Chronic Rhinosinusitis Inflammatory Cytokine Patterns across One Year
Tary Yin, The University of Auckland & Waikato Hospital, New Zealand
Authors List
Introduction
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients may be subtyped based on their inflammatory cytokine profile. These endotypes are a key component of current treatment guidelines1. We hypothesise that CRS cytokine levels fluctuate over time.
Aims
To investigate inflammatory responses elicited in CRS over time and their interactions with surgery and symptom scores.
Methods
CRS patients were recruited from Auckland District Health Board. Middle meatal swabs were collected over one year and stored at -80 °C. Samples were assessed for the following cytokines using flow cytometry: IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, TNF and IFN-γ. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests and linear mixed-models. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Twenty-two participants with a total of 178 samples collected over one year were included in our analysis. IL-6 and IL-8 were detected at high quantities, IL-13 at low quantities, and the remaining cytokines were occasionally detected or not detected. IL-6 and IL-8 levels rose significantly during the three months (recovery period) after surgery (p < 0.0001) but returned to baseline levels beyond three months after surgery. In some participants, IL-6 and IL-8 levels also fluctuated at other time points. Overall levels did not significantly correlate with Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores before or after surgery.
Conclusions
Middle meatal swabs taken during the surgical recovery period had significantly higher IL-6 and IL-8 cytokine levels than samples taken at other time points. In some participants, these levels also fluctuated before surgery and after recovery. Therefore, determining cytokine profiles from samples collected at a single time point may not accurately represent patients’ inflammatory profiles.
References
1. Fokkens WJ, Lund VJ, Hopkins C, Hellings PW, Kern R, Reitsma S, Toppila-Salmi S, Bernal-Sprekelsen M, Mullol J. Executive summary of EPOS 2020 including integrated care pathways. Rhinology. 2020 Apr 1;58(2):82-111.
- Yin, T., The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Radcliff, F., The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Wagner, B., The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Biswas, K., The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Douglas, R. G., The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Introduction
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients may be subtyped based on their inflammatory cytokine profile. These endotypes are a key component of current treatment guidelines1. We hypothesise that CRS cytokine levels fluctuate over time.
Aims
To investigate inflammatory responses elicited in CRS over time and their interactions with surgery and symptom scores.
Methods
CRS patients were recruited from Auckland District Health Board. Middle meatal swabs were collected over one year and stored at -80 °C. Samples were assessed for the following cytokines using flow cytometry: IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, TNF and IFN-γ. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis tests and linear mixed-models. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results
Twenty-two participants with a total of 178 samples collected over one year were included in our analysis. IL-6 and IL-8 were detected at high quantities, IL-13 at low quantities, and the remaining cytokines were occasionally detected or not detected. IL-6 and IL-8 levels rose significantly during the three months (recovery period) after surgery (p < 0.0001) but returned to baseline levels beyond three months after surgery. In some participants, IL-6 and IL-8 levels also fluctuated at other time points. Overall levels did not significantly correlate with Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores before or after surgery.
Conclusions
Middle meatal swabs taken during the surgical recovery period had significantly higher IL-6 and IL-8 cytokine levels than samples taken at other time points. In some participants, these levels also fluctuated before surgery and after recovery. Therefore, determining cytokine profiles from samples collected at a single time point may not accurately represent patients’ inflammatory profiles.
References
1. Fokkens WJ, Lund VJ, Hopkins C, Hellings PW, Kern R, Reitsma S, Toppila-Salmi S, Bernal-Sprekelsen M, Mullol J. Executive summary of EPOS 2020 including integrated care pathways. Rhinology. 2020 Apr 1;58(2):82-111.
