SINUSITIS IN STATUS-ASTHMATICUS

The relationship between sinusitis and status asthmaticus (SA) remains obscure. The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of abnormal sinus radiographs (SXRs) and investigate possible risk fac tors among unselected children admitted with SA. Eighty-eight patients over 2 years of age (range 2 to 16 years) consecutively admitted with SA were studied. The principal investigator, blinded to SXR findings, interviewed and examined the patients with respect to 10 physical par ameters and 14 historical parameters. Two staff radiologists, blinded to the clinical findings, interpreted the SXRs. Relationship of histor ical and physical findings with positive SXRs was determined by statis tical analysis. Twenty-seven percent of patients were found to have ab normal SXRs, manifesting two thirds or greater opacification of the si nuses. The mean age, sex, and race of patients with abnormal SXRs was not significantly different from those with normal films. A history of two or more admissions per year for SA, and, in children under 5 year s of age, a history of chronic otitis media, and the physical finding of otitis media were significantly more frequent among patients with a bnormal SXRs. Although not found to be statistically significant, a hi story of sinusitis and cough occurred more frequently in association w ith abnormal SXRs.