The development of a Snoring Symptoms Inventory

OBJECTIVE: To develop a patient-derived snoring questionnaire, the Snoring Symptoms Inventory (SSI), and explore its structure and relationship to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS); and to assess the sensitivity of the SSI to change. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The SSI was developed from an open-ended questionnaire given to 120 habitual snorers. The 25 symptoms reported compose the SSI. This study examines 261 subsequent snorers assessed between April 1998 and August 2002, who completed both the SSI and the ESS. Fifty-five of them underwent laser uvulopalatoplasty and their preoperative and postoperative SSI results were compared. RESULTS: The total SSI score is the key outcome derived. Principal component analysis identified two further dimensions, one contrasting family/social with work-related problems and another comparing physical problems with embarrassment. The total score correlated weakly with the ESS. Laser uvulopalatoplasty significantly reduced patients' overall symptom severity and family and socially related problems. CONCLUSION: The SSI is a comprehensive and sensitive measure for assessing snoring, making it a useful clinical outcome tool for snoring treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: The SSI is a new, useful snoring questionnaire. EBM rating: B-2b (C) 2006 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.