Pattern of clinical features of chronic simple rhino-sinusitus in Port Harcourt

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the symptoms, signs and types of chronic simple rhino-sinusitis.

Patients and Methods: This is prospective work done over a 2-year period. All the patients had symptoms of more than 8 weeks duration. Only patients with symptoms indicative of chronic rhino-sinusitis were included in the study. All the patients had plain x-rays of the paranasal sinuses done and a radiologist reported such.

Results: One hundred and fifteen patients were studied. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 age range 15 years to 70 years. The mean duration of symptoms was 32.03 months. Rhinorrhoea 100%, stuffy nose 97.4%, sneezing 67.6%, anosmia 54.8% and headache 54.8% were the common symptoms while engorged inferior turbinates 79.1%, anterior nasal discharge 63.5% and postnasal discharge 39.1% were the common findings on examination. The clinical diagnosis was chronic infective sinusitis 72.7%, vasomotor rhinitis 17.4% and allergic rhinitis 10.4%. Engorged turbinate was the commonest radiological comment.

Conclusion: Chronic infective rhino-sinusitis is the commonest type of chronic rhino-sinusitis seen in this study.
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Keywords: Clinical features chronic rhino-sinusitis

Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 9 (2) 2006: pp.142-146