Chronic lung inflammations associated with paranasal sinusities

Kang, S W; Chung, S K; Bahk, Y W; Park, S H

Abstract

Our clinical experiences have indicated that there would be a close relationship between chronic upperrespiratory tract infection such as chronic paranasal sinusitis and lower lung inflammatory disease. The presentstudy has been undertaken to retrospectively correlate the incidence of chronic paranasal sinusitis and pulmonaryinflammatory disease in the clinical patients. The material consisted of 507 patients seen at the Dept. ofRadiology, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College during the period of Jan. 1973 through Sept. 1977. Allpatients had at least one chest radiogram and one or more paranasal sinus-series examinations. In our series therewere 371 cases of sinusitis. Of these, 62 cases (17%) had X-ray findings suggesting chronic lung inflammation. Thebreak down of 62 cases showed 42 cases (11.3%) of chronic aspirational pneumonia and 20 patients(5.4%)bronchiectasis and/or chronic bronchitis. Chronic aspirational pneumonia prevailed in the childhood and elederlygroups whereas chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis in the middle and elderly subjects. The degree of sinusitisdid not parallel the intensity of chronic lung inflammatory change.