title: Impact of intranasal sodium hyaluronate on the short-term quality of life of patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) has become the treatment of choice for patients with medically resistant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and nasal polyps. Despite the consolidated use of different treatments, the postoperative period is often very painful and uncomfortable, especially during the first month. Although evidence on the effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate (SH) on postoperative care following FESS is available, data on the quality of life (QoL) from the patients' perspective are still lacking. This study aimed to evaluate for the first time the effectiveness of nasal douche with SH in reducing patients' discomfort during the first month following FESS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind randomized controlled study was carried out on 124 subjects undergoing FESS for CRS with nasal polyposis. They were divided into 2 groups: group I was treated with nasal douche containing 9 mg of high molecular weight SH plus saline solution and group II was treated with saline solution alone. To assess QoL in CRS patients, the Short Form-36 (SF-36) test, the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22), and the visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaires were administered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups. However, after 30 days of long postoperative treatments, we found clinically significant improvements in QoL of subjects treated with SH, as evidenced by all QoL scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that SH significantly improves patients' short-term QoL following FESS in terms of both general health and specific sinonasal status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatologic Science, ENT Unit, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cantone
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sicignano
authors.forename: Immacolata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferranti
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rega
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Rubbo
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iengo
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055675:Viscosupplements / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D055675:Viscosupplements; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
keywords: FESS; chronic rhinosinusitis; disease severity; endoscopic sinus surgery; postoperative; quality of life