Is there a relationship between the microbiome of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity and the primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction? Literature review

Hormonal factors, atopy, viral infections, gastroesophageal reflux, ischemic heart disease and swimming in a pool are believed to affect the development of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO). It is suggested that patients with PANDO have more advanced inflammatory lesions revealed by the tomographic examination of the paranasal sinuses. The authors’ aim was to answer the question whether there is a connection between the chronic inflammation and disruption of the microbiome of the nasal cavity and sinuses and the development of inflammation in the lacrimal ducts. Pubmed.gov was the information source. Years reviewed included 2018 to 2023. Inclusion criteria included presence of an abstract, pathology of the nasolacrimal ducts, acute and chronic inflammation of the nasolacrimal ducts, papers written in English, studies on humans, publications regarding pathology of the lacrimal sac and paranasal sinuses, case report. The exclusion criteria included: lack of abstract, pathologies of other sections of the drainage system, pathology of the nasolacrimal ducts, other than chronic or acute inflammation, papers written in a language other than English, lack of case report. No gender criterion was used. Based on the data available in the literature, only 7 studies described the co-occurrence of pathologies of the lacrimal ducts and paranasal sinuses. Only 4 publications contained information on the microbiome and identified Streptococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus aureus, and in 2 cases no increase in pathological flora was revealed. The question about the relationship between the microbiome of the lacrimal sac and the paranasal sinuses and their mutual impact on the developing inflammation has not been answered, which, according to the authors, requires further research.