Differentiation of chronic sinus diseases by measurement of inflammatory mediators

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) clinically is a heterogeneous group of sinus diseases, which may cover different disease entities, or may represent a disease continuum. Studying inflammatory cells and mediators in clearly defined disease subgroups may lead to a better differentiation of chronic sinus diseases.

Sinonasal mucosal tissue from 10 nasal polyp (NP) patients, 13 cystic fibrosis patients (CF‐NP), eight CRS subjects without polyps, and nine control patients were stained for CD3, CD25, CD68, CD20, myeloperoxidase (MPO), CD138 and tissue homogenates were assayed for eotaxin, interleukin (IL)‐1 β , IL‐2sR α , IL‐5, interferon (IFN)‐ γ , IL‐8, transforming growth factor (TGF)‐ β 1, tumor necrosis factor‐ α , and MPO by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay or UNICAP system.