Quality of life and associated factors in persons with chronic rhinosinusitis in the general population: a prospective questionnaire and clinical cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES

The European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps describes methods to perform population-based and clinical studies on chronic rhinosinusitis in a standardised way, and it also describes how to clinical investigate CRS. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate quality of life and objective findings in persons with chronic rhinosinusitis recruited from the general population.

DESIGN

As part of a trans-European study, selected respondents to a survey questionnaire were invited for a clinical visit. Subjective symptoms and rhinoscopy were used for the clinical diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis, and persons with and without chronic rhinosinusitis were compared.

SETTING

This research took place in the department of Otolaryngology, Odense University Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 366 persons participated at the clinical visit, and of these, 91 were diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis, 271 without chronic rhinosinusitis and four persons were excluded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Severity of symptoms and disease-specific quality of life were measured using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22, and generic quality of life was measured using European quality of life - 5 dimensions including an index score and a visual analogue scale.

RESULTS

The prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis was 9%, and the prevalence of polyps was 4%. Persons with chronic rhinosinusitis had significantly reduced disease-specific quality of life (P = 0.00) and generic quality of life (P = 0.04 and 0.01) compared with persons without chronic rhinosinusitis. Having chronic rhinosinusitis was correlated to age, allergic rhinitis and smell.

CONCLUSION

This study gives insight into health-related quality of life and objective findings in persons with chronic rhinosinusitis recruited from the general population.