Methotrexate Induces Apoptosis in Organ-Cultured Nasal Polyps Via the Fas Pathway

Methotrexate for recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: A randomized, controlled, phase 2 clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

This randomized, controlled, open-label, phase 2 clinical trial aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose methotrexate as maintenance therapy for recurrent postoperative chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs).

METHODS

Forty-one patients with CRSwNPs who experienced postoperative polyp recurrence(s) were randomly divided into three groups to receive one of the following treatments for 8 weeks: daily intranasal mometasone furoate monohydrate 200 mcg (control [intranasal corticosteroids (INCS)] arm, n = 13]); daily per oral methylprednisolone 8 mg (oral corticosteroids [OCS] arm, n = 14); and once weekly per oral 10 mg methotrexate (MTX arm, n = 14). All patients were assessed at three clinical visits according to the Lund-Kennedy endoscopic grading system (LKES), visual analog scale (VAS), Turkish version of the Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF), butanol olfactory threshold test (BuOT), serum total IgE level, presence of peripheral eosinophilia, serum biochemical assays, and adverse events.

RESULTS

All efficacy outcome measures significantly improved in all three groups, except for the nonrecovery of peripheral eosinophilia in the INCS group. There was no significant difference among the groups in terms of LKES scores. Scores for the Turkish version of the SNOT-22, PNIF, BuOT, and serum IgE levels were also similar among the groups. However, total VAS scores recovered significantly better in the INCS group than in the MTX group. Serum biochemical assays remained normal in all groups. Adverse events were minor and observed only in the OCS group.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose MTX was a safe and effective maintenance therapy for patients with recurrent postoperative CRSwNPs.

Adults with inflammatory bowel disease are at a greater risk of developing chronic rhinosinusitis: A nationwide population-based study

BACKGROUND

Both inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are characterised by dysregulated immune responses. Though previous studies have demonstrated the coexistence of IBD and CRS, investigations of their association using large sets of epidemiologic data are lacking.

METHODS

We examined IBD and the subsequent risk of CRS in a nationwide setting. For 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2010, we identified in the National Health Insurance Dataset of Taiwan a total of 8313 patients over the age of 20 years with IBD. We randomly extracted 33 252 cases without IBD to create a comparison group matching patients by age, sex and index year. Cumulative incidences were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method, and we calculated risk estimates for the development of CRS using the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

In 295 007 person-years, we identified 521 (1.25%) cases of IBD. The IBD cohort had a 1.26-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.35) greater risk of developing CRS than the comparison group; for ulcerative colitis, it was 1.73-fold (95% CI, 1.48-2.05) and for Crohn's disease it was 1.20-fold (95% CI = 1.11-1.29). Subsequent analysis stratified by age revealed that the risk was highest among the population with IBD aged 50 to 64 years (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.37; 95% CI, 1.18-1.59). A follow-up-specific analysis demonstrated that the risk appeared to be highest with a follow-up duration of less than 2 years.

CONCLUSION

The present analysis indicates that personal history of IBD, especially the phenotype ulcerative colitis, is associated with increased risk of subsequent CRS.