Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22: translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation in Polish-speaking patients.

PURPOSE: There are many specific instruments for assessing the quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Of all these tests, the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) is the most widely used internationally. The purpose of the study was linguistic adaptation and validation of the SNOT-22 scale in the Polish language. METHODS: The SNOT-22 was adapted into Polish and was administered to 148 subjects (108 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and 40 asymptomatic controls. Seventy-one patients completed the SNOT-22 a second time to evaluate test-retest reliability. The Polish SNOT-22 was assessed for internal consistency, test-retest reliability, discriminant validity, criterion validity, and sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: The Polish SNOT-22 exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties. A high Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.89) was obtained. Significantly higher scores (p < 0.01) were revealed in the Study Group with a median score of 32 (range 15-53) points in comparison with controls: 5 (range 0-20). A moderate correlation was found between SNOT-22 and the Lund-Kennedy test score (r = 0.334; p < 0.001) and a strong correlation between SNOT-22 and the Lund-Macay test score (r = 0.469; p < 0.001). The best cut-off point was set at a 16 score with a sensitivity of 0.981 and a specificity of 0.995. The determined Area Under Curve (AUC = 0.997; p < 0.001) confirms the diagnostic accuracy of the Polish SNOT-22. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of the SNOT-22 is a valid and reliable tool for measuring health-related quality of life in patients with CRSwNP in the Polish-speaking population.

Sino-nasal Outcome Test (SNOT22) score in adult population with no known sino-nasal disease.

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study aimed to establish normative values for Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) score in adult Indian population without known sino-nasal diseases. The purpose was to fill a critical knowledge gap, providing insights into how various host factors influence SNOT-22 scores which seek to serve as reference for clinical studies, facilitating comparisons of symptom severity and aid in patient counselling based on specific score patterns. METHODS: One thousand and twelve adults meeting inclusion criteria participated in the study. Participants provided demographic information, occupation details, addiction history, and medical background. They completed SNOT-22 questionnaire, grading their symptoms on Likert scale of 0-5 based on severity experienced in the past 2 weeks. The collected data were analysed to derive meaningful insights. RESULTS: Mean SNOT-22 score for the study population was 6.80, with 90% scoring below 15, and 40% within 0-3 range. Females exhibited significantly lower mean scores than males. Residents of rural areas reported higher scores than urban counterparts. Education levels had no significant influence on scores. Occupational exposure to aeroallergens, addiction (especially tobacco), and a history of allergies, bronchial asthma, or atopy were associated with significantly higher SNOT-22 scores. Principal component analysis identified four distinct domains, with the nasal symptom domain consistently emerging as the major contributor to differences in subgroups with significantly different total SNOT-22 scores. CONCLUSION: The normative data and subgroup analyses established in this study serve as a foundation for future research, aiding clinicians in predicting symptoms and providing tailored counselling for individuals with sino-nasal pathologies.

The COVOSMIA-19 trial: Preliminary application of the Singapore smell and taste test to objectively measure smell and taste function with COVID-19.

Sudden loss of smell and/or taste has been identified as an early symptom of SARS-CoV-2 2019 (COVID-19) infection, and presents an effective target for prompt self-isolation and reducing community spread. The current study sought to develop and test a novel, rapid, self-administered test to objectively measure smell and taste losses associated with COVID-19, and administered self-report questionnaires to characterise symptoms associated with COVID-19 in Singapore. Participants (N = 99) completed questionnaires to record recent changes in smell and taste ability. This was followed by the 'Singapore Smell and Taste Test' (SSTT), a personal, objective testing kit for daily self-assessment of smell and taste function at their place of residence. Seventy-two recruited participants were confirmed as COVID-19 positive at baseline, of which 58 completed the SSTT at home. Of these, 36.2% had objectively measured smell and/or taste loss. The SSTT measures of smell and taste function were positively associated with participants' self-reported smell and taste acuity, and rated smell intensity of 6 common household items. This study presents the first application of the SSTT as a rapid, cost-effective, objective tool to self-monitor smell and taste function in a residential setting, and ensures comparability across individuals through the use of standardised stimuli. The SSTT has potential for future application in populations with limited access to formal COVID-19 testing as a self-administered objective method to monitor sudden changes in smell and taste, and to prompt early self-isolation, in order to reduce community transmission of COVID-19.

The Effectiveness of Budesonide Nasal Irrigation in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a long-standing disease and has been shown to cause significant impairment in patients' quality of life. Saline nasal irrigation is a proven adjunct in the treatment of AR. The addition of steroid to the saline solution can provide local steroid effect and increase the effectiveness of this technique. Our study aimed to determine the effectiveness of budesonide nasal irrigation as an adjunct to the treatment of AR, compared with saline nasal irrigation. Methods: This was a randomised controlled study involving 99 patients diagnosed with AR, half of whom were treated with saline nasal irrigation and the other half with budesonide nasal irrigation. Parameters measured include the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) questionnaire, endoscopic nasal examination findings and blood eosinophil count. Results: Patients treated with budesonide nasal irrigation had significant improvement in total SNOT-22 score (P < 0.001) and improvement in the endoscopic nasal examination findings, such as nasal mucosa oedema and secretions (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant improvement of blood eosinophil count in patients treated with either budesonide or saline nasal irrigation. Conclusion: Budesonide nasal irrigation is effective as an adjunct in the treatment of AR.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test (snot)-22 for Finnish patients.

PURPOSE: The Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) is the most commonly used disease-specific quality of life questionnaire in rhinology. The purpose of this prospective study was to translate and validate SNOT-22 into Finnish. METHODS: The validation process followed the guidelines proposed for cross-cultural adaptation of health-related measures of quality of life. The study consisted of three groups: rhinologic out-patients (N = 96), FESS patients (N = 49) and healthy controls (N = 79). Out-patient and FESS groups completed the questionnaire twice (answers A and B), out-patients after two weeks and FESS patients after 3 months. Validity, reliability and responsiveness were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean SNOT-22 sum score of the out-patient questionnaires were 35.3 points (answer A) and 32.4 points (answer B). ICC in out-patient group was 0.879. For the FESS patients, the mean pre- and postoperative (answer A and B) SNOT-22 sum scores were 46.8 and 21.9 points, respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean SNOT-22 of healthy controls was 8.9 points. The out-patients (answer A) and healthy controls had statistically significant difference in SNOT-22 scores (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that the validated Finnish version of the SNOT-22 questionnaire demonstrates good validity, reliability and responsiveness.

How face masks influence the sinonasal quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: To study different mask types' impact on a sinonasal quality of life. METHODS: For this observational cross-sectional study, a web-based survey was distributed via social media forums. We used the validated Hebrew version of the Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 followed by a questionnaire developed specifically for the present study, focusing on the time of the COVID-19 pandemic (Mask Sinonasal Outcome Test), and questions regarding general health issues. The participants' mask-wearing routine was also studied. RESULTS: Seventy percent of 351 participants had experienced a change in their breathing during the time of the pandemic. The median total Sinonasal Outcome Test-22 score was 13, and 10% of the participants reported a significantly impaired quality of life. According to multivariate analyses, the only subject-related variables significantly associated with the reduced sinonasal quality of life were female gender, younger age, a background of chronic rhinitis and sinusitis, and the mask-wearing average daily duration. The mask sinonasal outcome test convergent validity was confirmed. CONCLUSION: The majority of our survey's responders, predominantly female and younger participants, reported reduced sinonasal quality of life in the COVID-19 pandemic period. It can be attributed to mask-wearing, especially for a prolonged time, irrespective of the existing mask type. These findings should encourage medical companies to produce more "airway-minded" personal protection equipment.

Prior smoking and nasoseptal flap usage adversely impact quality of life and healing after endoscopic pituitary surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic pituitary surgery (EPS) via the endonasal transsphenoidal approach is well established as an effective treatment modality for sellar masses. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between key patient and operative variables and rhinological outcomes as determined by the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and endoscopic scores following EPS. METHODS: Prospectively collected SNOT-22 scores and objective endoscopic data were analyzed from a cohort of 109 patients who underwent EPS and had at least 90 days of postoperative follow-up. Trends in postoperative SNOT-22 scores were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Time to return to baseline endoscopic score was analyzed using Cox regression. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and sex, the authors found that prior smokers had higher total and rhinological subdomain SNOT-22 scores (p < 0.01, 95% CI 5.82-16.39; p = 0.01, 95% CI 1.38-5.09, respectively) following EPS. Nasoseptal flap use also showed higher total and rhinological subdomain SNOT-22 scores (p = 0.01, 95% CI 1.62-12.60; p = 0.02, 95% CI 0.42-4.30, respectively). Prior sinonasal surgery and concurrent septoplasty did not affect the change in SNOT-22 total scores over time (p = 0.08, 95% CI -0.40 to 0.02; p = 0.33, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the evolution of healing and patient-reported quality of life (QOL) measures are multifaceted with contributions from two key variables. Nasoseptal flap usage and prior smoking status may adversely impact postoperative QOL. No variables were found to be associated with objective postoperative endoscopic findings.

Assessing the surgical outcome of the "chopsticks" technique in endoscopic transsphenoidal adenoma surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The "chopsticks" technique is a 3-instrument, 2-hand mononostril technique that has been recently introduced in endoscopic neurosurgery. It allows a dynamic surgical view controlled by one surgeon only while keeping bimanual dissection. Being a mononostril approach, it requires manipulation of the mucosa of one nasal cavity only. The rationale of the technique is to reduce nasal morbidity without compromising surgical results and complication rates. There are, however, no data available on its results in endoscopic surgery (transsphenoidal surgery [TSS]) for pituitary adenoma. METHODS: The authors performed a cohort analysis of prospectively collected data on 144 patients (156 operations) undergoing TSS using the chopsticks technique with 3T intraoperative MRI. All patients had at least 3 months of postoperative neurosurgical, endocrinological, and rhinological follow-up (Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 [SNOT-20] and Sniffin' Sticks). The surgical technique is described, and the achieved gross-total resection (GTR) and extent of resection (EOR) together with patients' clinical outcomes and complications are descriptively reported. RESULTS: On 3-month postoperative MRI, GTR was achieved in 71.2% of patients with a mean EOR of 96.7%. GTR was the surgical goal in 122 of 156 cases and was achieved in 106 of 122 (86.9%), with a mean EOR of 98.7% (median 100%, range 49%-100%). There was no surgical mortality. At a median follow-up of 15 months (range 3-70 months), there was 1 permanent neurological deficit. As of the last available follow-up, 11.5% of patients had a new pituitary single-axis deficit, whereas 26.3% had improvement in endocrinological function. Three patients had new postoperative hyposmia. One patient had severe impairment of sinonasal function (SNOT-20 score > 40). The operation resulted in endocrine remission in 81.1% of patients with secreting adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the chopsticks technique confers resection and morbidity results that compare favorably with literature reports of TSS. This technique permits a single surgeon to perform effective endoscopic bimanual dissection through a single nostril, reducing manipulation of healthy tissue and thereby possibly minimizing surgical morbidity.

Tolerability and effectiveness of povidone-iodine or mupirocin versus saline sinus irrigations for chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES: The role of topical anti-infectives in acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis is controversial. Povidone-iodine is an anti-bacterial and anti-viral that is affordable and available over-the-counter and may demonstrate advantages over mupirocin as a sinus irrigation therapy. The objective was to compare povidone-iodine or mupirocin versus saline sinus irrigations for sinusitis exacerbations in post-surgery subjects as well as to assess tolerability of povidone-iodine sinus irrigations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective single-blinded (clinician only) randomized controlled trial. Subjects were post-surgery with acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis and gram-positive bacteria on culture. They received povidone-iodine, mupirocin, or saline sinus irrigations, twice daily for 30 days. Outcomes were post-treatment culture negativity (primary) and Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score change (secondary). RESULTS: Of the 62 subjects analyzed, post-treatment culture negativity rate was higher in the MUP (14/20, 70%) group compared to the PI (9/21, 43%) and SAL (9/19, 47%) groups, although this was not significant (p = 0.29). Povidone-iodine sinus irrigations at the 1% concentration were very well-tolerated, similar to saline irrigations. There were no significant differences in Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 score (povidone-iodine -0.3 [-0.6, 0.05] vs. mupirocin -0.3 [-0.7, 0.05] vs. saline -0.4 [-0.8, 0.05]; p = 0.86) or Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score (povidone-iodine -3.5 [-7, -0.5] vs. mupirocin -2 [-4, 2] vs. saline -3 [-5, 0]; p = 0.45) change. No serious adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who have had prior sinus surgery with acute exacerbations of CRS and gram-positive bacteria on culture, mupirocin sinus irrigations achieved a better post-treatment culture "control" rate compared to saline and povidone-iodine. In addition, 1% povidone-iodine solution was well-tolerated as a sinus irrigation and may represent a feasible method for temporarily disinfecting the sinonasal cavity of bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19.

The surgical management of recurrent acute and chronic barosinusitis in sports self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) divers.

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the feasibility of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with supplementary surgical procedures in scuba divers with recurrent acute barosinusitis (RABS) and chronic barosinusitis (CBS). METHODS: In this retrospective study, 25 divers were classified into RABS (n:11) and CBS (n:14) groups. The presentation of divers have been reviewed. The PNS CT images were scored according to Lund-Mackay (L-M) system. A score has been assigned to the extent of endoscopic procedures performed. The outcome of surgery and life quality were determined by SNOT-22 and dive-related questions (DRQ) tests. RESULTS: The average L-M score was 3.8 ± 2 for RABS and 12.2 ± 3.4 for CBS groups. L-M score of CBS group was found to be statistically higher than RBS group (p < 0.05). The FESS score of CBS group (8.7 ± 2.4) was higher than RABS group (5.6 ± 2) which showed that the endoscopic sinus procedures were performed more extensively in CBS group (p < 0.05). The difference between the preoperative and postoperative SNOT-22 scores indicates that the degree of sinus symptoms improved better in RABS group than CBS group (p < 0.05). When DRQ test was evaluated, RABS group showed a better improvement in diving performance symptoms than the CBS group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that divers with RABS and CBS can be managed successfully with FESS and supplementary surgical procedures. The improvement in the RABS group was superior to the CBS group, a difference attributed to the severity of chronic inflammation in CBS.

Cluster Analysis of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Suggests Gender-Based Differences.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the interaction between the overall severity of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) before treatment and subjective improvement following surgical or medical treatment. PROCEDURES: A group of 97 patients with CRS completed the visual analog scale (VAS) symptom score and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire in the moment of their sinus computerized tomography (CT) scan. Data were analyzed via a 2-step cluster analysis based on gender, polyp presence, CT scan, and VAS scores for symptoms. RESULTS: There were 3 clusters: the first cluster comprised 37 female patients with CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), the second cluster comprised 30 patients with CRS and NP (CRSwNP; 15 males and 15 females); and third cluster had 30 male patients with CRS without NP (CRSsNP). Different symptom patterns between clusters were identified. After adjustment for polyp presence, gender, eosinophilia (p = 0.021), and the SNOT-22 score (p = 0.005) were found to be better outcome predictors than the CT score (p = 0.26). CONCLUSION: Long-term patient satisfaction is significantly associated with the subjective symptom severity prior to treatment, i.e., postnasal drip and overall disease severity (SNOT-22 score), but not with the objective severity of the disease (CT score and inflammation).

Is sino-nasal outcome test-22 reliable for guiding chronic rhinosinusitis patients for endoscopic sinus surgery?

Chronic rhino-sinusitis (CRS) is a significant health problem whose incidence and prevalence is rising. An emphasis has been placed on diseasespecific quality of life (QoL as the predominant measure for most current outcome studies. Therefore a validated measure of health-related QoL in sinonasal disease is needed. The present prospective and observational study was conducted on 50 patients in the Department of ENT at Govt. Medical College and Rajindra Hospital Patiala, Punjab, India. The primary outcomes were the following: (1) the chance of attaining minimal clinically important difference (MCID) improvements of nine points at the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for different preoperative QoL levels, and (2) the percentage of relative improvement in SNOT-22 after ESS for different preoperative QoL levels. METHODS: Patients with CRS who were elected for ESS were prospectively enrolled into an observational cohort study. They were categorized into 10 preoperative SNOT-22 groups based on 10-point increments beginning with a score of 10 and ending at 110. Standard protocol for all patients presenting for evaluation included completion of the SNOT-22 prior to and following surgical intervention. The scores were calculated and the data collected were compiled and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients were included in this study. Patients with a SNOT-22 score between 10 and 19 had the lowest chance of achieving an MCID. Patients with a SNOT-22 score greater than 30 had a greater than 90% chance of achieving an MCID, and there was a relative improvement of 43.3% on their preoperative SNOT-22 scores. CRS patients with polyp had better outcomes (47.1% improvement) after ESS than those without polyp (33.2% improvement). CONCLUSION: There is an increased probability of achieving an MCID at SNOT-22 score >30 and in general the percentage of relative improvement increased with an increase in preoperative SNOT score.

Association between computed tomography findings and clinical symptoms in chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps.

Objective of this study was to test whether there is a difference between chronic rhinosinusitis patients with (CRSwNP) and without (CRSsNP) nasal polyps in the association of extent of disease on CT scans with symptom severity and health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) impairment. Data sets from 271 chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients who completed the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) to identify a symptom components related to CRS. After controlling for demographics, medical therapy, and comorbidities, the association between symptom components/items excluded from PCA and Lund-Mackay score (LMS) was evaluated. No association was found between the total SNOT-22 score and LMS in CRS patients. There was an independent association between a higher "nasal" symptom component derived from SNOT-22 PCA and LMS in patients with CRSwNP (p < 0.001), but not in CRSsNP patients, with a statistically significant difference between two patient subsets (p = 0.003). In patients with CRSsNP, higher (worse) SNOT-22 "facial pain" was associated with lower LMS (p = 0.022), although the estimated change in LMS was modest. Considering VAS PCA components, higher "nasal" symptoms were associated with higher LMS in CRSwNP patients (p < 0.001) but not in CRSsNP, with a statistically significant difference between CRS groups (p = 0.024). A higher "pain" PCA component was associated with lower LMS in CRSsNP patients (p = 0.019). This study found significant differences in the relationship between symptom burden and CT scores between CRS phenotypes and no association between HRQL impairment and CT scores.

Relationship between nasal septal deformity, symptoms and disease severity in chronic rhinosinusitis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction of nasal septal deformity (NSD), including the contribution of septal spurs, with the severity of subjective symptoms, impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sinus mucosal hyperplasia in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). One hundred seventeen patients with CRS were assigned to three groups with mild, moderate or severe NSD, according to the measured nasal septal angle, including the presence of contact septal spurs. All CRS patients completed the visual analog scale (VAS) symptom severity score and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) questionnaire. Symptoms scores, SNOT-22 and Lund-Mackay (LM) scores among the three NSD groups were compared. Related anatomy from the study group was compared with 100 control patients. VAS score for postnasal discharge in CRS patients was significantly higher in patients with mild NSD. There was a significantly higher LM score in CRS patients with severe NSD, compared to those with mild (P = 0.001) or moderate NSD (P = 0.005). CRS patients with a contact spur demonstrated a significantly higher LM score (P = 0.006) compared to those without a contact spur, and no differences in VAS symptom scores or HRQoL scores. There was a similar prevalence of septal deformities in CRS patients and in the non-ENT population. Our results support the conclusion that in patients with CRS, associated NSD or contact septal spur do not contribute significantly to CRS symptom severity or HRQoL impairment, but may have an impact on sinus mucosal hyperplasia.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test (SNOT-22) for Spanish-speaking patients.

Our objective was to perform translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test 22 (SNOT-22) to Spanish language. SNOT-22 was translated, back translated, and a pretest trial was performed. The study included 119 individuals divided into 60 cases, who met diagnostic criteria for chronic rhinosinusitis according to the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis 2012; and 59 controls, who reported no sino-nasal disease. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha test, reproducibility with Kappa coefficient, reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), validity with Mann-Whitney U test and responsiveness with Wilcoxon test. In cases, Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 both before and after treatment, as for controls, it was 0.90 at their first test assessment and 0.88 at 3 weeks. Kappa coefficient was calculated for each item, with an average score of 0.69. ICC was also performed for each item, with a score of 0.87 in the overall score and an average among all items of 0.71. Median score for cases was 47, and 2 for controls, finding the difference to be highly significant (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.001). Clinical changes were observed among treated patients, with a median score of 47 and 13.5 before and after treatment, respectively (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.001). The effect size resulted in 0.14 in treated patients whose status at 3 weeks was unvarying; 1.03 in those who were better and 1.89 for much better group. All controls were unvarying with an effect size of 0.05. The Spanish version of the SNOT-22 has the internal consistency, reliability, reproducibility, validity and responsiveness necessary to be a valid instrument to be used in clinical practice.

Surgical and Regenerative Treatment Options for Empty Nose Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with empty nose syndrome typically experience paradoxical nasal congestion, nasal dryness, epistaxis, and suffocation. Conservative management is generally preferred for empty nose syndrome. However, some patients continue to experience persistent symptoms. When symptoms do not resolve, surgical options are considered. Therefore, we reviewed the surgical and regenerative treatment options for empty nose syndrome. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar were searched from the earliest date provided in the database until December 2022. This review included studies that assessed treatment outcomes using patient symptom scores, including the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20, -22, and -25) and the Empty Nose Syndrome 6-Item Questionnaire, supplemented by various clinical examinations. RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were analyzed. Various materials were utilized, including submucosal injectable materials, allografts/xenografts/cadaveric implants, autologous implants, and synthetic implants. The polyethylene implant was the most commonly used (23.3%), followed by autologous, homologous, or cadaveric costal cartilage (20%). The anterior-inferior lateral nasal wall was the most frequent site of administration. Most studies indicated that surgical intervention led to significant improvements in clinical outcomes, as evidenced by endoscopic exams, acoustic rhinometry, and computed tomography scans, along with patient-reported enhancements in nasal symptoms, psychological well-being, and overall health-related quality of life. However, several studies found no improvement in certain psychological-related questionnaires or saccharin transit times. The average follow-up duration was 12.0 months (range, 2.0-27.6 months). Only two studies reported postoperative adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Several surgical options and recent tissue regeneration techniques have demonstrated efficacy in treating empty nose syndrome. However, more detailed investigations involving a larger number of participants and a randomized control study are necessary to establish a standardized treatment protocol for patients with empty nose syndrome.

Development of the 12-Item Facial Complaints Evaluation Scale (FaCES-12).

OBJECTIVES: Chronic rhinosinusitis and related rhinologic disorders are common in routine otolaryngologic practice. Common presenting symptoms include nasal obstruction, facial pain, facial pressure, headache, and a subjective feeling of the face feeling "swollen," a perceptual distortion. No validated scale exists to assess facial pain in addition to perceptual distortion or headache. The objective was to develop a novel scale for assessment of facial symptoms experienced by patients presenting for rhinologic evaluation. METHODS: This was a prospective validation cross-sectional study. A patient questionnaire, the 12-item Facial Complaints Evaluation Scale (FaCES-12), was created to evaluate facial symptoms based on clinical experience and the literature, including severity and timing of facial pain, facial pressure, facial perceptual swelling, and headache. Each item was assessed utilizing an 11-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 10 in severity. Data was collected prospectively from 210 patients in 1 private and 2 academic otolaryngologic practices from August to December 2019 along with the PROMIS Pain Intensity Scale 3a and 22-Item Sino-nasal Outcome Test. Construct validity was determined using Pearson correlation and exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha and assessing test-retest scores. RESULTS: A new 12-item scale named FaCES-12 was developed. FaCES-12 demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of .94 and high test-retest reliability (r = .90). The scale revealed very strong correlation with the PROMIS Pain Intensity Scale 3a (r = .81) and moderate correlation with the Sino-nasal Outcome Test (r = .48). Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated the scale contained interrelated variables that measured unique components of facial sensations. CONCLUSION: The FaCES-12 is a valid and reliable instrument for use in the evaluation of facial symptoms. Further research into the application of this scale is warranted.

Serum Aspergillus fumigatus-Specific IgG as a Complementary Biomarker in Differentiating Endotypes of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Study on Its Role and Diagnostic Efficacy in Type 2 Inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Aspergillus is one of the most common pathogens causing fungal allergy in the respiratory tract. Serum Aspergillus fumigatus-specific immunoglobulin G (Af-sIgG) levels have been used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment response monitoring in airway allergic diseases such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and allergic fungal rhinosinusitis. However, its role in common primary chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) was unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate whether serum Af-sIgG level could serve as a biomarker for the disease presentation of primary CRS. METHODS: We obtained serum Af-sIgG levels from patients diagnosed as bilateral primary CRS refractory to medical treatment and evaluated the correlations between serum Af-sIgG levels and disease severity in patients with type 2 (T2) and non-T2 CRS. RESULTS: Patients with T2 CRS exhibited significantly higher serum Af-sIgG levels than non-T2 CRS patients. The cut-off value of serum Af-sIgG in T2 CRS was 20.9 mg/L, with an odds ratio of 3.8 (95% CI 1.17-12.20, P = .026). Furthermore, serum Af-sIgG levels were positively correlated with symptom scores evaluated by the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) scores in T2 patients (P = .009). While stratified by SNOT-22 total scores, patients with severe disease had higher serum Af-sIgG levels only in T2 CRS (P = .034). In individual domains of SNOT-22 analysis, serum Af-sIgG levels showed a significant correlation with "ear/facial" symptom scores in the T2 group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum Af-sIgG levels may serve as a supplementary objective biomarker that correlates with identification and subjective measurements of T2 CRS, and may be associated with symptoms arising from Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Treatment Outcome Post Endoscopic Sinus Surgery(ESS) in Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is one of the most prevalent conditions in medicine causing a considerable amount of healthcare expenditure. This study was performed to clinically diagnose chronic rhinosinusitis with or without polyps and to measure the intensity of patients' symptoms and treatment outcomes. This was a prospective cohort study, which included 70 patients diagnosed with CRS according to the EPOS-2012 and were given SNOT-22 questionnaire preoperatively, which was repeated on 1st, 4th, and 12th weeks post-op to determine the treatment outcome. Patients were divided into three groups according to their predominant histopathological features and the treatment outcomes were assessed based on SNOT-22 scoring system. According to our study, ESS effectively raised the quality of life for CRS patients, and one week after surgery, there was a significant improvement in total symptoms (from 49.01 ± 14.83 to 21.91 ± 8.88). it was noted that there was a decrease in SNOT-22 scores at various intervals from baseline to week 12. The four subscales of the SNOT-22 test (rhinological symptoms, ear and facial symptoms, sleep function, and psychological difficulties) showed significant improvements in quality of life across all groups, and this relationship extended beyond the relationship with rhinological symptoms. These improvements were statistically significant after three months of post operative medical therapy. SNOT-22 is determined to be reliable and convenient to use. After ESS, all of the symptoms in our study showed a drop in SNOT-22 scores from week 1 to week 12, indicating an improvement in overall symptoms. Therefore, it can be used to monitor the success of surgical intervention in addition to medicinal therapy.

Sinus Irrigation with N-Acetylcysteine after Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Preliminary Report of a Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Nasal irrigation is crucial following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), especially for managing chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This study assessed the effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) irrigation during the post-ESS period of patients with CRS without nasal polyposis. In this prospective, single-blind randomized controlled trial, 49 patients (NAC, n = 24; saline, n = 25) undergoing ESS were assigned to receive either NAC or saline irrigations twice daily for a month. The preoperative and postoperative assessments conducted included Lund-Macka (LM) and Lund-Kennedy (LK) endoscopic scores, the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale, and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20). At 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after the operation, endoscopic findings and symptoms were evaluated. Both groups showed no differences in age, sex, LM and LK scores, NOSE scale, and SNOT-20 preoperatively. In terms of the endoscopic findings regarding the sinonasal mucosa after ESS, the NAC group had slightly lower scores 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after the operation, but this difference was not statistically significant. The NAC group showed significant improvement in VAS scores, namely, postnasal drip (1.0, p = 0.041), smell dysfunction (0.8, p = 0.003), and crust (1.5, p = 0.034), compared to the control group's scores of 2.6, 4.7, and 3.6, respectively, 2 weeks after the operation, although no significant differences were observed in VAS scores for any symptoms 1 and 3 months after the operation. NAC was well tolerated, and no adverse events were reported. NAC irrigation showed benefits over saline irrigation in terms of improving postnasal drip, smell dysfunction, and crust after ESS for CRS without nasal polyposis in the immediate postoperative period.