Journal of Audiology and Otology最新文献

Background and objectives: This study aims to evaluate the capacity of wideband tympanometry (WBT) in predicting the prognosis of otitis media with effusion (OME).

Subjects and methods: Sixty-one ears with effusion and 30 healthy ears of children were enrolled. The patients were followed up monthly using WBT. After the completion of measurements, the ears were separated into four groups according to the duration of recovery; Group 1: Good prognosis (≤1-month, n=18), Group 2: Worse prognosis (>1-month, n=29), Group 3: Surgical (no recovery, n=14), and Group 4: Control (healthy ears, n=30). Tympanometric peak pressure (TPP), resonance frequency (RF), and absorbance levels were compared within and between the groups.

Results: The TPP and RF values of the study group were lower than those of the controls (p<0.001). The ears with OME had lower absorbance measures than the controls at all frequencies; the differences were significant at 250, 500, and 1,000 Hz (p<0.001). However, at 2,000 Hz, the absorbance levels of the ears with OME were similar with those of the control group only in the good prognosis group (p>0.05). The receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed that absorbance measures over 0.237 and 0.311 at 1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz, respectively, have sensitivities and specificities over 70% for prediction of good prognosis, and the calculated odd ratio for these measures were 6 (p<0.05).

Conclusions: WBT measurement is promising in predicting the recovery of OME in children.

Background and objectives: The primary objective of this study is to investigate the necessity of questioning virtual reality systems in the motion sickness susceptibility questionnaire (MSSQ)-short form. The secondary objective of this study is to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the MSSQ-short form, with proven validity and reliability.

Subjects and methods: In the questionnaire form, for which expert opinion was obtained to maintain linguistic equivalence, the virtual reality items were added to the questionnaire. The questionnaire was then administered to 297 individuals. The results were statistically analyzed with and without these virtual reality items for validity and reliability.

Results: After the addition of the virtual reality items, the reliability of the questionnaire was found to be quite high (Cronbach's alpha r=0.912). The norm values between the original MSSQ-short form (12.9±9.9) and the Turkish MSSQ-short form (13.8±12.9) were found to be consistent.

Conclusions: Motion sickness symptoms can occur not only during movement, but also with indirect stimulus. Our findings suggest that adding virtual reality items to the original form is important in long term practical applications. Our results show that the Turkish version of the original questionnaire is quite reliable. Submission of the MSSQ-short form in Turkish will be useful for documentation and will also encourage further research in this area.

Background and objectives: Otalgia can be primary/otogenic or secondary as a referred pain from another site, which can be difficult to establish owing to various causes and the complex innervation of the ear. In our center, we observed a large group of patients with unexplained otalgia that had a higher prevalence of migraine. We hypothesized that migraine may cause secondary otalgia. This study then aimed to determine the prevalence of migraine-associated otalgia and evaluate the efficacy of migraine treatment.

Subjects and methods: This 2-year retrospective study was conducted at a busy otology clinic. Patients were identified using diagnostic codes corresponding to otalgia. The prevalence of migraine-associated otalgia was determined, and the efficacy of migraine treatment was evaluated in these patients. The interventions included prophylactic and abortive migraine treatments. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare between the pre- and post-treatment symptoms.

Results: A total of 208 patients with otalgia were identified. Sixty-four out of ninety patients with unexplained otalgia met the criteria for migraine; of them, 30 patients had an adequate follow-up and were thus included in the evaluation of treatment efficacy. Otalgia improved in 87% of the patients who received migraine treatment. After treatment, the mean pain score and headache frequency significantly decreased from 7 to 2 and from 27 to 9 days per month, respectively (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Migraine should be considered as a source of secondary otalgia, and patients should receive treatment as they often respond to migraine treatment.

Standard round window (RW) cochlear implantation is a well-described technique. Implantation might be difficult in patients with inner and middle ear anomalies, in some cases because of not achieving adequate exposure to the RW, with a related higher risk of complications such as facial nerve injury. It is proposed a combined microscopic/endoscopic oval window approach in a 63 year old man affected by bilateral Menière disease, with bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss, speech discrimination score for bysillabic words under 40% and a hidden RW by anomalous facial nerve course. All electrodes entered the cochlear with good freefield thresholds and auditory ability results. A partial marginalis nerve palsy occurred at the second postoperative day and completely reversed at 2 months from surgery. Endoscopicassisted oval window cochlear implantation may be a safe alternative surgical technique in cases where surgeons are not able to access RW.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and genetic findings of 53-year-old monozygotic twins who had bilateral otosclerosis and right-sided superior semicircular canal near dehiscence (SSCND). Monozygotic twins at the age of 53 presented with conductive hearing loss and normal tympanic membranes. Detailed audiovestibular testing and computed tomography scan revealed that both patients had concurrent otosclerosis and SSCND. Conservative management (hearing aids) was the treatment for these patients. Exome sequencing (ES) for the twins and their affected mother identified a heterozygous missense variant in the EYA4 (c.1744G>A; p.Glu582Lys) gene. This is the first case report to present these separate entities identified in monozygotic twins with a heterozygous missense variant in the EYA4 gene. Our ES data may imply a possible causal relationship or association between variants in the EYA4 gene and concurrent otosclerosis and SSCND.