Unified airway: association between chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma
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Keywords
Unified Airway, Sinusitis, Nasal Polyps, Asthma, Type 2 inflammation
Abstract
Under the unified airway theory, asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) have a close relationship, with significant effects of one disease on the control of the other. This bibliographic review aims to clarify how both diseases relate to each other from their origin, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment. CRS is associated with worse asthma outcomes, higher frequency of exacerbations, hospitalizations, and increased use of systemic corticosteroids. Several mechanisms play a role in lower airway dysfunction in patients with CRS, among which the common Th2-type inflammatory response plays a substantial role. There is extensive literature regarding the effect of the treatment of CRS in the control of asthma. We present the available evidence regarding the effect of medical treatment with nasal corticosteroids, montelukast, and macrolides, as well as the surgical treatment and use of biologics.
