p63+Krt5+ basal cells are increased in the squamous metaplastic epithelium of patients with radiation-induced chronic Rhinosinusitis

Table 1 Summary of patient characteristics and the methods

	Controls	CRSsNP	CRSr	p-value^*
Sample size	28	33	36	–
Age, years[mean ± SD]	45.2 ± 12.5	48.8 ± 15.2	49.7 ± 11.9	n.s
Male/female	22/6	20/13	27/9	n.s
smoker/nonsmoker	8/20	11/22	15/21	n.s
Methodology used
Paraffin specimens	28	33	36	–
H&E	28	33	36	–
IF	28	33	36	–
qRT-PCR	6	0	20
Epithelial remodeling [No. (%)]^a
Epithelial hyperplasia	0(0)	7(21.2)	10(27.8)
Goblet cell hyperplasia	0(0)	3(9.1)	5(13.9)
Squamous metaplasia	0(0)	2(6.1)	13(36.1)

n.s not signficant
Values are n or mean ± SD
H&E Hematoxylin and eosin, IF immunofluorescence
*The level of significance was evaluated using T test or Fisher exact test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant
^aEpithelial hyperplasia was defined as epithelium with more than 4 layers of cells. Goblet cell hyperplasia was defined as 2 or more layers of goblet cells in the epithelium. Squamous metaplasia was identified in specimens where the epithelium had lost its pseudostratified columnar epithelial structure with absence of goblet cells and cilia and was replaced by squamous epithelium

ISSN: 1748-717X