Evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis in chronic sinusitis patients

This study aimed to assess the impact of chronic sinusitis (CS) on carotid-intima-media thickness (CIMT), a marker of early atherosclerotic changes in the arterial bed. The study included 50 patients with CS (25 male, 25 female, mean age 26.6 ± 5.34 years), and 50 healthy subjects (25 male, 25 female, mean age 25.8 ± 4.76 years), aged 18 to 35 years without atherosclerotic risk factors, normal body mass index and normal metabolic parameters. CIMT was measured in all patients by ultrasonography. CS was confirmed by medical history and computed tomography scan of the paranasal cavities. No significant difference existed between the groups in terms of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, plasma creatinine, glucose, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values (p>0.05). However, mean values of CIMT (mm) were significantly greater in CS patients than in healthy subjects (0.51 ± 0.09 vs. 0.40 ± 0.07, p