2.3 Assessment of treatment outcome
The level of clinical disease
control and total nasal symptom score (TNSS) were included for the
assessment of therapeutic effect in CRSwNP patients(2). Symptoms such as
nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, postnasal drip and olfaction decline were
incorporated in TNSS (Range of score: 0-12) , in which each symptom was
assessed with zero indicating “None”, one indicating “Mild”, two
indicating “Moderate” and three indicating “Severe”. The status of
disease control were assessed by two otolaryngologists according to
classification criteria of EPOS
2012(2). In brief, the levels of
disease control were divided into controlled, partly controlled, or
uncontrolled. CRS under control was determined by nearly healthy or
healthy mucosa, with no troublesome symptoms and unnecessary systemic
medicine for controlling disease. Patients with partly controlled
condition suffered from at least one as follow: continuous nasal
obstruction, mucopurulent rhinorrhea/postnasal drip, decreased sense
smell, facial pain, fatigue/sleep disorder, mucosal lesion examined by
endoscope, and requirement with one course of systemic
steroids/antibiotics nearly a month. CRS in uncontrolled state could be
determined by no less than three items from the level of partly
controlled.