Investigating the Chronic Rhinosinusitis Inflammatory Profile of Traffic-Associated Air Pollution

Objective: To investigate associations between traffic-related air pollution exposure and inflammatory markers, demographic characteristics, and quality-of-life measures in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods: Patients who underwent surgical treatment for CRS between September 2015 and September 2024 were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. Geospatial analysis quantified the total length of highways and arterial roads, as well as daily vehicle and truck traffic volumes, within a 1-km radius of patients’ home zip codes. Mucus cytokine levels were assessed using multiplex bead assays. Statistical analyses included Spearman correlations and multivariate linear regression to assess associations between traffic exposure and demographics, inflammatory cytokine levels, and quality-of-life scores. Results: A total of 567 patients with complete data were included. Proximity to arterial roads was significantly associated with patient race ( P = .0084). In patients with CRS with nasal polyps, increased arterial road length was associated with lower IL-2 levels ( P = .0313). Multivariate analysis did not demonstrate consistent or significant associations between traffic exposure and cytokine levels. Conclusion: Multivariate models did not show associations between traffic exposure and select inflammatory cytokines, suggesting a limited role of traffic-related emissions in driving airway inflammation in CRS, though environmental disparities may influence exposure patterns. Level of Evidence: Level 3.