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.