Frequency of Proptosis in Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis Patients

Abstract

Background: Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a distinct form of chronic sinus inflammation associated with nasal polyps. It typically involves a hypersensitive immune response to fungal elements, where thick mucus rich in eosinophils and fungal filaments accumulates inside the sinuses. Proptosis is an abnormal protrusion of the eyeball usually associated with AFRS. Objective: To determine the frequency of proptosis in patients with allergic fungal rhinosinusitis. Methods: This cross sectional study included 120 patients diagnosed with Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis (AFRS). Key information such as age, gender, and symptom duration was collected for each participant. Proptosis was assessed through clinical examination and noted accordingly. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Associations were assessed using chi-square and independent t-tests, with statistical significance set at a p-value less than 0.05. Results: Among the 120 patients diagnosed with Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis (AFRS), 59 (49.2%) presented with proptosis, indicating that orbital involvement is relatively common in this condition. While slightly more females than males showed this finding (52.6% vs. 46.0%), the difference observed was not statistically significant, as indicated by a p-value of 0.470. Age-wise, the highest frequency of proptosis was observed in the 46–60 age group (54.5%), but again, no significant association was found (p = 0.669). When symptom duration was considered, proptosis appeared across all durations with similar frequency, and no clear relationship was established (p = 0.986). In addition, there was no significant difference in average age or duration of symptoms between patients with and without proptosis (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This research showed proptosis is a fairly frequent finding in AFRS, affecting nearly half of the patients studied. However, it does not appear to be strongly linked to patient age, gender, or how long symptoms have been present. These results suggest that factors beyond basic demographics—such as anatomical differences or the behavior of the disease itself—may have a greater role in determining orbital involvement. Larger-scale studies that include radiological and histological evaluation are needed to better understand what influences the risk of proptosis in AFRS.