Sinusitis

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Revision as of 23:33, 4 December 2007 by imported>Robert Badgett (→‎History and physical examination)
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Sinusitis is defined as "an inflammatory process of the mucous membranes of the paranasal sinuses that occurs in three stages: acute, subacute, and chronic. Sinusitis results from any condition causing ostial obstruction or from pathophysiologic changes in the mucociliary transport mechanism."[1]

Etiology/causes

Microbiology

Diagnosis

History and physical examination

A systematic review by the Rational Clinical Examination has reviewed the best findings.[2] More recently reported is that a "red streak in the lateral recess of the oropharynx predicts acutesinusitis." (picture)[3]

CT Scan

Interpreting abnormal CT scan results is difficult because most patients with a common cold will have abnormalities of the maxillary sinuses.[4]

Treatment

Topical antibiotics do not seem to help.[5]

Topical corticosteroids do not seem to help.[5]

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Sinusitis. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
  2. Williams JW, Simel DL (1993). "Does this patient have sinusitis? Diagnosing acute sinusitis by history and physical examination". JAMA 270 (10): 1242–6. PMID 8355389[e] OVID
  3. Thomas C, Aizin V (2006). "Brief report: a red streak in the lateral recess of the oropharynx predicts acute sinusitis". J Gen Intern Med 21 (9): 986–8. DOI:10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00498.x. PMID 16918746. Research Blogging.
  4. Gwaltney JM, Phillips CD, Miller RD, Riker DK (1994). "Computed tomographic study of the common cold". N. Engl. J. Med. 330 (1): 25–30. PMID 8259141[e]
  5. 5.0 5.1 Ian G. Williamson et al., “Antibiotics and Topical Nasal Steroid for Treatment of Acute Maxillary Sinusitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” JAMA 298, no. 21 (December 5, 2007), http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/298/21/2487 (accessed December 5, 2007).