Objective: To assess outcomes for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.
Study design and setting: Prospective, multicenter study; 31 otolaryngologists enrolled 276 adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis; patients completed surveys at 3-month intervals, and physicians provided clinical and treatment data. The primary outcome measure was the Chronic Sinusitis Survey-Duration (CSS-D).
Results: One hundred seventeen adult patients completed 12-month follow-up. Most patients reported sinus symptoms lasting longer than 3 years (74%). Patients showed significant improvement (group P < 0.0001) in the CSS-D score at each follow-up interval. Baseline CSS-D ( P < 0.0001), surgical intervention ( P < 0.003), and Lund-McKay score ( P < 0.04) were predictive of clinical success in regression analysis.
Conclusions: Patients referred to an otolaryngologist have a severe sinus illness. Treatment by an otolaryngologist was associated with significant improvement in sinus-related symptoms.
Significance: The study demonstrated the feasibility of multicenter outcome studies in chronic rhinosinusitis and generated testable hypotheses for future investigation.
Ebm rating: C.