Ecological momentary assessment of outcomes in allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis: A review

Abstract

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) rely on patient-reported symptoms and quality-of-life measures, which are subject to bias. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) captures data in real time through repeated short surveys, thus reducing errors/biases. EMA's use in sinonasal conditions has not been well described, and the goal of this study was to examine the literature on EMA and AR/CRS. Methods: A literature review was performed using the following search terms: AR, CRS, and EMA. Inclusion criteria were the use of EMA reporting of sinonasal symptoms at more than one time point. Systematic reviews and non-full text articles were excluded. Population demographics, sinonasal disease, type of EMA platform used, type and severity of symptoms reported, medication use and symptom correlation with location/pollen/pollution were collected. Results: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, and all focused on AR. All studies were conducted outside the United States in both children and adults. Seven studies used a smartphone application for reporting symptoms, and one used WeChat surveys. EMA data collection varied, with repetitive survey intervals determined either by patients (n = 6) or research team (n = 2). All studies reported sinonasal severity scores, while six reported additional symptoms (e.g., ocular, pulmonary, sleep, general health). Five collected self-reported allergy medication use. Seven studies correlated symptoms with location, pollen, or pollution. Conclusions: Few studies in AR and no studies in CRS assessed the use of EMA.EMA may provide a better understanding of the real-time relationship of environmental triggers with symptoms, in turn guiding treatment decisions.

Genetic Association of Allergic Rhinitis with Sleep and Neuropsychological Disorders: A Mendelian Randomization Study

“…5 In addition, ecological changes over the past decades have also modulated the immune mechanisms of the upper respiratory mucosa through various genetic mechanisms, resulting in an increasing susceptibility to environmental allergens. 6 Together, these factors partly explain the worldwide prevalence of AR.…”

iBehavior—a preliminary proof of concept study of a smartphone-based tool for the assessment of behavior change in neurodevelopmental disabilities

“…The majority of EMA methods consist of self-report measures and are used as tools for typically developing (TD) individuals to explore a broad spectrum of human experiences including physical allergies ( Schusteff et al, 2022 ), smoking cessation ( Rowan et al, 2007 ) experience of psychiatric conditions ( Raugh et al, 2019 ), and response to clinical treatment ( Shiffman et al, 2008 ). Until recently, EMAs have excluded individuals with IDDs.…”