Nasal polyps and their content of arachidonic acid metabolites

In three different groups of patients with nasal polyps without or with bronchial hyperreactivity and aspirin-sensitivity the content of several prostaglandin metabolites and LTC4 were measured in the polyp-tissue. A significant elevation of Thromboxane formation (TxB2) was found. The pathophysiological importance of this finding for the development of bronchial hyperreactivity in these patients is seen in context with the non-cholinergic stimulating system with consecutive substance P-formation and the role of the eosinophil cell in chronic inflammation.