Upper airway. 3: Sinonasal involvement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Otolaryngology
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly impacts patients' quality of life.
• COPD is frequently associated with upper airway conditions, including sinonasal symptoms and inflammation.
• The interplay between upper and lower airway pathologies in COPD is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence linking COPD with sinonasal symptoms, inflammation, and airway obstruction.
• To explore the potential of the upper airway as a model for lower airway disease in COPD.
• To investigate the implications of nasal interventions for managing COPD and its exacerbations.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on COPD and sinonasal disease.
• Analysis of studies examining upper and lower airway inflammation and bacterial colonization.
• Evaluation of the relationship between sinusitis and COPD exacerbation outcomes.

Main Results:

• COPD is strongly associated with significant sinonasal symptoms, inflammation, and obstruction.
• Upper airway symptom severity correlates with lower airway disease severity in COPD.
• Evidence suggests shared inflammatory pathways and bacterial presence in upper and lower airways of COPD patients.

Conclusions:

• The sinonasal region may serve as a relevant model for understanding COPD pathophysiology.
• Sinusitis is linked to treatment failure during COPD exacerbations.
• Nasal interventions in COPD patients hold potential for improving health status and reducing exacerbation frequency.