Endoscopic and Radiologic Central Compartment Disease as Predictors of Perennial Inhalant Allergen Sensitization in Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Background: Central compartment atopic disease (CCAD) is a recently described variant of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) strongly associated with atopy. The association between central compartment disease (CCD) and inhalant allergy is not well established in South-East Asia, where perennial allergic rhinitis is common.

Objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate endoscopic and radiologic CCD as predictors of perennial allergen sensitization in primary CRS. The secondary objective was to compare clinical characteristics of CCAD with other CRS subtypes (CRSwNP and CRSsNP).

Methods: A retrospective study of consecutive patients with primary CRS who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery at our institution was performed. Allergen sensitization was confirmed by skin or serum testing. Endoscopy records and computed tomography scans of paranasal sinuses were reviewed for CCD. The diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic and radiologic CCD in predicting atopy was calculated.

Results: There were 104 patients (43 CCAD, 30 CRSwNP and 31 CRSsNP). Endoscopic CCD was significantly associated with aeroallergen sensitization (odds ratio (OR) 3.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.65-9.67, P = 0.002). Endoscopic CCD predicted atopy with 57% sensitivity, 72% specificity, 69% positive predictive value and positive likelihood ratio of 2.05. Radiologic CCD was not associated with aeroallergen sensitization (OR 0.728, 95%CI 0.292-1.82, P = 0.496). There were more CCAD patients who reported hyposmia (86% vs 42%, P < 0.001) and had anosmia on olfactory testing than CRSsNP (65% vs 14%, P = 0.015). The prevalence of atopy was significantly higher in CCAD than CRSwNP and CRSsNP (70% vs 37% and 42%, P = 0.015 and P = 0.05, respectively). Median serum total immunoglobulin E was higher in CCAD (283 IU/ml) and CRSwNP (127 IU/ml) than CRSsNP (27 IU/ml, P = 0.006 and P = 0.042, respectively).

Conclusions: Endoscopic CCD was a better predictor of inhalant allergy than radiologic CCD in primary CRS, in a locale of perennial allergic rhinitis.