Total IgE serum levels correlate with sinus mucosal thickness on computerized tomography scans.
BACKGROUND
Sinusitis involves an inflammatory response with similarities to asthma.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether a correlation exists between total IgE and the sinus mucosal thickening as assessed by computed tomography (CT) scans.


METHODS
We screened the charts of 300 otolaryngology patients who had total and specific serum IgE determinations in 1994 and from this group selected all patients who had also undergone a sinus CT scan close to the time of serum evaluation (n = 86). Severity of disease on CT scan was graded by two investigators blinded to IgE levels.


RESULTS
There was a significant positive correlation between severity of disease on CT scans and IgE (r[s] = 0.37, p = 0.0007). Furthermore, patients with a more advanced disease stage had higher IgE levels. There was also a positive correlation between severity of disease and the sum of specific IgE grades (r[s] = 0.29, p = 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that IgE levels or a linked genetic parameter may contribute to the mucosal inflammation in the paranasal sinuses.
Baroody
F M
FM
Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Suh
S H
SH
Naclerio
R M
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D007073:Immunoglobulin E