Blood Eosinophilia and Nasal Polyps

In a controlled prospective study, patients who had nasal polypectomy were compared with patients who required other nasal surgery. Patients with and without asthma were identified. Both polyposis and asthma were independently associated with increased blood absolute eosinophil counts. Absolute eosinophil counts were: neither disease 0.199 × 10 6 cell/mL ± 0.025, polyposis alone 0.249 × 10 6 cell/mL ± 0.017, asthma alone 0.318 × 10 6 cell/mL ± 0.092, and both 0.375 × 10 6 cell/mL ± 0.076. In contrast, we were unable to show a difference between polyp patients and the controls in the serum IgE concentration or allergy skin test reactivity. Atopy was not a predictive factor for asthma in polyp patients. We conclude that nasal polyposis, like asthma, is highly associated with eosinophilia.