RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: We aim to assess the validity and reliability of the Arabic language translation of the Summated Xerostomia Inventory (SXI). METHODS: A cross-sectional, self-administered, electronic Arabic SXI was sent to 79 patients with thyroid nodules (female: n = 34, 57%; male: n = 45, 57%) who visited the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery clinic at King Abdulaziz University Hospital and King Fahad Medical City between June 2023 and July 2023. RESULTS: Dependability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficients at two distinct instances (first: α = 0.824, second: α = 0.932), which reaffirmed the SXI's reliability and consistency. Legitimacy was ascertained using a test-retest method and correlation analysis between the two measurements. CONCLUSION: All SXI items displayed a potent positive correlation (between 0.746 and 0.871, p < 0.001), exhibiting remarkable consistency in responses over time. The outcomes of the paired t-tests showed nonsignificant differences for all queries, indicating that the responses were stable over time.
RESUMO
Objectives This study aims to compare the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) symptoms pre- and post-COVID-19 infection and estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of intranasal corticosteroids (ICS) among adult CRS patients. Methods This was an observational retrospective cohort study conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between July 2022 and October 2022. Adult CRS patients with sino-nasal outcomes test-22 (SNOT-22) scores documented prior to March 2020, marking the occurrence of Saudi Arabia's initial reported case of COVID-19, were requested to complete the SNOT-22 questionnaire following COVID-19 infection. A comparison was subsequently made between the two scores obtained. Results The study enrolled a total of 33 patients, with 16 assigned to the control group and 17 with a history of COVID-19 infection. The mean age of the patients was 43 years, and the majority (52%) were males. Statistical analysis did not reveal any statistically significant differences in the total SNOT-22 scores or domain-level scores between the two groups. Furthermore, the use of ICS during the COVID-19 pandemic did not show any significant associations, except for patients with asthma, where 80% of them used ICS during the pandemic (p=0.0073). Conclusion There was no statistically significant disparity observed in the SNOT-22 scores between patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and those who did not. The use of corticosteroids during the COVID-19 pandemic was found to be more prevalent in this study compared to previous studies conducted before the pandemic, particularly among patients with asthma. The use of ICS during the pandemic was not associated with the presence of polyps, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), allergic rhinitis, or eczema.