Is a Simple Checklist Associated With Improvement in Gender Representation at the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting?

OBJECTIVE: In September 2017, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) added 2 questions querying panel organizers if gender/racial diversity was considered in selecting panel presenters, beginning with the 2018 Annual Meeting (AM). This study examines how this checklist impacted the gender diversity of panel presenters at the AAO-HNS AM. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional investigation comparing female representation before and after the addition of questions inquiring about diversity in 2018. SETTING: A review of abstract submissions for the AMs from 2015 to 2021. METHODS: AM Official Program Abstracts were used to obtain presenter names and specialty area for each panel. The percentage of female presenters, in total and stratified by specialty area, were compared before and after 2018 to quantify changes following the addition of the checklist. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the proportion of female panel presenters from 22.3% (total n = 1199) in 2015 to 2017 to 33.0% (total n = 1868) in 2018 to 2021 (P < .001) and in all panel specialties. The number of female moderated panels also significantly increased after checklist implementation from 22% to 38% (P < .001). Correspondingly, the number of panels with no female representation decreased from 42% in 2015 to 2017 to 23% in 2018 to 2021 (P < .001). CONCLUSION: The addition of a checklist asking panel organizers to consider diversity in selecting panelists was associated with an increased proportion of female presenters at the AM. This simple strategy can be implemented by all medical conferences to help close the gender gap.

Moving Toward Professional Equity in Otolaryngology.

Gender-based equity in compensation, access to opportunity and resources, and leadership roles are critical to the health and future of otolaryngology; however, significant gaps continue to persist. Professional equity in otolaryngology will be achieved by leadership prioritization of equity as mission critical, improving organizational culture and developing systems for advocacy, understanding what constitutes equal pay in otolaryngology, the development of transparent and reoccurring equity review processes and the promotion of women and underrepresented minorities into leadership positions.

Hearing loss in individuals at risk for neurosyphilis.

Otosyphilis is a serious complication of syphilis.329 participants enrolled in a study of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) abnormalities in syphilis underwent portable audiometry (250 Hz to 8000 Hz at 5-75 dB); it was repeated in 33 after otosyphilis treatment. Treponema pallidum spp pallidum (T. pallidum) DNA in blood was quantitated by polymerase chain reaction. Odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined by logistic, ordinal or Cox regression.166 (50.5%) had normal hearing; 15 (4.6%) had low frequency (LF) loss alone, 93 (28.3%) had high frequency (HF) loss alone, and 55 (16.7%) had both. Adjusted odds of any hearing loss were higher with detectable blood T. pallidum DNA (3.00 [1.58-5.69], p = 0.001), CSF pleocytosis (2.02 [1.12-3.66], p = 0.02), and older age (2.22 per 10-year increase, [1.70-2.91], p < 0.001). HRs of normalization of LF and HF loss were lower for older individuals (0.20 [0.07-0.63, p = 0.005] and 0.22 [0.05-0.94, p = 0.04]), and HRs for normalization of HF loss were lower for those with more severe loss (0.09 [0.02-0.43], p = 0.002), and in those with CSF pleocytosis (0.32 [0.11-0.96], p = 0.04).Older age and CSF pleocytosis increase the likelihood of otosyphilis and impair hearing recovery after otosyphilis treatment.

Otosyphilis: A Review of the Literature.

The number of cases of syphilis has increased in the United States and in many high-income nations. Otosyphilis is a less recognized complication of syphilis that can lead to irreversible sensorineural hearing loss. Different pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed to explain hearing loss in otosyphilis. We review the literature on otosyphilis in adults and propose the need for future work in this field to identify better ways to diagnose, treat, and manage this disease. Patients with syphilis should be screened routinely for hearing loss, and all patients with new, sudden, or fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss should be evaluated for syphilis.

Gender and compensation among surgical specialties in the Veterans Health Administration.

BACKGROUND: A gender pay gap has been reported across many professions, including medicine. METHODS: Surgeons employed at complex Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) nationwide in 2016 were identified. Data on salary, gender, years since medical school graduation, professorship status, h-index, and geographic location were collected. RESULTS: Of 1993 surgeons nationwide, 23% were female. On average, female surgeons had significantly lower salaries compared to male surgeons ($268,429 ± 41,339 versus $287,717 ± 45,379, respectively; p < 0.001). Among each surgical specialty, there were no significant differences in salary on univariate analysis. Women were underrepresented in higher paying specialties and more heavily represented in lower paying specialties. On multivariate analysis, gender (p < 0.001), time since medical school graduation (p < 0.001), surgical specialty (p = 0.031), h-index (p < 0.001), and geographic location (p < 0.001) were significant predictors of salary. CONCLUSION: Female gender significantly predicted lower salary among VAMC surgeons, however within each surgical specialty, there was no significant gender pay gap. SENTENCE SUMMARY: Independent predictors of salary included gender, surgical specialty, experience, h-index, and geographic location. Although female surgeons had lower overall salaries compared to male surgeons in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), there were no significant gender differences in salary among each surgical specialty. Pay transparency, unique to the VHA, along with the use of rational and objective criteria to establish and adjust salaries, may play a role in reducing the gender pay gap among VHA surgeons.

Barriers Pushed Aside: Insights on Career and Family Success from Women Leaders in Academic Otolaryngology.

OBJECTIVE: Although the literature adequately identifies the current gender inequality that exists in academic otolaryngology and describes the barriers to advancement of women in academic medicine, there is little information regarding the daily details of how successful women in academic otolaryngology achieve work-life balance. This study was designed to better understand how women in academic otolaryngology achieve work-life balance while negotiating family and childrearing commitments, clinical workload, and scholarly activity, as well as to highlight coping strategies and behaviors that women have used to achieve these successes. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative research design. METHODS: Thirteen successful women in academic otolaryngology with children were recruited using a networking/snowball sampling methodology to participate in a semistructured qualitative interview about the daily process of work-life balance in an academic otolaryngology practice. A focus group of 7 additional participants was held to validate critical topics/themes. RESULTS: Four broad categories of findings emerged from the study: (1) participants' strong commitment to academic medicine, (2) the fluid/elusive nature of work-life balance, (3) specific approaches to successfully managing home life, and (4) insights related to achieving psychoemotional health. CONCLUSIONS: The conflicting demands between home and professional life are one of the barriers to recruiting, promoting, and retaining women in academic otolaryngology. Fostering a better environment for work-life balance is critical to promote the advancement of women in otolaryngology and otolaryngology leadership.

Compensation of Otolaryngologists in the Veterans Health Administration: Is There a Gender Gap?

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine if gender pay disparity exists amongst otolaryngologists employed by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). STUDY DESIGN: cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: Board-certified otolaryngologists employed at all complex Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) in 2016 were identified. Salaries were collated using the Enterprise Human Resources Integration-Statistical Data Mart dataset. Additional variables, including gender, years since medical school graduation, professorship status, h-index, and geographic location were collected. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed where salary was the primary outcome of interest and gender was accounted for as an independent predictor while controlling for professional characteristics, geographic location, and seniority. RESULTS: Sixty-nine VHA surgical programs with an operative designation of "complex" were identified. Two hundred sixty board-certified otolaryngologists, including 197 (75.8%) men and 63 (24.2%) women, were identified. Salary data were available on 210 of these otolaryngologists. In 2016, the mean salary for male and female otolaryngologists was not significantly different ($266,707 ± $31,624 vs. $264,674 ± $27,027, P = .918) nor were salaries in early career ($243,979 ± $31,749 vs. $254,625 ± $24,558, respectively; P = .416). On multivariate linear regression analysis, number of years since graduation (P = .009) and h-index (P = .049) were independent predictors of salary, but gender, geographic location, and faculty rank were not. CONCLUSIONS: Although the gender pay gap persists in many areas of medicine and surgery, otolaryngologists employed at complex VAMCs do not experience gender pay disparity. The use of specific and objective criteria to establish and adjust salaries can reduce and potentially eliminate gender pay disparity. These findings may help to guide institutional policies in other practice environments. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b. Laryngoscope, 129:113-118, 2019.

Otosyphilis: Resurgence of an Old Disease.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical characteristics of patients presenting with a new diagnosis of otosyphilis over the past 10 years in a large, urban, safety-net hospital affiliated with a large county sexually transmitted disease clinic. METHODS: Retrospective case series. A chart review was performed of all patients who presented to an adult otolaryngology clinic with a new diagnosis of syphilis and hearing loss from January 2008 to December 2017. RESULTS: Twelve patients met the criteria for "suspected" or "likely" otosyphilis based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions. The average age was 48 years (range 19-59). All were male. Nine (75%) were men who have sex with men. Eight (67%) were positive for human immunodeficiency virus. One (8%) presented with primary, nine (75%) with secondary, and two (17%) with early latent syphilis. Seven (58%) presented with bilateral audiogram-confirmed hearing loss, two (17%) with unilateral hearing loss, and three (25%) with suspected hearing loss based on fluctuating symptoms. Nine (75%) presented with tinnitus and two (17%) with vertigo. The median duration of otologic symptoms prior to presentation was 2 weeks (range: 0-16 weeks). All presented within the last 2 years surveyed. CONCLUSION: We have seen an increase in the number of otosyphilis cases in our clinic. We suspect otosyphilis may be underdiagnosed and emphasize the importance of screening for syphilis in patients with new audiologic symptoms of vertigo, tinnitus, or hearing loss. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 129:1680-1684, 2019.

Trends in female leadership at high-profile otolaryngology journals, 1997-2017.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion and relative advancement of women in leadership positions at high-impact otolaryngology journals. METHODS: Nine clinical otolaryngology journals were selected based on high impact factor and subspecialty representation (journal impact factor, 2016: 1.16-2.95). The proportion of women editorial board members associate and/or section editors, and/or editor-in-chief was measured from 1997 to 2017. Comparisons were made to the proportion of women otolaryngology faculty at U.S. medical schools in 2017. RESULTS: From 1997 to 2017, female editorial board membership increased from 7.2% (range: 0.0%-12.8%) to 17.7% (range: 10.9%-38.9%) (P = 0.0001). In 2017, the proportion of female editorial board members was significantly less than the proportion of female academic otolaryngology faculty (17.7% vs. 27.7%, P = 0.0001), and there was threefold variation between journals. From 1997 to 2017, the proportion of female associate and/or section editors increased from 9.3% (range: 0.0-27.3) to 20.9% (range: 5.3% to 45.5%) (P = 0.09). In 2017, the proportion of female associate and/or section editors was not significantly different than the proportion of female associate or full professor academic otolaryngology faculty (20.9% vs. 19.5%, P = 0.73), but there was ninefold variation between journals. CONCLUSION: Women were underrepresented on eight of nine otolaryngology editorial boards but appropriately represented at the associate and/or section editorship level. There was remarkable variation in representation at individual journals, which may provide future opportunities to examine best practices. Disparity exists in leadership at the most senior level of these high-profile otolaryngology journals: none had women editor-in-chiefs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 129:2031-2035, 2019.

Long-Term Outcomes in Sinus Surgery: A New Tool for Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life.

OBJECTIVE: The 6-question EuroQol 5-Dimension Health Assessment (EQ-5D) is a widely used, simple instrument that monitors general health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic disease. It has not previously been applied to US patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic Medical Center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 267 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) who completed 2 disease-specific instruments-the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS) and the Sinonasal Outcomes Test-22 (SNOT-22)-and 1 general health-related quality-of-life instrument-the EQ-5D-before and after ESS for CRS. Baseline scores were compared to those collected 3 and 12 months after surgery and to the general US population. RESULTS: Surveys were completed at all time points by 186 patients, for a response rate of 69.7%. Patients with CRS, when compared to the US population, reported more problems in the domains of pain/discomfort (73.1% vs 40.8%, P < .01), anxiety/depression (50.5% vs 26.4%, P < .01), and usual activities (30.6% vs 15.0%, P < .01). One year following ESS, there was a significant decrease in patients who reported problems with pain/discomfort (54.3%, P < .001), anxiety/depression (30.6%, P < .001), and usual activities (21.5%, P < .01). After surgery, CRS anxiety/depression scores were no different from those of the US general population. Chronic Sinusitis Survey and SNOT-22 scores demonstrated similar postoperative improvements. CONCLUSION: The EQ-5D assessment provides meaningful general health outcomes data with low patient burden. Application of this instrument demonstrated long-term improvement in the quality of life of patients who undergo sinus surgery.

Comparison of disease-specific quality-of-life instruments in the assessment of chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Many disease-specific, quality-of-life (QOL) instruments exist for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), resulting in confusion about the best application and use of each instrument. We hypothesized that the most prevalently utilized instruments do not strongly correlate in all domains, but rather act in complementary fashion for QOL assessment. METHODS: A systematic literature review (MEDLINE) was performed to identify the type and frequency of available CRS-specific QOL instruments. Univariate analyses of the 3 most common instruments (Rhinosinusitis Disability Index [RSDI], Chronic Sinusitis Survey [CSS] and 22-item Sinonasal Outcomes Test [SNOT-22]) were performed using a multi-institutional prospective cohort of sinusitis patients. RESULTS: Systematic literature review found that the SNOT-20 (and its derivatives), RSDI, and CSS are the most commonly utilized CRS-specific QOL instruments. The majority of RSDI domains were weakly or not correlated with the CSS domains (r = 0.097-0.501; p < 0.001). In contrast, the RSDI was highly correlated with the SNOT-22 (r ≥ 0.666; p < 0.001). Patients with asthma and/or allergies reported significantly worse CSS scores (p < 0.001). Comorbidities had no significant impact on RSDI or SNOT-22 responses. CONCLUSION: Different disease-specific CRS QOL instruments measure different aspects of the patient's experience. The RSDI and SNOT-22 are more sensitive to measuring the emotional impact of CRS, whereas the CSS examines medication use and symptoms. These instruments play complementary roles in the evaluation of CRS treatment outcomes.

Chronic rhinosinusitis, race, and ethnicity.

BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding the epidemiology of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate the current prevalence of CRS across various treatment settings to identify possible disparities in health care access and use between racial and ethnic populations. METHODS: The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) database registries were extracted to identify the national prevalence of CRS in race/ethnic populations and resource use in ambulatory care settings. Systematic literature review identified studies reporting treatment outcomes in minority patients electing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Data were supplemented using a multi-institutional cohort of patients undergoing surgical treatment. RESULTS: National survey data suggest CRS is a significant health condition for all major race/ethnic groups in the United States, accounting for a sizable portion of office, emergency, and outpatient visits. Differences in insurance status, work absenteeism, and resource use were found between race/ethnic groups. Despite its prevalence, few published studies include information regarding minority patients with CRS. Most (90%) cohort studies did not provide details of race/ethnicity for ESS outcomes. Prospective cohort analysis indicated that minority surgical patients accounted for only 18%, when compared with national census estimates (35%). CONCLUSION: CRS is an important health condition for all major race/ethnic groups in the United States. Significant differences may exist across racial and ethnic categories with regard to CRS health status and health care use. Given current demographic shifts in the United States, specific attention should be given to understanding CRS within the context of racial and ethnic populations. Public clinical trial registration (www.clinicaltrials.gov) I.D. No. NCT00799097.

Role of depression in outcomes of endoscopic sinus surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively measure the prevalence and effect of symptomatic depression on chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients' quality of life (QOL), disease severity, and outcomes of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic, tertiary care center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Seventy-six patients with CRS were enrolled prior to ESS and followed postoperatively for a mean (SD) of 13.3 (5.4) months. Lund-Mackay computed tomography score, Lund-Kennedy endoscopy score, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), 2 disease-specific QOL instruments (Rhinosinusitis Disability Index [RSDI] and Chronic Sinusitis Survey [CSS]), and 1 general QOL instrument (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 [SF-36]) were measured. Differences in outcome scores were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Only 7 (9.2%) patients reported a history of depression, but 19 (25.0%) patients scored in the range of moderate or severe depression on the PHQ-9. Mean (SD) preoperative scores were significantly worse in depressed patients on the RSDI (62.7 [18.2] vs 45.3 [16.3]; P < .001) and 7 of 8 SF-36 domains (all P ≤ .011). Patients with depression significantly improved on both disease-specific QOL instruments (mean [SD] change; RSDI: 33.5 [24.7], P = .017; CSS: 25.0 [20.9], P = .012) and 3 SF-36 domains (all P ≤ .050). Postoperative change scores were not significantly different from patients without depression on the RSDI, CSS, or SF-36. Severity of depression significantly improved postoperatively in depressed patients (preoperative PHQ-9 scores: 13.4 [2.0] vs 6.1 [4.5], P = .017). CONCLUSION: CRS patients with depression had worse baseline QOL than other CRS patients but experienced comparable postoperative improvement in QOL after ESS. Interestingly, depression severity significantly improved after ESS.

Correlations between endoscopy score and quality of life changes after sinus surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether change in endoscopy score correlates with change in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis. DESIGN: Prospective open cohort. SETTING: Tertiary rhinology clinic. PATIENTS: One hundred two adult patients with and without nasal polyposis who elected to undergo endoscopic sinus surgery and were followed up for 12 +/- 2 months postoperatively. INTERVENTION: Patient characteristics and Lund-Mackay computed tomography scores were recorded preoperatively. Lund-Kennedy endoscopy scores and 2 HRQOL surveys, the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and Chronic Sinusitis Survey, were examined before and after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative changes in endoscopy score and HRQOL were examined using bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were found in endoscopy score (P < .001) and for all total and subscale HRQOL measures (P < .001). After controlling for baseline status and comorbid factors, improvement in endoscopy score significantly correlated with 12-month improvement on the total Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (P = .01), the physical (P = .01) and functional (P = .02) subscales of the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index, and the symptom subscale of the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (P = .003) but could explain only 25.5% to 36.6% of the linear variation for these HRQOL improvements. CONCLUSIONS: For most patients, endoscopy scores and disease-specific HRQOL significantly improve after endoscopic sinus surgery. Changes in endoscopy scores explain a portion of the improvement in HRQOL. For patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, improvements in disease-specific HRQOL outcomes are complex, multidimensional constructs that cannot be entirely explained by surgical changes measured by endoscopic examination. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00799097.

Determinants of outcomes of sinus surgery: a multi-institutional prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: 1) To measure the proportion of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) who experience clinically significant improvement after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in a prospective, multi-institutional fashion. 2) To identify preoperative characteristics that predict clinically significant improvement in quality of life (QOL) after ESS. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, multi-institutional cohort study. SETTING: Academic tertiary care centers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 302 patients with CRS from three centers were enrolled between July 2004 and December 2008 and followed for an average of 17.4 months postoperatively. Preoperative patient characteristics, CT scan, endoscopy score, and pre- and postoperative quality of life (QOL) data were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: Patients improved an average of 15.8 percent (18.9 points) on the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and 21.2 percent (21.2 points) on the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (both P < 0.001). Patients significantly improved on all eight Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) subscales (all P < 0.001). Among patients with poor baseline QOL, 71.7 percent of patients experienced clinically significant improvement on the RSDI and 76.1 percent on the CSS. Patients undergoing primary surgery were 2.1 times more likely to improve on the RSDI (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2, 3.4; P = 0.006) and 1.8 times more likely to improve on the CSS (95% CI, 1.1, 3.1; P = 0.020) compared with patients undergoing revision surgery. CONCLUSION: In this prospective, multi-institutional study, most patients experienced clinically significant improvement across multiple QOL outcomes after ESS. Specific patient characteristics provided prognostic value with regard to outcomes.

Olfactory function and disease severity in chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Olfactory dysfunction is deemed to be a significant contributor to poor quality of life (QOL). However, little is known about the relationship of olfactory testing to other measures of disease burden in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this study, we examine the relationship of olfactory function to computed tomography (CT) scores, endoscopy scores, and QOL measures in patients with CRS. METHODS: A multi-institutional, cross-sectional analysis of 367 patients was performed. Several objective measures were collected: the Smell Identification Test, Lund-MacKay CT score, Lund-Kennedy endoscopy score, two validated disease-specific QOL instruments, the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and the Chronic Sinusitis Survey, and a general health-related QOL instrument, the Medical Short Form-36. Analysis of variance was performed. Correlation coefficients were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with olfactory dysfunction had significantly worse mean endoscopy scores (normosmics, 4.16 [+/- 3.97]; hyposmics, 6.26 [+/- 4.21]; anosmics, 9.61 [+/- 4.48]; p < 0.001) and significantly worse CT scores (normosmics, 9.11 [+/- 5.40]; hyposmics, 11.16 [+/- 5.96]; anosmics, 17.62 [+/- 5.37]; p < 0.001). Endoscopy scores were moderately correlated with olfactory scores (r = -0.46; 95% CI, -0.38, -0.54; p < 0.001). CT scores were moderately correlated with olfactory scores (r = -0.53; 95% CI, -0.45, -0.60; p < 0.001). Olfactory function was not correlated with disease-specific or general health-related QOL measures. CONCLUSION: Although previous studies have suggested that olfactory impairment is associated with poor QOL, this study found no such correlation. In contrast, olfaction scores correlated well with other objective measures of CRS, namely, endoscopy and CT scores.

Does olfactory function improve after endoscopic sinus surgery?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on olfactory impairment in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) over intermediate and long-term follow-up. We hypothesized that patients with mild olfactory dysfunction (hyposmia) would benefit from ESS, whereas patients with severe olfactory dysfunction (anosmia) would not. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, multi-institutional cohort study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 111 patients presenting for ESS for treatment of CRS were examined preoperatively, and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Demographic, comorbidity, and Smell Identification Test (SIT) data were collected at each time point. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of gender-adjusted olfactory dysfunction prior to surgery was 67.5 percent. Surprisingly, hyposmic patients did not significantly improve after surgery. In contrast, patients with anosmia significantly improved after ESS (baseline, 6-month SIT scores: 9.7 +/- 2.0, 21.3 +/- 11.2; P = 0.001). Improvement was sustained at 12-month follow-up (21.7 +/- 10.7; P = 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that baseline olfactory category and nasal polyposis were significantly associated with improvement in postoperative olfactory function (P = 0.035, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Contrary to our hypotheses, patients with severe olfactory dysfunction significantly improved after ESS and sustained improvement over time, whereas patients with mild olfactory dysfunction did not.

Predictors of olfactory dysfunction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the prevalence of and identify clinical characteristics associated with poor olfactory function in a large cohort of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional, cross sectional analysis. METHODS: An objective measure of olfactory dysfunction, the Smell Identification Test, demographic data, clinical factors, and comorbidity data were collected from a cohort of 367 patients who presented with CRS at three tertiary care centers. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of men and women aged 18 to 64 had olfactory dysfunction whereas 95% of patients older than or equal to 65 years had olfactory dysfunction (P < .001); no significant difference was noted by gender. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients with nasal polyposis [Odds ratio (OR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-4.2, P = .003] and patients older than or equal to 65 years (OR 10.0, 95% CI 2.3-43.7, P = .002) were at increased risk of hyposmia. Patients with nasal polyposis (OR 13.2, 95% CI 5.7-30.7, P < .001), asthma (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.8-9.8, P = .001), older than or equal to 65 years (OR 15.6, 95% CI 2.3-104.9, P = .005), and smokers (OR 7.6, 95% CI 1.8-31.6, P = .005) were at increased risk of anosmia. CONCLUSIONS: Poor olfactory function is common in patients with CRS. Age, nasal polyposis, smoking, and asthma were significantly associated with olfactory dysfunction in patients with CRS. Neither prior endoscopic sinus surgery nor a history of allergic rhinitis was associated with olfactory dysfunction. Septal deviation and inferior turbinate hypertrophy were associated with normal olfactory function.

Recurrent acute rhinosinusitis: presentation and outcomes of sinus surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients with recurrent acute rhinosinusitis (RARS) represent a challenging subset of patients with rhinosinusitis. Data regarding the outcomes of care for these patients is extremely limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate objective and patient-based measures in patients diagnosed with RARS before and after surgical intervention. METHODS: A prospective, nested case-control study was performed. Cases of RARS (n = 22) were matched to patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) without polyposis (n = 22) by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) and pre- and postoperative endoscopic examinations, the Chronic Sinusitis Survey, and the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index were scored and compared between cases and controls. RESULTS: Patients with RARS were less likely to have asthma or previous sinus surgery. Patients with CRS underwent more extensive surgery. There were no significant differences in preoperative CT, endoscopy, or patient-based, quality-of-life (QOL) scores. Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in total postoperative QOL scores. Patients with CRS showed significant improvement on endoscopy scores. Patients with RARS used significantly fewer sinus medications after endoscopic sinus surgery. CONCLUSION: Patients with RARS were more often primary surgical patients and underwent less extensive surgery than their CRS counterparts. Both groups reported improved QOL after surgery.

Effects of depression on quality of life improvement after endoscopic sinus surgery.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To determine whether self- reported depression predicts lesser postoperative improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective open cohort. METHODS: An adult (> or =18 yr) cohort of 23 patients with depression and 79 patients without depression undergoing ESS were followed for 12 +/- 2 months. Patient characteristics and computed tomography scores were examined preoperatively. Endoscopy scores and two HRQoL measures, the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) and Chronic Sinusitis Survey, were analyzed pre- and postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate outcome differences for patients with depression. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher prevalence of women (P = .002) and longer duration of follow-up (P = .004) for the depressed subgroup. Depressed patients reported significantly lower pre- and postoperative HRQoL scores on all RSDI subscales (P < .05). Without baseline adjustment, depression was not associated with significant differences in postoperative change for disease-specific HRQoL scores (P > .10) in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Depressed patients with CRS present similarly but have worse pre- and postoperative HRQoL scores and experience similar disease-specific QoL improvements from sinus surgery compared with other CRS patients. Sinus surgery is not effective in alleviating the effect of depression on disease-specific HRQoL, and it is likely that comorbid depression and CRS are operating on independent disease pathways. Additional research and hypothesis testing using continuous, objective measures is warranted.