It is a common inflammatory disease: sinusitis. The latter is characterized in particular by pain felt in the sinuses. American researchers have questioned their role in the onset of rheumatological diseases, disorders affecting the joints, bones, muscles and other related tissues of the musculoskeletal system.
According to researchers, sinusitis is associated with a 40% increased risk of being diagnosed with rheumatologic disease, particularly in the 5 to 10 years before symptoms appear. Their results are published in the journal RMD Open.
Rheumatoid arthritis: sinusitis could promote its appearance
To arrive at these results, the researchers based themselves on a panel of 1,729 adults enrolled in the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) study. The participants had all been recently diagnosed with a rheumatological disease such as rheumatoid arthritisantiphospholipid syndrome (an autoimmune disease), and Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome (a chronic disease of autoimmune origin which mainly affects the lacrimal and salivary glands). The researchers categorized participants based on their sinusitis diagnosis. One group had contracted it in the previous five years, a second group had contracted it between 5 and 10 years of age, and the last group had contracted sinusitis ten years earlier.
The researchers noted that on average, the average time between an episode of sinusitis and the diagnosis of a rheumatological disease wasjust over 7.5 years in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, “a history of sinusitis was associated with 40% increased risk any new diagnosis of rheumatological disease”, note the researchers.
Rheumatological disease: having several sinusitis increases the risk
But the frequency of sinusitis could increase the risk of rheumatological disease. Indeed, as the researchers write, patients who had at least seven sinusitis were nearly nine times more likely to be diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome and twice as likely to be diagnosed vasculitisan inflammation of the blood vessels which is often accompanied by ischemia, of necrosis and inflammation of the organs.
But how can we explain this observation? According to the researchers, “Bacterial pathogens, such as those involved in sinusitis, may play a role in rheumatic diseases”. Additionally, as the authors note, “Sinusitis is associated with accelerated hardening of the arteries, giving added weight to its potential inflammatory effects.”
The researchers point out, however, that this is an observational study and cannot lead to a definitive conclusion.
Sources :
- Association between sinusitis and incident rheumatic diseases: a population-based study – RMD Open
- Sinusitis linked to 40% heightened risk of rheumatic disease – communiqué
