Chronic maxillary sinusitis in Medieval Maastricht, The Netherlands

Abstract

We examined three populations from Medieval Maastricht for signs of chronic inflammatory disease of the maxillary sinus. The populations represent rural and urban communities with a different social status. Maxillary sinuses of 126 individuals were inspected macroscopically and, if necessary, with an endoscope. Osseous changes, including pitting and/or abnormal, spicula-type bone formation were present in 49 (38.9 per cent) individuals. We did not find significant differences in the prevalence of maxillary sinusitis between the three populations studied. In contrast to the present-day situation, we found dental infection to be a major cause of maxillary sinusitis. Such a dominance of odontogenic sinusitis makes it difficult to establish the effect of social conditions on (rhinogenous) maxillary sinusitis. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.