Acute sinusitis

Majority of cases of acute sinusitis in adults and children are of viral aetiology.

Duration of symptoms more than 10 days often indicates bacterial cause.

Imaging is not required for diagnosis unless complications are suspected.

Condition is usually self-limiting; however, symptomatic therapy is recommended.

Antibiotics are only recommended in select patient groups (e.g., immunocompromised or with severe disease) as symptoms often resolve without intervention and there is a risk of antimicrobial resistance.

Complications are uncommon and their risk alone should not result in antimicrobial prescribing.

Acute sinusitis (also commonly known as acute rhinosinusitis) is a symptomatic inflammation of the mucosal lining of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, presenting with purulent nasal drainage accompanied by nasal obstruction, facial pain/pressure/fullness, or both for 4 weeks or less. It can be caused by either a viral or a bacterial infection.[1]Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al. Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Apr;152(2 Suppl):S1-39. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0194599815572097 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25832968?tool=bestpractice.com