Objetive: To review the existent literature regarding chronic rhinosinusitis in children.
Methods: PubMed search using the keywords: chronic sinusitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, chronic cough in children, persistent cough, gastroesophageal reflux in children, cystic fibrosis, ciliary diskinesia. Articles were selected based on their relevance to this review.
Results: Chronic rhinosinusitis in children and adults appear to have different etiology and therefore different diagnostic and treatment strategies. It is becoming more apparent that adult chronic rhinosinusitis has a relatively greater inflammatory component whereas childhood chronic rhinosinusitis has a relatively greater infectious component. This is secondary to immaturity of the pediatric immune system, the increased incidence of viral upper respiratory tract infections, the smaller ostia of the sinuses and adenoidal hypertrophy. Concentrations of eosinophils in adult mucosa are greater than those noted in children. There is a greater degree of collagen deposition and expansion of submucosal mucous glands in the adult sinus indicating more tissue remodeling and potentially greater irreversible scarring. Immune deficiencies, cystic fibrosis, and ciliary dyskinesia are more likely to occur in children.
Conclusions: Careful history and physical examination, together with appropriate investigations, enable the clinician to make a correct diagnosis in the majority of cases of chronic rhinosinusitis. For the difficult cases the referral to a pediatric specialist in allergy, clinical immunology and respiratory diseases is warranted.