Validation of the Arabic Version of Anterior Skull Base Questionnaire 35 (AVQ-35) in Endoscopic Endonasal Resection

Quality of life (QoL) is a critical outcome measure in patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal resection of anterior skull base lesions. This study aimed to validate the Arabic version of the Anterior Skull Base Questionnaire 35 for endoscopic endonasal resections (AVQ35).

This study included patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal resection of anterior skull base lesions between January 2022 and December 2022 at King Saud University Medical City in Riyadh. QoL assessments were performed using standardized questionnaires at baseline and during the postoperative follow-up visits. Statistical analyses, including paired t-tests and regression analysis, were used to assess changes in QoL and to identify associated factors.

All individual components or items within the AVQ-35 questionnaire were valuable and relevant when assessing a patient's QoL. The findings demonstrated a significant improvement in QoL scores following endoscopic endonasal resection of the anterior skull base lesions (p < 0.05). The AVQ-35's validity was established by evaluating its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, capacity, and ability to detect clinical changes before and after surgery at two different time points. The internal consistency of the AVQ-35 was excellent, with a Cronbach's alpha > 0.95 (0.980) across all time points for all domains.

This study successfully validated the AVQ-35 for use in patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal resection of anterior skull base lesions. The AVQ-35 demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.95) and responsiveness to clinical changes, as evidenced by significant improvements in QoL scores postoperatively. These findings establish the AVQ-35 as a robust and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing QoL in Arabic-speaking populations, filling a critical gap in patient-reported outcome measures for anterior skull base surgery.