Acta Oto-Laryngologica最新文献

Background: Although various medical remedies have been attempted to alleviate the symptoms of Meniere's disease (MD), the risk-benefit ratios of these various treatments remain debatable.

Objective: We investigated the efficacy of sound stimulation of 100 Hz for treating vestibular dysfunction in patients with Meniere's disease (MD).

Materials and methods: Patients with definitive MD with intractable vestibular symptoms and endolymphatic hydrops (EH) in the inner ear were evaluated. The experimental group received sound stimulation of 75 dB at a frequency of 100 Hz for 5 min, and the control group received sound stimulation of 75 dB at a frequency of 250 Hz for 5 min. Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) were measured before and after each sound stimulation, and the results of the clinical tests were compared between the two patient groups.

Results: Significant increases in cVEMP amplitudes were observed after sound stimulation of 100 Hz in ears with vestibular endolymphatic hydrops, although no such improvement was observed in the control group.

Conclusion: Sound stimulation of 75 dB at a frequency of 100 Hz leads to improvement in cVEMP amplitude in patients with definitive MD. Adequate sound stimulation might be a new method for treating vestibular dysfunction associated with MD.

Background: Many studies have discussed the betahistine treatment for Meniere's disease (MD). However, regarding cochlear MD, there is no consensus on the long-term betahistine treatment.

Aims/objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between the betahistine treatment duration in patients with cochlear MD and their clinical outcomes.

Material and methods: We enrolled 78 patients with 96 ears who were diagnosed with cochlear MD and received the treatment for more than 6 months. Outcomes included the hearing status, frequency of acute hearing loss attack, and whether the disease progressed to MD. Clinical characteristics including age, sex, side of affected ear, treatment duration of betahistine and trichlormethiazide, and pre-treatment hearing level was recorded from medical charts.

Results: Comparing the clinical characteristics by outcomes, the average betahistine treatment duration was the independent factor for hearing status of four-tone average (p = 0.01) and low-tone average (p = 0.03). Patients with average betahistine treatment duration of at least 277 days per year had higher odds ratio for improvement of the hearing status of four-tone and low-tone average.

Conclusions: For patients with cochlear MD, regular and long-term betahistine treatment can benefit their hearing outcome in the low- and medium-frequency.

Background: To ensure that subjective tinnitus patients develop positive attitudes toward tele-audiology.

Aims/objectives: This study investigates the appropriateness of the internet-based software in patients with subjective tinnitus.

Material and methods: Patients between the ages of 19 and 59 applying to the clinic with the subjective tinnitus filled in Tinnitus Handicap Index (THI) and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Visual Numeric Scale (VNS) was applied to the patients to complaint of tinnitus. Parameter measurements related to hearing and tinnitus were performed clinically. After the evaluations, 54 participants were divided into two groups to receive the 'Basic Information Material Service' (BIMS) face-to-face and online. Afterwards, THI and VNS were used to determine the current status.

Results: There was no significant difference between the groups that received BIMS with 2 different methods (p > .05). A significant difference was found in the scores before and after BIMS in terms of THI and VNS (p < .05). A strong negative correlation was found between the duration of tinnitus and the change in THI. In addition, there is a stronger-negative relationship between the number of centers consulted and the informational benefit revealed by the scales.

Conclusions and significance: Online intervention is as effective as face-to-face interaction in the management of tinnitus.

Background: The most important problem in tonsillectomy is pain in the early postoperative period.

Objective: We purposed to compare the effects of lidocaine, tetracaine, and articaine application to the peritonsillar bed on post-tonsillectomy pain in children.

Methods: The prospective, placebo-controlled study included 80 patients, ages 3-14, who were scheduled for elective tonsillectomy. Patients were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1 received 0.9% NaCl; group 2 received 2% lidocaine; group 3 received 2% tetracaine; and group 4 received 4% articaine to the tonsillary bed for 5 min just after the operation. All patients were evaluated in terms of pain and pain-related adverse events in the postoperative 24 h.

Results: All groups that used local anesthetics had significantly lower pain levels than the control group in the first eight hours (p < .001). Furthermore, the articaine group had a lower pain score than the tetracaine group at the eighth hour (p < .05). The articaine group had a lower pain score at the 16th hour than both the control and tetracaine groups (p < .05). There was no significant difference between the groups at the 24th hour (p > .05).

Conclusion and significance: We recommend the immediate application of topical articaine to the tonsillar bed following the procedure to enhance postoperative pain management.

Backgroud: Presently, the impact of Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) on asthma onset is unknown.

Aims: To evaluate the role of CRSwNP in asthma onset.

Materials and methods: A total of 3107 CRSwNP patients were retrospectively screened from 1 January 2018, to 31 May 2021; 624 patients were enrolled. Clinical data regarding nasal symptoms, Lund-Mackay scores, blood eosinophil percentage, and onset of asthma were analyzed. Patients were divided into different groups according to past history of nasal polyps, Lund-Mackay score, and the extent of blood eosinophilia. Asthma-free rates between these subgroups were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models.

Results: The prevalence of asthma was 10.90% in patients with CRSwNP, and new-onset asthma occurred in 3.14% of these patients. Higher Lund-Mackay scores for ethmoid sinus and maxillary sinus (E/M) and blood eosinophil percentages were two independent risk factors for new-onset asthma, with hazard ratios of 1.267 (95%CI, 1.155-1.390) and 1.224 (95%CI, 1.054-1.422), respectively. CRSwNP patients with an E/M ratio > 2.33 or a blood Eos percentage > 5.5% were at risk for asthma onset.

Conclusions and significance: Blood eosinophilia and a higher E/M score ratio were associated with new-onset asthma in patients with CRSwNP.