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Analysis of microbiota reveals CRS phenotypes characterized by compositions of bacterial communities

An analysis of microbiota showed particular chronic rhinosinusitis phenotypes are characterized by distinct compositions of resident bacterial communities that may predict surgical outcomes, according to study results.

“In addition to supporting the concept of subcategorizing [chronic rhinosinusitis] by phenotypic variation, these findings suggest that the current drive for molecular characterization can be expanded with the inclusion of microbiome correlates,” Vijay R. Ramakrishnan, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote. “We found that bacterial diversity and composition are predictors of surgical outcome.”

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study and collected sinus swabs from 56 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and 26 healthy controls during endoscopic sinus surgery between Jan. 2011 and Jan. 2012 to analyze the resident microbiota of CRS subtypes and ascertain whether bacterial diversity is a predictor of disease outcomes.

Of the predictor variables tested, asthma and purulence were associated with significantly different sinus microbiota when analyzed at both the phylum and genus levels. Of the patients followed up after surgery, 27 patients with CRS showed more diverse bacterial communities at the time of surgery.

Patients (n = 13) with optimal outcomes (relative abundance [RA] = 22.5%) exhibited increased abundances of Actinobacteria at the time of surgery compared with patients (n = 14) with suboptimal outcomes (RA = 7.8%; P = .016).

Ramakrishnan and colleagues indicated as more research is completed, it is likely new therapies will be developed to treat CRS.

“Future studies of the association of microbial shifts with underlying inflammatory disease pathways will offer insight into mechanisms of disease and might also offer the potential for diagnostic CRS endotyping and more focused novel therapeutics,” the researchers wrote.

Disclosure: Ramakrishnan reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.