%0 Journal Article
%T Individual SNOT-22 Items Aid in Differentiating Between Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea and Chronic Rhinosinusitis Without Nasal Polyps.
%A Liu MY
%A Gardner JR
%A Woodworth BA
%A Jang DW
%A Kanaan A
%A Radabaugh JP
%A Yao WC
%A Goros M
%A Challa M
%A Grayson JW
%A Wang Z
%A Chen PG
%J Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol
%V 132
%N 6
%D Jun 2023 14
%M 35833241
%F 1.973
%R 10.1177/00034894221111256
%X <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea is a diagnostic challenge due to its overlapping symptomatology with other sinonasal diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate whether items on the sinonasal outcome test (SNOT)-22 could suggest a diagnosis of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea versus chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>A multi-institutional retrospective chart review of patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea and a control group of CRSsNP patients was performed. Individual SNOT-22 scores and domain scores were compared.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>One hundred fifteen patients were included in both cohorts. Of the patients in the CSF rhinorrhea group, 48% were misdiagnosed as chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) prior to the correct identification of a CSF leak. On bivariate analysis, the CSF rhinorrhea group scored significantly higher on the SNOT-22 for runny nose (P < .001) and was more likely to designate this symptom as most important (P < .001). The CRSsNP group scored significantly higher in nasal blockage (P < .001), thick nasal discharge (P < .001), facial pain/pressure (P < .001), and in the ear/facial (P < .001) and rhinologic (P = .003) domains. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that runny nose (P < .001) was most predictive of spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea while nasal blockage (P < .001), thick nasal discharge (P < .001), and facial pain/pressure (P = .001) were predictive of CRSsNP after adjusting for relevant confounders. No significant difference was observed in total SNOT-22 scores between groups (P = .676).<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea is commonly misdiagnosed as other sinonasal pathologies. However, individual SNOT-22 items can help aid in suggesting a CSF leak. Spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea should be suspected in patients who have high SNOT-22 scores for runny nose and report this symptom as most important, but have lower scores related to the other cardinal symptoms of CRS.