Qualitative development of the sinus control test: a survey evaluating sinus symptom control

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Rhinology
• Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

Background:

• Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) management necessitates continuous disease control monitoring.
• Current control assessment tools lack strong correlation with patient outcomes and objective measures like endoscopy.
• Existing instruments often lack validation from multidisciplinary expert groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a patient-centered questionnaire, the Sinus Control Test (SCT), for assessing CRS control.
• To create a reliable tool for monitoring disease status based on patient input.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review and focus groups with CRS patients and experts generated initial questionnaire items.
• A 13-item draft questionnaire was administered to 50 CRS patients prospectively.
• Patients were concurrently assessed using SNOT-22, CT scans, endoscopy, and blinded rhinologist evaluation.

Main Results:

• A final 4-item Sinus Control Test (SCT) was developed, with scores ranging from 0 to 16.
• Optimal classification identified well-controlled (1-3), partially controlled (4-11), and uncontrolled (12-16) disease.
• The SCT demonstrated 72% accuracy in classifying disease control compared to physician assessments.

Conclusions:

• The Sinus Control Test (SCT) is a straightforward, patient-generated tool for measuring CRS control.
• SCT eliminates the need for subjective endoscopic or objective CT evaluations.
• This patient-reported outcome measure simplifies CRS monitoring and management.