Medical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis

Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Last Updated: May 1, 2023

Summary of Recommendations

In people with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, the guideline panel suggests intranasal corticosteroid rather than no intranasal corticosteroid. (C, L)
Additional considerations:
  • The network meta-analysis linked to this guideline showed that delivery method of INCS was potentially important. INCS stent, spray, and exhalation delivery system (EDS) are among the most beneficial of the INCS delivery methods across multiple patient-important outcomes.
  • The costs, availability, accessibility, and practical implications of the different methods of INCS delivery are likely to influence patient decision making.
  • There is moderate certainty of evidence for the safety of INCS spray but safety may vary among the other delivery options. There is low or very low certainty in the safety of INCS using delivery methods other than spray.
  • INCS have small treatment effect sizes. Patients with severe or rapidly recurrent disease may value more treatments with larger reductions in symptoms.
  • There is probably uncertainty in the value and importance patients put on the outcomes that patients consider critical to decision making.
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In people with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, the guideline panel suggests biologics rather than no biologics. (C, M)
Additional considerations:
  • For patients who have a symptom for which the improvement was considered to be important while receiving treatments other than biologics (i.e. INCS, surgery, or ATAD), not using biologics may be preferred.
  • For patients using INCS for at least 4 weeks and who continue to have high disease burden, or for patients who have higher disease severity at presentation, biologics may be preferred over other medical treatment choices.
  • There is variability in efficacy among the biologics and this may influence the overall choice. See Table 1 for more information.
  • Patients who value not having the burden of payment and insurance approvals may be less likely to choose biologics. Patients who want to avoid the inconvenience of trialing potentially less effective medical therapies may prefer biologics.
  • In AERD specifically, biologics may be preferred over aspirin therapy after desensitization (ATAD) for patients who have increased risk of harms associated with daily aspirin therapy, or in patients who value the most efficacious therapies and/or patients who wish to avoid a strict daily oral medication regimen and its associated initial desensitization procedure.
  • Patients with comorbid diseases that lead to a dual indication for biologic treatment may be a reason to choose biologics in general and even specific biologics.
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In people with aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease, the guideline panel suggests aspirin therapy after desensitization rather than no aspirin therapy after desensitization. (C, M)
Additional considerations:
  • Consider risks that impact the safety of performing an aspirin desensitization such as severe poorly controlled asthma. Or risks that impact safety of long-term aspirin use such as conditions or treatments that increase bleeding risk.
  • Biologics may be preferred over ATAD in AERD for patients who have increased risk of harms with ATAD or in patients who value the most efficacious therapies and/or avoiding a strict daily oral medication regimen and its associated desensitization procedure.
  • Patients intolerant to NSAIDs and who require an NSAID for alternative indications may prefer ATAD over other options.
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Recommendation Grading

Overview

Title

Medical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis

Authoring Organizations

American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Publication Month/Year

November 8, 2022

Last Updated Month/Year

October 11, 2024

Supplemental Implementation Tools

Document Type

Guideline

Country of Publication

US

Document Objectives

The purpose of this document is to evaluate the current evidence and provide guidance on the use of INCS and biologics for CRSwNP and ATAD for AERD. 

Target Patient Population

People with Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) aged 18 years and older

Target Provider Population

Specialists in allergy-immunology, otorhinolaryngologists, pulmonologists, general practitioners, and allied health practitioners

PICO Questions

  1. Should intranasal corticosteroids rather than no intranasal corticosteroids be used in Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis?

  2. Should biologics rather than no biologics be used Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis?

  3. Should aspirin therapy after desensitization (ATAD) rather than no ATAD, be used in people with Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD)?

Inclusion Criteria

Male, Female, Adult, Older adult

Health Care Settings

Ambulatory, Outpatient

Intended Users

Nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant

Scope

Treatment, Management

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D012852 - Sinusitis, D009298 - Nasal Polyps

Keywords

rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, chronic rhinosinusitis, crswnp, crs

Source Citation

Rank MA, Chu DK, Bognanni A, Oykhman P, Bernstein JA, Ellis AK, Golden DBK, Greenhawt M, Horner CC, Ledford DK, Lieberman J, Luong AU, Orlandi RR, Samant SA, Shaker MS, Soler ZM, Stevens WW, Stukus DR, Wang J, Peters AT, The Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters GRADE Guidelines for the Medical Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2022.10.026.

Bognanni A, Chu DK, Rank MA, Bernstein J, Ellis AK, Golden D, Greenhawt M, Hagan JB, Horner CC, Ledford DK, Lieberman J, Luong AU, Marks LA, Orlandi RR, Samant SA, Shaker M, Soler ZM, Stevens WW, Stukus DR, Wang J, Peters AT. Topical corticosteroids for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis: GRADE systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2022 Dec;150(6):1447-1459.

Oykhman P, Paramo FA, Bousquet J, Kennedy DW, Brignardello-Petersen R, Chu DK. Comparative efficacy and safety of monoclonal antibodies and aspirin desensitization for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2022 Apr;149(4):1286-1295.

Chu DK, Lee DS, Lee KM, Schunemann HJ, Szczeklik W, Lee JM. Benefits and harms of aspirin desensitization for aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Forum Allergy Rhin. 2019;9:1409-19.

Supplemental Methodology Resources

Data Supplement