RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Validation of a rhinitis control assessment tool: The rhinitis control scoring system (RCSS)
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P4898
VO 42
IS Suppl 57
A1 Marie-Eve Boulay
A1 Louis-Philippe Boulet
YR 2013
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P4898.abstract
AB Background: Allergic rhinitis is a common health problem that requires regular monitoring of symptoms in order to provide adequate treatment. There is a need to develop rhinitis control assessment tools, easy to interpret by both the patient and the practitioner. Aim: To develop and validate a simple, easy to interpret instrument (the RCSS) to assess rhinitis symptoms and nasal obstruction. Methods: During a visit to the research center, 50 subjects with allergic rhinitis completed the RCSS in addition to the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ(S)), and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS, 0-100) which assessed interference of rhinitis with activities and sleep. They also had Nasal Peak Inspiratory Flow measurements (NPIF) on initial assessment.Results: The RCSS showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84). There was strong cross-sectional construct validity between the RCSS scores and the other instruments. The discriminant validity was demonstrated as mean RCSS scores differed significantly across groups of patients with different TNSS severity (F = 58.8, p < 0.0001). No correlation was observed between NPIF values and RCSS scores. Conclusions: The RCSS is a valid tool to assess and quantify rhinitis control, using a percent score. Further longitudinal analyses are needed to assess the reliability and responsiveness of this instrument.