Differences in initial immunoprofiles between recurrent and nonrecurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs) often fails because of recurrence of disease. So far, we do not know if specific cytokine profiles are linked to recurrence after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) or can predict recurrence. In this study we investigate the cytokine profile in CRSwNPs that underwent FESS for the first time and recurrent CRSwNPs.

Tissue samples (n = 21) of CRSwNP patients with no recurrence after the first surgery were randomly selected out of 131 primary FESS surgeries and compared with tissue samples (n = 15) from patients who had a first and second surgery because of recurrence. Interleukin (IL)-1beta, IgE, specific IgE, IL-5, interferon (IFN) gamma, IL-6, IL-17, transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1, and myeloperoxidase were measured on tissue homogenates.

Levels of IgE, specific IgE to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin, eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), and IL-5 were significantly increased in recurrent versus nonrecurrent CRSwNPs at the moment of the first surgery, whereas IL-17, IL-6, TGF-beta1,and IL-1beta did not show any significant difference. IFN-gamma protein levels were significantly higher in nonrecurrent CRSwNPs. The odds ratio for recurrence of CRSwNPs was reduced to 0.029, if IFN-gamma was present in tissue homogenates. Asthma and aspirin intolerance were significantly more frequent in the recurrent CRSwNPs compared with nonrecurrent CRSwNPs.

Nonrecurrent and recurrent CRSwNPs needing revision surgery have different types of inflammatory patterns. Nonrecurrent CRSwNPs exhibits a mixed pattern of T helper (Th) cytokines with significant higher levels of IFN-gamma and lower concentrations of IgE, ECP, and IL-5 as compared with recurrent CRSwNPs that had a predominant Th2 type of inflammation.