title: Analysis of the roles of smoking and allergy in nasal polyposis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies on the etiopathogenesis of nasal polyps have shown that smoking and nonallergenic inhalants such as occupational dust exposure cause chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa. These factors may be associated with nasal polyps. The aim of this study was to use laboratory tests to investigate the effects of smoking and allergens on the development of nasal polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 60 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of nasal polyposis who were treated with functional endoscopic sinus surgery at our clinic and 25 smoker and 25 nonsmoker participants who constituted a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patient and control groups, the mean absorbance value for cotinine in smokers was found to be statistically significantly lower than that in nonsmokers. There was a significant difference between the groups with respect to blood cotinine positivity. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of allergy parameters. In the regression model, smoking was found to be the only significant risk factor for the development of nasal polyps, independent of smoking duration, absorbance value, or cotinine positivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking restriction and avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke by patients with nasal polyps may be an important strategy in the prevention and recurrence of nasal polyposis. No direct relationship was determined between allergy and nasal polyposis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Adana Numune Education and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Görgülü
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Emre Polat
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Canbolat
authors.forename: Cağdaş
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sayar
authors.forename: Mustafa Kemal
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Olgun
authors.forename: Yücel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akbaş
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D003367:Cotinine