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Patients & Consumers Online Tools Find an Allergist / Immunologist Pollen Counts Diseases 101 Drug Guide Featured Resources » AAAAI Tips Brochures Topic of the Month New Research Information Request Form Donate Now En Español Just for Kids Seniors Contact Us Search by Condition (A-Z) Request a Speaker Smoke Free Homes Referral Guidelines Other Resources En Español Just for Kids Seniors		Patient/Public Education: Fast Facts Asthma & Sinusitis Key Facts: Asthma and chronic sinusitis are both chronic inflammatory diseases. Asthma involves inflammation of the airways whereas chronic sinusitis involves inflammation of the sinus mucosa (lining). Both asthma and chronic sinusitis are frequently associated with allergy to environmental triggers, such as pet dander, mold, dust mites, and pollens. Sinusitis is believed to trigger asthma by several mechanisms: shared inflammation between different areas of the body, post-nasal drip of inflammatory cells and mediators, irritation of the throat from post nasal drip, and impaired warming and filtration of air. Medical and surgical management of chronic sinusitis in patients with asthma has been shown to improve their asthma. Statistics: 27-50% of pediatric patients with asthma have chronic sinusitis. In adult patients, up to 88% of patients with mild to moderate asthma and up to 100% of patients with severe steroid-dependent asthma have chronic sinusitis. New Research: Airway inflammation in chronic rhinosinusitis is similar to asthma. Ponikau JU, Sherris DA, Kephart GM, Kern EB, Gaffey TA, Tarara JE, et al. Features of airway remodeling and eosinophilic inflammation in chronic rhinosinusitis: is the histopathology similar to asthma? J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112(5):877-82. Children with both asthma and chronic sinusitis, when treated for chronic sinusitis, have improvement in their asthma. Tosca MA, Cosentino C, Pallestrini E, Caligo G, Milanese M, Ciprandi G. Improvement of clinical and immunopathologic parameters in asthmatic children treated for concomitant chronic rhinosinusitis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003;91(1):71-8. Additional Resources: Allergy and Asthma Advocate, Winter 2003: Sinusitis: More than just an infection. Practice Parameters for the Diagnosis and Management of Sinusitis, AAAAI Sinusitis Committee. <back>
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