At enrollment, a polyurethane sponge (Greer Laboratories) was placed into each olfactory cleft under endoscopic guidance and allowed to dwell for 5 minutes. Specifically, sponges were placed into the space between the septum and the middle and superior turbinates. Sponges extended from the anterior plane of the head of the middle turbinate to just in front of the sphenoid sinus. Sponges were then removed and immediately centrifuged at 4°C for 30 minutes. The mucus was then combined from each side, transferred by pipette to a cryotube, and stored at −80°C until use.
The presence of inflammatory cytokines in olfactory mucus was assessed using commercially available Cytometric Bead Array systems with enhanced sensitivity (BD Biosciences). Kits and reagents were purchased for an array of cytokines, chemokines, and immune mediators. Each of these factors has been reported to be altered in patients with CRS vs controls or hypothesized to affect olfactory function in prior studies.14 (link)–18 (link) Assays were performed according to manufacturers’ instructions and read on a Guava easy Cyte 8HT flow cytometer (EMD Millipore), with analysis performed with FCAP Array Software, version 1.0.1 (BD Biosciences).
The presence of inflammatory cytokines in olfactory mucus was assessed using commercially available Cytometric Bead Array systems with enhanced sensitivity (BD Biosciences). Kits and reagents were purchased for an array of cytokines, chemokines, and immune mediators. Each of these factors has been reported to be altered in patients with CRS vs controls or hypothesized to affect olfactory function in prior studies.14 (link)–18 (link) Assays were performed according to manufacturers’ instructions and read on a Guava easy Cyte 8HT flow cytometer (EMD Millipore), with analysis performed with FCAP Array Software, version 1.0.1 (BD Biosciences).
