Objective: To assess the effects of topical nasal steroid application on the infiltration and activation of eosinophils in nasal polyps.
Methods: Nasal polyps from intranasal budesonide treated patients (n = 16) and untreated patients (n = 16) were investigated. The samples were stained with histochemical and ABC immunohistochemical methods.
Results: The majority of eosinophils in nasal polyps were activated eosinophils. Compared with untreated polyps, the proportion of activated eosinophils (EG2+/eosinophil ratio) was significantly less in steroid-treated polyps. Although the numbers of total eosinophils and actived eosinophils were lower in steroid-treated polyps, both of the differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusions: It emphasized that the actived eosinophils play a key role in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps. The effects of intranasal steroid treatment on the number of eosinophils (total and activated) was more profound then on the proportion of activated eosinophils.