Assessment of allergic rhinitis severity symptoms using visual analog scale

Abstract

Objective. To examine the characteristics of patients with allergic rhinitis and assess the severity of symptoms by using a visual analog scale. Methods. A prospective study was carried out among allergic rhinitis patients, who were referred by the primary care physician to the ENT Department of Health Centre Kragujevac. The assessment of severity of symptoms was performed using visual analog scale (overall influence of all nasal or nasal and ocular symptoms, VAS score of 0 'nasal or nasal and ocular symptoms do not bother' to 10 'nasal or nasal and ocular symptoms are extremely bothered') during the first examination. Data was statistically analysed with descriptive statistical methods, t-test, x2 test and logistic regression using by standard statistical software package (SPSS for Windows, version 19.0). Results. Among our respondents there were 34.3% (37/108) males and 65.7% (71/108) females. Average age of all patients was 29 ± 15,1. Average duration of disease in the sample studied was 7,2 ± 16,2 years. The majority of our participants were classified as having moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis. Severity of disease has a greater impact on the VAS score of disease duration. Average VAS score of all participants were 6,9±4,2. It was found that the severity of the disease and the presence of ocular symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis have an impact on the VAS score (p lt 0,0001) while the use of therapy and sensitization to inhalant allergens did not have such impact. Conclusion. Visual analog scale is a simple quantitative method to assess the severity of allergic rhinitis.

Cilj. Proceniti težinu simptoma metodom vizuelne analogne skale kod obolelih od alergijskog rinitisa. Metode: Sprovedena je prospektivna studija u kojoj su analizirani oboleli od alergijskog rinitisa, koje su izabrani lekari upućivali na ORL odeljenje specijalističko-konsultativne službe Doma zdravlja 'Kragujevac'. Težina simptoma procenjena je vizuelnom analognom skalom (ukupan uticaj svih nazalnih ili nazalnih i okularnih simptoma, VAS skor od nula - 'nazalni ili nazalni i okularni simptomi uopšte ne smetaju', do 10 - 'nazalni ili nazalni i okularni simptomi izuzetno smetaju') prilikom prvog pregleda. Statistički značajnim smatrane su vrednosti za p lt 0,05. Podaci su statistički obrađeni primenom deskriptivnog metoda, t-testa, X2-testa i logističke regresije standardnim statističkim paketom (SPSS za Windows, verzija 19.0). Rezultati. Među našim ispitanicima bilo je 34,3% (37/108) osoba muškog pola, dok je osoba ženskog pola bilo 65,7% (71/108). Starost svih ispitanika bila je 29 ± 15,1. Prosečna dužina trajanja bolesti u ispitivanom uzorku bila je 7,2 ± 16,2 godine. Najviše ispitanika imalo je umereno do težak perzistentan oblik bolesti. Prosečna vrednost VAS skora za sve ispitanike bila je 6,9 ± 4,2. Primenom logističke regresije ustanovljeno je da težina bolesti ima veći uticaj na VAS skor od trajanja bolesti. Utvrđeno je da težina bolesti i prisustvo okularnih simptoma kod obolelih od alergijskog rinitisa ima veći uticaj na VAS skor (p lt 0,0001), dok primena terapije i senzibilizacija na inhalatorne alergene nema. Zaključak. Vizuelna analogna skala je jednostavan kvantitativan metod za procenu težine alergijskog rinitisa.