The ratio of Ki67+ cells to p63+Krt5+ cells was significantly higher in nasal epithelium from patients with CRSsNP(21.43%, 3.85–78.47%) compared to both patients with CRSr (13.78%, 0–48.0%, P = 0.004) and controls (12.61%, 3.53–24.66%, P < 0.001), and showed no significant difference between patients with CRSr and controls (P = 0.822) (Fig. 3d). Here, KRT5 is linked to chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps.