OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To investigate the effect of oral plus intranasal corticosteroid (CS) treatment on nasal polyp (NP) mucosa remodeling from patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). STUDY DESIGN: Case series, retrospective study. METHODS: Patients (n = 18) with severe CRSwNP were treated with oral prednisone for 2 weeks and intranasal budesonide for 12 weeks. NP biopsies were obtained from patients biopsies before (w0) and after 2 weeks (w2) and 12 weeks (w12) of CS treatment. Matrix metalloprotease 1 (MMP-1), MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease type 1 (TIMP-1) expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in cell and tissue structures. Epithelial damage, eosinophil infiltration, and collagen content were also examined in NP tissues before and after CS treatment. RESULTS: Compared to w0: 1) oral plus intranasal CS significantly (P < .01) increased presence of submucosal glands at w2, decreased epithelial cell hyperplasia at w12, and decreased tissue eosinophilia at w2 and w12; 2) CS treatment significantly (P < .05) increased immunoreactivity for MMP-1 and MMP-2 in the epithelium at w2, but decreased immunoreactivity for MMP-9 in the epithelium at w2 and w12; 3) at w12, CS significantly (P < .05) reduced MMP-9 immunoreactive positivity and intensity in the extracellular matrix, while increasing total collagen amount in the extracellular matrix; and 4) CS treatment significantly (P < .01) reduced the number of eosinophils and their MMP and TIMP-1 immunoreactive expression. CONCLUSIONS: CS treatment modulates NP mucosa remodeling, particularly by promoting epithelial repair, regulating tissue remodeling markers, increasing total collagen content, and reducing tissue eosinophil infiltration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To investigate the effect of oral plus intranasal corticosteroid (CS) treatment on nasal polyp (NP) mucosa remodeling from patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). STUDY DESIGN: Case series, retrospective study. METHODS:Patients (n = 18) with severe CRSwNP were treated with oral prednisone for 2 weeks and intranasal budesonide for 12 weeks. NP biopsies were obtained from patients biopsies before (w0) and after 2 weeks (w2) and 12 weeks (w12) of CS treatment. Matrix metalloprotease 1 (MMP-1), MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease type 1 (TIMP-1) expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in cell and tissue structures. Epithelial damage, eosinophil infiltration, and collagen content were also examined in NP tissues before and after CS treatment. RESULTS: Compared to w0: 1) oral plus intranasal CS significantly (P < .01) increased presence of submucosal glands at w2, decreased epithelial cell hyperplasia at w12, and decreased tissue eosinophilia at w2 and w12; 2) CS treatment significantly (P < .05) increased immunoreactivity for MMP-1 and MMP-2 in the epithelium at w2, but decreased immunoreactivity for MMP-9 in the epithelium at w2 and w12; 3) at w12, CS significantly (P < .05) reduced MMP-9 immunoreactive positivity and intensity in the extracellular matrix, while increasing total collagen amount in the extracellular matrix; and 4) CS treatment significantly (P < .01) reduced the number of eosinophils and their MMP and TIMP-1 immunoreactive expression. CONCLUSIONS: CS treatment modulates NP mucosa remodeling, particularly by promoting epithelial repair, regulating tissue remodeling markers, increasing total collagen content, and reducing tissue eosinophil infiltration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4