title: The SF-36 health status questionnaire in assessing patients with epistaxis secondary to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study assesses the ability of the short form 36 (SF-36), a validated health status survey, to measure the health of patients with epistaxis due to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight patients completed the SF-36 and symptom-specific questionnaires. They were asked to rate their epistaxis as severe, moderate, or mild. The SF-36 data are compared with a reference population and analyzed with respect to the subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scores for each dimension of health were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) when compared with the reference population for all dimensions except pain. When compared with the patients' ratings of severity, a significant correlation was detected in five dimensions (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SF-36 reflects the reduced health status of patients with epistaxis due to HHT. Changes in the SF-36 score could be used as an outcome measure in assessing efficacy of treatment of this condition.
authors.affiliation: Professorial Unit, The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Penelope A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lennox
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hitchings
authors.forename: Valerie J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013683:Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic / Q000150:complications*