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Methods: Studies published in any language were retrieved by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane databases, and additional Web-based sources (from 1980-2007); by examining bibliographies of retrieved articles; and by contacting investigators in the field. Studies consisting of more than 10 adult patients analyzing the response of fatigue, vitality, energy, or malaise following ESS were included. Two authors independently evaluated studies for inclusion, rated the methods, and summarized relevant data using a standardized protocol.

Results: Using within-subject comparisons, 28 identified observational studies noted substantial improvement in fatigue after ESS. A subgroup analysis of 11 studies measuring outcomes using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) demonstrated a moderate-sized combined effect of 0.47 (95% confidence interval, 0.38-0.56; I2 = 0%), corresponding to a mean +/- standard deviation improvement of 9.7 +/- 3.4 units on the SF-36 vitality domain scores. In studies measuring outcomes using symptom rating scores, the preoperative severity scores and improvement after surgery for fatigue were similar to the respective values for other pooled CRS symptoms.

Conclusions: All 28 studies described substantial improvement in fatigue following ESS based on presurgery and postsurgery comparisons. A subgroup analysis of 11 studies reporting results by the SF-36 vitality domain scores demonstrated a moderate-sized combined effect. Preoperative fatigue severity scores and improvement noted after surgery were similar to the respective values for other pooled chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms.

Source: The Laryngoscope. 21 January 2008. Vol 118, #1. E-pub ahead of print. PMID: 18216743, by Chester AC, Sindwani R, Smith TL, Bhattacharyya, N. Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon; Division of Otolaryngology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.