BACKGROUND: Outcomes measurement is a proficient method in determining the effectiveness of medical therapy. Currently, there are no easy-to-use and inexpensive questionnaires available to evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy by allergists in private practice. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis in a private practice setting using the rhinitis outcomes questionnaire (ROQ). METHODS: One hundred seventy-five patients were randomly chosen from three private practices nationwide. They were surveyed regarding global systemic problems and nasal, eye, and chest symptoms, as well as their medical treatment history. This questionnaire was administered twice in one sitting, with the first a recall of symptoms before immunotherapy treatment, and the second an evaluation of current symptoms. RESULTS: The data revealed that 81% of the patients believed immunotherapy worked, with 19% unsure. Patients experienced a 67% decrease in antibiotic use, a 68% decrease in emergency room visits, a 75% decrease in days lost from work or school, and a 79% decrease in hospital admissions. The average symptom score reduction with immunotherapy was 52%. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the user-friendly ROQ can be effectively and inexpensively used in a private practice setting and that immunotherapy is effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
BACKGROUND: Outcomes measurement is a proficient method in determining the effectiveness of medical therapy. Currently, there are no easy-to-use and inexpensive questionnaires available to evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy by allergists in private practice. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis in a private practice setting using the rhinitis outcomes questionnaire (ROQ). METHODS: One hundred seventy-five patients were randomly chosen from three private practices nationwide. They were surveyed regarding global systemic problems and nasal, eye, and chest symptoms, as well as their medical treatment history. This questionnaire was administered twice in one sitting, with the first a recall of symptoms before immunotherapy treatment, and the second an evaluation of current symptoms. RESULTS: The data revealed that 81% of the patients believed immunotherapy worked, with 19% unsure. Patients experienced a 67% decrease in antibiotic use, a 68% decrease in emergency room visits, a 75% decrease in days lost from work or school, and a 79% decrease in hospital admissions. The average symptom score reduction with immunotherapy was 52%. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the user-friendly ROQ can be effectively and inexpensively used in a private practice setting and that immunotherapy is effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.