Depression in chronic rhinosinusitis: A controlled cohort study

Background: Depression in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is underdiagnosed but significantly impacts treatment outcomes and health care utilization. Objective: To compare undiagnosed depression in a CRS cohort with a healthy, non-CRS control cohort. Methods: A case-control study of patients with symptomatic CRS and a non-CRS control cohort was performed. Demographic and comorbidity factors were correlated to depression-specific outcomes by using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI). Results: We enrolled 42 patients with CRS and 88 control patients with no history of CRS. Physician-diagnosed depression was equivalent in CRS and control patients (6% and 9%, respectively). BDI-detected depression was higher among patients with CRS compared with controls (31% versus 14.8%, respectively; p = 0.031). BDI scores were higher in patients with CRS even when controlling for comorbid asthma, allergy, and aspirin sensitivity. When examined by polyp status, the patients without polyps had more depression than did the controls (38% versus 14.8%; p = 0.048). The somatic subscale scores of the BDI were worse in patients with CRS (p = 0.004), whereas the cognitive subscale trended toward significance (p = 0.081). Conclusion: Depression may be more common in CRS than previously recognized, especially in patients without polyps. Somatic subscale scores of the BDI are increased in CRS and may impact future treatment outcomes.