title: Correlation between preoperative symptom scores, quality-of-life questionnaires, and staging with computed tomography in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluates the correlation between preoperative symptoms, quality-of-life questionnaires (chronic sinusitis survey and 20-Item Sinonasal Outcome Test [SNOT-20]), and staging on computer tomography (CT). It consisted of a prospective cohort study of all consecutive patients undergoing surgery for medically nonresponsive chronic sinusitis, which took place at a tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred twenty-one patients completed the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS) questionnaire and the SNOT-20. A visual analog scale (VAS) symptom score was completed also. The average age of the patients was 44.5 years and the male/female ratio was 1.3:1. The symptom scores of all three questionnaires were compared with the Lund-MacKay CT scan score of the sinuses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median Lund-MacKay CT score was 12 (mean +/- SD, 12.7 +/- 5.7). There was no significant correlation between the SNOT-20 questionnaire and the Lund-MacKay CT score (p = 0.026; p = 0.764) and between the CSS and the Lund-MacKay CT score (p = -0.158; p = 0.058). Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between a single VAS symptom score relating to overall sinonasal symptom severity and the Lund-MacKay CT scan score (p = 0.135; p = 0.121). However, a weak but statistically significant correlation was found between the VAS score based on the sum of five sinonasal symptoms and the Lund-MacKay CT scan score (p = 0.197; p = 0.020).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The score, based on the sum of five sinonasal VAS symptoms, correlates to the disease severity as measured by the Lund-MacKay CT scan score. The SNOT-20 questionnaire and the CSS symptom score do not correlate to the Lund-MacKay CT scan score, although a correlation was found between the CSS score and the Lund-MacKay CT score in various sub-groups of our patient population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Adelaide University, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: David A M
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wabnitz
authors.forename: Salil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Wormald
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed