Epidemiology of Nasal Polyps

The prevalence of nasal polyps (NPs) in the general population has been grossly estimated to be 1–4%. An association between NPs and allergic rhinitis (AR) is weak, with NP prevalence in patients with AR estimated to be between 1.5% and 1.7%, which is similar to that of the general population. Large cohort studies have revealed a strong association between asthma and NPs. The incidence of NPs increases with age and is the greatest between 40 and 60 years of age. If NPs are found in a child, then a workup for cystic fibrosis (CF) should be conducted. Genetic factors have been implicated in the etiology of NPs, but the specific genes are unclear. Up to 50% of aspirin-intolerant patients have NPs and up to 36% of patients with NPs may have some form of analgesic intolerance. Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis is an established phenotype of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) that is strongly associated with NPs. Ethnic and geographic variation has emerged as a potential disease modifier in NP pathophysiology.