Impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions on inflammatory diseases of the nose.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), implemented by the Chinese government during 2020-2022 to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019, on the incidence of inflammatory nasal diseases, including chronic nonallergic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, acute rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and acute sinusitis.

METHODS

Medical records from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Hangzhou Normal University Affiliated Hospital were analysed to compare the incidence of the five nasal diseases between the pre-pandemic (January 2018-December 2019) and the pandemic prevention periods (January 2020-December 2022). The Chi-square test was used to compare incidence rates and sex/age distributions.

RESULTS

The incidence of chronic nonallergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and acute sinusitis decreased significantly during the pandemic prevention period (p < .001), while the incidence of allergic rhinitis and acute rhinitis increased significantly (p < .001). NPIs were protective factors for chronic nonallergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis and acute rhinosinusitis (relative risk (RR) < 1) but risk factors for allergic rhinitis and acute rhinitis (RR > 1). The proportion of male patients increased significantly for chronic nonallergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis (p < .001). The age of the patients showed significant differences in the four diseases - chronic nonallergic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis and acute sinusitis (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

NPIs had a significant impact on the incidence and epidemiology of nasal inflammatory diseases, with significant differences in incidence rate, sex and age distribution between the pre-pandemic and pandemic prevention periods.