Acta Oto-Laryngologica最新文献

Background: Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease.

Objectives: The aim of our study is to investigate whether BD and neuro-Behçet's disease (ND) cause any changes in nasal and olfactory functions.

Materials and methods: Our study included 20 patients with BD (group BD), 17 patients with ND (group NB), and a control group of 20 healthy volunteers (group C). Participants underwent nasal endoscopic examination, peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) test to assess nasal airway patency, saccharin test to measure mucociliary clearance and Sniffin' Sticks smell test to assess olfactory dysfunction.

Results: In our study, when the groups were examined in terms of saccharin values, it was found to be statistically significantly longer in group BD and group NB (p < .001). In the odor discrimination test, a statistically significant difference was found only between group NB and group C. The odor identification test and total scores were found to be lower in group BD and group NB.

Conclusions and significance: The results obtained in this study demonstrate that mucociliary activity and olfactory functions are significantly impaired in both the BD and NB groups.

Background: Tympanic membrane perforation (TMP) caused by blast injury result in poor TMP closure and pathological regeneration of the tympanic membrane (TM). TM regeneration therapy using basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has demonstrated good outcomes for chronic otitis media.

Aims/objectives: To investigate the efficacy of bFGF treatment in the management of blast-induced TMP.

Material and methods: Male CBA/J mice (10-12-week-old) were divided into the bFGF-treatment and no-treatment groups. Blast-tube systems were used to induce TMP. Auditory evaluation, TM observation, histological evaluation of the regenerated TM, and histological evaluation of the inner ear were conducted.

Results: Auditory assessment revealed no difference between the groups, with persistent auditory threshold elevation being observed even 1 month post-injury. Similarly, histological evaluation of the inner ear hair cells revealed no significant differences between the groups; no hair cell death was evident. However, the regenerated TM in the bFGF-treated group was significantly thicker than that in the untreated group.

Conclusions and significance: A good TMP closure rate was observed in the present study; however, bFGF treatment exacerbated thickening of the regenerated TM. Future studies must study the therapeutic effects of bFGF treatment using various animal models and timing and concentration of bFGF treatment.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugated vaccine (PCV) has contributed to a dramatic reduction in invasive pneumococcal diseases. However, its impact upon nasopharyngeal carriage and upper respiratory tract infections is unclear.

Aims/objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the humoral immunity against Streptococcus pneumoniae in children with recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) in the post PCV era.

Materials and methods: We evaluated the humoral immunity against eight representative serotypes included in PCV13 (3, 6 A, 6B, 9 V, 14, 18 C, 19 F, and 23 F) among children with rAOM.

Results: Serum total immunoglobulin levels were typically within the normal range, but there was a decrease in IgG2 in >20% of cases. Serotype-specific antibody titers were not significantly different for any serotype in the rAOM group compared with the healthy controls, except for serotype 3. Conversely, the ability of serotype-specific antibodies to induce opsonophagocytic killing was increased in the rAOM group for three serotypes (6 A, 6B, and 14). There was a positive correlation between the titer of antibodies and the opsonophagocytic killing activity in five serotypes (6 A, 6B, 9 V, 19 F, and 23 F).

Conclusion and significance: Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of serotype-specific antibodies would be an important method for evaluating humoral immunity in children with rAOM.

Background: The occurrence of hypoxia during apneas and hypopneas is associated with the triggering of an inflammatory response.

Objectives: This study investigates the alterations in polysomnography (PSG) data, inflammatory markers, and the correlation between these alterations in patients undergoing sleep surgery.

Methods: The data of 66 patients who underwent drug-induced sleep endoscopy followed by appropriate sleep surgery, with follow-up PSG performed at 3 to 6 months postoperatively, were retrospectively analyzed. Additionally, correlations with inflammatory markers, including the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (ELR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), were investigated.

Results: Comparison of preoperative and postoperative inflammatory markers revealed statistically significant reductions in NLR, PLR, and SII (p < 0.001, p = 0.023, p = 0.026, respectively). Significant positive correlations were identified between AHI and NLR (p = 0.001, r = 0.400), PLR (p = 0.001, r = 0.415) and SII (p = 0.010, r = 0.392). Similarly, a significant positive correlation was observed between supine AHI and NLR (p = 0.035, r = 0.379), PLR (p = 0.008, r = 0.325), and SII (p = 0.030, r = 0.367). The time spent with SaO₂ below 90% was found to be significantly and positively correlated with NLR (p = 0.023, r = 0.279), PLR (p = 0.027, r = 0.272), and SII (p = 0.033, r = 0.256).

Conclusions and significance: A correlation was observed between the postoperative decrease in SII, NLR, and PLR values and PSG data in patients.

Background: The Eustachian tube is essential for middle ear health, ensuring pressure equalization, ventilation, and protection from pathogens. Smoking has been linked to altered Eustachian tube function, affecting mucociliary activity and middle ear ventilation.

Aims/objectives: This study evaluates smoking's impact on Eustachian tube function using tympanometry, nasal mucociliary clearance testing, and the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire.

Material and methods: Healthy adults aged 20-50 years with intact tympanic membranes, no upper respiratory infections, or nasal pathologies were included. Participants were divided into smokers (subgrouped by smoking history: 5-10, 10-20, and >20 pack-years) and non-smokers. Tympanometry, mucociliary clearance testing, and the questionnaire were administered.

Results: Among 276 participants, significant differences in questionnaire scores, compliance, middle ear pressure, and mucociliary clearance times were observed between groups (p < 0.01, p = 0.02, p < 0.001, and p = 0.009, respectively). Ipsilateral acoustic reflexes differed significantly between groups (p < 0.005 and p = 0.049). Mucociliary clearance times were notably prolonged in the >20 pack-years group compared to the 5-10 pack-years group (p = 0.012).

Conclusions and significance: Smoking adversely affects Eustachian tube function, as evidenced by tympanometric, mucociliary, and questionnaire assessments.

Background: Parapharyngeal space liposarcomas (PPS-LS) are rare tumors often associated with a moderate-to-poor prognosis.

Objectives: This study aims to assess tumor control and survival outcomes across the various subtypes of PPS-LS.

Material and methods: We conducted a systematic review of cases using PubMed, OVID, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and EBSCO from inception to October 2024. Given the data on individual patient follow-up, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was utilized to calculate disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

Results: Out of 303 articles, 10 studies with 11 patients (72.7% male) met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 51.3 years (range: 12-77.5). Preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology was conducted in 45.4%, with 80% yielding inconclusive results. The 2-year and 5-year DFS rates for PPS-LS were 64% and 50%, respectively, while the 2-year DSS rate was 84%. Tumor recurrence occurred in 36.3% of patients, with an average of 2.5 recurrences per patient, specifically the myxoid subtype of PPS-LS.

Conclusion: This systematic review highlights the varied prognostic outcomes of PPS-LS and its subtypes, emphasizing the need for vigilant surveillance to improve DFS and reduce recurrence rates.

Significance: This provides surgeons with critical insights into probable prognostic outcomes when dealing with specific subtypes of PPS-LS.

Background: Increasing plastic consumption has made microplastics a persistent environmental pollutant present in the atmosphere and other ecosystems. These particles can enter biological tissues via ingestion, skin contact, or inhalation and potentially cause rhinitis and other respiratory diseases through inflammatory and cytotoxic effects.

Objectives: This study evaluated the association between nasal inhalation of microplastics, a contributor to air pollution, and rhinitis symptoms, as well as their role in the etiology of acute and chronic rhinitis.

Materials and methods: Sixty patients were equally divided into two groups: acute rhinitis (30 patients) and chronic rhinitis (30 patients). Demographic data, including age and gender, and total nasal symptom scores were recorded. Nasal lavage samples were collected and the number of microplastics in these samples was analyzed. Groups were compared based on microplastic counts.

Results: The acute rhinitis group had significantly higher microplastic levels than the chronic rhinitis group. Microplastics were detected in at least one sample from each participant, regardless of gender, age, or symptom score.

Conclusions and significance: The higher concentration of microplastics in acute rhinitis highlights their potential role in exacerbations and underscores the need for preventive strategies and further research on their long-term health effects.

Background: Conscripts have a risk for an acute acoustic trauma (AAT) due to exposure to large-caliber weapons or explosions despite the much tighter safety precautions than those for rifle-caliber weapons.

Aims: We aimed to investigate the population-based frequency of AATs after exposure to such noise sources during conscript training in the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF), and to evaluate their possible causes.

Materials and methods: We collected all registered AAT incidents from the FDF over the available periods 1997-2003 and 2008--2010.

Results: The likelihood of having an AAT from heavy weapon or explosion noise was 0.07%, and the most common noise sources were cannons, bazookas and mortars.

Conclusions and significance: There is a constant need to survey, educate and train personnel regarding risks of noise at military exercises to prevent AATs. This study adds to the existing knowledge on the risk of hearing loss resulting from AAT in military settings.

Background: Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) can be estimated with speech in noise tests using adaptive procedures. Since these tests are time-consuming, it is preferable to use as few trials as possible to identify reliable results.

Aims/objectives: To estimate the impact of early test termination in a German matrix speech test in noise (Oldenburger Satztest) on SRT estimation after 20 instead of after 30 sentences and to identify groups of subjects, for who such a tradeoff between measurement time and accuracy might be useful and acceptable.

Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of 789 tests from cochlear implant users and from simulated tests in 10000 virtual subjects.

Results: Early test termination results in increased estimation errors of the SRT in both real, and simulated listeners. Average test time is reduced from 5.0 to 3.6 min. For estimated SRT's above approximately +2 dB after 20 test sentences, the expected average difference to the result after 30 trials becomes higher than 0.5 dB.

Conclusions and significance: If adaptive speech in noise tests are terminated already after 20 sentences, time can be saved, but it should be considered only in listeners with relatively favourable SRT-estimates after 20 trials, preferably below +2 dB.

Background: Tinnitus, a persistent condition that significantly impairs the quality of life for patients, poses a substantial burden on society. Owing to its complex and poorly understood pathogenesis, the development of effective animal models for tinnitus is imperative to enhance our comprehension of this condition.

Objectives: The present study aims to establish a large animal model to delineate the mechanisms underlying the onset of tinnitus.

Materials and methods: For the first time, we conducted a comparative analysis of the Post-Auricular Muscle Response (PAMR) and the Eye Blink Response (EBR) in miniature pigs, demonstrating their utility in manifesting Gap Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle (GPIAS). Subsequently, we employed the gap-induced inhibition of PAMR to ascertain evidence of tinnitus following noise exposure.

Results and conclusion: Through comparing the efficacy of PAMR and EBR in GPIAS detection, we have substantiated that PAMR provides a stable and objective reflection of GPIAS. Consequently, PAMR emerges as a reliable method for measuring GPIAS in miniature pigs. Furthermore, the behavioral paradigm of gap-induced inhibition of PAMR successfully identified behavioral evidence of tinnitus subsequent to noise exposure.