Responsiveness of the 7-item Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Diagnostic Test Evaluation

Background:

• Baro-challenge-induced Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction presents with ear discomfort during pressure changes, lacking objective findings on otoscopy or tympanometry.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management of this condition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the discriminative power of the 7-item Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) in identifying baro-challenge-induced ET dysfunction compared to healthy controls.
• To assess the responsiveness of the ETDQ-7 in patients undergoing balloon dilation tuboplasty (BDET) for obstructive ET dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the ETDQ-7.
• Preoperative and postoperative ETDQ-7 scores were compared using Cohen's kappa coefficient to assess responsiveness after BDET.

Main Results:

• The ETDQ-7 demonstrated excellent discriminative power between patients with baro-challenge-induced ET dysfunction and healthy controls.
• Median ETDQ-7 scores decreased from 26 pre-BDET to 16 post-BDET, indicating significant improvement.
• Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.633 showed substantial agreement in ETDQ-7 scores before and after treatment.

Conclusions:

• The ETDQ-7 is a valuable tool for diagnosing baro-challenge-induced ET dysfunction.
• The ETDQ-7 is responsive to changes in patients treated with BDET, suggesting its utility in monitoring treatment outcomes.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to confirm these findings.