title: Nasal polyposis in Churg-Strauss syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a systemic vasculitic disorder of unknown etiology that affects small-to-medium-size blood vessels. Patients affected by CSS frequently show ear, nose, and throat manifestations, which are often present at the time of disease onset. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of nasal polyposis in a series of 29 patients with CSS and to correlate the nasal findings to the total health situation of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Otolaryngology and Department of Clinical Medicine, Nephrology and Health Science, University of Parma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine patients with CSS were identified. Of the 29 patients, 17 (58.6%) had nasal polyposis and were enrolled in this study. The nasal polyps were graded according to the Lund and Mackay endoscopic and radiological classifications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At diagnosis, endoscopic intranasal evaluation identified nasal polyposis of grade 3 in nine cases (52.9%), grade 2 in six cases (35.2%), and grade 1 in the remaining case (5.8%). After corticosteroid and immunosuppressive therapy, clinical remission was achieved in 14 patients (82.3%), whereas 3 patients experienced a relapse. Posttreatment endoscopic evaluation showed a permanent disappearance (grade 0) of nasal polyps in eight patients (47%). The other nine patients (52.92%) were found to have a small polyp situated in the middle meatus (grade 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nasal polyposis in patients with CSS may represent the initial phase of the syndrome, though patients often have concurrent pulmonary disease. Corticosteroid therapy either alone or combined with immunosuppressive drugs usually yielded improvement or stabilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. andreabacciu@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacciu
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buzio
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pasanisi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vincenti
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mercante
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grasselli
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bacciu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D002097:C-Reactive Protein