title: Chronic sinusitis pathophysiology: the role of allergy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis (CHES) is an inflammatory disease characterized by eosinophil infiltration of sinus tissue that can present with and without nasal polyps (NPs). Aeroallergen sensitization in CHES occurs regularly, but the causality between allergen sensitivity, exposure, and disease is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Allergen is unlikely to directly enter healthy sinuses either by diffusion or ciliary flow, and, even this is more problematic given the loss of patency of the ostia of diseased sinuses. Inflammation and tissue eosinophilia can develop secondary to allergen exposure in the nares, with systemic humoral recirculation of allergic cells including eosinophils, Th2 lymphocytes, and eosinophil precursors that are nonspecifically recruited back to the diseased sinuses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The possibility of an allergic reaction to peptides derived from bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus or superantigens) or fungi that colonize the diseased sinus also provides a plausible allergic mechanism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatments of this disease include agents directed at allergic mediators such as leukotriene modifiers and corticosteroids, although this does not necessarily signify that an IgE-dependent mechanism can be ascribed. However, more recently, omalizumab has shown promise, including in patients without obvious aeroallergen sensitization. Although many aspects of the role of allergy in CHES remain a mystery, the mechanisms that are being elucidated allow for improved understanding of this disease, which ultimately will lead to better treatments for our patients who live daily with this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Asthma and Allergic Disease Center, Carter Immunology Center, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borish
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D000069444:Omalizumab; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000276:immunology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069444:Omalizumab; D007073:Immunoglobulin E