Plath Michaela Maria, Sand Matthias, Gruchlik Mark-Philip, Cavaliere Carlo, Friauf Sara, Plinkert Peter, Plath Karim, Baumann Ingo
Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik, UniversitätsKlinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
GESIS, GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften in Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Laryngorhinootologie. 2024 Oct;103(10):715-722. doi: 10.1055/a-2306-2702. Epub 2024 May 16.
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is the treatment of choice for those not responding to medical treatments. To date, the short-term effects of FESS on HRQoL are still unclear.
Evaluation of the short-term effects of FESS on HRQoL in CRS patients using the SNOT-22 questionnaire.
The results of the validated German version of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire were analysed from 89 patients with CRS before surgery and 10-14 days (n = 77), four (n = 77), six weeks (n = 76) and 6 months (n = 71) after FESS, and compared with those of 1,000 healthy controls selected using a non-probability quota sample in accordance to the distribution of the German Microcensus.
Compared to the preoperative mean SNOT-22 score (47.35), CRS patients significantly improved in HRQoL 10-14 days (31.75, p < 0.01), 4 weeks (25.84, p < 0.01), 6 weeks (24.16, p < 0.01) and 6 months after FESS (27.16, p < 0.01). Pre- and 6 months postoperatively, the five most important SNOT-22 items were nasal obstruction, smell and taste reduction, thick, mucous nasal secretions, need to blow the nose and postnasal drip. At the 2, 4 and 6-week follow-up, the reduction in smell and taste was most frequently perceived as limiting the HRQoL.
This follow-up study shows for the first time that the reduction in smell and taste should be treated and controlled concervatively in the short term after FESS.
