Comparison of Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis.
OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the differences in socioeconomic, demographic, and disease severity factors between patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and those with allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS).


METHODS
A retrospective cohort analysis was performed.


METHODS
The study was conducted at the hospital of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


METHODS
A total of 186 patients were included (93 AFRS, 93 CRS with and without nasal polyps). Socio- economic and demographic data were obtained from the North Carolina State Data Center. Indicators of disease severity were measured by Lund-Mackay scores, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, diagnosis of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis, and the number of surgeries and computed tomography scans performed. Associations were analyzed with Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Pearson's correlations tests.


RESULTS
Compared with patients with AFRS, patients in both CRS groups were predominantly white (P < .0001), were older at the time of diagnosis (P < .0001), had higher county-based income per capita (P = .004), had lower quantitative serum IgE level (P < .001), and had lower Lund-Mackay scores (P < .0001). No associations between disease severity, socioeconomic status, and demographic factors were found within the CRS groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Within our cohort of patients residing in North Carolina, those with CRS have higher income, more access to primary care, and lower markers of disease severity than those with AFRS. These data continue to support the notion that AFRS merits classification as a distinct subtype of CRS.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Yemeng
Y
Lu-Myers
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Allison M
AM
Deal
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Justin D
JD
Miller
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Brian D
BD
Thorp
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Satyan B
SB
Sreenath
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Stanley M
SM
McClurg
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Brent A
BA
Senior
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Adam M
AM
Zanation
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA cebert@med.unc.edu.
Charles S
CS
Ebert
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000150:complications*; D009657:North Carolina; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chronic rhinosinusitis; demography; epidemiology; fungus; gender; race; sinusitis