Photo Credit: crystal light
The following is a summary of “Chronic Airflow Limitation, Lower Respiratory Symptoms, COPD and Chronic Rhinosinusitis in a Middle-Aged Population: The Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS). A Link Between the Lower and Upper Airways,” published in the February 2025 issue of Pulmonology by Andersson et al.
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) was previously linked to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but comprehensive population-based data encompassing CRS, pulmonary function, lower airway symptoms, and smoking habits were lacking.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze the associations between is CRS) and chronic airflow limitation (CAL), lower airway symptoms, and COP in middle-aged ever-smokers and never-smokers.
They included all participants from the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study (SCAPIS). Spirometry was conducted after bronchodilation to assess lung function, defining CAL as a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio below 0.7. Computed tomography imaging of the thorax identified emphysema. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire covering CRS, lower airway symptoms, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and smoking habits.
The results showed that 30,154 adults aged 50 to 64 years were included, with a 5.6% prevalence of CRS. Higher CRS prevalence was observed in those with CAL (7.6%), lower airway symptoms (15.7%), current smokers (8.2%), asthma (13.6%), never-smokers and ever-smokers with COPD (17.6% and 15.3%, respectively), emphysema (6.7%), and chronic bronchitis (24.5%). The adjusted regression model indicated significant associations between CRS and CAL (odds ratio [OR] 1.40), lower airway symptoms (OR 4.59), chronic bronchitis (OR 6.48), asthma (OR 3.08), and COPD (OR 3.10).
Investigators concluded that CRS was linked to CAL, lower airway symptoms, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and COPD, emphasizing the need to address inflammation across the entire airway system.
