title: Clinical factors associated with bacterial biofilm formation in chronic rhinosinusitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bacterial biofilms appear to contribute to chronic rhinosinusitis. However, the mechanism behind biofilm formation in chronic rhinosinusitis remains poorly defined. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical factors that may be associated with bacterial biofilm formation in chronic rhinosinusitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred eighteen patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were enrolled from 2007 to 2010. Samples were taken to evaluate for biofilm formation in vitro using a modified Calgary Biofilm Detection Assay. Clinical data were collected from chart review. Pearson's χ(2) and logistic regression were used for the analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the patients, 108 (20.9%) showed biofilm formation in vitro. Bacterial biofilm formation in vitro was not significantly associated with polyps, allergy, Samter's triad, sleep apnea, smoking status, age, or gender. However, it was significantly associated with positive culture results (odds ratio [OR] = 3.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85-5.29; P < .001), prior sinus surgeries (1.93; 1.01-3.69; P = .046), and nasal steroid use in the month prior to sample collection (2.09; 1.07-4.08; P = .030). Polymicrobial cultures, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus comprised most of the samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that the probability of bacterial biofilm formation is independent of many clinical factors considered to be risk factors for chronic rhinosinusitis. Further studies are needed to clarify the nature of the associations between prior sinus surgeries, nasal steroid use, and biofilm formation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Zi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kofonow
authors.forename: Brian S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Finkelman
authors.forename: Laurel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Doghramji
authors.forename: Alexander G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Noam A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018441:Biofilms; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000502:physiology