Abstract
In this review, we demonstrate that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently report sinonasal symptoms. Furthermore, we present evidence that smoking on its own can cause nasal disease and that, in COPD patients, nasal inflammation mimics that of the bronchi. All this evidence suggests that COPD-related sinonasal disease does exist and that smoking on its own rather than systemic inflammation triggers the condition. However, COPD-related sinonasal disease remains to be characterised in terms of symptoms and endoscopic findings. In addition, more studies are needed to quantify the negative impact of sinonasal symptoms on the quality of life in COPD patients.
Abstract
A systematic review of sinonasal inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease http://ow.ly/o9Tx9
Footnotes
Support statement: This work was thankfully supported by Candys Foundation.
Conflict of interest: None declared.
- Received August 1, 2012.
- Accepted October 9, 2012.
- ©ERS 2013