Prospective Study Investigating the Role of Occupational Exposure on Sinus Surgery Outcome

The pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is complex and involves several immune, infectious and anatomic factors. When medical therapy fails, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is the therapy of choice. From literature it is known that 10% of patients that undergo FESS, need revision surgery within the 3 years following initial surgery. Causes of failure are multiple and not fully understood.

As is the case in patients suffering from occupational rhinitis (OR), a subgroup of patients with severe and/or therapy resistent rhinosinusitis may suffer from mucosal pathology induced by occupational factors as well. No data are currently available on how these factors may contribute to the disease manifestation, whereas negligence of these factors as potential causes of disease may lead to the chronicity of rhinosinusitis, aggravate the mucosal condition and even give rise to the induction of bronchial symptoms. There exists no documentation on the role of the occupational agents on chronic sinus disease.

This prospective study aims at providing data about the exposure levels of patients that undergo sinus surgery and correlate them with both subjective and objective postoperative parameters. This will be done by providing a questionnaire that was developed at our department to all patients that are planned for sinus surgery at the participating centers. This questionnaire asks for medical history, current sinonasal symptoms, professional history and recreational occupation. An extensive list of occupational agents is given and patients are asked to indicate those that they encounter at work or during recreational activities. This will be followed by an extensive clinical investigation including nasal endoscopy. These investigations (questionnaire and clinical examination) will be repeated at 3 months and 12 months after surgery.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Rhinosinusitis

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 200

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

chronic rhinosinutis patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients scheduled for sinus surgery because of recurrent acute sinusitis or chronic sinusitis with or without nasal polyps.
2. Age > 18 and < 65 years
3. Signed informed consent
4. Willingness and capability to fill in questionnaire.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patient with diagnosed cystic fibrosis or primary ciliary dysfunction syndrome
2. Patients that undergo FESS for antrochoanal polyp
3. Patient that undergo FESS for a malignant process
4. Patient that are diagnosed with sarcoidosis or any type of vasculitis

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Controls
FESS patients

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven
• Collaborators: University Hospital, Ghent; Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA); AZ Sint-Lucas Gent; Hopital Sint-Luc Bruxelles

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): March 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Anticipated): September 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 6, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): May 9, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 9, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 6, 2011
• Last Verified: May 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Chronic rhinosinusitis
• Other Study ID Numbers: S53127