Total IgE levels do not change 1 year after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

Background: Total IgE levels positively correlate with the amount of mucosal thickening on sinus CT scans. Our objective was to investigate whether the levels of total serum IgE decreased 1 year after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, suggesting that the total IgE was influenced by the sinus disease. Methods: 55 patients about to undergo endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis were enrolled in a prospective clinical study. All patients had preoperative sinus computerized tomography ( CT) scans and levels of total serum IgE measured before surgery and 1 year postoperatively. Results: Preoperative total IgE levels showed a significant correlation with the extent of disease on sinus CT (r(s) = 0.413, p = 0.002). Total serum IgE levels did not show any statistically significant change from the preoperative values when measured 1 year postoperatively (324.25 +/- 217.30 ng/ml vs. 326.35 +/- 204.50 ng/ml; p = 0.61). Conclusions: The levels of total serum IgE do not change after sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. IgE levels in chronic rhinosinusitis may reflect a systemic factor in disease pathogenesis, and are probably not related to the amount of local inflammation within the sinuses. Copyright (C) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.