Posted on September 16, 2019

PCI Sinus Center Releases Results of Long Term Allergy Study

Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa’s Sinus Center physicians recently released the results of a six-year long study into the efficacy of allergy and sinus treatments.

The study utilized a peer reviewed, statistically validated quality of life questionnaire, widely used for patients with allergy and sinus problems. “Patients are asked to complete a 22-question self-assessment of the severity of their allergy symptoms prior to beginning treatment,” said Ryan Dempewolf, MD, FACS, physician and allergist at Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa. “This helps the physician gauge the patient’s perception of severity of their symptoms. Patients are then tested and treated according to evidence based standards for allergies and chronic sinus disease. They are asked to repeat the questionnaire at various times along their treatment path, so we can see how many are improving.”

The questionnaire helps to quantify subjective symptoms into numeric scores, allowing those numbers to be analyzed statistically. “We decided 6 to 7 years ago that it was important for us to be able to show our patients the treatments we use every day are actually helping people in the Corridor. These are results from real people from this area, receiving the same treatments that we are recommending to new patients. And they work.”

Utilizing pre-, mid- and post-treatment self-assessments from 2013 through present, eastern Iowa patients were statistically analyzed to see if they were actually getting better based on their own responses. “First and foremost, it was exciting to see that nearly 85 percent of patients experienced either complete relief or significantly reduced nasal symptoms.”

Data collected showed:

• 78.07% of patients who used allergy medication reported reduced allergy symptoms. On average, they indicated a 10.55 point decrease in their symptom severity post-treatment.
• 84% of those using allergy therapy (shots or sublingual drops) reported less severe symptoms. On average, they recorded a 16.02 point drop in their symptom severity after receiving treatment.
• 84.31% of patients who had surgery to alleviate symptoms reported an average decrease of 17.08 points in their post-treatment survey.
• The average decrease in the score, across all treatment options, was 13 points.

The study results are anecdotal in nature and are specific to this area. For more information about allergy testing and treatments, talk to your provider or go to pcofiowa.com/allergy.