The allergic phenotype of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and central compartment atopic disease (CCAD) have been described. The CCAD is a radiological phenotype in patients with CRS present as a central mucosal disease due to allergy. The subset of patients having chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) has not been well characterized. We aim to describe the clinical and radiological characterizations of patients presenting with the allergic phenotype of CRSwNP.
A cross-sectional study at a tertiary hospital was performed. Adult patients diagnosed with CRSwNP who had both allergology and radiological assessments were enrolled. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis, Lund–Kennedy (LK) endoscopic scoring, Lund–Mackay (LM) computed tomography scan of paranasal sinuses (CTPNS) scoring, CCAD features, skin prick test (SPT), and level of specific IgE were assessed. All the patients underwent SPT for house dust mites.
A total of 38 patients were enrolled. Symptoms, endoscopic and CTPNS scores were higher in the allergy and CCAD groups compared to the nonallergy and nonCCAD groups. The symptom of “need to blow nose” was statistically significant in allergy vs. nonallergy (p=0.01) and CCAD vs. nonCCAD (p=0.02). There were significant differences in the endoscopic scores in allergy and CCAD (allergy vs. nonallergy, p=0.01; CCAD vs. nonCCAD, p=0.03), and CT scores in both allergy and CCAD (allergy vs. nonallergy, p=0.02; CCAD vs. nonCCAD, p=0.02). All patients with CCAD have worse scoring than those with nonCCAD (LK score, p=0.03; LM score, p=0.02). Patients with allergy have more polypoidal involvement of the middle turbinates (left middle turbinate, p=0.141; right middle turbinate, p=0.074) and CCAD (left middle turbinate, p=0.017; right middle turbinate, p=0.009) than nonallergy and nonCCAD patients.
The allergic phenotype of CRSwNP has a worse clinical and radiological disease burden. Optimal treatment of allergy is essential for a better outcome.
