A visual analog scale can assess the effect of surgical treatment in children with chronic otitis media with effusion.
BACKGROUND
The OM-6 survey is a validated and multinationally accepted instrument to measure the treatment effect of otitis media in children. Routine use of the OM-6 in a busy general practice is not always possible and can lead to incomplete returned surveys. A simplified method is favoured when the aim is a continuous process of complete treatment-outcome-data collection. This study tests if a VAS can quantify how much a child suffers from chronic otitis media and how much this changes due to surgical treatment. The change in overall OM-6 scores due to surgical treatment, functions as the gold reference standard. Furthermore, this study tests if the VAS is faster to use than the OM-6 and if it leads to an improvement in complete data collection.


METHODS
Prospective cohort follow-up study of 175 consecutive children with chronic otitis media in a paediatric otolaryngology practice in a metropolitan area. Data collected included patient's age, gender, clinical presentation, type of surgical procedure performed, overall OM-6 score and VAS score (at initial presentation and at follow-up), time needed to complete an OM-6 survey and VAS separately and number of incorrect OM-6 surveys and VAS questions returned.


RESULTS
The VAS scores and overall OM-6 scores show a good, positive correlation at baseline (Spearman's rho=0.71). This correlation improves at follow-up, one and 6 months after intervention (rho=0.73 and rho=0.80, respectively). The change in VAS scores and overall OM-6 scores, interpreted as change due to surgical intervention, show a good positive correlation at follow-up (rho=0.70 and rho=0.77, respectively). The VAS is almost three times faster than the OM-6 (28s versus 81s). More than 13% of OM-6 surveys were returned incomplete. All VAS questions were returned correct.


CONCLUSIONS
The VAS can be used as a simplified method for routine surgical treatment effect analysis in children with chronic otitis media.
Datema
Frank R
FR
Department of Otolaryngology, HagaZiekenhuis, Location Juliana Children's Hospital, The Hague, The Netherlands. f.datema@erasmusmc.nl
Vemer-van den Hoek
Johanna G
JG
Wieringa
Marjan H
MH
Mulder
Paul M
PM
Baatenburg de Jong
Robert J
RJ
Blom
Henk M
HM
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors