Objectives/hypothesis: To measure the change in quality-of-life (QoL) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in patients with medically recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and minimally affected computed tomography (CT) scans of the paranasal sinuses.
Study design: Prospective, multicenter cohort study at three academic, tertiary care centers.
Methods: A total of 778 patients with CRS were enrolled between January 2001 and April 2009 after electing ESS. For the purposes of this analysis, patients with nasal polyposis, history of prior sinus surgery, or follow-up <6 months were excluded. Final study patients were categorized as low-stage CT CRS (Lund-Mackay ≤3; n = 17) and high-stage CT CRS (Lund-Mackay >3; n = 207). Primary outcome measures included two disease-specific QoL instruments: the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and the Chronic Sinusitis Survey.
Results: In patients with low-stage CT CRS, a statistically significant improvement was found across all disease-specific QoL scores (all P ≤ .012), with the exception of the CSS medication usage subscale (P = .073). These QoL improvements were comparable to those in patients with high-stage CT CRS.
Conclusions: Some patients will present with CRS that is refractory to medical therapy even though their CT demonstrates relatively minimal disease. Based on the results of this study, ESS is associated with improved QoL in patients with low-stage CT CRS and can provide significant benefit to carefully selected patients with minimally affected CT scans.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00799097.
Copyright © 2010 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.