Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire Score Changes at 6 and 12 Weeks: Follow-Up Implications

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Medical Devices
• Clinical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) presents with aural fullness, hearing loss, and tinnitus.
• The Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) quantifies symptom burden.
• Balloon dilation of the eustachian tube (BDET) is an option for chronic obstructive ETD (OETD) refractory to medical treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the optimal follow-up timing after balloon dilation of the eustachian tube (BDET).
• To evaluate the sustained efficacy of BDET by assessing symptom changes at 6 and 12 weeks post-procedure.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study included 28 patients who underwent BDET.
• Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) scores were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.
• Repeated measures ANOVA was used to analyze changes in symptom scores.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant improvement in ETDQ-7 scores was observed from baseline to 6 weeks (P < .001).
• No significant additional benefit was found between the 6-week and 12-week follow-up points (P = .625).
• Early symptom improvements following BDET were sustained through 12 weeks.

Conclusions:

• A single 6-week follow-up may be adequate for monitoring BDET outcomes in OETD patients.
• Optimizing follow-up timing can reduce patient burden and enhance healthcare resource utilization.
• Further research with larger, diverse populations is recommended to validate these findings.