Following aspirin introduction as medicine, several reports were described concerning adverse reactions after its ingestion. Widal et al. (1922)¹ were the first investigators to associate Aspirin intolerance (AI) with asthma and nasal polyps (NP) followed by Samter & Beers (1967)². Such intolerance was manifested mainly by nasal obstruction and/or bronchospasm related to the cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) inhibition and consequent overproduction of leukotrienes. This might also be triggered by the administration of other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, food dyes and additives and alcohol. AIM: To analyze the risks of the analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs use in patients with eosinophilic nasal polyposis tolerant and intolerant to aspirin. STUDY DESIGN: Transversal cohort study. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 45 patients were selected # 15 suffering from eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis, tolerant to aspirin (group TA); other 15 with eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis associated with aspirin intolerance (group AI), and 15 patients without nasosinusal polyposis with septal deviation (control group). The presence of reaction to aspirin, dipyrone, acetaminophen, other non-steroids anti-inflammatory drugs, food dyes and additives, other drugs or chemical substances was detected by inquiry. To exclude aspirin intolerance in TA and control groups, oral provocation test with aspirin was carried out. RESULTS: Bronchospasm was the main aspirin reaction in patients suffering from eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis and which also showed with ingestion of acetaminophen (20%), alcohol (27%), non-steroids anti-inflammatory drugs (60%) and dipyrone (47%). CONCLUSION: In patients with eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis associated with aspirin intolerance it is important to do the diagnosis of intolerance to other drugs. The use of dipyrone and alcohol is worth attention, once its intolerance was observed in half and one third of the patients, respectively.
nasal polyposis; analgesic; anti-inflammatory
