Aspirin sensitivity in asthmatics

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The term “aspirin sensitivity” refers to a group of patients with continuous rhinitis, nasal polyps, sinusitis, and asthma who can be identified as different or distinct because of their adverse reaction to aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. This inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract is rare in childhood, appears in midlife in 10% to 20% of asthmatics, and tends to progress, necessitating the use of corticosteroids. In their article, Drs Stevenson and Mathison discuss the natural history and prevalence of this disease plus oral challenges, cross-reactivity, and desensitization.