The SF-36 health status questionnaire in assessing patients with epistaxis secondary to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
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.
Lennox
Penelope A
PA
Professorial Unit, The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Hitchings
Anne E
AE
Lund
Valerie J
VJ
Howard
David J
DJ
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*