Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps appears to be A “Self-Limiting Disease” Lasting Approximately Eleven Years

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a chronic disease with a prevalence of 4-5% that results in high costs for society as a whole, mainly because of the need for repeated surgical interventions [1,2]. The prevalence of CRSwNP seems to increase with age, with the highest prevalence rate being seen in about the sixth decade of life [3,4]. We were not able to find any data about the natural course of the disease. We therefore used Sinus Surgery (FESS) as an objective sign of active disease and measured the time between the first and the last surgical interventions in a follow-up of 10 years. In this study we sent a questionnaire to all adult patients who received FESS for CRSwNP in the AMC in Amsterdam between 2000 and 2005. We recorded their medical histories, including their complete sinonasal history with number of FESS procedures performed. Questionnaires were returned by 151 out of 225 patients (103 men, 48 women; response rate 67%). The mean total number of sinus surgery procedures during the patients' lifetimes was 3.4 (SD±3.0). At the time of the questionnaire the mean time after the last surgery was 9.9 years (SD±3.4).