Quality of life of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and ENT disease: a controlled cross-sectional study

Smirnova I.: Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow

Bulanov N.: Tareev Clinic of Internal Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

Volkova K.: Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow

Gudratova E.: Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow

Nebritov Е.: Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow

Staferov A.: Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow

Osipova I.: Medical Center K+31, Moscow

Novikov P.: Tareev Clinic of Internal Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

Svistushkin V.: ФГАОУ ВО “Первый Московский государственный медицинский университет имени И.М. Сеченова” Минздрава России (Сеченовский Университет), Москва

Moiseev S.: Tareev Clinic of Internal Diseases, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

Download in PDF

Summary

Aim

To evaluate quality of life (QoL) of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and ENT involvement using Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire.

Material and methods

In a cross-sectional study, we enrolled 60 patients with long-standing GPA and ENT involvement (median duration of 87 months) and 100 patients with ENT diseases (deviated septum or chronic rhinitis/rhinosinusitis).

Results

Median total SNOT-22 scores were 36 (22, 55) in patients with GPA and 46 (38, 54) in control patients (p=0.003). Median score from “nasal symptoms” domain also suggested less significant sinonasal morbidity in GPA patients compared with control patients (12 [8; 18] and 23 [19; 26], respectively; p<0.001). Patients with GPA frequently selected the following items as the most important: fatigue (40.0%), reduced productivity (37.7%), nasal blockage (33.3%), thick nasal discharge (31.7%), post-nasal discharge (31.7%), and ear fullness (26.7%). The percentage of patients who were most affected by “nasal symptoms” in the GPA group was lower than in the control group (71.7% vs. 99.0%), whereas in the former group there were more patients who selected the most important items from the “otologic symptoms” (45.0% vs. 11.0%), “sleep symptoms” (71.7% vs. 31.0%), and “emotional symptoms” (13.3% vs. 0%) domains (all p<0.001).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that accrual of the ENT damage in GPA patients is associated with permanent impairment in QoL and may impact various domains of the SNOT-22 questionnaire after median follow-up of more than 7 years.

Key words

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, ENT, quality of life, SNOT-22