Clinical course of patients with primary nasal polyps

A follow-up study on 180 patients treated for the first time for nasal polyps was performed. The follow-up period was from 1 to 8 years with a median of 57 months. The majority of patients had postoperative topical steroid treatment. 65.6% of patients had one polypectomy, 17.8% had two polypectomies, 10% had 3, 2.8% had 4, and 3.9% of patients had 5-10 polypectomies performed during the follow-up period. Patients without asthma, acute recurrent or chronic sinusitis, acetylsalicylic acid intolerance, or allergy had fewer polypectomies and less topical steroid treatment than patients with these characteristics. The recurrence profile between the first and second polypectomy described with the life-table method showed a slow decline in the number of patients with only one polypectomy. The time span needed before significant clinical symptoms occurred after the first polypectomy indicates that not all primary polyp patients are prone to recurrence. Nasal polyps is probably a manifestation of different clinical and aetio-pathogenetic entities. Further identification of such entities is needed to improve treatment strategy.