Allergic Mucin Sinusitis without Fungus

Abstract

Allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is a distinct clinical pathologic entity that has been recognized for over a decade. The hallmark of this process is eosinophilic allergic mucin with fungal hyphae on histopathology. We have identified a subset of patients who present with a clinical picture similar to that of AFS patients in which fungus could not be demonstrated pathologically or on culture. We present four cases of allergic mucin sinusitis without fungus. A comparison of the clinical presentation of this group of patients with those with AFS will be discussed. Both groups had nasal polyposis and a history of multiple sinonasal procedures. By contrast, the patients with allergic mucin sinusitis were older than the AFS group. All of the patients with allergic mucin sinusitis also had asthma. Treatment was the same for both groups of patients.