Total IgE serum levels correlate with sinus mucosal thickness on computerized tomography scans.

Abstract

Sinusitis involves an inflammatory response with similarities to asthma. We sought to determine whether a correlation exists between total IgE and the sinus mucosal thickening as assessed by computed tomography (CT) scans. We screened the charts of 300 otolaryngology patients who had total and specific serum IgE determinations in 1994 and from this group selected all patients who had also undergone a sinus CT scan close to the time of serum evaluation (n = 86). Severity of disease on CT scan was graded by two investigators blinded to IgE levels. There was a significant positive correlation between severity of disease on CT scans and IgE (r[s] = 0.37, p = 0.0007). Furthermore, patients with a more advanced disease stage had higher IgE levels. There was also a positive correlation between severity of disease and the sum of specific IgE grades (r[s] = 0.29, p = 0.007). The data suggest that IgE levels or a linked genetic parameter may contribute to the mucosal inflammation in the paranasal sinuses.