Background: Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is characterized by excessive leukotriene production, diffuse polyp burden and osteitic bone changes. These bony changes have not been previously characterized.
Objective: The aim of this radiographic study is to characterize the bony changes noted on computed tomography (CT) scans of the sphenoid sinus in patients with AERD compared to other diseased sinonasal inflammatory states and non-diseased controls.
Methods: A retrospective review of 43 patients with clinically confirmed AERD were included and compared to 22 non-diseased, 9 allergic fungal sinusitis, and 43 chronic rhinosinusitis controls (23 without polyps and 18 with polyps). Comparative measurements were performed using fine-cut CT scans. Sites of comparison were the intersinus septum, the left and right lateral sphenoid wall, the roof, and left and right floor of the sphenoid sinus. Standardized measurements were averaged by two separate rhinologists.
Results: Patients with AERD had an average statistically significant increase in bone thickness compared to healthy and diseased controls in nearly every site with the most pronounced changes in the intersinus septum (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Patients with AERD have significantly increased thickness of the sphenoid bone compared to control groups with the most pronounced difference in the intersinus septum. These findings may help clinicians increase suspicion for a diagnosis of AERD who clinically have diffuse nasal polyposis.
Keywords: AERD; AFS; CRS; aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease; asthma; bone remodeling; osteogenesis; sinusitis; skull base; sphenoid sinus.