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Chronic rhinosinusitis and cognition: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Gao EY, Tan BKJ, Chan KL, Chia CXY, Tan CJ, Yeo BSY, Liu X, Tay L et al.. Rhinology, 2025-10-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Recent clinical studies have alluded to an association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and cognition, possibly mediated by local and systemic neuroinflammation. This meta-analysis seeks to clarify the association of CRS diagnosis or treatment with cognitive function and dementia. Methodology Two blinded reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for studies comparing cognitive function (global/domain-specific) or dementia in patients with/without CRS or pre/post-CRS treatment. The risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I/ROBINS-E. Random-effects models were used to pool the ratio of means (RoM) for cognitive scores and the odds ratio (OR) for dementia. Results From 1,149 records, 10 studies encompassing 107,610 patients were included. CRS was associated with poorer global cognitive function compared to healthy. CRS treatment was associated with improvements from baseline in processing speed and working memory. There was no significant cross-sectional association between CRS and dementia. Conclusion CRS is associated with 9% poorer global cognitive function, while CRS treatment is associated with 8-9% improvements in processing speed and working memory. Larger longitudinal studies are needed to fully elucidate these relationships.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Gao, E. Y., Tan, B. K. J., Chan, K. L., Chia, C. X. Y., Tan, C. J., Yeo, B. S. Y., et al. (2025). Chronic rhinosinusitis and cognition: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rhinology. https://doi.org/10.4193/rhin25.031
Vancouver
Gao EY, Tan BKJ, Chan KL, Chia CXY, Tan CJ, Yeo BSY, et al. Chronic rhinosinusitis and cognition: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rhinology. 2025. doi:10.4193/rhin25.031. PMID: 40619980.
BibTeX
@article{gao2025-40619980,
author = {Gao, E. Y. and Tan, B. K. J. and Chan, K. L. and Chia, C. X. Y. and Tan, C. J. and Yeo, B. S. Y. and Liu, X. and Tay, L. and others},
title = {{Chronic rhinosinusitis and cognition: a systematic review and meta-analysis}},
journal = {Rhinology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.4193/rhin25.031},
pmid = {40619980},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4193/rhin25.031}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results From 1,149 records, 10 studies encompassing 107,610 patients were included.
- CRS was associated with poorer global cognitive function compared to healthy.
- CRS treatment was associated with improvements from baseline in processing speed and working memory.
- There was no significant cross-sectional association between CRS and dementia.
- Conclusion CRS is associated with 9% poorer global cognitive function, while CRS treatment is associated with 8-9% improvements in processing speed and working memory.
Why it matters
Pooling 10 studies with 107,610 patients, this review found chronic rhinosinusitis, long-lasting sinus inflammation, was associated with 9% poorer global cognitive function, and treating it was associated with 8-9% improvements in processing speed and working memory. There was no significant link between the condition and dementia in cross-sectional data. The authors say larger long-term studies are needed to clarify these relationships.
Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Participants107,610
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Rhinology) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Rhinology Journal: journal h-index 72 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 107,610 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 6 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Brian Sheng Yep Yeo: h-index 12 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | National University of Singapore: institution h-index 1,166 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40619980) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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