title: Anterior rhinoscopy and middle meatal culture in acute rhinosinusitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the use of bacterial culture findings for middle meatal samples obtained via anterior rhinoscopy, in the diagnosis of adults with acute rhinosinusitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microbial cultures were prepared for 30 adult patients with acute rhinosinusitis and suspected bacterial involvement, using samples from the nasopharynx, and from the nasal middle meatus obtained via anterior rhinoscopy. Findings for the ipsilateral maxillary antrum were used as a reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients had a bacterial infection as verified by a positive culture from the maxillary antrum. Middle meatal samples had a similar sensitivity but a better specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value, compared with nasopharyngeal samples, although predictive values were not statistically significant at a 95 per cent confidence level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anterior rhinoscopy with culture of middle meatal samples can be recommended as a diagnostic procedure for acute rhinosinusitis. The results can also guide the decision on antibiotic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oto-rhino-laryngology, Örebro University Hospital and Örebro University, Sweden.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Thunberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olaison
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hugosson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000382:microbiology*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents