Researchers from Harvard Medical School report a link between sinusitis and a higher risk of rheumatic diseases, with a 40 percent increase observed in the study results published in the Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases journal in Open access format.
The study used data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project health information collection system and analyzed health information from half a million residents in Olmstead County, Minnesota.
The sample included 1,729 adults diagnosed with systemic autoimmune rheumatic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, antiphospholipid syndrome, Sjögren’s syndrome, giant cell arteritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica. Additional data from healthy volunteers were also considered to determine whether participants had episodes of acute sinusitis or other sinus mucosal inflammation during the study period.
The analysis demonstrated that a history of sinusitis was associated with a 40 percent higher risk for several rheumatic diseases. The strongest associations were seen with autoimmune rheumatic conditions including antiphospholipid syndrome and Sjögren’s syndrome.
Antiphospholipid syndrome is a thrombophilia-related disorder characterized by a tendency toward abnormal blood clotting within vessels. Sjögren’s syndrome involves damage to exocrine glands, particularly the lacrimal and salivary glands, along with other secretory glands such as sweat and mucous glands.
The researchers also found that acute sinusitis correlated with an 18 percent higher risk of developing seronegative rheumatoid arthritis during the observation period.
The team notes that the study is observational, so it cannot establish causation. Further research is needed to uncover the biological pathways linking sinus inflammation and rheumatic disease risk and to confirm these associations in other populations.
Earlier work has explored possible triggers for severe arthritis and autoimmune responses, highlighting the importance of continued investigation into how upper airway infections might influence systemic immune processes.