LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Expanded endonasal approaches (EEA) became the main approach to anterior skull base. A specific questionnaire, the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test for Neurosurgery (SNOT-NC), was developed in the German language to assess quality of life after EEA. The aim of this study was the cross-cultural adaptation and the validation of the Italian version of the SNOT-NC. METHODS Three hundred patients who underwent EEA for anterior skull base diseases were included in the study. An Italian version of SNOT-NC was cross-cultural adapted. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct, clinical and group validity were analyzed. Short-form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire was used for construct validity analysis. RESULTS Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.862. Only one subscale (olfactory disturbance) showed an insufficient internal consistency. The test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient between 0.934 and 0.997). The good correlation between the SNOT-NC and SF-36 scores (p<0.05) demonstrated the construct validity of the questionnaire. The SNOT-NC was able to distinguish between subjects with more or fewer nasal symptoms (p<0.05). Patients who underwent trans-tuberculum/trans-planum approach had greater olfactory disturbances compared to other approaches (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The Italian version of the SNOT-NC showed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct, clinical and group validity, as well as original version. It can be considered a good instrument to evaluate the impact of endoscopic endonasal approaches to anterior skull base.