A review of sinonasal outcome scoring systems - which is best?

In patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis, there is a lack of a universally accepted system for the evaluation of outcome. This makes critical comparison between results less meaningful. To determine the most suitable sinonasal outcome scoring system for use in our own practice, we reviewed the available literature and known systems in existence. We analysed 15 known disease-specific sinonasal outcome indices with emphasis on reliability, validity and responsiveness. We concluded by choosing one quality of life outcome tool for our departmental use, the Sinonasal Outcome Test-22, due to its reliability, validity, responsiveness and ease of use. It has been validated to distinguish between disease-affected patient groups and those without rhinosinusitis, demonstrate a worse score if the condition gets worse and show an appropriateness of items and scales in the questionnaire. This has been demonstrated in 3128 British patients.