ABSTRACT
The last 10 years have witnessed new insights into the inflammatory mechanisms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Investigation of the inflammatory roles of cytokines and chemokines has shed considerable light on the pathogenesis of this disease. T lymphocytes and activated eosinophils are prominent within the sinus mucosa of patients with CRS, especially in atopic patients. Distinct cytokine and inflammatory cell profiles have been found in atopic and non-atopic patients, suggesting that different pathophysiologies may be present in these two subgroups of patients. Recruitment and activation of the inflammatory cell infiltrate has largely been attributed to the effects of T-helper (Th2) cytokines [namely interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)], and the eosinophil-associated chemokines, eotaxin, and monocyte chemotactic proteins (MCPs). This review focuses on the roles of inflammatory T cells and eosinophils in CRS, and discusses recent developments regarding the inflammatory processes in this complex disease.
