Pulmonary function tests in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and the effect of surgery

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to assess the pulmonary functions in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in comparison with normal individuals and also to assess whether surgical correction of these patients’ condition through endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) will result in any change in their pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Patients and methods A prospective study of 50 patients (group I included 25 normal individuals and group II included 25 patients who fulfilled the clinical criteria for the CRS reference) was carried out. Demographic and clinical data were obtained; spirometry was performed for all the participants studied. Postoperative spirometry was carried out for patients with CRS after 1 month of the ESS operation. Results The majority of patients had a computed tomography score of 14 (11 cases). The most affected group of sinuses was the maxillary sinuses and the least affected group of sinuses was the sphenoid. There were significantly lower values of mean forced vital capacity (FVC), FVC%, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and FEV1% in the group of patients with chronic sinusitis compared with the control healthy group. In the group of patients undergoing ESS for CRS, the mean values of FVC, FVC%, FEV1, and FEV1% were significantly higher during the postoperative follow-up period than preoperative PFTs. Conclusion PFT in patient with refractory chronic sinusitis is significantly lower than that in normal individuals and the improvement in their sinus condition can lead to an improvement in their PFT.

Keywords

• chronic rhinosinusitis
• endoscopic sinus surgery
• pulmonary function test