Background:The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) is specific but not sensitive for identifying patients experiencing noticeable improvement in symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). It is unclear why some patients with less than 1 MCID change in SNOT-22 score nevertheless report noticeable improvement in their CRS symptoms.
Methods:This investigation was a retrospective study of 247 CRS patients undergoing medical management who completed SNOT-22 surveys in 2 consecutive visits 2-12 months apart. The validated nasal, sleep, ear/facial discomfort, and emotional SNOT-22 subdomain scores were calculated. At the second visit, patients reported their global change in CRS symptoms on a 5-item transition rating scale as: "Much worse"; "A li le worse"; "About the same"; "A li le be er"; or "Much be er." Patient-reported improvement in symptoms (at least "A li le be er") was tested for association with changes in SNOT-22 subdomain scores.
Results:In the entire cohort, patient-reported improvement in CRS symptoms was associated with improvement in all SNOT-22 subdomain scores (p < 0.001). In patients with less than 1 MCID (12 points) of change in the SNOT-22, only the nasal subdomain (adjusted odds ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.99; p = 0.042) was associated with patient-reported improvement in CRS symptoms. Changes in none of the other SNOT-22 subdomain scores were associated with patientreported improvement in CRS symptoms.
Conclusions:Among patients with less than 1 MCID change in the SNOT-22, improvement in only nasal symptoms-but not extranasal symptoms-of CRS is associated with those who nevertheless report improvement of their CRS symptoms. C 2018 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
How to Cite this Article:Phillips KM, Hoehle LP, Caradonna DS, Gray ST, Sedaghat AR. Determinants of noticeable symptom improvement despite sub-MCID change in SNOT-22 score a er treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2019;9:508-513.