Measurement of Nasal Nitric Oxide in Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Its Relationship to Patient-Reported Outcome: A Longitudinal Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether nasal nitric oxide (nNO) levels differ between healthy and sick sinuses in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). A secondary aim was to assess whether nNO levels change after treatment of CRS and whether there is an association with radiological findings or symptoms. Method: Three groups of 12 participants each were examined: patients with CRS without polyposis (CRS group), patients with symptoms of CRS but radiologically normal sinuses (symptoms-only), and healthy controls. Measurements of nNO were carried out using aspiration method and humming maneuver. All participants completed the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22). A second nNO measurement was done after treatment in the CRS group (n = 9) and the healthy control group (n = 12). Results: Nasal NO did not differ between any of the groups with any of the measurement techniques. There was a trend toward lower nNO values in the CRS group compared with the symptoms-only group and healthy controls, but it did not reach statistical significance. The SNOT-22 demonstrated inferior values for the CRS and symptoms-only groups compared with the healthy controls. At follow-up, no statistically significant change was found for the nNO measurements in either group. Conclusion: Irrespective of occluded or open ostiomeatal complexes, no statistically significant differences in nNO were found in CRS compared with healthy controls using aspiration and humming methods. Treatment of CRS improved sinus patency without accompanying a significant change in nNO. This study can therefore not conclude that nNO can be used as a diagnostic tool for CRS without polyposis.