Correlation between middle turbinate and ipsilateral ethmoid histopathology in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Abstract

Study the concept of "rhinosinusitis" in patients with inflammatory paranasal sinus disease (IPSD). Prospective case control series in a tertiary care facility. Twenty-two consecutive patients with IPSD without polyposis were enrolled. A partial middle turbinectomy and ethmoidectomy were performed and the histopathologic findings of the surgical specimens from the 2 sites was studied. The general degree of inflammation, epithelial thickening, and inflammatory cell count were measured. The degree of middle turbinate inflammation correlated with that of the ipsilateral ethmoid sinus (Spearman's rho coefficient = 0.450; P < 0.05). Epithelial thickness was more prominent in the ethmoid sinus. The total inflammatory cell count was comparable. There was a statistically significant correlation among total inflammatory cell count, plasma cell count, and eosinophil count between the 2 sites. The ethmoid sinus inflammation in IPSD is accompanied by a commensurate ipsilateral middle turbinate inflammation. The data support the use of the term "rhinosinusitis."