Quality Indicators for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis.

Background: Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) is a highly prevalent disease that is treated by a variety of specialties, including but not limited to, family physicians, emergency physicians, otolaryngology-head and neck surgeons, infectious disease specialists, and allergy and immunologists. Unfortunately, despite high-quality guidelines, variable and substandard care continues to be demonstrated in the treatment of ABRS.

Objective: This study aimed to develop ABRS-specific quality indicators (QIs) to evaluate the diagnosis and management that reduces symptoms, improves quality of life, and prevents complications.

Quality indicators for the diagnosis and management of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has been identified as a high-priority disease category for quality improvement. To this end, this study aimed to develop CRS-specific quality indicators (QIs) to evaluate diagnosis and management that relieves patient discomfort, improves quality of life, and prevents complications.

Methods: A guideline-based approach, proposed in 2012 by Kötter et al.

The role of the nose in sleep-disordered breathing.

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a spectrum of airway collapse, ranging from primary snoring to profound obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Studies have shown an association between impaired nasal breathing and SDB; consequently, treatments of nasal obstruction are often used in an attempt to improve disease severity. The authors performed a review of the literature to determine the impact of nasal obstruction and the effectiveness of nonsurgical and surgical interventions on SDB.

Cost effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging in the workup of the dysosmia patient.

Background: Intracranial causes of dysosmia are uncommon. Nonetheless, a missed intracranial disorder or neoplasm is worrisome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used in diagnosis; however, the cost effectiveness of this practice is unclear.