Rhinosinusitis and its impact on quality of life in children

Abstract

Rhinitis and rhinosinusitis are common conditions which have a significant burden on healthcare services and can lead to reduced productivity in patients across the entire age spectrum. Three disease-specific quality of life tools were analysed in hospital and community settings to explore prevalence, disease characteristics and financial costs to sufferers, and to compare these aspects between cohorts (young children, young adult and adults). These tools were Modified Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 (MSNOT-20) questionnaire for adults, MSNOT-20 Young Persons Questionnaire (MSYPQ) for 11–16-year-olds and Sami's Rhinosinusitis Diagnosis and Impact questionnaire for 5–10-year-olds. One of the top three symptoms in children aged 5–10 years was cough, which is a much less common symptom in adults. These validated, disease-specific, quality of life questionnaires provide a fuller illustration of the patient experience, allowing comprehensive comparative analysis across the ages.