Laajala A, et al. - Researchers examined how to interpret the scores according to the throat-related quality-of-life (QoL) instrument, Tonsillectomy Outcome Inventory-14 (TOI-14), by circumscribing the typical scores in healthy individuals and patients and describe the minimum important change (MIC). For this prospective matched cohort study in a secondary care area of Oulu University Hospital, assessed 42 patients referred to tonsillectomy due to recurrent or chronic tonsillitis as the surgical cohort and 42 age- and gender-matched healthy controls obtained from the escorts of patients in the same hospital the control cohort. The Finnish TOI-14 instrument was translated and validated and TOI-14 scores were collected at entry and at 6 months and the results were compared with the anchor question. They observed significantly higher mean TOI-14 scores in the surgical cohort vs the control cohort [mean (95% confidence interval)] 33.0 (27.0–39.1) vs. 5.0 (3.6–6.4), respectively. Following tonsillectomy, marked improvement in the mean TOI-14 scores occurred to the level of the control cohort. In the healthy cohort, the score was under 15.0 points in most cases. Patients with a score of about 20.0 had mild symptoms, 30.0 moderate symptoms and 40.0 or higher intense symptoms. The MIC value of 10.0 points was observed. These outcomes facilitate the more accurate interpretation of the scores of the only disease-specific QoL instrument for adult throat-related diseases.