Epidemiology of chronic rhinosinusitis in Bushehr, southwestern region of Iran: a GA2LEN study

Background: Population-based studies using the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps (EPOS) criteria for the assessment of the chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) prevalence play important roles in the development and promotion of public health policies. Methods: A multistage, stratified cluster, random sampling method was used to select the study participants from individuals living in Bushehr, which is in the southwestern part of Iran. The standardized Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA(2)LEN) questionnaire was completed by 5,201 participants, and the CRS prevalence were compared among different groups of related factors using chi-squared tests. Results: The overall CRS prevalence was 28.4% based on the EPOS criteria, while the self-reported physician-diagnosed CRS prevalence was 20.0%. There was no gender difference; however, CRS was more prevalent in smokers, individuals aged 25-34 years old, non-educated persons, and healthcare workers. CRS was also associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Conclusions: The present study showed that the CRS prevalence in Iran was relatively high. These results support the idea that CRS is a major public health problem in Iran.