Effects of topical amphotericin B on expression of cytokines in nasal polyps

Objective - Although chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most frequently reported chronic diseases its etiology is not well understood. Recently, fungi have been proposed to influence the chronicity of rhinosinusitis. If fungi do play an important role then topical antifungal treatment may improve the inflammatory process of CRS. Therefore, in this study we measured inflammatory cytokine levels in nasal polyps after intranasal antifungal irrigation. Material and Methods - Nasal polyps were collected before and 4 weeks after treatment with 100 mg/l topical amphotericin B ( n = 16), 50 mg/l topical amphotericin B ( n = 14) or normal saline ( n = 11). The cytokine - IL-5, IL-8, interferon-gamma, RANTES - protein content of polyp homogenates were determined by means of ELISA. Results - Nasal polyps were found to contain large amounts of cytokines (IL-5, IL-8 and RANTES) compared with normal inferior turbinates. After 4 weeks of treatment with topical agents, IL-5 levels tended to decrease in comparison with those of the other cytokines, but this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions - Topical amphotericin B treatment and nasal saline irrigation both influence the expression of nasal polyp cytokines. Topical nasal irrigation may influence the inflammatory process of CRS.