Researchers did this study to examine the association between chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis and CAP.
A list of CRS patients who presented to a tertiary rhinology clinic was conducted. Patients were excluded if they were not seen for at least two years. According to their computed tomography scan/endoscopy findings, the former group was divided into two categories: mucosal thickening and opacification. Charts were then reviewed on whether the patients developed CAP within two years of their visit to the rhinologist.
Six hundred forty-five of 1061 patients were included in the analysis. Patients with sphenoid sinusitis were 6.77 times more likely to have pneumonia. Patients with partial/complete opacification of the sphenoid sinus were 19.76 times more likely to have pneumonia. Patients with only mucosal thickening of the sphenoid sinus did not have significantly increased odds of having pneumonia. The posterior ethmoid disease did not associate with CAP, nor did it increase the risk of CAP in sphenoid sinusitis patients.
The study concluded that there is an association between chronic sphenoid rhinosinusitis and CAP. Partial/complete opacification of the sphenoid sinus had the highest association with pneumonia.
Reference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1945892419865651
