2016 Section 5 Green Book

Post-FESS long-term macrolide therapy for NP

TABLE 3. VAS evolution (points)

Group 1 (antibiotics 24 weeks) 8.1 ± 0.7 1.4 ± 0.5 1.4 ± 0.5 1.6 ± 0.5

Group 2 (antibiotics 12 weeks) 8.7 ± 0.9 2.0 ± 0.9 2.1 ± 0.9 2.2 ± 0.5 Group 2 (antibiotics 12 weeks) 0.9 ± 0.8 6.4 ± 2.1 9.1 ± 2.4 8.6 ± 2.7 Group 2 (antibiotics 12 weeks) 20.4 ± 6.4 14.6 ± 4.9 18.6 ± 3.7 17.4 ± 3.0

Group 3 (control no antibiotic) 7.7 ± 0.9 1.8 ± 0.5 2.2 ± 0.6 3.0 ± 1.1

Visits

Baseline

6 weeks

12 weeks

24 weeks

VAS = visual analogue scale.

TABLE 4. Sniffin’ Sticks test (points)

Group 1 (antibiotics 24 weeks) 2.4 ± 0.9 9.5 ± 1.3 * 9.0 ± 1.7 8.8 ± 1.6

Group 3 (control no antibiotic) 2.2 ± 1.3 4.4 ± 0.5 5.6 ± 2.2

Visits

Baseline

FIGURE 2. Evaluation of SNOT-20 values, mean questionnaire scores (* p < 0.05). SNOT-2 = 20-item SinoNasal Outcomes Test. TABLE 2. SNOT-20 evaluation (points)

6 weeks

12 weeks

24 weeks 6.7 ± 2.1 *Significant differences between study and control groups ( p < 0.05).

Group 1 (antibiotics 24 weeks)

Group 2 (antibiotics 12 weeks)

Group 3 (control no antibiotic) 2.44 ± 0.18 0.85 ± 0.35 0.95 ± 0.24 1.33 ± 0.44

Visits

TABLE 5. Saccharin transit time (minutes)

Baseline

2.20 ± 0.54 0.31 ± 0.09 * 0.52 ± 0.19 * 0.68 ± 0.32

2.64 ± 0.49 0.63 ± 0.31 0.69 ± 0.26 0.57 ± 0.17 *

6 weeks

Group 1 (antibiotics 24 weeks) 15.6 ± 4.1 13.8 ± 3.2 13.6 ± 3.0 * 11.9 ± 2.7

Group 3 (control no antibiotic) 22.8 ± 3.7 19.7 ± 3.6 21.0 ± 4.1 15.8 ± 1.5

12 weeks

Visits

24 weeks

Baseline

*Significant differences between study and control groups ( p < 0.05). SNOT-20 = 20-item SinoNasal Outcome Test.

6 weeks

12 weeks

subjects. However, SNOT-20 scores of patients in group 1 (antibiotics for 24 weeks) at visits 6 weeks and 12 weeks af- ter FESS (0.31 ± 0.09 and 0.52 ± 0.19, respectively) as well as SNOT-20 scores of patients in group 2 (antibiotics for 12 weeks) at the final visit (0.57 ± 0.17) were significantly better than the patients in group 3 (control no antibiotics) at the same visits; 0.85 ± 0.35, 0.95 ± 0.24, and 1.33 ± 0.44, respectively ( p < 0.05), (Fig. 2, Table 2). VAS scores Differences in changes of VAS scores between the study (groups 1 and 2) and the control group (group 3 no antibi- otics) did not reach statistical significance (Table 3). Olfactory test Severe olfactory dysfunction was detected in all study sub- jects prior to FESS. Complete or almost complete loss of the ability to identify odors (anosmia) was noted when the nose was totally obstructed (blocked) by diffuse nasal polyps. None of these 66 patients received systemic steroids prior to FESS. At the second and third visits, olfaction sig- nificantly improved in all 3 patient groups, although no pa-

24 weeks

*Significant differences between study and control groups ( p < 0.05).

tients reached normal values. Statistically significant differ- ence in the mean number of correct answers ( p < 0.05) was revealed only between group 1 (antibiotics for 24 weeks) (9.5 ± 1.3) and group 3 (control no antibiotics) (4.4 ± 0.5) at the second visit 6 weeks after surgery (Table 4). Saccharin transit time Similarly, 12 weeks after surgery significant reduction (im- provement) of the saccharin transit time was observed in group 1 (antibiotics for 24 weeks) (13.6 ± 3.0 minutes) as compared with group 3 (control no antibiotics) (21.0 ± 4.1 minutes) (Table 5). AR and AAR There was no significant difference in the acoustic rhi- nometry parameters (nasal cavity volume, minimal cross- sectional area) between all groups. However, nasal resis- tance measured by anterior rhinomanometry in group 1

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