No abstract

Background: Nasal obstruction is one of the most common symptoms in rhinology. In 2004, Stewart published a very simple instrument of nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE), which has already been adapted and validated in a number of languages. The aim of this study was to validate the Czech version of the questionnaire (NOSE-cz). Materials and Methods: Two-centre prospective instrument validation study. The psychometric properties (reliability, validity, sensitivity) of the Czech version were assessed in 72 patients undergoing (rhino) septoplasty and 39 asymptomatic controls. Results: Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.796 and 0.691 before and after surgery, respectively) and test-retest reliability (Pearson’s test, 0.74; P <0.0001) were very good. The instrument showed excellent discrimination between groups (two sample t-test; P <0.0001) and sensitivity (standardised response mean 2.53). Conclusions: The Czech version of NOSE (NOSE-cz) demonstrated good to excellent psychometric properties and its use is recommended for daily clinical practice and research. Keywords: Quality of life – nasal obstruction – validation – NOSE scale – septoplasty