title: Asthma and sinusitis.
abstract: Important relationships exist between the upper and lower airways. It is well known that sinusitis and asthma coexist in many patients, and evidence is accumulating that there may be a cause-and-effect relationship, that is, that sinusitis is an important trigger for asthma. Studies in children and adults indicate that appropriate medical and/or surgical therapy of sinusitis frequently leads to improvement in the asthmatic state. Possible mechanisms for this relationship include the eosinophil acting as an effector cell, inflammatory mediators, and a vagal reflex. Further investigations need to examine both prospective studies of the effect of medical therapy for sinusitis on asthma and basic mechanisms relating the upper and lower airways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Microbiology, St. Louis University School of Medicine, MO 63110.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Slavin
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016084:Bronchoconstriction; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000276:immunology; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000276:immunology; D012018:Reflex / Q000276:immunology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology