OBJECTIVE: The 6-question EuroQol 5-Dimension Health Assessment (EQ-5D) is a 
widely used, simple instrument that monitors general health-related quality of 
life (HRQoL) in chronic disease. It has not previously been applied to US 
patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).
STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.
SETTING: Academic Medical Center.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 267 patients with 
chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) who completed 2 disease-specific instruments-the 
Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS) and the Sinonasal Outcomes Test-22 (SNOT-22)-and 
1 general health-related quality-of-life instrument-the EQ-5D-before and after 
ESS for CRS. Baseline scores were compared to those collected 3 and 12 months 
after surgery and to the general US population.
RESULTS: Surveys were completed at all time points by 186 patients, for a 
response rate of 69.7%. Patients with CRS, when compared to the US population, 
reported more problems in the domains of pain/discomfort (73.1% vs 40.8%, P < 
.01), anxiety/depression (50.5% vs 26.4%, P < .01), and usual activities (30.6% 
vs 15.0%, P < .01). One year following ESS, there was a significant decrease in 
patients who reported problems with pain/discomfort (54.3%, P < .001), 
anxiety/depression (30.6%, P < .001), and usual activities (21.5%, P < .01). 
After surgery, CRS anxiety/depression scores were no different from those of the 
US general population. Chronic Sinusitis Survey and SNOT-22 scores demonstrated 
similar postoperative improvements.
CONCLUSION: The EQ-5D assessment provides meaningful general health outcomes 
data with low patient burden. Application of this instrument demonstrated 
long-term improvement in the quality of life of patients who undergo sinus 
surgery.