EVALUATION OF THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE ADAPTATION OF THE OLFACTORY QUESTIONNAIRE (OQ) FOR DETERMINING
THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH OLFACTORY DYSFUNCTION

Pukhlyk S, Diedykova I, Yevchev F, Tutarenko O.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Odessa National Medical University (Odessa, Ukraine)

Email: lor@te.net.ua

Abstract

Topicality: Smell disorders, confirmed by olfactometry data, occur in 48.5% of cases among patients suffering from various diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Loss of smell occurs in approximately 25% of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis without polyps and in more than 80% of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps. About 15% of patients with allergic rhinitis suffer from dysosmia. Using the example of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to demonstrate the relevance and expediency of implementing remote diagnostic methods, especially in cases of contagious diseases and in settlements far from medical facilities. To solve these problems, specialized questionnaires are increasingly used, the use of which does not require the involvement of medical personnel and reduces the cost of diagnostic procedures.

Objective: Ukrainian-language adaptation of the Korean Olfactory Questionnaire.

Results: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.866 in the group of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis with polyps before treatment; 0.898 in the group of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis with polyps 3 months after surgical treatment; 0.902 in the group of patients with coronavirus disease at the beginning of the disease and 0.887 in the group of patients 3 months after the disease of coronavirus disease, indicating a high level of agreement in both options for comparing the results of the survey. The average score of the olfactory questionnaire for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps is 21.85±12.4, for patients with coronavirus disease – 18.43±11.3. At the same time, in patients with minor distortions of the nasal membrane without nasal breathing disorders and patients with non-sinonasal symptoms, 46.68±5.18 and 49.24±4.22, respectively. When evaluating the sensitivity by calculating the standardized average response rate (SRM), we noted a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients after treatment. This testifies to the effectiveness of the Ukrainian version of the quality of smell questionnaire. Thus, the SRM was 1.748 for the difference between the mean total survey results of the groups of patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis with polyps before treatment and patients with polyposis rhinosinusitis with polyps 3 months after surgical treatment and 1.654 for the difference between the means of the groups of patients with coronavirus disease at the beginning of the disease and patients 3 months after coronavirus disease, respectively.

Conclusions: The Ukrainian version of the olfactory questionnaire is an effective statistical tool that can be used to study the impact of sinonasal and non-sinonasal pathologies with olfactory dysfunction on patients’ quality of life. It also helps to assess the effectiveness of treatment and its impact on the quality of life indicator in dynamics, remotely and without excessive economic costs.

Keywords: olfactory dysfunction, questionnaire, olfactometry, rhinosinusitis, curvature of the nasal membrane.