Use of immunotherapy in previously treated patients with allergic fungal sinusitis

OBJECTIVE: Sixty patients with a diagnosis of allergic fungal sinusitis wer e studied. The objective was to show whether, after initial surgical remova l of allergic mucin and polyps, immunotherapy decreases re-operation rates and office visits that require medical intervention. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Sixty patients with adequate follow-up for at lea st I year were evaluated: 24 patients who did not receive immunotherapy and 36 patients whose treatment included postoperative immunotherapy. RESULTS., The re-operation rates were 33.0% in those not receiving immunoth erapy versus 11. 1% in the treated group. Furthermore, the total number of postoperative office visits that required medical therapy decreased from 4. 79 per patient to 3.17 with the addition of immunotherapy. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE. These results indicate that immunotherapy is a ben eficial part of the overall treatment regimen for allergic fungal sinusitis .