PROMS Can Help With Patient Outcomes And With Patient-Centered Research

by Nikki Kean •

PROMs in Otolaryngology

The majority of studies on PROMs are in the otology/neurotology and rhinology subspecialties, followed by laryngology, pediatrics, head and neck surgery, sleep, and facial plastic surgery. A PROM’s clinical utility is based on the validity of a corresponding minimum clinically important difference (MCID). According to Andrew M. Peterson, MD, MSCI, and his colleagues, “the MCID is the smallest change in score of the PROM that is considered to be clinically important to both the patient and physician.” (JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2022.4703)

Examples of validated and tested PROMS for adults include:

• Chronic Ear Survey (CES)

• Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS)

• Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and DHI Short Form

• Mini-Tinnitus Questionnaire (Mini-TQ)

• Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation Scale (NOSE)

• Noise-Sensitivity Questionnaire (NoiSeQ)

• Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measure (RSOM-31)

• Sinonasal Outcome Tests (SNOT-16, SNOT-20, SNOT-22)

• Social Life and Work Impact Dizziness Questionnaire (SWID)

• Standardized Cosmesis and Health Nasal Outcomes Survey (SCHNOS)

• Swallowing Quality of Care SWAL-CARE

• Swallowing Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL)

• Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS)

Nikki Kean is a freelance medical writer based in New Jersey.