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Original Article

 

Amphotericin B and Lysine Acetylsalicylate in the Combined Treatment of Nasal Polyposis Associated With Mycotic Infection

 

C Corradini, 1 M Del Ninno, 2 A Buonomo, 3 E Nucera ,3 G. Paludetti ,1 C Alonzi, 3 V Sabato, 3 D Schiavino, 3 G Patriarca 3

1 ENT Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Hearth, Rome, Italy
2 ENT Department, S. Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy
3 Department of Allergology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2006; Vol. 16(3): 188-193

 

 Abstract


Background: Fungal infection may be secondary to nasal polyposis or represent a real etiopathogenic factor in the infection itself.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined treatment with lysine acetylsalicylate (LAS) and amphotericin B in preventing recurrence in patients with nasal polyposis with accompanying mycotic infection in comparison with a control group with nasal polyposis and fungal infection who did not receive antifungal therapy.

Patients and Methods: A total of 115 patients with nasal polyposis were randomly assigned to 4 different groups and treated as follows: 1) group A, 25 patients were first surgically treated and then treated with LAS; 2) group B, 25 patients received 40 mg of triamcinolone retard intramuscularly 3 times every 10 days (total dose 120 mg) and
then they were treated with LAS; 3) group C, 16 patients were surgically treated and then treated with LAS and amphotericin B; 4) group D: 23 patients were treated with a medical polypectomy and steroids (as in the group B) and then with LAS and amphotericin B.

Results: We found no significant differences between groups C and D, groups C and A, or groups B and D. However, the recurrence of nasal polyps in the groups treated with amphotericin B plus LAS (C and D) was significantly lower (P = .018) than in the 2 groups treated only with LAS (A and B).

Conclusion: Our results indicate that long term topical treatment with LAS and amphotericin B may be clinically effective in the treatment of patients with nasal polyposis associated with fungal infection.

Key words: Nasal polyposis. Fungal infection. Amphotericin B. Lysine acetylsalicylate.