Chronic rhinosinusitis is not uncommonly a difficult condition to treat and therefore any possible association of this condition with factors outside the nose and sinuses is the subject of worthwhile research. Impairment of mucociliary clearance is paramount to upper respiratory infections including sinusitis. Based on this concept, the authors have looked at the association of Helicobacter pylori infection with sinusitis. Fifty patients with H. pylori infection, proved by endoscopic gastric biopsy, were assessed for mucociliary clearance time i.e. time between a saccharine tablet placed in the nose and awareness of a sweet taste sensation. This was compared with matched controls without any nose or sinus symptoms. The mucociliary clearance time was significantly raised in the study group, suggesting a correlation between H. pylori infection and sinusitis. This has been attributed to changes in the viscoelastic structure of the deeper mucous layer in the sinonasal region disrupting ciliary function. The study provides a more direct correlation compared to similar publications in literature.
Helicobacter pylori infection delays mucociliary clearance in the nose
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