Comparison of serum zinc levels between patients with sinonasal neutrophilic and eosinophilic inflammatory polyposis and healthy individuals

Objectives

Some changes in nasal mucus and paranasal sinuses may occur due to zinc deficiency, which can cause chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). The current study was designed to compare the serum zinc concentration between patients with chronic rhinosinusitis complicated with eosinophilic or neutrophilic nasal polyps and a control group.

Methods

A total of 105 patients participated in the study. Patients in three different groups were evaluated for CRSwNP (35 in the eosinophilia group and 35 in the neutrophil group), and 35 patients underwent surgery for reasons other than polyposis (control group). The serum zinc level was determined.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 39.4 ± 12.61 years. Forty-one patients (39%) were female. Based on the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay results, the average serum zinc level in the control group was 137.01 ± 19.42 (μgm/100 mL), and in all patients with CRSwNP, it was 127.27 ± 21.7 (μgm/100 mL). The serum zinc concentration in patients with CRSwNP was significantly lower than that in the control group (p = .027). Among the CRSwNP patients with eosinophilic polyps and neutrophilic polyps, 130.42 ± 21.92 (μgm/100 mL) and 127.27 ± 21.7 (μgm/100 mL), respectively, were detected. Based on the statistical analysis, the neutrophilic and eosinophilic groups were homogenous according to the average serum zinc concentration (p = .631), and the same conditions prevailed for the eosinophilic and control groups (p = .574). There was a noticeable distinction between the neutrophilic group and the control group (p = .034).

Conclusion

Serum zinc concentrations were significantly lower in patients with neutrophilic polyps than in the general population. This difference may be due to the essential role of zinc in the inflammatory process in patients with neutrophilic polyposis.