Chronic sinusitis in severe asthma is related to sputum eosinophilia.
BACKGROUND
Chronic rhinosinusitis and asthma are conditions that frequently coexist, particularly in severe asthma. The precise mechanism of the relationship between upper and lower airway inflammation is still a matter of debate. We hypothesized that the extent of inflammation in the nasal mucosa is related to lung function and inflammation in the bronchial mucosa in patients with severe asthma.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to investigate the relationship between sinonasal inflammation as assessed on computed tomography (CT) scanning, lung function, sputum eosinophilia, and nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air in patients with severe asthma.


METHODS
Eighty-nine nonsmoking outpatients with severe asthma (29 men and 60 women; mean age 45 years; age range, 18-74 years) were included in this study. CT scans were scored (0-30) by a blinded investigator using a validated method. Lung function, NO in exhaled air, and sputum eosinophils were measured by using standard procedures.


RESULTS
CT scans showed abnormalities in 84% of patients. Extensive sinus disease (score 12-30) was found in 24% of patients. There was a significant positive correlation between CT scores and eosinophils in peripheral blood (R(s) = 0.46) and induced sputum (R(s) = 0.40) and level of exhaled NO (R(s) = 0.45, P <.01). CT scores were also positively related to functional residual capacity and inversely related to diffusion capacity, particularly in patients with adult-onset asthma (R(s) = 0.47 and R(s) = -0.53, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study show a direct relationship between sinonasal mucosa thickness and bronchial inflammation in severe asthma, particularly in patients with adult-onset disease. Whether sinus disease directly affects the intensity of bronchial inflammation is still an unanswered question.
ten Brinke
Anneke
A
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Grootendorst
Diana C
DC
Schmidt
Judith Th
JT
De Bruïne
Francisca T
FT
van Buchem
Mark A
MA
Sterk
Peter J
PJ
Rabe
Klaus F
KF
Bel
Elisabeth H
EH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000150:complications; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D009569:Nitric Oxide