Chronic maxillary sinusitis. Energy metabolism in sinus mucosa and secretion.

The energy metabolism in maxillary sinus mucosa and secretion from 41 patients with, in most cases, recurrent or chronic sinusitis was studied and compared with that in mucosal samples from patients with no previous history of sinus abnormality or infection. In freeze-dried samples, glucose and lactate were measured by enzymatic assays and adenine nucleotides by HPLC. In chronic sinusitis the lactate concentration in the mucosa was increased, probably as a result of increased glycolysis or of impaired diffusion within the mucosa. The lactate concentrations in purulent and non-purulent secretions were 16.3 and 1.1 mmol x kg-1 w.w., respectively. The higher concentration in the purulent secretion was due mainly to leucocyte metabolism. The adenine nucleotide contents in the mucosa were similar in all groups studied. Anaerobic bacteria were isolated only in secretions with a high lactate concentration.