Expression of Cytokines in Nasal Polyps with Chronic Sinusitis and Asthma / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rhinosinusitis has been closely related to asthma. However, the mechanistic roles of the cytokines in rhinosinusitis with asthma have not been well understood. We investigated the pattern of cytokine production in chronic sinusitis in asthmatic patients and compare the findings in asthmatic vs. non-asthmatic patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We analyzed cytokine levels in nasal polyps from 20 patients with sinusitis&asthma and from 25 patients with sinusitis alone. Evaluated parameters are the levels of the following cytokines: IL-3, IL-4, TGF-beta1, IFN-gamma, and GM-CSF. We also compared preoperative disease extent evaluated by degree of polyposis. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups on cytokine levels and preoperative polyposis. CONCLUSION: This study shows that there was no significant change in cytokine levels of sinusitis according to the presence of asthma. These findings would suggest the existence of other mechanisms shared by sinusitis and asthma.