Correcting Septal Deviation Might Reduce Incidence of Asthma, finds study
Asthma is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases of the lower respiratory tract that affects 300 million worldwide. In a recent study, researchers have reported that the incidence of asthma was higher in individuals with septal deviation. The study findings were published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice on November 12, 2021.
Studies suggest potential mechanistic links between upper and lower respiratory tract disorders. However, information is scarce regarding the impact of septal deviation (SD) on lower respiratory tract pathophysiology. Also, there is limited information regarding the association between SD and asthma. Therefore, Dr Yong Chul Lee and his team conducted a study evaluating the potential impact of SD on the incidence of asthma and examined whether surgical correction of SD (septoplasty) affects the incidence of asthma in SD.
In this retrospective study, the researchers used data from the National Health Insurance Service – National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC). They included 29,853 individuals with SD (n = 9,951) and compared them with those without SD as controls (n = 19,902), with no significant imbalances between the two groups. They further divided 9,951 patients diagnosed with SD into 2 subgroups. Patients who received septoplasty (n=1,526)and patients who did not receive septoplasty (n=8,425).
Key findings of the study:
- Upon follow up for 9 years, the researchers found that the incidence of asthma was 2.43 times higher in the SD group compared with the control group.
- Results from a follow-up in 2013 showed a lowered rate of asthma with septoplasty in the SD group (aHR = 0.83).
- Also, in subgroup analysis, they found high incidences of allergic rhinitis (aHR = 1.58) and chronic rhinosinusitis (aHR = 1.22) among patients with SD.
The authors concluded, "In this nationwide observational study, the incidence of asthma was higher in the septal deviation group compared with the matched controls. Moreover, septoplasty was associated with a lower incidence of asthma, suggesting that septal deviation is one of the treatable traits in patients with asthma. Further research is necessary to elucidate the relationship between SD and asthma, and intervention studies will be required to confirm a relationship between septoplasty and subsequent asthma development."
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