CHURG-STRAUSS-SYNDROME - A DIFFERENTIAL-D IAGNOSIS IN THE PRESENCE OFCHRONIC POLYPOUS SINUSITIS - BACKGROUND

The Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare multiple organ disease, tha t belongs to the group of systemic granulomatous vasculitis. The initi al symptoms are often bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis; later in the course of the disease, the patients exhibit lung, heart and kidne y manifestations. Patients: We report on a thirty-one year old female patient who initially presented with asthma and polypous sinusitis. Th ree years later, after undergoing endonasal sinus surgery three times, she was diagnosed with CSS. Within a review of the literature, we dis cuss symptomatology, differential diagnosis, and therapy of the CSS. R esults: Worldwide about 200 cases are published. The patient presented in this case report is now in a good health condition after a four-ye ar therapy with steroids. The patient is free of sinusitis symptoms wi thout the need of renewed surgical intervention. Conclusions: CSS shou ld be considered in the differential diagnosis if bronchial asthma and resistant polypous sinusitis occur coincidentally. Often it is very d ifficult to diagnose CSS. Frequently it is only diagnosed after severa l years. Therapy of choice is the treatment with steroids, sometimes s upplemented by cytotoxical drugs.