PCR Analysis of Nasal Polyps for Fungal DNA

The objective of this study is to determine whether the amount or type of fungal DNA present in the nose and home environment can be correlated with the outcomes of the following quality of life (QOL) instruments: Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form (SF-36) and the Sino-Nasal Outcomes Study - 20 Questions (SNOT-20).

The study design involves case control Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) analysis of nasal mucosal swabs, saliva swabs, blood serum, and home vacuum cleaner bags in patients with sinusitis and normal controls.

The hypothesis is that the quantity and type of fungal DNA present in the nose and home environment are directly correlated with quality of life. Our research aims to both quantify the amount of fungi present in the nasal mucosa as well as to measure the severity of the patient's chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) as a function of SNOT-20 and SF-36 outcomes questionnaires. We hypothesize that the amount and type of fungi present in the nose and home environment will correlate with the severity of the patients' symptoms of CRS.