Treatment and prognosis of nasal polyps in cystic fibrosis
R. C. Stern, T. F. Boat, R. E. Wood, L. W. Matthews and C. F. Doershuk
Nasal polyposis complicated the course of fibrosis in 157 (26%) of 605
patients. Onset before age 5 years or after age 20 years was rare.
Polyposis was the initial symptom of cystic fibrosis in 13 patients. Common
symptoms included obstruction to nasal air flow, mouth breathing,
epistaxis, and rhinorrhea. Intranasal and oral corticosteroids and
antihistamines were ineffective in preventing recurrences but did
occasionally afford symptomatic relief of obstruction. Nineteen (31%) of 62
patients who never had surgery had spontaneous and permanent disappearance
of polyps. Simple polypectomy was an adequate procedure for patients with
substantial nasal symptoms. There were no visual complications. Other
surgical complications were rare. Children and adolescents with nasal
polyps should have sweat tests by pilocarpine iontophoresis to rule out
cystic fibrosis.
