3.3 SNOT-22
Of the 25 patients enrolled in the study, 20 patients were able to
complete the SNOT-22 questionnaire preoperatively with 6 lost to
follow-up by the 6-week postoperative visit. Mean SNOT-22 scores
(Table 2 ) were higher in the case group (62.7±7.0) compared to
the control group (41.3±8.8), but this difference was not statistically
significant. Following surgery, all subjects reported a significant
decrease in sinonasal symptoms (-23.2±10.4, p=0.018), which was similar
between both groups. Individual SNOT-22 items were analyzed separately
on Table 2 : cough (Q5), ear fullness (Q8), ear pain (Q10),
hyposmia/hypogeusia (Q12), and embarrassment (Q22). Cough, ear fullness,
and ear pain scores were significantly higher prior to surgery in the
case group compared to the control (p <0.05). Patients in the
case group reported significant relief of these symptoms following
surgery (ΔQ5 -1.71±0.6; ΔQ8 -2.14±0.7; ΔQ10 -1.71±0.7; p
<0.05). Questions 12 and 22 regarding hyposmia/hypogeusia and
embarrassment showed relief of symptoms in both groups; however, the
case group still reported greater change in symptoms following surgery
(ΔQ12 -1.57±0.3; ΔQ22: -1.43±0.5; p <0.05).
3.4 ETDQ-7A total of 21 patients completed both preoperative and postoperative
ETDQ-7 questionnaires (Table 2) . Preoperative scores were
significantly higher in the case group (31.8±9.2) compared to the
control group (12.2±1.5; p<0.05). Patients in the case group
experienced a significant decrease (Δ-17.4±5.1; p=0.016) in aural
symptoms following septoplasty with ITR. Results were sustained through
the second postoperative period (Δ-20.6±6.2). The control group did not
experience the same decrease in symptoms related to ETD in the
postoperative follow-up (Δ5.0±3.0, p=0.125). Unlike their preoperative
values, patients within the case group (16.0±3.4; 12.8±3.0) had ETDQ-7
values similar to the control group (18.0±4.3; 11.0±2.0;
p>0.05) in postoperative periods.
Only the first five questions in the ETDQ-7 instrument were considered
for individual analysis. Questions addressed ear pressure (Q1), ear pain
(Q2), ear fullness (Q3), ear symptoms with cold/sinusitis (Q4), and
crackling/popping sensation (Q5). Average symptom severity was 4.47 for
cases and 1.49 for controls. For every symptom including ear
pain/fullness, the case group reported a significant decrease in symptom
severity compared to the controls.
3.5 NOSETotal scores for the NOSE instrument are shown in Table 2 . The
questionnaire was completed by 21 patients preoperatively with 10 lost
to follow-up. Preoperative NOSE scores did not differ between the case
group (14.92±1.3) and controls (15.00±1.1). All groups reported a
decrease in symptoms following surgery though changes in scores were not
significant within any group (All Δ-6.0±2.8; Case Δ-9.0±3.4; Control
Δ2.0±4.2). The postoperative changes were not significantly different
between groups.