Quality Of Life In Chronic Rhinosinusitis Research Articles

Concha Bullosa Affects Baseline and Postoperative Quality-of-Life Measures in Surgically Managed Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Background Concha bullosa (CB) is a prevalent anatomic variant and frequent surgical target in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). However, whether CB impacts quality-of-life (QOL) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is not well established. The purpose of this study was to investigate baseline and post-ESS QOL differences in patients with medically recalcitrant CRS with and without CB. Methods Demographic and surgical characteristics, baseline and postoperative 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores for 137 patients with CRS who underwent primary ESS at our institution were recorded. Computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed for Lund–Mackay score and presence of CB. Multiplanar CT was used to measure CB dimensions and estimate volume. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify differences in SNOT-22 overall and symptom-domain scores between patients with upper quartile (≥0.8 mL) CB and without CB. Results CB was found in 37% of patients with mean volume of 0.67 mL. There were no significant differences in distribution of clinicodemographic variables by large CB status. At baseline, large CB was associated with higher SNOT-22 extranasal-rhinologic domain score (9.8 vs 6.0, P < .01). Following ESS, patients with large CB reported greater improvement in SNOT-22 extranasal-rhinologic domain score (multivariable mean absolute improvement 3.8, P = .01; relative 56% vs 30%). Conclusion Patients with medically recalcitrant CRS and concomitant large CB have higher SNOT-22 extranasal-rhinologic domain scores at baseline, but also report greater intradomain improvement exceeding the subdomain’s mean clinically important difference. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that CB has a clinically significant impact on QOL in CRS, and surgical intervention may be helpful to address these symptoms.

Correlation between systemic inflammatory response and quality of life in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Local sinonasal inflammation resulting from altered T-cell immune signaling is a contributor to the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). CRS patients experience negative impacts on quality of life (QOL) and suffer from comorbidities linked to systemic inflammation. However, systemic inflammatory profiling to evaluate the association between systemic inflammation and QOL in CRS has not been performed. Our objectives were to compare local and systemic inflammatory gene expression in patients with CRS to determine if systemic markers of inflammation associate with disease severity and disease-specific QOL. A prospective observational study was conducted comparing 16 patients with CRS to 10 controls. Inflammatory gene expression in the anterior ethmoid tissues and peripheral blood of patients was measured using multiplex gene expression analysis and correlated to disease severity (computed tomography and nasal endoscopy) and disease-specific QOL (22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test [SNOT-22] and Rhinosinusitis Disability Index) using linear regression analyses. Patients with CRS showed significant increases in the expression of ctla4 and jak1 in sinonasal tissue and blood (p<0.05), whereas the gene expression of hla-dqa1, hla-dqb1, and dusp4 was significantly decreased in patients with CRS compared to controls (p<0.05). Soluble and local ctla4 and jak1 showed a significant positive correlation with clinical markers of disease severity and disease-specific QOL (p<0.05). Local and systemic gene expression involved in T-cell immune signaling was found to be significantly altered in the blood and sinonasal tissues of patients with CRS compared to controls and significantly correlated to disease severity and QOL in patients with CRS.

Impaired eating-related quality of life in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Despite the tremendous burden of smell and taste dysfunction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), objective measures of smell and taste fail to fully account for eating-related disruptions in CRS patient quality of life (QOL). In this study we sought to investigate the driving force behind impaired eating-related QOL in CRS patients. Adult CRS patients were prospectively enrolled and answered a series of surveys relating to smell, taste, overall sinus-specific QOL, and depression. Patients with both smell-related and taste-related eating complaints were considered to have impaired eating-related QOL. Clinical demographics, objective chemosensory scores, and endoscopy scores were collected. Seventy patients were enrolled and 23% showed impaired eating-related QOL. In multivariable analyses, patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) showed 10.7 times higher odds of impaired eating-related QOL (odds ratio [OR] 10.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09 to 105.09; p = 0.042); meanwhile, for every 1-point increase in depression scores, the odds of impaired eating-related QOL increased by 1.3 (OR 1.31; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.57; p = 0.003). For every 1-point decrease in orthonasal olfactory threshold, the odds of impaired eating-related QOL increased by 1.9 times (OR 1.85; 95% CI, 1.14 to 3.00; p = 0.013). Symptom scores, polyp status, endoscopic scores, and other olfactory measures did not remain significant after adjusting for other variables in forward-selection multivariable modeling. Disruptions in eating-related QOL cannot be fully explained by objective smell or taste testing alone. We identified AERD and depression as independent risk factors for greater odds of impaired eating-related QOL in CRS. Improved orthonasal threshold scores were independently associated with better eating-related QOL.

Association between Asthma and Chronic Rhinosinusitis Severity in the Context of Asthma Control.

Objective Comorbid asthma is associated with decreased quality of life (QOL) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). It is unclear whether this association is independent of the patients' clinical asthma status. We therefore sought to determine if asthma is associated with lower QOL in CRS, independent of asthma control. Study Design Cross-sectional cohort study of 350 patients with CRS. Setting Tertiary academic rhinology clinic. Subjects and Methods In total, 350 participants with CRS were recruited and 28.3% were asthmatic. CRS-specific QOL was measured using the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22). Asthma control was assessed with the Asthma Control Test (ACT). General health-related QOL was assessed with the EuroQoL 5-dimensional general health-related quality of life survey visual analog scale (EQ-5D VAS). Associations were sought between SNOT-22 and EQ-5D VAS (dependent variables) and asthma (independent variable), while controlling for ACT. ACT score for patients with CRS without asthma was set at 25 (indicating completely controlled, asymptomatic asthma). Results Comorbid asthma was associated with SNOT-22 (β = 11.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2-17.3; P < .001) and EQ-5D VAS (β = -6.2; 95% CI, -11.2 to -1.3; P = .014). After controlling for ACT, asthma was no longer associated with SNOT-22 ( P = .147) or EQ-5D VAS ( P = .994). Instead, ACT score was associated with SNOT-22 (β = -2.1; 95% CI, -3.2 to -1.1; P < .001) and EQ-5D VAS (β = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.0; P < .001). ACT score completely drove the association between asthma and worse QOL. Conclusion Comorbid asthma is not necessarily reflective of decreased QOL in CRS. The association of comorbid asthma with lower QOL in CRS is related to the clinical status (eg, control) of asthma.

Peak nasal inspiratory flow correlates with quality of life in functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

Whilst nasal function and airflow improve subjectively following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), a clinically useful and objective tool for quantifying such improvement is lacking. The peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) metre offers convenient and objective measures of nasal patency. However, it has not yet been established whether changes in PNIF after surgery reflect changes in subjective disease burden. In this study we aimed to determine whether changes in PNIF correlate with commonly used subjective symptom and quality of life outcome measures following FESS for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Prospective cohort. Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital. Thirty-seven patients undergoing FESS for CRS, with or without polyps (21 male, mean age 48.8). PNIF, "SNOT-22", "NOSE" and "VAS" questionnaires were performed before and after surgery. In all patients, there was a strong negative correlation between change in PNIF and change in "SNOT-22" score following surgery (Pearson r=-.64, P<.0001). Strong negative correlations were also seen during subgroup analysis of patients with and without polyps (r=-.57, P=.006 and r=-.67, P=.005, respectively). Change in PNIF correlated significantly with change in "NOSE" score following surgery in all patients and those without polyps (r=-.54, P=.0005 and r=-.68, P=.003). There were no significant correlations between PNIF and VAS (nasal obstruction). Changes in PNIF after FESS appear to best reflect improvements in quality of life in CRS as measured using the "SNOT-22" questionnaire.

A cross sectional analysis of a case-control study about quality of life in CRS in the UK; a comparison between CRS subtypes

The Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) has been used as a patient reported outcome measure to grade symptom severity before and after treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This analysis uses data from the CRS Epidemiology Study (CRES). The overarching aim of CRES was to determine factors that influence the onset and severity of CRS. A study-specific questionnaire including SNOT-22 was distributed to patients with CRS attending ENT clinics across 30 centres in the United Kingdom. The aim of this analysis was to compare SNOT-22 scores between those with different types of CRS to determine any differences present in the total score or the subdomains and to assess whether any differences varied according to gender. There were a total of 1249 CRS participants in the following subgroups: CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNPs) (n=553), CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs) (n=651), allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) (n=45). Since there were differing gender ratios in each subgroup, males and females were analysed separately. The mean and standard deviation for SNOT-22 was: males CRSsNP 41.1 (21.0), CRSwNP 41.7 (20.5); females CRSsNP 49.6 (19.7), CRSwNP 49.5 (22.9). In the nasal domain, those with CRSwNP scored more highly than those with CRSsNP; for males 18.1 (8.1) vs. 15.9 (7.9); for females 19.6 (8.0) vs 16.7 (7.5). Patients with CRSwNPs report higher symptom scores in the nasal domain of SNOT-22 than those with CRSsNPs with women in both subgroups reporting higher total scores than men.

A cross-sectional evaluation of the correlation between disease severity and quality of life in chronic rhinosinusitis patients in Nigeria.

Quality of Life (QoL) studies are increasingly being used as the primary outcome measure in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) globally. However, little is known about QoL and the interplay of identifiable factors on QoL in CRS in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the correlation between disease severity and QoL in chronic rhinosinusitis patients. A total of 147 adults with subjective severity rating of CRS were studied. Participants were assessed using designed questionnaire, Individual Rhinosinusitis Symptom Severity Score Assessment (IRSSSA) and Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) questionnaires to elicit socio-demographic/clinical profile, CRS symptom severity and QoL, respectively. The mean age of the participants was 36.86 ± 11.91 years. The mean severity score of all 147 CRS cases was 3.8 ± 1.13. The majority of participants (N = 80; 54.4 %) had moderate disease. The RSDI mean scores for the participants for overall HRQoL were 40.6 ± 19.8. (Median = 40; Range = 77), for physical domain 15.2 ± 7.7, functional domain 12.1 ± 6.4 and emotional domain 13.2 ± 8.2. The trend of association between the disease severity scores and the overall HRQoL on Pearson linear correlation indicates a positive linear association of worsening overall HRQoL with increasing disease severity (R = 0.83; P < 0.0001). The severity of CRS impacted negatively on the HRQoL. All domains were significantly affected by the disease severity particularly the physical domain. Patients adjudged severity of their disease and its' impact on their quality of life should be considered in the determination of the line of their management which could include psychosocial intervention.

Chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps: the role of generic and specific questionnaires on assessing its impact on patient’s quality of life

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) including nasal polyps is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa that, despite differing hypotheses of its cause, remains poorly understood. Primary symptoms are nasal blockage, loss of smell, rhinorrhea, and facial pain or pressure. Chronic rhinosinusitis causes significant physical symptoms, has a negative impact on quality of life (QoL), and can substantially impair daily functioning. A global evaluation of patients must include, together with nasal symptoms, nasal endoscopy, and CT scan, the measurement of QoL. To assess QoL in CRS, specific and generic questionnaires may be used. Chronic rhinosinusitis has a considerable impact on a patient's QoL but comorbidities, such as asthma and atopy, have an accumulative negative effect. Both medical and surgical treatments lead to a similar improvement on the QoL of CRS and nasal polyp patients.