A life without smells or tastes, with the possibility of undergoing frequent surgery: this is the condition with which the people they live with are faced nasal polyposis, a disease that has a significant impact on the quality of life. Little known and often underestimated, nasal polyposis develops as consequence of a chronic inflammation triggered by an immune reaction. In the most severe forms it becomes a constant throughout life: cortisone-based therapies and surgical removal interventions partially and temporarily solve the problem. Although it affects about 2-4% of the population, knowledge of this pathology is still poor and, above all, the most serious patients give up on treatment due to lack of solution options.
To increase knowledge of the pathology and support patients in identifying the most appropriate diagnostic-therapeutic path based on their individual condition, “Win against the discomforts of nasal polyposis”, the Sanofi awareness campaign which provides those living with this pathology all the tools to be properly informed about symptoms, causes and risk factors and to conveniently locate the nearest otolaryngology and allergology center through the website www.thenextbreath.it.
The campaign, sponsored by five scientific societies: Aicna (Italian Academy of Nasal Cytology), Aiito (Association of Allergologists, Italian Territorial and Hospital Immunologists), Iar (Italian Academy of Rhinology), Siaaic (Italian Society of Asthma Allergology and Clinical Immunology), Sioechcf (Italian Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery) and by the patient associations Federasma and Allergie Onlus and the Italian Federation of Patients and Breathing Together, will be launched in these days on the occasion of the 107th Congress of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (Sioechcf) starting tomorrow and until May 29 in Milan, in virtual mode.
And the initiative was today at the center of the webinar entitled “Don’t bump your nose into nasal polyposis“, promoted and organized by Sanofi, which was attended by Simona Barbagaglia, president of Breathing Together Onlus; Mario Bussi, director of the ENT Unit of the Irccs San Raffaele in Milan and president of the congress of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology and Neck Surgery Facial (Sioechcf); Laura Mastrolillo, president of Federasma and allergies; Gaetano Paludetti, president of the Italian Society of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery and director of the UOC of Otolaryngology of the Gemelli Irccs and Catholic University Polyclinic; Gianenrico Senna, president of the Italian Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, and Michele Barletta, head of the Sanofi Franchise Immunology Respiratory Area.
“Often – Paludetti said – people suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, especially in the most serious forms, have a long and complex path of diagnosis and treatment with the need to periodically resort to surgery to free the nose. to a resolution of the problem through chronic cortisone-based therapies, intranasal or systemic, so far considered the standard of treatment “.
“Early identification of the ENT specialist to contact – added Bussi – or a specialized center of Otorhinolaryngology or Allergology that can follow the patient through a targeted diagnostic-therapeutic path it can make a difference in the course of the disease and also in terms of the emotional and psychological impact that this disease has on the daily life of people who often give up treatment due to lack of adequate responses ”.
Nasal polyposis, although it affects about 2-4% of the population, is still poorly understood and often considered minor. Still, it can manifest itself in severe forms that have a major impact on quality of life and require multiple surgeries and chronic cortisone. About 9 out of 10 patients with severe nasal polyposis suffer from decreased or loss of smell or taste. Hence the initiative “Win against the discomforts of nasal polyposis”. “It is an information and awareness campaign on nasal polyposis – underlined Barletta -. Our commitment was to try to facilitate the possibility for patients to find useful information through the digital channel. On the website www.thenextbreath. it it will be possible to access information on symptoms, causes and risk factors, and it will be possible to identify the nearest and most convenient center for otolaryngology and allergy specializing in this pathology to avoid major travel “.