Superior turbinate eosinophilia correlates with olfactory deficit in chronic rhinosinusitis patients

Objective To evaluate if molecular markers of eosinophilia in olfactory‐enriched mucosa are associated with olfactory dysfunction. Study Design Cross‐sectional study of tissue biopsies from 99 patients, and an additional 30 patients who underwent prospective olfactory testing prior to sinonasal procedures. Methods Tissue biopsies were processed for analysis of inflammatory markers using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Ipsilateral olfactory performance was assessed using the Sniffin' Sticks (Burghart, Wedel, Germany) threshold component and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (Sensonics, Haddon Heights, NJ). Age‐adjusted data was correlated with inflammatory marker expression and clinical measures of obstruction from computed tomography and endoscopy. Results Gene expression of the eosinophil marker CLC (Charcot Leyden crystal protein) was elevated in superior turbinate (ST) tissue in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) compared to ST and inferior turbinate tissue in CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) and control patients (all P < 0.001, respectively). CLC in ST tissue was correlated with IL‐5 and eotaxin‐1 expression (all P < 0.001; P = 0.65, and 0.49, respectively). CLC expression was strongly correlated with eosinophilic cationic protein levels (P < 0.001; r = −0.76), and ST CLC expression was inversely related to olfactory threshold (P = 0.002, r = −0.57) and discrimination scores (P = 0.05, r = −0.42). In multiple linear regression of CLC gene expression, polyp status, and radiographic and endoscopic findings with olfactory threshold, CLC was the only significantly correlated variable (P < 0.05). Conclusion Markers of eosinophils are elevated in the ST of patients with CRSwNP and correlate with olfactory loss. These findings support the hypothesis that olfactory dysfunction in CRS correlates local eosinophil influx into the olfactory cleft. Level of Evidence NA. Laryngoscope, 127:2210–2218, 2017