The role of surgery in treating nasal obstruction to control asthma

Introduction: Most patients with asthma, either allergic or non-allergic, usually exhibit some level of concurrent rhinitis. Treatments for rhinitis and asthma can affect both conditions. Objective: The present study aimed to examine asthma-specific outcomes in patients with chronic rhinitis (CR) and asthma after surgery for nasal obstruction, and to identify the patient group most likely to experience improved asthma control after surgery. Methods: Asthmatic patients with CR and nasal obstruction were prospectively recruited for evaluations of nasal and asthma-specific outcomes before and after surgery for nasal obstruction. Results: Twenty-eight participants were enrolled. There was a significant association between the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 scores, both at the preoperative and 3-month postoperative assessments. Patients demonstrating ACT improvement after nasal surgery had worse preoperative ACT scores and predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s. Conclusion: Nasal symptom severity was closely associated with the extent of asthma control in asthmatic patients with CR and nasal obstruction. Assessment of CR and nasal obstruction in patients with poorly controlled asthma should be considered an essential approach to improve the response to treatment and patients’ quality of life.