Nasal polyps in asthma and rhinitis. A review of 6,037 patients.

Data from records of patients with asthma and rhinitis in the Rhode Island Hospital Adult Allergy Clinic and in an adult allergy private were reviewed. The frequency of nasal polyps in the total population of 4,986 was 4.2%; in the asthmatic portion of the population the frequency was 6.7%, and in the rhinitis alone group the frequency was 2.2%. Asthmatics with negative allergy skin tests to inhalant allergers had significantly more nasal polyps than asthmatics with positive skin tests, 12.5% vs 5.0%, p less than 0.01. The frequency of nasal polyps increased with advancing years. Of the total 211 cases of nasal polyps, 71% had asthma and 29% had rhinitis alone. Also, 14% of the patients with nasal polyps had aspirin intolerance, primarily of the bronchospastic type. In addition, 1,051 patients with asthma and rhinitis from the Pediatric Allergy Clinic with a mean age of 6 yr were similarly evaluated. Only 1 (0.1%) of these pediatric patients had nasal polyps.