Nasal valve surgery improves disease-specific quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
Disease-specific quality-of-life (QOL) assessment of patients with nasal valve compromise and symptomatic nasal obstruction has not been studied previously. The objectives of the study were to determine whether surgical treatment of the nasal valve improves disease-specific QOL and to identify clinical or demographic variables predictive of patients' baseline QOL or change in QOL.


METHODS
Prospective, multi-institutional outcomes study of 20 patients with nasal obstruction and a surgically treatable diagnosis of nasal valve compromise.


METHODS
Disease-specific QOL assessment was performed using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale preoperatively (n = 20) and at 3 (n = 14) and 6 months (n = 20) after surgery. Clinical and demographic data were collected, along with physician-reported assessments of degree of nasal obstruction.


RESULTS
Mean NOSE scores significantly improved from baseline to 3 months after surgery (68.9 vs. 20.7 [P < .0001]), from baseline to 6 months after surgery (68.9 vs. 15.8 [P < .0001]), and from 3 to 6 months after surgery (20.7 vs. 15.8 [P = .0077]). Physician assessment of degree of nasal obstruction using a visual analogue scale was significantly correlated with baseline NOSE scores (P = .013) and change in NOSE scores at 6 months (P = .0015). No other clinical or demographic factors were found to be predictive.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with symptomatic nasal obstruction and nasal valve compromise, surgical repair of the nasal valve improves disease-specific QOL. Physician rating of degree of nasal obstruction was found to be significantly correlated with patient-reported QOL.
Rhee
John S
JS
Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. jrhee@mcw.edu
Poetker
David M
DM
Smith
Timothy L
TL
Bustillo
Andres
A
Burzynski
Mary
M
Davis
Richard E
RE
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000601:surgery; D009666:Nose / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012225:Rhinoplasty; D013997:Time Factors