Impact of body mass index on chronic rhinosinusitis: disease burden and treatment outcomes

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent inflammatory condition that significantly affects quality of life, with obesity emerging as a key modifiable risk factor. Both body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are associated with increased CRS prevalence, severity, and potentially poorer treatment outcomes due to sustained inflammation and altered immune responses. This study investigates how BMI and WC influence CRS severity and response to therapy. Methods: This two-year observational study included adult CRS patients, assessing BMI, WC, Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI), Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic scores, before and after standard medical/ surgical treatment (3 months). Results: Of the 43 CRS patients, most showed significant symptoms and endoscopic score improvements over three months, regardless of BMI or waist circumference. While RSDI and Lund-Kennedy scores showed some group-wise differences, overall outcomes were not significantly influenced by BMI or WC categories. Conclusion: Obesity measures, as indicated by BMI, do not influence baseline CRS symptom severity but are associated with greater endoscopic improvement following treatment. All BMI groups demonstrate significant symptom relief, underscoring the effectiveness of therapy across varying body weight categories.