Important clinical symptoms in patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence and severity of individual Rhinosinusitis Task Force (RSTF) symptoms in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in 201 patients treated with FESS. The prevalence and severity of individual RSTF major and minor symptom scores graded on a visual analogue scale (VAS) were compared. Correlation between absolute improvement in individual symptom scores at 1-year postoperative was performed.


RESULTS
One-hundred fifty-eight of 201 patients met inclusion criteria giving a response rate of 78%. The average age was 49.4 (range 18-80) with a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1. The preoperative leading mean symptom scores were postnasal drip (5.8 +/- 0.3), nasal obstruction (5.7 +/- 0.3), and facial congestion (5.1 +/- 0.3). These symptoms were also the most prevalent with 82%, 84%, and 79% of patients reporting these symptoms, respectively. Postoperative symptom improvements were significant (P < .0001) across all RSTF domains except fever. The highest percentage improvement was seen with facial congestion (93%), nasal obstruction (92%), and postnasal drip (85%). Multivariate analysis revealed significant (P < .0001) high correlation between improvements of facial pain/pressure with facial congestion (R = 0.72), facial congestion with nasal obstruction (R = 0.65), and facial pain/pressure with headache (R = 0.72).


CONCLUSIONS
The top three RSTF symptoms were postnasal drip, nasal obstruction, and facial congestion in terms of prevalence and severity. Symptom scores improved after FESS. Of these symptoms, the degree of improvement of facial pain/pressure, facial congestion, nasal obstruction, and headache are highly correlated.
Ling
Francis T K
FT
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912, USA.
Kountakis
Stilianos E
SE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome