The clinical impact of self-reported symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis in people with bronchiectasis

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis affects 62% of adults with bronchiectasis and is linked to greater bronchiectasis severity. However, the impact of symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis on disease-specific and cough-related quality of life is unknown. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, adults with stable bronchiectasis and chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms completed the sinonasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22), quality of life–bronchiectasis questionnaire, and Leicester cough questionnaire. Bronchiectasis severity was assessed using the bronchiectasis severity index (BSI) and chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Results: Sixty participants with bronchiectasis (mean [SD] forced expiratory volume in 1 s of 73.2 [25.5] %predicted) were included. Greater severity of chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms (based on SNOT-22) was moderately associated with impaired cough-related quality of life (according to the Leicester cough questionnaire; all r > −.60) and impaired bronchiectasis-specific quality of life (based on the quality of life–bronchiectasis questionnaire), with impaired physical function (r = −.518), less vitality (r = −.631), reduced social function (r = −.546), greater treatment burden (r = −.411), and increased severity of respiratory symptoms (r = −.534). Chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms were unrelated to disease severity according to the BSI (r =.135) and HRCT scoring (all r <.200). The severity of chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms was not affected by sputum color (p =.417) or the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization (p =.73). Conclusions: In adults with bronchiectasis, chronic rhinosinusitis has a consistent and negative impact on both cough-related and bronchiectasis-specific quality of life.