Gender Differences in Quality of Life of Adolescent Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the differences in the impact of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) between female and male adolescent patients at presentation.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross sectional study.

METHODS

Adolescent patients, age 12 to 18 years old, presenting to our Otolaryngology clinic between August 2020 and April 2023 for CRS were asked to fill both the SNOT-22 and the SN5 forms. Female and male cohorts were compared regarding their demographics, comorbidities, subjective and objective disease measurements, and choice of treatment.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients were included, 30 female and 36 male patients. There were no differences in age, allergic rhinitis, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, presence of nasal septal deviation, and objective disease severity ( > .05 for all). At presentation, mean overall SNOT-22, ear/facial, sleep, and psychological domains were all higher in female patients (43vs 30.9,  = .02; 9.1vs 6,  = .03; 11.8vs 8.3,  = .07; 14.1vs 8.8,  = .02 respectively). SN5 scores and overall QoL visual analog scale were similar in females and males.

CONCLUSION

Female patients with CRS show higher subjective disease burden. Incorporating data on gender-specific differences may be important to personalize treatment decision making.