title: Effects of smoking on quality of life following sinus surgery: 4-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to report on long-term outcomes in a prospective study comparing the quality-of-life outcomes in smokers and nonsmokers undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  : Prospective clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 235 patients were prospectively enrolled at a single tertiary academic center. Preoperative Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test (SNOT)-20 scores and comprehensive demographic and smoking data were obtained. Preoperative SNOT-20 scores were compared to postoperative SNOT-20 scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-term follow-up results were available in 111/185 nonsmokers (60%) and 26/50 smokers (52%). Nonsmokers had a mean preoperative SNOT-20 score of 26.2, a short-term follow-up score of 10.1 (mean, 3.1 months) and a long-term follow-up score of 11.4 (mean, 44.2 months). Smokers had a mean preoperative SNOT-20 score of 27.8, a short-term follow-up score of 5.7 (mean, 3.1 months) and a long-term follow-up score of 8.3 (mean, 40.3 months). The mean improvement in SNOT-20 scores for smokers was significantly greater than nonsmokers in short-term follow-up (P = .044), however, no significant difference in improvement was seen between smokers and nonsmokers at long-term follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both smokers and nonsmokers continue to maintain a highly significant improvement in SNOT-20 scores following endoscopic sinus surgery at long-term follow-up. Although smoking remains a well-documented cause of medical morbidity, smokers maintained an improvement in quality of life after long-term follow-up from endoscopic sinus surgery in this prospective study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Subinoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Sunny S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Khichi
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perakis
authors.forename: Troy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Woodard
authors.forename: Stilianos E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kountakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000601:surgery*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult