The impact of osteitis on disease severity measures and quality of life outcomes in chronic rhinosinusitis

Osteitis is a misnomer: a histopathology study in primary chronic rhinosinusitis

BACKGROUND

The histological features of osteitis in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in animal studies induced by bacterial inoculation into maxillary sinuses revealed inflammatory involvement of the underlying bone matrix and/or the Haversian system; however, human studies do not mention these findings. The objective of this study was to investigate the inflammatory characterization of osteitis in CRS.

METHOD

A prospective study of primary CRS patients undergoing sinus surgery was conducted (August 2012 to April 2013). Bone-mucosa samples were taken from a predetermined site that correlated to a computed tomography location. Radiological bone thickness was measured. A blinded histopathological assessment included inflammatory infiltrate of bone, periosteal reaction, presence of osteoblasts or osteoclasts, fibrosis, and the percentage of new woven bone to total bone thickness, together with an overall opinion of whether neo-osteogenesis was present.

RESULTS

Twenty-two primary CRS patients (age 45.8 ± 15.6 years; 59.1% female) were recruited. CRS with polyps accounted for 59.1% of patients. The bony thickness measured radiologically was a median 1.72 (interquartile range [IQR], 2.38; range, 0.3-12.14) mm. No samples (0%) had evidence of inflammatory infiltrate of bone; 90.9% had both osteoblasts present and new woven bone formation. Woven bone was greater with periosteal reaction (80.83% ± 9.25% vs. 47.50% ± 29.37%; p = 0.006), greater with osteoclasts present (80.00% ± 12.58% vs 59.00% ± 28.52%; p = 0.03), and greater when fibrosis was present (69.75% ± 24.14% vs 25.00% ± 7.07%; p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Most primary CRS patients demonstrated evidence of new woven bone formation. True "osteitis" with inflammatory infiltrate of the bone was not observed. "Osteitis" is likely a process of neo-osteogenesis and bone remodeling, rather than bone inflammation in primary CRS.

Three-dimensional volumetric computed tomographic scoring as an objective outcome measure for chronic rhinosinusitis: clinical correlations and comparison to Lund-Mackay scoring

BACKGROUND

We aimed to test the hypothesis that three-dimensional (3D) volume-based scoring of computed tomography (CT) images of the paranasal sinuses was superior to Lund-Mackay CT scoring of disease severity in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We determined correlation between changes in CT scores (using each scoring system) with changes in other measures of disease severity (symptoms, endoscopic scoring, and quality of life) in patients with CRS treated with triamcinolone.

METHODS

The study group comprised 48 adult subjects with CRS. Baseline symptoms and quality of life were assessed. Endoscopy and CT scans were performed. Patients received a single systemic dose of intramuscular triamcinolone and were reevaluated 1 month later. Strengths of the correlations between changes in CT scores and changes in CRS signs and symptoms and quality of life were determined.

RESULTS

We observed some variability in degree of improvement for the different symptom, endoscopic, and quality-of-life parameters after treatment. Improvement of parameters was significantly correlated with improvement in CT disease score using both CT scoring methods. However, volumetric CT scoring had greater correlation with these parameters than Lund-Mackay scoring.

CONCLUSION

Volumetric scoring exhibited higher degree of correlation than Lund-Mackay scoring when comparing improvement in CT score with improvement in score for symptoms, endoscopic exam, and quality of life in this group of patients who received beneficial medical treatment for CRS.

Correlation between bacterial biofilms and osteitis in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Bacterial biofilms (BBF) and osteitis are potential contributors to the local inflammatory load in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This study investigated the relationship between BBF and osteitis status in CRS patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

Eighty-four CRS patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery and 22 control patients were enrolled in this study. Mucosal and bony samples from ethmoid sinus were obtained for confocal scanning laser microscopy and microscopic examination. Biofilm volume (BV), biofilm score (BS), histopathologic bony grade, Global Osteitis Scoring Scale (GOSS) score, and Hounsfield unit (HU) value on computed tomography were recorded. Associations between these parameters describing BBF and osteitis were assessed.

RESULTS

The histopathologic bony grade 2 (0-3) versus 0 (0-3) (P < 0.001), GOSS score 4.5 (0-31) versus 0 (0-26) (P = 0.014) and HU value 431.5 (310-509) versus 354 (288-499) (P < 0.001) in patients with BBF were greater than those without BBF. The bony grade (r = 0.683, P < 0.001 and r = 0.664, P < 0.001), GOSS score (r = 0.314, P = 0.004 and r = 0.312, P = 0.004), and HU value (r = 0.539, P < 0.001 and r = 0.520, P < 0.001) were significantly increased with higher BV and BS.

CONCLUSION

A total of 84.8% of the bone underlying mucosa with BBF had some form of osteitis in ethmoid sinus, and approximately 46.4% of CRS patients were from a subgroup with both BBF and osteitis. The volume of BBF correlated well with severity of osteitis in CRS patients.

The impact of neo-osteogenesis on disease control in chronic rhinosinusitis after primary surgery

BACKGROUND

Osteitic bone is a feature of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), potentially playing a role in pathogenesis. Although seen after previous endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), it is also a de novo feature in patients without prior interventions. In these patients, osteitis is associated with high tissue and serum eosinophilia. However, the impact of osteitis on prognosis is unclear. This study investigates the clinical and endoscopic outcomes between patients with and without osteitis after primary ESS.

METHODS

A prospective study of a cohort of previously unoperated patients with CRS undergoing ESS was performed. The sinuses were scored radiologically for osteitis using the Global Osteitis Score (GOS) and Kennedy Osteitis Score (KOS) preoperatively and were also scored dichotomously for the presence or absence of osteitis. Disease-specific quality of life (22-item Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test [SNOT-22]), nasal symptom score (NSS), endoscopic score (Lund-Kennedy), and clinical outcomes-including oral steroid use, frequency of nasal steroid irrigation, and infective exacerbations-were collected at baseline and 1 year postsurgery. The presence and extent of osteitis was assessed relative to clinical outcome.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients were included (41.5% female, age 47.4 ± 13.8 years), 42.9% of which had radiologic osteitis. There was no significant association between the presence or severity of osteitis at the time of surgery and SNOT-22, NSS, or endoscopy scores at 12 months postsurgery. However, the presence of osteitis was associated with the need for a course of oral steroid postsurgery (odds ratio [OR]=4.17; p = 0.026). High tissue eosinophilia could not predict this alone (p = 0.55). There was no significant relationship between osteitis and the frequency of steroid irrigations or infective exacerbations.

CONCLUSION

Osteitis in CRS is associated with the degree of eosinophilia and as a independent process it was associated with the need for a course of systemic corticosteroid over a 12-month period, but did it not affect overall disease control.

Osteitis and paranasal sinus inflammation: what we know and what we do not

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is increased recognition of the high prevalence of osteitic changes affecting the bony framework of the sinuses in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with or without nasal polyps. However, their grading, clinical significance, and management remain controversial.

RECENT FINDINGS

A number of studies have confirmed that there is a clear correlation between radiological severity and extent of CRS, as measured with Lund-Mackay grading system, and osteitis. However, there is little or no correlation between clinical severity and osteitis, with no evidence of worse quality of life or more nasal symptoms or headache in such patients. The number of previous surgeries appears to be closely correlated with the extent of sinusitis, although it is not clear whether that is a direct or a secondary association. Global Osteitis Grading Scale is a novel validated composite grading system - measuring the extent and severity of osteitis.

SUMMARY

Osteitis is more often present in patients with extended radiological disease and in patients undergoing revision surgery. More studies are necessary regarding its management, clinical implications, and natural course.

Steroid-independent upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in chronic rhinosinusitis patients with radiographic evidence of osteitis

BACKGROUND

Chronic sinonasal inflammation is associated with tissue remodeling, such as osteitis, which may be a marker of refractory disease; however, the pathophysiology of osteitis in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is insufficiently understood.

METHODS

Ethmoid mucosa and bone samples were obtained from 35 medically refractory CRS patients and 9 control subjects. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed separately on bone and mucosa for matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP2, MMP9) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1). Osteitis was classified as mild, moderate, or severe by measuring bone thickness of the maxillary, sphenoid, and ethmoid sinuses on multiplanar computed tomography (CT). Patients were classified based on severity of osteitis and compared to controls.

RESULTS

Nine patients demonstrated radiographic evidence of osteitis (mild = 3, moderate/severe = 6). Bone PCR revealed biologically significant upregulation of MMP9 in all patients with CRS, but the magnitude of the upregulation decreased with severity of osteitis. Mucosa PCR showed upregulation of MMP9 in moderate/severe osteitis only. No significant changes were seen in MMP2 or TIMP1 regulation.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to evaluate the role of MMP in the bone and mucosa of patients with sinonasal osteitis. The pattern of expression suggests there may be a time- and tissue-dependent role for MMP9 in the pathophysiology of osteitis. In addition, MMP9 overexpression is seen despite preoperative oral and intranasal steroid use, suggesting that if MMP9 is an important factor in the development of osteitis then steroids may not be the best treatment in prevention of osteitis.

Osteitis in chronic rhinosinusitis: a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

The role of osteitis, or inflammation involving bone, is 1 potential reason for disease recalcitrance in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and is not extensively studied. This review article will discuss osteitis in CRS, including pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, clinical significance, and treatment modalities.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed using PubMed search terms osteitis, osteomyelitis, bone involvement, hyperostosis, neo-osteogenesis, osteoneogenesis, remodeling, single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT), and nuclear scintigraphy, with each term cross-referenced with chronic rhinosinusitis. This search was then narrowed to English language articles, which were reviewed for relevance. Cited references of relevant articles were also examined.

RESULTS

The PubMed search identified 231 articles, which after reviewing for inclusion criteria resulted in 26 articles that were included in the current review. Pathophysiology, including current understanding of molecular mechanisms contributing to osteitis, is discussed. Histology, computed tomography (CT), and SPECT have been used to establish a diagnosis. Radiographic staging systems exist but are not standardized. Osteitis has been treated both with intravenous antibiotics and surgery. Five articles involved assessment of outcomes in patients with osteitis.

CONCLUSION

Osteitis involves inflammatory changes in the underlying bone that may lead to recalcitrant CRS. Osteitis is associated with worsened measures of disease severity such as CT, endoscopy, and olfactory scores, and affects the degree of improvement in quality-of-life measures after both medical and surgical treatment. Future studies directed at characterizing the underlying molecular mechanisms including earlier and precise identification may improve our ability to treat this significant aspect of CRS.