Nasal cytological assessment after crenotherapy in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis in the elderly

Abstract

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) determines irreversible alterations of the nasal mucosa with consequent impairment of ciliary movements and, therefore, mucociliary clearance (MCC). People of all ages can be affected by CRS but the elderly are subjects at the highest risk. CRS in the elderly with an age-related physiological impairment of nasal respiratory function, often accompanied by other chronic diseases, requires additional therapies to be added to the numerous daily medications. Since the currently available therapies for CRS include the use of drugs that can have adverse effects and contraindications, crenotherapy could represent a therapeutic option. Indeed, because the adverse effects and contraindications of crenotherapy are scarce, it can be safely used in elderly patients with comorbidities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nasal cytological assessment after crenotherapy in elderly subjects with CRS. Two groups, comprising a total of 84 elderly subjects with CRS, were treated with crenotherapy with sodium chloride sulphate hyperthermal water rich in mineral salts (group I, n=49) and saline solution (group II n=35). Cytological assessment for both groups took place at baseline (T0) and 1 month after treatment (T30). At T30 the nasal cytological assessment showed statistically significant improvements in the ciliary motility and in the count of neutrophils and spores in group I, but not in group II. Conversely, there were no significant differences in the count of eosinophils, mast cells, bacteria and biofilm in either group. Our data for the first time focused on the role of crenotherapy in the improvement of cytological assessment of CRS in the elderly.