Report May Change Diagnosis, Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Focus shifted from infection to inflammation in new report and practice parameters

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a very complex disease. However, recent work by researchers and cross-disciplinary panels is starting to build understanding of the condition and to standardize management of it. One major advance has been the shift from identifying the etiology of CRS as potentially bacterial to focusing on the multifactorial reasons for the underlying inflammation.

We are beginning to understand and identify the causes of CRS and subsequently rethink how to effectively manage the disease since more research, resources, and energy have been committed to it, said Jack Anon, MD, an otolaryngologist with Ear Nose and Throat Specialists of Northwestern Pennsylvania in Erie. However, we still have many layers of the onion to peel back; that is, there is much work and research to be done before we have all of the answers.