Aspirin challenge in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps correlates with local and systemic inflammatory markers

Background: Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; aspirin) is a well-known inducer of pseudoallergic response in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (CRSwPs). The mechanism that leads to this response remains unclear. This study was designed to measure and compare the local and systemic inflammatory response to aspirin challenge in patients with CRSwPs who develop either a nasobronchial response (NBR) or a nasal response (NR), and compare it with nonresponders (non-Rs). Methods: The three groups underwent nasal wash before ASA challenge, and inflammatory mediators were measured in the nasal wash as well as in serum. Results: A total of 25 CRSwP patients were enrolled. The NBR patients (n = 13) had a significantly longer mean disease duration and a higher mean serum leukotriene E₄ (LTE₄) level than the NR (n = 6) and non-R (n = 6) patients (39.2 ± 9.7 months, 21 ± 8.8 months, and 22.8 ± 11.2 months, respectively, and 4221 ± 1205 pg/mL, 1430 ± 605 pg/mL, and 857 ± 461 pg/mL, respectively). The NBR and NR patients had a larger mean number of nasal eosinophils than the non-R group (52.8 ± 28.8 cells/μL, 47 ± 21.3 cells/μL, and 19.3 ±13.4 cells/μL, respectively). The tryptase, albumin, nasal LTE₄, and prostaglandin E₂ levels were not significantly different between the three groups in any examined combination. Conclusion: The nasal eosinophil and serum LTE₄ levels correlate with aspirin sensitivity.