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The effect of antibiotics on the microbiome in acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis

Merkley MA, Bice TC, Grier A, Strohl AM, Man LX, Gill SR

International forum of allergy & rhinology, 2015

8 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Current treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is driven by identification of predominant bacteria using culture-based methods and determination of antibiotic sensitivities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of the sinonasal microbiome to antibiotic therapy in the setting of an acute exacerbation of CRS.

METHODS: Aspirate and swab samples for culture and DNA analysis were collected bilaterally from 8 CRS patients presenting with acute exacerbations. Patients were started on a 2-week course of a culture-directed antibiotic after sensitivities were determined. Repeat samples were taken immediately on the completion of treatment. DNA was extracted from each sample, amplified using bacterial 16S primers and sequenced. Bacterial abundance was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Diversity metrics of the microbiota between pretreatment and posttreatment samples were calculated.

RESULTS: There was significantly more bacterial DNA present in the pretreatment group than in the posttreatment group. An increase in α-diversity was found in the posttreatment group relative to the pretreatment group (p < 0.05 in each comparison) with swab sampling, but not by aspirate sampling. The predominant organism identified by 16S sequencing correlated with the culture-identified bacteria genus in each patient.

CONCLUSION: Significant differences exist in the diversity of bacteria populations during acute…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 8 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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