Symptoms May Not Predict Rhinosinusitis Course

Best predictor of prognosis may be whether patient feels ill, less able to work

TUESDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with rhinosinusitis, the best predictor of prognosis may be whether the patient feels ill or less able to work, not typical signs and symptoms or abnormal radiographs, researchers report in the November/December issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

An De Sutter, M.D., Ph.D., from Ghent University in Belgium, and colleagues assessed whether clinical signs and symptoms of rhinosinusitis or an abnormal radiograph could predict the course of illness in 300 patients with rhinosinusitis-like complaints who were participating in a clinical trial comparing placebo and amoxicillin. The investigators then analyzed whether antibiotic treatment had any beneficial effect.

The researchers found that only two baseline factors, a general feeling of illness (hazard ratio, 0.77) and reduced productivity (hazard ratio 0.68), were independently associated with longer illness. The prognosis was unaffected by antibiotics, according to the study.

"In a large group of average patients with rhinosinusitis, neither the presence of typical signs or symptoms, nor an abnormal radiograph, provided information with regard to the prognosis or the effect of amoxicillin," the authors conclude.

The study was funded by a grant from Eurogenerics of Belgium.

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