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Age, education, obesity increase risk for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps

Factors such as age, education level and obesity increased the risk for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and nasal septal deviation, but decreased the risk for allergic rhinitis, according to a recent study for Korea.

“This study presents two types of important outcomes. First, the study used several distinctive methods to find the precise prevalence, including nasal endoscopy and an allergy test for the diagnosis, subtyping [chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS)] into [CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP)] and [CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP)], and reestimating [allergic rhinitis] prevalence with the allergen-specific frequency,” Jae-Cheul Ahn, MD, of the department of otorhinolaryngology–head and neck surgery in CHA Bundang Medical Center at CHA University, Seongnam, Korea, and colleagues wrote. “Second, individual risk factors were found for CRSwNP and CRSsNP: aging, lower level of education, and obesity were risk factors for CRSwNP, whereas [nasal septal deviation] was a risk factor for CRSsNP.”

Ahn and colleagues evaluated 5-year data from 28,912 adults who reported nasal symptoms and underwent a nasal examination as part of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2012, according to the abstract. Researchers stratified patients based on age (children, adolescent and adult groups) as well as CRS with or without nasal polyps groups. They also estimated the associations of factors such as age, sex, obesity, education level, socioeconomic status, smoking status, residential status and alcohol.

The prevalence of CRSsNP was 5.8%, whereas it was 2.6% for CRSwNP, according to the abstract. Further, researchers observed that CRSwNP was associated with age (OR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02-1.04), obesity (OR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16-1.84) and education level (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.02-1.92), according to the abstract.

The re-estimated prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 18.5% among all age groups, with a specific prevalence of 27.5% for symptom-based allergic rhinitis and 16.1% for allergy test result allergic rhinitis. Ahn and colleagues found older age decreased the risk for allergic rhinitis (OR = 0.99; 95% CI, 1.06-1.38), but residence in an urban area increased allergic rhinitis risk (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06-1.38).

The overall prevalence of nasal septal deviation was 48% and patients showed an elevated risk as age increased. Ahn and colleagues noted nasal septal deviation was a risk factor for CRSsNP (adjusted OR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.02-1.32). – by Jeff Craven

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.