Adapting and validating the ETDQ-7 for the pediatric population

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Quality of Life Assessment
• Clinical Validation Studies

Background:

• Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) impacts up to 40% of children, affecting development and quality of life.
• The adult Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (ETDQ-7) lacks validation in pediatric populations.
• A need exists for a validated tool to assess ETD's impact on children's quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt and validate the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (ETDQ-7) for use in pediatric patients.
• To establish the reliability and validity of the pediatric version (pETDQ-7) as a symptom assessment tool.
• To quantify the quality of life impact of ETD in children.

Main Methods:

• An adapted version of the ETDQ-7 (pETDQ-7) was administered to 38 pediatric patients with ETD and 38 controls (aged 4+).
• Participants completed the pETDQ-7 twice, 4 weeks apart, to assess test-retest reliability.
• Clinical assessments including otoscopy and tympanometry differentiated ETD from control groups.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant difference in pETDQ-7 scores was observed between the ETD and control groups (p < 0.0001).
• An optimal cutoff score of 10 or higher effectively identified patients with ETD (p < 0.0001).
• The pETDQ-7 demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.8622.

Conclusions:

• The pediatric Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (pETDQ-7) is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing ETD symptom severity.
• The pETDQ-7 effectively quantifies the quality of life impact of ETD in pediatric patients.
• This validated tool can aid in monitoring treatment outcomes for pediatric ETD.