Corticosteroid use does not alter nasal mucus glucose in chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate nasal mucus glucose concentrations in patients with and without chronic rhinosinusitis and determine if corticosteroid therapy alters mucus glucose. STUDY DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING Single tertiary care center. SUBJECTS Ninety-five patients presenting to an otolaryngology clinic. METHODS Participants completed questionnaires that included a history of medical and surgical therapies as well as sinusitis-specific quality-of-life measurements. Nasal mucus was collected in an outpatient clinic using an open cell foam technique. The nasal mucus glucose concentrations of patients with and without chronic rhinosinusitis were compared to the use of systemic and topical glucocorticoid treatment. RESULTS A statistically significant difference was measured between mean nasal glucose secretions of control patients, 10.2 mg/dL, compared with patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis, 18.4 mg/dL (P < .0001). Use of corticosteroids, both topical and systemic, did not correlate with nasal glucose concentrations. CONCLUSION Patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis have elevated nasal glucose concentrations compared with control patients, and this elevated nasal glucose level was independent of corticosteroid use. Nasal glucose may independently contribute to the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis.