SINUS ASPIRATES AND RADIOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITIES IN SEVERE ATTACKS OF ASTHMA

We evaluated the occurrence of abnormalities in paranasal sinus radiog raphs in acute asthma by taking a radiograph of the sinuses of 110 con secutive patients admitted to a medical ward a total of 149 times for asthma. Maxillary sinus infection was assessed by taking aspirate from radiologically abnormal maxillary sinuses. An abnormal finding in any paranasal sinus was detected on 87% (130 of 149) of admissions and th e yield of maxillary aspirate was macroscopically mucous, purulent or mucopurulent in 60% (42 of 70) of aspirates. A positive bacteriologica l culture was obtained from 23 aspirates and a virus was detected in 1 5, there being 7 aspirates in which both a bacterium and a virus could be detected. Although the correlation between radiographic findings a nd the aspirates was not very close we conclude that radiographic abno rmalities of the paranasal sinuses are common in acute asthma as are i nfections of maxillary sinuses with an abnormal radiographic finding. There is an obvious need to look for sinusitis when a patient with an exacerbation of asthma is being evaluated.