[Mast cells in eosinophilic and neutrophilic nasal polyps. Cytological and histological examinations]

In 10 patients with nasal polyps mast cells were counted in smears and in polyp tissues. In smears from neutrophilic polyps (n = 4) no mast cells were found, in eosynophilic polyps (n = 6) mast cells were found on an average of 7.5%. Histological examinations showed that an average number of mast cells in the connective tissue was similar in both types of polyps. In the epithelial layer of neutrophilic polyps the number of mast cells was slightly greater than in eosynophilic polyps. In an atopic patient the number was 12 times greater than in the other cases. No dependence was found between the number of mast cells in smears and in the tissue.