R J Folker1, B F Marple, R L Mabry, C S Mabry. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9035, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of immunotherapy (IT) with fungal antigens on clinical outcome in patients with allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case control. METHODS: In this comparison study, 22 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) were evaluated after a mean of 33 months' therapy. All received similar treatment consisting of endoscopic sinus surgery, corticosteroids, and antibiotics as needed for complicating purulent sinusitis. Eleven patients received postoperative immunotherapy (IT) with fungal and nonfungal antigens to which sensitivity had been demonstrated, while the remaining 11 received no immunotherapy. RESULTS: The effect of IT was to significantly improve patient outcome as assessed objectively by an AFS endoscopic mucosal staging system (P < .001) and a sinusitis-specific quality-of-life scale, the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (P = .002). In addition, IT was shown to reduce reliance on systemic (P < .001) and topical nasal (P = .043) corticosteroid therapy to control disease. Follow-up was similar in the two groups and was not a determinant of differences in outcome (P = .7). CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate that specific IT with fungal antigens improves patient outcome in AFS.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of immunotherapy (IT) with fungal antigens on clinical outcome in patients with allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case control. METHODS: In this comparison study, 22 patients meeting the diagnostic criteria of allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) were evaluated after a mean of 33 months' therapy. All received similar treatment consisting of endoscopic sinus surgery, corticosteroids, and antibiotics as needed for complicating purulent sinusitis. Eleven patients received postoperative immunotherapy (IT) with fungal and nonfungal antigens to which sensitivity had been demonstrated, while the remaining 11 received no immunotherapy. RESULTS: The effect of IT was to significantly improve patient outcome as assessed objectively by an AFS endoscopic mucosal staging system (P < .001) and a sinusitis-specific quality-of-life scale, the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (P = .002). In addition, IT was shown to reduce reliance on systemic (P < .001) and topical nasal (P = .043) corticosteroid therapy to control disease. Follow-up was similar in the two groups and was not a determinant of differences in outcome (P = .7). CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study indicate that specific IT with fungal antigens improves patient outcome in AFS.
Authors: Elena Cantone; Stefania Gallo; Sara Torretta; Aikaterini Detoraki; Carlo Cavaliere; Claudio Di Nola; Luca Spirito; Tiziana Di Cesare; Stefano Settimi; Daniela Furno; Lorenzo Pignataro; Eugenio De Corso Journal: J Pers Med Date: 2022-06-09