[Chronic sinusitis among family members of patients with diffuse panbronchiolitis]

The frequency of chronic sinusitis among the family members of 26 patients with diffuse panbronchiolitis were analyzed, and were compared with the frequency in 127 control families. In the diffuse panbronchiolitis group, 50% of families suffered from chronic sinusitis, in contrast to 18.9% of families in the control group. The difference was significant. Analysis of HLA antigens in families of patients with diffuse panbronchiolitis revealed that family members with chronic sinusitis had the same HLA haplotype as these patients with diffuse panbronchiolitis in the same family. These results indicate that patients with chronic sinusitis only and those with diffuse panbronchiolitis have similar genetic background. They also suggest that the patients with chronic sinusitis may be seen as a mild or incomplete type of diffuse panbronchiolitis.