Sinonasal disease and olfactory impairment in HIV disease: Endoscopic sinus surgery and outcome measures

Objectives: To investigate the effects of ESS (ESS) on olfactory impairment , disease-specific symptoms, and general quality of well-being In HIV+ pati ents with sinonasal disease, Study Design: Study 1: Nasal cytology, rhinoma nometry, nasal examination including endoscopy, disease-specific sinonasal symptoms, olfactory threshold sensitivity, and odor identification testing were performed before and after ESS in HIV+ patients with sinonasal complai nts. Study 2: Quality of well-being was assessed before and after ESS in HI VS patients with sinonasal complaints and controls. Results: Significant ol factory sensitivity loss persisted for patients with chronic sinusitis afte r ESS, suggesting that the impairment in these patients maybe due to viral disease rather than inflammation. Significant improvement in other disease- specific symptom scores (nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, headache, sin us pain, etc.) and results of the general quality of well-being assessment showed ESS to be beneficial in the extended health management of HIV illnes s. Conclusions: The current study indicated both olfactory dysfunction and subjective negative symptoms in HIV+ patients with chronic sinusitis. Altho ugh olfactory dysfunction remained, ESS was successful in providing marked alleviation of symptomatology in HIV+ patients with chronic sinusitis. The results support ESS as an appropriate treatment option for HIV+ patients wi th chronic sinusitis.