Endoscopically-derived bacterial cultures in chronic rhinosinusitis: A systematic review

Culture-directed antibiotic therapy represents an important component in the management paradigm of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature to assess culture yield of the most common aerobic and anaerobic pathogens.

A total of 43 studies between 1975 and 2010 were included.

The composite data comprised 3528 patients with 6005 total culture specimens. The cultures were obtained in operating room in 33 (76.7%) and clinic in 10 (23.3%) of the studies, respectively. The most common site of culture was the maxillary sinus in 18 (41.9%) of the studies. The most common assay techniques reported were swab in 19 (44.2%) and aspirate in 12 (27.9%) studies. The most common gram positive aerobes reported were coagulase negative Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus in 630 (34.7%) and 481 (26.5%) of the cultures, respectively. The most common gram negative aerobes included Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 245 (27.0%) and 198 (21.6%) cultures, respectively. The most common anaerobes reported were Peptostreptococcus species in 156 (19.6%) and Bacteroides species in 153 (19.2%) cultures.

This study provides a composite snapshot of the literature accrued on the microbiology of CRS. It should serve to apprise clinicians on the most common aerobic and anaerobic organisms in CRS patients when employing culture-directed antimicrobial therapy.