Quality of life outcomes after functional endoscopic sinus surgery for nasal polyposis

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study is to determine the results of functional endoscopic sinus surgeries (FESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps and assess the association between surgery and specific quality of life outcomes.

Materials and methods: A prospective study was performed in a tertiary referral center. Fifty-eight patients affected by chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis underwent endoscopic sinus surgery from January 2011 to April 2013 and followed for 1 year. The rhinosinusitis disability index (RSDI), a validated disease-specific instrument, was used to quantify the patient's symptoms before and 12 months after surgery.

Results: A strongly statistically significant reduction was seen between the mean scores on RSDI before and after FESS [86.43 (IQR=16.10) versus 51.16 (IQR=18.95), Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.0001]. In multiple regression model, only four preoperative characteristics predicted the outcomes. The high mucosal eosinophilia density was the most important preoperative predictor.

Conclusions: There is evidence which supports the efficacy of FESS to improve long-term QOL outcomes in patients with CRS. The mucosal eosinophilia density and prior sinus surgery appeared to be the most predictive factors of surgical outcomes.