Quality of life in Taiwanese adults with chronic rhino-sinusitis

Background and purpose: Chronic rhino-sinusitis (CRS) is a disease in prevalence. This study evaluates the impact of this disorder to Taiwanese patients' general and sinus-related health status among Taiwanese patients with CRS. Methods: A total of 201 consecutive CRS patients ( male: female: 107: 94, mean age: 40.1 +/- 14.6 years) seeking otolaryngological care at a tertiary referral medical center were recruited. Quality of life was measured by a Taiwan Standard Version of the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and a Chinese version Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CCSS). Patients were administered with the SF-36 and CCSS preoperatively. Results: CRS has a significant impact on patients in seven of the eight domains of SF-36: role-physical (88.9 +/- 24.7), bodily pain ( 70.3 +/- 22.6), general health (56.1 +/- 11.6), social functioning (79.3 +/- 21.6), vitality (56.4 +/- 19.1), role-emotional ( 57.7 +/- 42.1), and mental health (48.4 +/- 17.2) subscores of CRS patients are all in significant decrement ( p < 0.05) as compared with the data derived from Taiwanese general population. Physical functioning is the only domain without impact. Significant decrements( p < 0.05) are also observed in symptom subscale (43.3 +/- 27.8), medication subscale (80.3 +/- 26.4), and total survey score ( 63 +/- 20.3) of the CCSS as compared to the healthy subjects. The severity of CRS is significantly predictive ( p < 0.05, R-2 = 0.34) of CCSS. Conclusions: CRS has considerable impacts on a patient's sinus-related quality of life, as well as on their general health status.