Chronic sinusitis in children☆,☆☆,★

To investigate the prevalence of maxillary sinusitis in people who lived in the Middle Nile Valley across different periods, cultures, and environmental conditions.

481 skeletons from 13 sites, curated at the British Museum, London, were analysed. The sites ranged in date from the Neolithic to Medieval periods (c. 4900 BCE–CE 1500).

Bony changes within the maxillary sinuses, associated with sinusitis and oroantral fistulae were systematically recorded according to pre-established criteria.

There were significant differences in the prevalence of maxillary sinusitis between time period/subsistence economy groups. The Neolithic hunter-gatherer/early agricultural group had the lowest prevalence, whilst the urban group demonstrated the highest frequency of the disease.

Factors involved in the development of maxillary sinusitis are manifold and complex. However, the results indicate that increased aridity in Sudan in later periods and intensification of agricultural practices may have played a role in increasing prevalence of the disease. Urban environments, including crowding, poor sanitation, and industrial air pollution, could also have influenced susceptibility to maxillary sinusitis.

Prior to this paper, the impact of arid environments on respiratory health in the past had received little attention despite growing clinical research on the topic. Both arid and urban environments are predicted to expand in the future. This paper provides a deep-time perspective on an issue of increasing concern today.

Poor preservation of skeletons and a lack of archaeological settlement data for some sites.

Investigation of a greater range of populations from different environments/climates.

To investigate evidence for maxillary sinusitis and pulmonary inflammation in archaeological skeletons dating to the Late Intermediate Period (AD 1000-1476) at the site of Pachacamac, Peru.

Thirty-nine individuals (male, female, and unknown sex; 16+ years age-at-death) were analyzed for inflammatory periosteal reaction (IPR) on the visceral (inner) surfaces of the ribs, and 16 individuals were analyzed for evidence of maxillary sinusitis.

All individuals were macroscopically examined for bony changes in the maxillary sinuses and new bone formation on the ribs according to pre-established criteria.

Some 33.3% (13/39) of individuals had IPR on the ribs and 93.8% (15/16) had bony changes in the maxillary sinuses.

Respiratory disease was likely prevalent in people buried at Pachacamac during the Late Intermediate Period. A number of factors may have increased the risk of developing respiratory disease, including exposure to poor air quality and increased crowding and social mixing, resulting from pilgrimage to this important ritual center.

This paper represents one of the first systematic analyses of evidence for respiratory disease in Peruvian and South American human skeletal remains, demonstrating the suitability of the region for further study.

A limited sample was available for analysis. Additionally, the site’s skeletal preservation was excellent, meaning the sample available for assessment of maxillary sinusitis was smaller, being limited to individuals with post-mortem breakage.

The results of this study should stimulate further much needed systematic investigation of evidence for respiratory disease in other Peruvian and South American populations.

Studies have shown that gastroesophageal reflux disease occurs more frequently than expected in children with chronic rhinosinusitis. The objective of this study is to further understand the relationship of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with symptoms of rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and chronic cough.

A retrospective chart review of 63 children, ages 6 months to 10 years old with rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and chronic cough. The patients underwent maxillary cultures, adenoidectomy, and distal third esophageal biopsies. Children with esophageal biopsies showing esophagitis were classified as positive for gastroesophageal reflux disease, and maxillary antral swabs growing a high density of bacteria were classified as positive for chronic rhinosinusitis.

Six months to 5 years old children (n = 43), 6 (14%) had simultaneous positive maxillary antral cultures and positive esophageal biopsies, 11 (26%) had positive esophageal biopsies alone, 23 (53%) had positive maxillary antral cultures alone, and 3 (7%) had neither. Six to 10 years old children (n = 20), 9 (45%) had simultaneous positive maxillary antral cultures and positive esophageal biopsies, 1 (5%) patient had positive esophageal biopsies alone, 3 (15%) patients had positive maxillary antral cultures alone, and 7 (35%) patients had neither. Twenty-seven (42%) of the patients from the whole study had gastroesophageal reflux positive biopsies.

The younger children were statistically likely to have chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease independently of each other (p = 0.0002). A direct group comparison found the younger group to have independent chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease and the older group to have simultaneous chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (p = 0.0006).

In children with the presenting symptoms of rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and chronic cough, younger children tend to have either chronic rhinosinusitis or gastroesophageal reflux disease, whereas older children tend to have a more complicated etiology of chronic rhinosinusitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease or other. In all of these patients gastroesophageal reflux disease plays an important role, as over 40% of all patients had gastroesophageal positive biopsies.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects 12.5% of the US population. On epidemiologic grounds, some association has been found between CRS prevalence and air pollution, active cigarette smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, perennial allergic rhinitis, and gastroesophageal reflux. The majority of pediatric and adult patients with CRS are immune competent. Data on genetic associations with CRS are still sparse. Current consensus definitions subclassify CRS into CRS without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP), CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS). Evaluation and medical management of CRS has been the subject of several recent consensus reports. The highest level of evidence for treatment for CRSsNP exists for saline lavage, intranasal steroids, and long-term macrolide antibiotics. The highest level of evidence for treatment of CRSwNP exists for intranasal steroids, systemic glucocorticoids, and topical steroid irrigations. Aspirin desensitization is beneficial for patients with aspirin-intolerant CRSwNP. Sinus surgery followed by use of systemic steroids is recommended for AFRS. Other modalities of treatment, such as antibiotics for patients with purulent infection and antifungal drugs for patients with AFRS, are potentially useful despite a lack of evidence from controlled treatment trials. The various modalities of medical treatment are reviewed in the context of recent consensus documents and the author’s personal experience.

Rhinosinusitis (RS) affects approximately 1 in 7 adults in the United States, and its effect on quality of life, productivity, and finances is substantial. During the past 10 years, several expert panels from authoritative bodies have published evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of RS and its subtypes, including acute viral RS, acute bacterial RS, chronic RS (CRS) without nasal polyposis, CRS with nasal polyposis, and allergic fungal RS. This review examines and compares the recommendations of the Rhinosinusitis Initiative, the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters, the Clinical Practice Guideline: Adult Sinusitis, the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2007, and the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Points of consensus and divergent opinions expressed in these guidelines regarding classification, diagnosis, and management of adults with acute RS (ARS) and CRS and their various subtypes are highlighted for the practicing clinician. Key points of agreement regarding therapy in the guidelines for ARS include the efficacy of symptomatic treatment, such as intranasal corticosteroids, and the importance of reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics in ARS; however, guidelines do not agree precisely regarding when antibiotics should be considered as a reasonable treatment strategy. Although the guidelines diverge markedly on the management of CRS, the diagnostic utility of nasal airway examination is acknowledged by all. Important and relevant data from MEDLINE-indexed articles published since the most recent guidelines were issued are also considered, and needs for future research are discussed.