Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study at a tertiary hospital was performed. Adult patients diagnosed with CRSwNP who had both allergology and radiological assessments were enrolled. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis, Lund-Kennedy (LK) endoscopic scoring, Lund-Mackay (LM) computed tomography scan of paranasal sinuses (CTPNS) scoring, CCAD features, skin prick test (SPT) and level of specific IgE were assessed. All the patients underwent SPT for house dust mites.

Results: A total of 38 patients were enrolled. Symptoms, endoscopic and CTPNS scores were higher in the allergy and CCAD groups compared to the nonallergy and nonCCAD groups. The symptom of "need to blow nose" was statistically significant in allergy vs nonallergy (p=0.01) and CCAD vs nonCCAD (p=0.02). There were significant differences in the endoscopic scores in both allergy and CCAD (allergy vs nonallergy, p=0.01; CCAD vs nonCCAD, p=0.03), and CT scores in both allergy and CCAD (allergy vs nonallergy, p=0.02; CCAD vs nonCCAD, p=0.02). All patients with CCAD have worse scoring than nonCCAD (LK score, p=0.03; LM score, p=0.02). Patients with allergy have more polypoidal involvement of the middle turbinates (left middle turbinate, p=0.141; right middle turbinate, p=0.074) and CCAD (left middle turbinate, p=0.017; right middle turbinate, p=0.009) than nonallergy and nonCCAD patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in eight patients with chronic rhinosinusitis or nasal polyposis who were planned for bilateral endoscopic sinus surgery. A Peri-operative Sinus Endoscopy (POSE) Score and Lund-Kennedy Endoscopic Score (LKES) were recorded. The use of hydrocortisone-impregnated Gelfoam dressing versus normal saline-impregnated Gelfoam dressing were compared. Scores were repeated post-operatively at one week, three weeks and three months interval.

RESULTS: For LKES, at the end of three months, 50% of the patients had the same score difference, 37.5% had better results on the study side while 12.5% had better results on the control side. Meanwhile, for POSE Score, at the end of three months, 75% of the patients had better score difference on the study side while 12.5% had better results on the control side.

Objective: To study the association of IL-1 (A and B) gene polymorphisms with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP) and without nasal polyp (CRSsNP), and other factors related.

Methods: This is a case-controlled study which include a total of 138 subjects recruited from Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery clinic in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Genotyping of the IL-1A (+4845G, +4845T) and IL-1B (-511C, -511T) were performed with restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Results: There was a statistical significant association between IL-1B (-511C, -511T) polymorphism with CRSwNP and CRSsNP (p < 0.001). The CT genotype of IL-1B was markedly increased in CRSwNP subjects (52.2%). However, there was no significant association found between IL-1A (+4845G, +4845T) with CRSwNP and CRSsNP (p = 0.093). No association was found in factors related to CRS, which included asthma, atopy, allergy, aspirin sensitivity, and family history of nasal polyp (p value of 0.382, 0.382, 0.144, >0.95, and 0.254, respectively).

METHODS: Consecutive participants aged 18 years or older with a primary diagnosis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or rhinosinusitis were enrolled. Participants completed a survey detailing respiratory symptoms, HCRU, work productivity and activity impairment, and HRQOL. Locally sourced unit costs for each country were used in the calculation of total costs.

RESULTS: The study enrolled 5250 patients. Overall, the mean annual cost for patients with a respiratory disease was US $4191 (SGD 8489) per patient. For patients who reported impairment at work, the mean annual cost was US $7315 (SGD 10,244), with productivity loss being the highest cost component for all four diseases (US $6310 [SGD 9100]). On average, patients were impaired for one-third of their time at work and 5% of their work time missed because of respiratory disease, which resulted in a 36% reduction in productivity. Patients with a primary diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had the greatest impact on HRQOL.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out in the Otorhinolaryngology - HNS Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC). Subjective assessments of nasal symptoms and quality of life (QoL) using SNOT-22 and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and objective endoscopic assessment was undertaken using a modified Hadley endoscopic examination.