title: Chronic rhinosinusitis, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic inflammation is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction (ED), and cardiovascular diseases. Because chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease, it may be associated with the development of ED and accelerated atherosclerosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between CRS and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, and microalbuminuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study included 38 patients with CRS and 29 healthy controls. In addition to measuring spot urine albumin-creatinine ratios, FMD of the brachial artery and CIMT were assessed noninvasively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with CRS had lower FMD scores (p = 0.031), higher CIMT scores (p = 0.005), and a higher urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (p = 0.036) compared with healthy controls. In a multivariate analysis, CIMT and FMD were independently associated with the presence of CRS. However, the relationship between urinary albumin and creatinine, and the presence of CRS was no longer observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRS is associated with ED and atherosclerosis, as indicated by decreased FMD and increased CIMT in patients with CRS. Further studies are necessary to identify the exact pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for our findings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer Celal
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Elcioglu
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Afsar
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bakan
authors.forename: Mumtaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takir
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozkok
authors.forename: Alihan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kostek
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basci
authors.forename: Asiye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanbay
authors.forename: Aybala Erek
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Toprak
authors.forename: Kubra Aydin
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bahat
authors.forename: M Tayyar
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Kalcioglu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanbay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine