Perspectives in Therapy of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

The recent classification of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) focusses on investigating underlying immunopathophysiological mechanisms. Primary CRS is subdivided based on endotype dominance into type 2 (that relates mostly to the Th2 immune response with high levels of IL-5, IL-13, and IgE), or non-type 2 (that corresponds to the mix of type 1 and type 3). The treatment selection of CRS is dependent on endotype dominance. Currently, the majority of patients receive standardized care-traditional pharmacological methods including local or systemic corticosteroids, nasal irrigations or antibiotics (for a selected group of patients). If well-conducted drug therapy fails, endoscopic sinus surgery is conducted. Aspirin treatment after aspirin desensitization (ATAD) with oral aspirin is an option for the treatment in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) patients. However, in this review the focus is on the role of biological treatment-monoclonal antibodies directed through the specific type 2 immune response targets. In addition, potential targets to immunotherapy in CRS are presented. Hopefully, effective diagnostic and therapeutic solutions, tailored to the individual patient, will be widely available very soon.

Automated summary

The recent classification of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) focuses on studying the underlying immunopathophysiological mechanisms. The treatment selection depends on the immunotype dominance, and endoscopic sinus surgery is conducted when drug therapy fails. Aspirin treatment after desensitization is an option for NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) patients. This review highlights the role of monoclonal antibodies as a biological treatment for CRS and presents potential targets for immunotherapy.