Health utility reporting in Chronic Rhinosinusitis patients

Objectives: Direct comparison of different diseases allows clinicians and researchers to place the burden of symptoms and impact on quality of life of each condition in context. Generic health-related quality of life assessment tools allow such analysis, limited data is available for British patients with Chronic rhinosinusitis.

Design: As part of a larger feasibility study, patients underwent baseline assessment using the SNOT-22, SF-12 and EQ-5D-5L tools. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel and algorithms available for the analysis of the later 2 tools. We plotted EQ-5D-5L VAS and utility scores and SF-12 MCS and PCS scores separately against SNOT-22 scores and quantified associations using bivariate ordinary least squares regression analysis.

Setting: Patients were prospectively recruited from 6 UK outpatient clinics.

Participants: Adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNPs).

Main Outcome measures: Baseline SNOT-22, SF-12 and EQ-5D-5L scores.

Results: Fifty-two adults were recruited with a mean age of 55 years, 51% were male. The mean SNOT-22 score was 43.82. Mental and physical component scores of the SF-12 were 46.53 and 46 respectively. Mean index score computed form the EQ-5D-5L was 0.75. Worse (higher) SNOT-22 scores were associated with lower EQ-5D-5L VAS and utility scores and SF-12 MCS and PCS scores.

Conclusion: The EQ-5D-5L suggests that British CRSsNPs patients are negatively impacted with regards to quality of life. We found the SF-12 to be less sensitive and conclude that the EQ-5D-5L tool is a quick and accessible method for assessing QOL in order it can be compared with other disease states.