reduction in systemic steroid usage (P <.048). The ASA sensitive patients did not have a statistical improvement in postoperative FEV1 (P >.08) and sinonasal symptoms (P >.16) compared with the ASA tolerant group. Polyp tissue from the ASA sensitive patients demonstrated more edema and more inflammation on average than ASA tolerant polyps, but the results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: ESS demonstrates a beneficial effect on the sinonasal and asthma symptomatology in patients with nasal polyps and asthma using objective measures. Subset of aspirin-tolerant patients have statistically better outcome for sinonasal symptoms and pulmonary function testing than aspirin-sensitive patients.     

Quantitative cytology of nasal secretions under various conditions

Quantitative cytology was performed in nasal secretions of normal control (NC), seasonal allergic rhinitis in season (SAR), perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR), chronic sinusitis with mucoid secretion (MS), and chronic sinusitis with mucopurulent secretion (MPS). The majority of inflammatory cells were neutrophils in NC, MS, and MPS; the majority were eosinophils in SAR and PAR. The concomitant appearance of inflammatory cells in nasal secretions was found, i.e., there were significant correlations between neutrophil and eosinophil counts in MPS, and between eosionophil and basophil counts in SAR. The eosinophil/neutrophil ratio was more than 0.1 in SAR and PAR, but the ratio was less than 0.1 in all NC, all MPS, and in 93% of MS; this indicates that 0.1 in eosinophil/neutrophil ratio is the critical value between allergic and nonallergic nasal diseases.     

慢性鼻窦炎合并哮喘患者CT Lund Mackay评分与VAS评分相关性分析

目的探讨慢性鼻窦炎合并哮喘患者术前CT Lund Mackay评分与术前及术后1年主观症状VAS评分的相关性。方法回顾性分析19例慢性鼻窦炎合并哮喘患者术前CT Lund Mackay评分和主观症状VAS评分及术后1年主观症状VAS评分,采用线性回归分析及配对t检验进行统计学分析。结果患者术前CT Lund Mackay评分中筛窦、窦口鼻道复合体、上颌窦评分较高,蝶窦最低。患者术前鼻塞、流涕VAS评分较高,头痛及嗅觉减退VAS评分较低。术后1年鼻塞、流涕VAS评分变化较大,头痛次之,嗅觉减退VAS评分变化相对较小（P＜0.05）。术前VAS评分（总分）及术后1年VAS评分（总分）与患者术前CT Lund Mackay评分呈正相关（r=0.465,P=0.045;r=0.522,P=0.022）。结论鼻塞、流涕是术前慢性鼻窦炎合并哮喘患者的主要鼻部症状,术后鼻塞、流涕、头痛、嗅觉减退均有改善,其中鼻塞、流涕改善最明显。术前VAS评分（总分）及术后1年VAS评分（总分）与术前患者CT Lund Mackay评分相关性良好。对于慢性鼻窦炎合并哮喘患者术前进行鼻窦CT客观评估,对于手术效果评估具有重要意义。     

Eosinophil count in nasal secretions of subjects with and without nasal symptoms

The aim of this paper, based on a cross-sectional study of 129 patients with nonallergic chronic nasal symptoms and 40 healthy controls, was to examine the leucocyte differential count in nasal secretions as a diagnostic test. Nasal secretions were collected using preweighed suction glass canulas under controlled conditions (-100Pa, 30 sec). Leucocyte and differential counts were performed using a Thoma hemocytometer and on cytospin slides after May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining. The percentage of eosinophils (Eo) was significantly higher in patients (mean +/- SEM: 15.1 +/- 2.3%) than in controls (5 +/- 2.6%) (p < 0.04). Comparison of the frequency distribution of the percentage of Eo in patients and controls clearly showed a subgroup of patients presenting with nasal secretion hypereosinophilia, and allowed us to set the positivity criterion at Eo = 20%. Diurnal variations in Eo count in 11 controls and 8 patients confirmed the value of the cutoff point. In 28 patients with nasal polyposis who underwent surgery, a correlation was found between secretion and tissue eosinophelia (r = 0.58, p = 0.001). Patients with nasal secretion hypereosinophilia had no more leucocytes in their secretions than healthy controls, the increase in eosinophils being balanced by a decrease in neutrophils. In patients without hypereosinophilia, the number of leucocytes per milligram of secretion was four times higher (8672 +/- 2521) than in the controls (2020 +/- 823) (p = 0.06) (cut-off point = 2500 leu/mg). These data show that the nasal cytogram can be modified either in qualitative or quantitative way, probably depending on the underlying inflammatory process.     

Role of local immunoglobulin E specific for Alternaria alternata in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: The role of fungal pathogens in the etiology of nasal polyposis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation between the presence of Alternaria-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies, eosinophilic inflammation, and the development of nasal polyps. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Serum and nasal tissue homogenates from 21 patients with manifestations of chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps were compared with specimens from 13 chronic sinusitis patients without polyps and 8 healthy controls. The Phadia ImmunoCAP and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to quantify levels of total IgE and Alternaria-specific (IgE, IgG, and IgA) antibodies. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and tryptase levels were measured in tissue homogenates, whereas the inflammatory response was evaluated using tissue eosinophil counts in tissue samples. RESULTS: Serum analysis revealed no difference in the levels of total IgE and Alternaria-specific IgE, IgG, and IgA antibodies between the study groups. In contrast, the levels of Alternaria-specific IgE in tissue with polyps were significantly higher than in nonpolyp tissue. Increases in total tissue IgE paralleled increased levels of Alternaria-specific IgG and IgA antibodies in chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps as compared with control groups. A positive correlation was found between Alternaria-specific IgE and ECP in tissue. Increased mean levels of ECP corresponded to increased eosinophil counts in the group of patients with polyps. CONCLUSIONS: Alternaria-specific IgE and eosinophilic inflammation in nasal tissue correlates with the incidence of nasal polyps irrespective of specific IgE antibodies in serum. Together, the correlation between the local immune responses and the eosinophilic inflammation in nasal polyps suggests a possible role of Alternaria in the pathogenesis of nasal polyposis.     

A study on collagenase production of nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts stimulated by nasal secretions of chronic sinusitis

The collagenase produced by mesenchymal cells has been thought to have a great importance in the pathophysiology of connective tissue metabolism and prolongation of chronic inflammation. The factors, such as IL-1 and PMN factor, released by inflammatory cells have been known to induce mesenchymal cells to produce collagenase. In the present study, the collagenase activity of the nasal secretions were estimated using FITC-labelled collagens as substrates. The factor, enhancing the fibroblasts to produce collagenase, was also isolated from nasal secretions and partially characterized. The fibroblasts used in the present study were cultured with explant of the sections of nasal polyp obtained from a patient with chronic sinusitis. The collagenase activity in nasal secretions from patients with chronic sinusitis was high, whereas that of allergic nasal secretions was extremely low. Furthermore, the collagenase productions of nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts were enhanced by the extracts of nasal secretions from patients with chronic sinusitis. Crude extracts of nasal secretions were fractionated by ammonium sulfate precipitation. The active materials precipitated by 50% to 80% ammonium sulfate were further purified by Sephadex G-75 gel chromatography. The molecular weight determination of the active fraction checked by HPLC utilizing for TSK 2,000 SW gel column indicates 20,000 daltons for the active materials. However, the collagenase production of human microvascular endothelial cells derived from nasal mucosa was not enhanced by this factor. Although either the origin or the nature was not confirmed, the factor was considered to relate to the prolongation of chronic inflammation in the nasal and paranasal sinus pathology. Analysis of these factors will expected to establish methods for new therapeutics in chronic inflammation.     

Lysosomal proteases and protease inhibitors in nasal allergy and non-atopic sinusitis

Patterns of protease activity and levels of protease inhibitors were analyzed in both nasal secretions and tissue extracts from patients with nasal allergy and non-atopic sinusitis to investigate the role of proteases in the inflammatory reaction. Protease activity was measured using specific methyl-coumaryl-7-amide substrates. The pattern of protease activity in the nasal secretions of chronic sinusitis patients was similar to that in neutrophil lysate and quite different from that in plasma. Both gluthatione activation testing and inhibition testing using synthetic inhibitors revealed that the majority of proteases in both secretions and tissues are lysosomal thiol proteases such as cathepsins B and L. Neutrophilic elastase is also a major protease in nasal secretions. In acute sinusitis, both protease activity and inhibitor levels were very high, suggesting an interaction between proteases and inhibitors. Cathepsin B and B-like thiol proteases appear to play a key role in prolonging chronic inflammation against the healing process, due to their resistance to plasma inhibitors and the shortage of thiol protease inhibitors. Protease activity in the secretions of nasal allergy patients was very weak, and the reaction between proteases and inhibitors appeared to be weak.     

A study on the concentration of eosinophil cationic protein in chronic sinusitis]

The relationship between eosinophil and chronic sinusitis was investigated by measuring the concentration of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). In addition to the blood, a cytological brush was inserted into middle meatus to scrape the nasal membrane, and the concentration of ECP in the collected specimen was measured. There was a moderate degree of correlation between the blood eosinophil count and the ECP concentration in the blood (r = 0.543, p < 0.01). On the other hand, there was high degree of correlation between the number of EG2-positive cells and ECP of the nasal membrane in the middle meatus (r = 0.805, p < 0.001), reflecting the amount of ECP in the nasal mucous membrane. The ECP in 10 control group subjects and 14 patients with severe chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps was significantly lower than that in 14 patients with severe chronic sinusitis and asthma (p < 0.01). The ECP concentration of the nasal membrane in the middle meatus was significantly lower in patients showing a good postoperative course compared with patients showing a poor postoperative course following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that eosinophils are closely related to the pathology and clinical course of chronic sinusitis, and that the ECP concentration of the nasal membrane in the middle meatus reflects the pathology of chronic sinusitis. The ECP concentration thus has potential as a prognostic indicator for chronic sinusitis.