Local and systemic eosinophilia in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis with and without polyposis

Eosinophils play a key role in the pathophysiology of sinonasal polyposis; their role in chronic rhinosinusitis without polyposis is less clear. To investigate this further, we biopsied diseased sinonasal tissue from 116 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery and normal nasal mucosa from 24 controls. The patients were grouped, according to the nasal endoscopic appearance of their disease, into four clinical groups: chronic rhinosinusitis with no polyps, grade 1 polyps, grade 2 polyps, and grade 3 polyps. We also measured the peripheral blood eosinophil count. Histological analysis of the inflammatory cell content of the biopsies was carried out. The percentage of eosinophils in tissue from each of the clinical groups was significantly higher than that from the controls. There was no significant difference between the percentage of eosinophils in any of the clinical groups, but a trend. Peripheral eosinophil count increased with increasing severity of nasal disease.     

‘Eosinophilic Fungal Rhinosinusitis’: A Common Disorder in Europe?

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The traditional criteria for the diagnosis of allergic fungal sinusitis include chronic rhinosinusitis, "allergic mucin" (mucus containing clusters of eosinophils), and detection of fungi by means of histological examination or culture. In 1999, a group of Mayo Clinic researchers, with a novel method of mucus collection and fungal culturing technique, were able to find fungi in 96% of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity to fungal allergens was not evident in the majority of their patients. Because the presence of eosinophils in the allergic mucin, not a type I hypersensitivity, is probably the common denominator in the pathophysiology of allergic fungal sinusitis, the Mayo Clinic group proposed a change in terminology from allergic fungal sinusitis to eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis. Using new techniques of culturing fungi from nasal secretion, as well as preservation and histological examination of mucus, we investigated the incidence of "eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis" in our patient population. STUDY DESIGN METHODS: In an open prospective study nasal mucus from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis as well as from healthy volunteers was cultured for fungi. In patients, who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery, nasal mucus was investigated histologically to detect fungi and eosinophils within the mucus. RESULTS: Fungal cultures were positive in 84 of 92 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (91.3%). In all, 290 positive cultures grew 33 different genera, with 3.2 species per patient, on average. Fungal cultures from a control group of healthy volunteers yielded positive results in 21 of 23 (91.3%). Histologically, fungal elements were found in 28 of 37 patients (75.5%) and eosinophilic mucin in 35 of 37 patients (94.6%). Neither fungi nor eosinophils were present in 2 of 37 patients (5.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the postulated criteria of allergic fungal sinusitis are present in the majority of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Either those criteria will be found to be invalid and need to be changed or, indeed, "eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis" exists in the majority of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Based on our results, fungi and eosinophilic mucin appear to be a standard component of nasal mucus in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.     

Eosinophil chemoattractants and related factors in nasal polyps

OBJECTIVE: In vitro studies and animal experiments have shown that cytokines and chemokines are closely related to eosinophil migration, activation, and survival. It remains controversial, however, whether some chemokines or cytokines are actually responsible for the accumulation of eosinophils in nasal polyp tissues. We studied cytokines and chemokines in nasal polyp tissues taken from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis to clarify the pathogenesis of eosinophil accumulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nasal polyp tissues obtained from 20 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were studied. Concentrations of interleukin (IL-) 5, IL-13, eotaxin, regulated upon activation in normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) in homogenates of polyp tissues were measured by ELISA. Nasal polyp tissues were stained by hematoxillin and eosin and were immunostained by an antibody against EG2. The numbers of eosinophils and immunopositive cells for EG2 in the submucosal layer were counted using a microscope. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen in the numbers of eosinophils and EG2-positive cells, or in the concentration of IL-5, eotaxin, TARC, RANTES in nasal polyp tissues between patients with and without atopic predisposition. Significant positive correlations existed, however, between the number of eosinophils and IL-5, eotaxin, and TARC concentration. IL-13 concentration was below detection in all patients. CONCLUSION: We hound that IL-5, eotaxin, and TARC may play an important role in the accumulation of eosinophils in nasal polyps regardless of the presence of atopic predisposition.     

Superantigens and chronic rhinosinusitis: detection of staphylococcal exotoxins in nasal polyps

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: The role of infectious agents in the etiology of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) remains unclear. Recent studies have provided indirect evidence of exposure to staphylococcal exotoxins in the blood and polyp tissue of patients with CRSwNP. These exotoxins have the capacity to act as superantigens, bypassing normal antigen processing and directly stimulating a massive inflammatory response. The objective of the study was to analyze mucus and polyp tissue samples from patients with CRSwNP for the presence of staphylococcal exotoxins. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Tissue and mucus samples were obtained from 42 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis and 11 normal control patients. Twenty-nine of 42 patients had chronic rhinosinusitis with bilateral nasal polyposis, 2 had antrochoanal polyps, and 11 had chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps. Eleven patients without chronic rhinosinusitis or polyps served as normal control patients. Specimens were analyzed for the presence of five staphylococcal exotoxins (SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, and toxic shock syndrome toxin type 1 [TSST-1]) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histological analysis of specimens and mean eosinophil counts were correlated with the presence of toxin. RESULTS: At least one toxin was detected in 14 of 29 patients with bilateral nasal polyposis. Nine of the 14 patients also had positive findings for additional toxins. The dominant histological pattern in the CRSwNP patient group was polypoid mucosa with edema, which was found in both ELISA-positive and ELISA-negative patients. Mean eosinophil counts tended to be higher in ELISA-positive patients with polyps compared with patients without toxin detection. No toxin was detected in the 11 specimens taken from normal control patients. Only 1 of the 13 patients with CRS without polyps had positive ELISA results for toxin. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrates the presence of superantigen toxins in 14 of 29 patients with CRSwNP, with SEB and TSST-1 being the most common. Further studies are necessary to correlate the presence of toxin with the pathological changes present in polyp tissue.     

Comparison of subjective and objective assessment of glucocorticoid response in nasal polyps: a preliminary study

Background: Glucocorticoids (GC) therapeutic response in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) varies markedly.

Aims/Objectives: To compare the utility between subjective and objective assessment of GC sensitivity in reflecting the impact of GC on systemic and local eosinophilia in CRSwNP patients.

Material and methods: Twenty-six patients with CRSwNP were enrolled. All patients were given 30?mg of prednisone once daily for 7 days and subsequently classified into subjectively GC-sensitive and -insensitive subgroup or objectively GC-sensitive and -insensitive subgroup. The numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils in blood and polyp tissues were compared between GC-sensitive and GC-insensitive subgroup.

Results: 17/26 (65.4%) patients were subjectively and 8/26 (30.8%) patients objectively sensitive to GC treatment. The absolute number and percentage of eosinophils in blood were decreased both in GC-sensitive and -insensitive subjects after GC treatment. In addition, a significant reduction in tissue eosinophil percentage was only observed in objectively GC-sensitive subjects after GC treatment. Furthermore, the change of tissue eosinophil percentage in objectively GC-sensitive subjects was significantly higher than that in objectively GC-insensitive subjects.

Conclusions and significance: Objective assessment may better reflect oral GC response in tissue eosinophilic inflammation than subjective assessment in patients with CRSwNP.     

金黄色葡萄球菌超抗原与慢性鼻窦炎鼻息肉发生相关性的研究

目的:探讨金黄色葡萄球菌(金葡菌)超抗原在鼻息肉发生中的作用。方法:对42例双侧鼻息肉患者(鼻息肉组)、27例单纯慢性鼻窦炎患者(鼻窦炎组)和12例无鼻窦疾病史的鼻外伤患者(对照组)的鼻腔分泌物进行细菌培养;采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)法检测各组患者的鼻黏膜或息肉组织中的金葡菌超抗原;在组织学上,对苏木精-伊红染色切片进行嗜酸粒细胞计数。结果:鼻腔分泌物中金葡菌阳性率鼻息肉组为7.1%,鼻窦炎组为3.7%,对照组为0,各组间差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。ELISA结果显示:鼻息肉组金葡菌超抗原阳性率为54.76%,鼻窦炎组和对照组阳性率均为0。嗜酸粒细胞计数平均值:鼻息肉组23.94±13.88,鼻窦炎组0.29±0.51,对照组0.08±0.28,3组间均差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。鼻息肉组中ELISA结果阳性者嗜酸粒细胞水平比阴性者高,但差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:金葡菌超抗原与鼻息肉的发生存在相关性,有可能在鼻息肉的致病机制中起重要作用。     

Role of fungus in eosinophilic sinusitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic rhinosinusitis is characterized by a broad diagnostic and etiologic spectrum. It has been postulated that fungal organisms might represent the immunologic target initiating and maintaining the disease process in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis as a common denominator. This review analyzes the available data to describe the current understanding of the role of fungus in the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings have demonstrated that using highly sensitive methods, the detection rate of fungi in nasal mucin can be increased to approximately 100% in patients and in healthy controls. If this ubiquitous fungal contamination were to be related to a causative mechanism in chronic rhinosinusitis, there would have to be an immunologic sensitization in patients in contrast with healthy individuals, which is yet not fully understood. However, studies were able to demonstrate cytokine production in blood-derived lymphocytes in the presence of fungi in patients, but not in healthy controls. Several questions arise. If this is a relevant finding, in what percentage of chronic rhinosinusitis patients could it be causative? Is chronic rhinosinusitis, then, a systemic disease? How is the extramucosal target in the mucin presented to the immune system? Is intranasal, topical antifungal treatment a successful option? SUMMARY: The role of fungal organisms in the etiology of eosinophilic rhinosinusitis is reviewed with respect to novel findings, and arising questions are discussed in the light of recent investigations.     

The role of fungi in the etiology of chronic rhinosinusitis: a prospective study

OBJECTIVES: Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) may represent an endpoint in a spectrum of sinonasal disease. Patients fulfilling criteria for a diagnosis of AFS have a poor prognosis often requiring multiple surgeries. The detection of 'allergic mucin' with mucus containing clusters of eosinophils and the detection of fungi by histological examination or culture is key criteria necessary for diagnosis. This study was performed to assess the strength of the association of the presence of fungi with the presence of eosinophils in a group of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and controls. METHODS: Thirty patients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis and 10 individuals as control group were selected for the study. Total serum IgE level testing, nasal mucus cytology and fungal culture were performed in all subjects. RESULTS: Fungal spores were present in the nasal mucus in 14 patients with rhinosinusitis, and in 7 controls. The detection of eosinophils on cytology correlated significantly both with a clinical diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.34-0.81) and with the presence of fungal elements on cytology (p=0.02). The average serum IgE level was higher in patients with fungal spores (p=0.039). CONCLUSION: In certain susceptible individuals inhaled fungi may provoke an eosinophilic response. This response varies from simple eosinophilic inflammation to classic allergic fungal sinusitis.     

Increased expression of pendrin in eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

IntroductionChronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps is a heterogeneous disease and appropriate diagnostic algorithms in individual cases are necessary for effective medical treatment.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the pendrin expression of nasal polyps and clinical and pathological characteristic features of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis.MethodsA total of 68 patients were classified into eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis or non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis groups according to the degree of eosinophilic infiltration into the nasal polyps. Clinical, hematological, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed and statistically compared between both groups.ResultsThirty-eight were classified into eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis and 30 into non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis groups. There were no significant differences in age distribution, sex ratio, prevalence of asthma, or any other complications between the groups. The mean Lund–Mackay score and the number of serum eosinophils was significantly higher in the eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis than in the non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis groups. The pendrin expression was more frequently detected in the epithelial surface layer of nasal polyps in the eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis than in the non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis groups. In addition, mucin 5AC was more widely expressed in the eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis than in the non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis.ConclusionIncreased expression of pendrin and mucin 5AC in the nasal polyps would be associated with development of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis. This finding could allow the development of a novel therapeutic agent targeted specifically to patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis.     

Expression of prostaglandin D2 synthase in activated eosinophils in nasal polyps

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationship between prostaglandin D2 production and eosinophil accumulation. DESIGN: Screening and diagnostic tests. SUBJECTS: Nineteen patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. INTERVENTIONS: Nasal polyps were obtained from 19 patients at endoscopic sinus surgery. Eosinophils in nasal polyps were counted after hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunostaining with antibodies against 2 eosinophil markers-major basic protein and EG2. Hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthase (HPGDS) expression was examined by semiquantitative Western blot analysis and by immunohistochemical staining with anti-HPGDS antibody. RESULTS: Nasal polyps were divided into 3 groups by the degree of eosinophilic infiltration. Western blot analysis revealed that HPGDS was more intensely and frequently expressed in the group with high infiltration than in the groups with low or medium infiltration. Hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthase was immunohistochemically found in a subpopulation of EG2-positive eosinophils that had accumulated in the nasal polyps but not in the EG2-negative resting eosinophils. The ratio of HPGDS-positive eosinophils to EG2-positive eosinophils in the group with high eosinophil infiltration (mean+/-SD, 64.8%+/-19.2%) was twice that in the group with low eosinophil infiltration (30.5%+/-13.8%). CONCLUSION: Prostaglandin D2 was actively produced by an EG2 and HPGDS double-positive subpopulation of activated eosinophils that had infiltrated into nasal polyps.     

Standardization of diagnostic criteria for eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis in the Oestrus ovis infected sheep model

BACKGROUND: The sheep is an established model for endoscopic surgical procedures, as well as for postsurgical healing. Standardization of the presence and the degree of eosinophilia within this model still has not been done. This study was undertaken to show the eosinophilic response secondary to Oestrus ovis parasitic infestation within the nasal cavity to standardize the sheep model of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and to set diagnostic criteria for CRS in sheep. METHODS: Nasal mucosal secretions were obtained from sheep naturally infested with O. ovis and showed signs of CRS and from sheep treated with ivermectin to prevent the infestation. Full thickness mucosal biopsy specimens from the lateral nasal wall were obtained also from these sheep. After histological fixing and staining, the degree of eosinophilia in the mucous secretion smears and in the epithelial layer of the lateral nasal wall was quantified using a light microscope. RESULTS: The average number of eosinophils in the mucous secretions and in the nasal wall epithelium was significantly higher in the sheep that showed signs of rhinosinusitis and had visible O. ovis larvae compared with control sheep (p = 0.003 and p = 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Based on the average numbers of eosinophils observed the diagnostic criterion for CRS in sheep is two eosinophils per high-power field averaged over three fields of secreted mucous smears or an average of at least one eosinophil per high-power field of nasal wall epithelial biopsy specimens.     

Plasma RANTES and eotaxin levels are correlated with the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis

Eosinophilia occurs in up to 75–90% of nasal polyps in Caucasians. The chemokines eotaxin and RANTES increase eosinophil recruitment, activation, and survival, and these chemokines are significantly expressed in nasal polyps. We hypothesized that eotaxin and RANTES plasma levels might be correlated with disease severity. We compared the eotaxin and RANTES plasma levels in 20 Taiwanese patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps and 20 Taiwanese healthy controls. Eotaxin and RANTES plasma levels were measured by ELISA and disease severity was scored by CT scans. Compared to controls, patients with nasal polyps had significantly elevated plasma levels of eotaxin and RANTES and increased peripheral blood eosinophils (p?<?0.001). Eotaxin plasma levels were significantly correlated with disease severity in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis to a greater extent than were RANTES levels. RANTES and eotaxin levels were also positively correlated with the percentages of peripheral blood eosinophils. Eotaxin plasma levels are significantly correlated with disease severity in Taiwanese patients with nasal polyposis to a greater degree than are RANTES levels. Additional studies are needed to assess whether eotaxin plasma levels can be used to monitor disease progression and attenuation.     

Molecular and cellular staging for the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVES: 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). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for CRS in an academic institution. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.     

Nasal fractional exhaled nitric oxide analysis with a novel hand-held device

AIM: To assess the performance of a novel hand-held nitric oxide (NO) analyzer in the measurement of nasal fractional exhaled NO (FE(NO)). METHODS: In ten healthy subjects (controls) and ten patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), oral and nasal FENO were obtained with the NIOX MINO Airway Inflammation Monitor (Aerocrine AB, Solna, Sweden) on two consecutive days, complying with current standards. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of oral FENO was 0.91 and of nasal FE(NO) 0.79. In controls, mean (+/- SD) nasal FENO (40.3 +/- 23.6 ppb) was higher than oral FENO (15.6 +/- 2.7 ppb; p = 0.005). In CRS patients, mean oral FENO (23.9 +/- 12.2 ppb) was higher than in controls (15.6 +/- 2.7 ppb; p = 0.01). CRS patients with nasal polyps had lower nasal FE(NO) levels (19.7 +/- 5.9) than healthy controls (40.3 +/- 23.6 ppb; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The novel hand-held NO analyzer was found suitable for nasal FE(NO) measurements. It may be useful in differentiating hyperplasic eosinophil rhinosinusitis from chronic unspecific rhinosinusitis. Moreover, nasal FE(NO) may be used to monitor the clinical course of CRS with polyps.     

The effect of nasal polyp epithelial cells on eosinophil activation

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Eosinophil infiltration into an inflammatory site is a characteristic histological finding in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps. Most of the eosinophils in chronic rhinosinusitis are activated in the nasal cavity, but the exact activation mechanism of eosinophils is unknown. The study was designed to investigate the effect of human nasal epithelial cells on the activation of eosinophils. STUDY DESIGN: Peripheral blood eosinophils were isolated from healthy volunteers and incubated in human nasal polyp epithelial cell conditioned media (HPECM). Superoxide production and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin were measured to determine eosinophils activation. HPECMs were assayed by ELISAs for interleukin-8 (IL-8), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), eotaxin, and regulated on activation normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES). To identify the chemical mediators involved in the activation of eosinophils. RESULTS: HPECM (n = 7) contained 31.48 ng/mL interleukin-8, 533.43 pg/mL GM-CSF, 5.90 pg/mL eotaxin, and 11.06 pg/mL RANTES. Eosinophils were activated by HPECM and inhibited only by anti-GM-CSF antibody, not by the other chemical mediators. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that eosinophils in nasal secretions are activated by GM-CSF, which is produced by nasal epithelial cells.     

The treatment of polypous suppurative rhinosinusitis in the patients presenting with the severe and moderate aspirin triad

The present study inluded 22 patients presenting either with very severe or moderately severe aspirin triad 17 of whom suffered exacerbation of chronic polypous suppurative rhinosinusitis. The reference group comprised 10 patients with exacerbation of chronic polypous suppurative rhinosinusitis in the absence of concomitant bronchial asthma. The control group included 25 practically healthy subjects having neither chronic somatic diseases nor ENT organ pathology. Conventional otorhinolaryngological examination of the patients was supplemented by cytological studies of the secretion from maxillary sinuses (MS) and inranasal mucosa, measurement of viscosity and pH of MS secretion. It was shown that eosinophil count in the MS secretion was several-fold higher than that in the secretion from nasal cavity mucosa . Polypotomy in the nasal cavity was performed after the preoperative treatment of the patients using sparing procedures, such as laser irradiation and a radiofrequency loop. This approach allowed to reduce the probability of enhancement of bronchial resistance during surgery and in the immediate postoperative period; moreover, it made it possible to continue puncture therapy of patients experiencing exacerbation of the chronic inflammatory process in the maxillary sinuses.     

嗜酸性粒细胞与慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉的相关性研究进展

慢性鼻窦炎（chronic rhinosinusitis,CRS）是鼻腔黏膜和鼻窦黏膜的慢性炎性疾病,根据有无鼻息肉可分为慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉（chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps,CRSwNP）和慢性鼻-鼻窦炎（chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps,CRSsNP）。鼻息肉组织常见有嗜酸性粒细胞(eosinophils,EOS) 浸润增多,根据嗜酸性粒细胞的浸润程度可将CRSwNP分为两个亚型：嗜酸粒细胞型慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉(eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, ECRSwNP)和非嗜酸粒细胞型慢性鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉 (nonesinophilc chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps,nonECRSwNP);将慢性鼻窦炎分为：嗜酸粒细胞型慢性鼻窦炎（eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis, ECRS)和非嗜酸粒细胞型慢性鼻窦炎(non eosinophilic,NECRS)。嗜酸性粒细胞在鼻息肉形成、发展机制中的作用多年来一直备受学者们关注。随着研究的不断深入,嗜酸性粒细胞在鼻窦炎鼻息肉炎症趋化、息肉形成、分型和预后中的作用得到越来越多的重视。     

不伴有下气道疾病的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者肺功能及相关因素分析

目的 探讨不伴有下气道疾病的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴息肉患者的肺功能及其影响因素。 方法 选取161例慢性鼻-鼻窦炎伴鼻息肉患者(CRSwNP组),26例慢性鼻-鼻窦炎不伴鼻息肉患者(CRSsNP组)和34例正常人(对照组)进行肺功能检测,比较三组肺功能的各项指标,并分析CRSwNP组肺功能和临床各参数之间的关系,这些参数包括外周血嗜酸粒细胞数、血清特异性IgE、Lund-Mackay评分、呼出一氧化氮水平和视觉模拟量表评分(VAS)。 结果 CRSwNP组患者的肺功能指标FEV₁%pre低于正常组,差异有统计学意义(P=0.045);血清特异性IgE(sIgE)与VC%、FEV₁%pre、FEV₁/FVC呈负相关(P<0.05)。 结论 不伴下气道疾病的CRSwNP患者存在潜在的阻塞性肺功能改变;sIgE与CRSwNP的肺功能异常有关。     

嗜酸粒细胞黏蛋白性鼻-鼻窦炎的临床特征

目的研究嗜酸粒细胞黏蛋白性鼻一鼻窦炎（EMRS）的临床特征。方法回顾性分析EMRS患者的临床特征,包括性别、年龄、症状、实验室检查、影像学表现、病理结果、治疗及预后。结果12例EMRS,~,者男性7例、女性5例;年龄9～54岁;单N7例、双侧5例;均具有慢性鼻鼻窦炎伴息肉的表现。8N变应原皮肤点刺试验阳性,6N血清总IgE升高,8N外周血嗜酸粒细胞升高。鼻窦CT多表现为受累鼻窦腔内中间呈斑片状或云雾状高密度影。鼻窦分泌物病理切片可见大量嗜酸细胞,真菌染色及真菌培养均为阴性。所有患者均行鼻内镜手术,术后口服及鼻用糖皮质激素治疗。随访1年后有3例复发。结论EMRS是一种特殊类型的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎,诊断需依靠术后的病理检查,鼻内镜手术及激素治疗是主要治疗手段。