title: Paranasal sinus pathology in allergic and non-allergic respiratory tract diseases.
abstract: Two hundred and seventy patients with asthma and/or rhinitis (162 or 60% allergic, 108 or 40% non-allergic) were studied for sinus pathology by means of standard X-rays and tomograms. Sinus pathology was defined as abnormal sinus X-rays, either on standard or tomography. Fifty-four percent of the X-rays were classified as abnormal based on mucosal thickening, loss of translucency of the cavities of polyps. Asthma was significantly more often associated with sinus X-ray abnormalities (65.1%) than rhinitis and/or chronic cough (44.4%). Loss of translucency of the cavities is more frequent in children, whereas mucosa thickening becomes more frequent with progressing age. Since in this prospective study the taking of X-rays of the sinuses was not dependent on or related to temporarily occurring symptoms which could be attributed to acute sinusitis, the presence of sinus abnormalities on X-rays can be considered as an indicator of the chronicity of airways diseases and might provide an indication for prophylactic therapy of the associated airway disease in a continuous way. The importance of sinus tomograms is stressed, since only 32.5% of the patients with mucosa thickening could be detected on standard X-rays.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed