Prognosis after acute unilateral vestibulopathy: Usefulness of the suppression head impulse paradigm (SHIMP).

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study aims to describe the features of the suppression head impulse paradigm (SHIMP) in acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUV) and to define its role in predicting the recovery of patients. METHODS: Thirty patients diagnosed with AUV were retrospectively analyzed. The dizziness handicap inventory score and video head impulse test parameters performed 4-8 weeks from the AUV onset constituted the main outcome measures. Patients with a worse recovery (Group 1) and patients who recovered spontaneously (Group 2) were compared. RESULTS: The SHIMP vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain was statistically significantly lower than the conventional head impulse paradigm (HIMP) VOR gain (P < 0.001). The SHIMP VOR gain was negatively correlated with the DHI (P < 0.001) and was positively correlated with the HIMP VOR gain (P < 0.001) and the SHIMP overt saccades (%) (P < 0.001). Patients with a worse recovery exhibited the following: higher DHI (P < 0.001), lower SHIMP and HIMP VOR gain (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively), and lower SHIMP and greater HIMP overt saccade prevalence values (P = 0.007 and P = 0.032, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The SHIMP and HIMP help in improving our approach to AUV. SHIMP appears to better identify the extent of the vestibular damage in patient suffering from AUV than HIMP and could provide interesting information about the course of the disease. Particularly, the analysis of SHIMP VOR gain and overt saccade prevalence would provide useful information about the recovery of patients.

Proteomic Investigation of Malignant Major Salivary Gland Tumors.

The purpose of this study was to define the proteome profile of fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples of malignant major salivary gland tumors (MSGT) compared to benign counterparts, and to evaluate potential clinical correlations and future applications. Patients affected by MSGT (n = 20), pleomorphic adenoma (PA) (n = 37) and Warthin's tumor (WT) (n = 14) were enrolled. Demographic, clinical and histopathological data were registered for all patients. FNA samples were processed to obtain the protein extracts. Protein separation was obtained by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Western blot analysis was performed to validate the 2-DE results. Statistical differences between groups were calculated by the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal data. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated to evaluate correlations among suggested protein biomarkers and clinical parameters. Twelve and 27 differentially expressed spots were found for MSGT versus PA and MSGT versus WT, respectively. Among these, annexin-5, cofilin-1, peptidyl-prolyl-cis-trans-isomerase-A and F-actin-capping-alpha-1 were able to differentiate MSGT from PA, WT, and healthy samples. Moreover, STRING analysis suggested cofilin-1 as a key node of protein interactions. Some of the overexpressed proteins are related to some clinical factors of our cohort, such as survival and outcome. Our results suggest potential protein biomarkers of MSGT, which could allow for more appropriate treatment plans, as well as shedding light on the molecular pathways involved.

Lesion Patterns and Possible Implications for Recovery in Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess patterns of end-organ involvement in acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUV) and to define the recovery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary academic referral hospital. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Fifty-nine patients fulfilling clinical criteria for AUV and evaluated using the caloric vestibular test, video head impulse test, and both cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials, up to 10 days from symptoms onset were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Vestibular tests and requirements for vestibular rehabilitation were analyzed. RESULTS: The most affected end-organ was the horizontal canal (97%), followed by the anterior canal (83%), utricle (73%), posterior canal (46%), and saccule (44%). Nineteen (32%) patients exhibited complete receptors lesion, while 13 (22%) exhibited damage to receptors connected with the superior division of the vestibular nerve (VN). The proportion of patients who underwent vestibular rehabilitation was higher in the latter two groups (58% for both). Partial involvement of the receptors innervated by both the division of the VN, rather than by its superior division, was detected in 22 and 24% of patients, respectively. Total or partial damage to receptors innervated by the inferior VN was not found. CONCLUSION: Deeper understanding of AUV may be achieved through identification of its patterns. Slightly more than one-half of AUV cases seemed to be associated with a nerve lesion, with a worse clinical outcome. The remaining patients exhibited selective involvement of vestibular receptors, more probably consistent with an intralabyrinthine lesion pattern and experienced better spontaneous recovery.

Menière's Disease and Caloric Stimulation: Some News from an Old Test.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to improve the instrumental diagnosis of assessing Menière's disease (MD) if the frequency and slow-phase velocity (SPV) of the thermally induced nystagmus analyzed through the caloric vestibular test (CVT) showed different alterations in relationship with an increasing severity of the cochlear involvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study retrospectively analyzed the CVT results of 72 patients affected by unilateral "definite MD" according to the 2015 Barany Society Diagnostic Criteria and treated only conservatively. RESULTS: There were 7 (9.72%) patients in stage 1, 27 (37.50%) in stage 2, 35 (48.61%) in stage 3, and 3 (4.16%) in stage 4. The canal paresis (CP) calculated through the frequency of the thermally induced nystagmus on the affected side increased in more severe stages (p=0.033). Conversely, the CP calculated through the SPV was not significantly different among the stages showing abnormal values even in the early phases of the disease (71% in stage 1, 81% in stage 2, 91% in stage 3, and 100% in stage 4), exclusively on the affected side. CONCLUSION: Abnormalities of the thermally induced nystagmus on the affected side characterize most patients with MD, but only "SPV" alterations are common in the early stages. An increasing severity of the cochlear involvement progressively reflects also on the "frequency" parameter. Detecting a dissociation between these two parameters could represent an instrumental marker of the early forms of MD. Cite this article as: Cerchiai N, Navari E, Miccoli M, Casani AP. Menière's Disease and Caloric Stimulation: Some News from an Old Test. J Int Adv Otol 2019; 15(3): 442-6.

Approach to residual dizziness after successfully treated benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: effect of a polyphenol compound supplementation.

PURPOSE: To assess if a polyphenol compound supplementation (Vertigoval®) could improve residual dizziness earlier after benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and relieve patients from this disabling symptomatology. METHODS: In this prospective, multicentric study, 127 patients were randomized in the treatment group (TG), who received a 60-day supplementation, while 131 patients were randomized in the control group (CG), who did not receive any medication. The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) score, static posturography, and the visual analog scale (VAS) for both dizziness (D-VAS) and nausea/vomit (N/V-VAS) were used as measures of outcome at baseline and after 30 and 60 days. Patients were asked about efficacy and tolerance to the treatment. Side effects were examined. RESULTS: A statistically significant greater decrease was established in the TG for DHI, D-VAS, and N/V-VAS compared to the CG. On the other hand, static posturography did not show statistical differences between the two groups, though a better clinical improvement after 60-day supplementation was shown in the TG in comparison to the CG. We counted mild side effects in only 2 patients. Most patients reported an excellent or good efficacy and tolerance to the treatment. CONCLUSION: Residual dizziness is a frequent condition of unknown origin that manifests as persistent disabling imbalance after successful repositioning maneuvers for BPPV. The decreasing postural control can affect the quality of life, contributing to falling and psychological problems. The supplementation with the polyphenol compound used in our study is safe, manageable, and appeared to be able to reduce subjective symptoms and improve instability earlier, decreasing the risk of potential complications.

A microRNA signature for the differential diagnosis of salivary gland tumors.

Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) are rare tumors of the head and neck with different clinical behavior. Preoperative diagnosis, based on instrumental and cytologic examinations, is crucial for their correct management. The identification of molecular markers might improve the accuracy of pre-surgical diagnosis helping to plan the proper treatment especially when a definitive diagnosis based only on cytomorphology cannot be achieved. miRNAs appear to be new promising biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Studies concerning the useful of miRNA expression in clinical decision-making regarding SGTs remain limited and controversial.The expression of a panel of 798 miRNAs was investigated using Nanostring technology in 14 patients with malignant SGTs (6 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, 4 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 1 acinic cell carcinoma, 1 ductal carcinoma, 1 cystadenocarcinoma and 1 adenocarcinoma) and in 10 patients with benign SGTs (pleomorphic adenomas). The DNA Intelligent Analysis (DIANA)-miRPath v3.0 software was used to determinate the miRNA regulatory roles and to identify the controlled significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) molecular pathways. Forty six miRNAs were differentially expressed (False Discovery Rate-FDR<0.05) between malignant and benign SGTs. DIANA miRPath software revealed enriched pathways involved in cancer processes as well as tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, cell growth and survival, tumor suppressor expression, angiogenesis and tumor progression. Interestingly, clustering analysis showed that this signature of 46 miRNAs is able to differentiate the two analyzed groups. We found a correlation between histological diagnosis (benign or malignant) and miRNA expression profile.The molecular signature identified in this study might become an important preoperative diagnostic tool.

Good Clinical Approach: Delphi Consensus for the Use of Betahistine in Menière's Disease.

Menière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes vertigo, tinnitus, fullness, and hearing loss. Several pharmacological treatments are available, but none of them has shown significant results. Betahistine has been largely used but its effect on the main symptoms of Menière's disease remains unclear. In order to improve clinical appropriateness and to reduce the heterogeneity of the therapeutic approaches for Menière's disease, we proposed a European Consensus Conference on Betahistine's prescription. A group of European experts in vestibular disorders completed a questionnaire, prepared by opinion leaders, on the use of betahistine in Menière's disease. The Delphi method was used as an iterative investigation method in order to increase and establish the consensus. While betahistine was considered useful to reduce the number of the vertigo attacks during the intercritical phase of the disease, its use during attacks was considered helpful only when associated with other drugs. Betahistine was not considered useful for preventing hearing loss. The experts support the use of betahistine during the intercritical phase of the disease to reduce the number and severity of vertigo episodes. They also defined the parameters for a good clinical approach to evaluate the efficacy of betahistine treatment for Menière's disease.

Assessment of Vestibulo-ocular Reflex Gain and Catch-up Saccades During Vestibular Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess, in patients referred to vestibular rehabilitation (VR) for persistence of disability after acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUV), whether the video head impulse test (vHIT) can be a useful technique to define the efficacy of the treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Tertiary academic referral hospitals. PATIENTS: Thirty patients with residual symptoms after AUV were included. INTERVENTION: Patients underwent a 10-week VR program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Evaluation of dizziness handicap inventory score, high-velocity vestibulo-ocular reflex gain, asymmetry index, and catch-up saccade parameters before and after VR. RESULTS: All patients reported a clear clinical improvement after VR, also demonstrated by better dizziness handicap inventory scores (p < 0.001). A consistent increased gain and decreased asymmetry index were also observed (p < 0.001 for both). Patients did not show any change in covert catch-up saccades, while a statistically significant reduction of the number and amplitude of the overt catch-up saccades was interestingly detected (p = 0.009 and p = 0.030, respectively). CONCLUSION: VR is a valid approach for patients with residual disability after AUV. A reduction in number and amplitude of overt catch-up saccades seems useful to evaluate the efficacy of VR and to be related to clinical improvement.

Detection of Biofilms in Biopsies from Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients: In Vitro Biofilm Forming Ability and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in Biofilm Mode of Growth of Isolated Bacteria.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is the most common illness among chronic disorders that remains poorly understood from a pathogenic standpoint and has a significant impact on patient quality of life, as well as healthcare costs. Despite being widespread, little is known about the etiology of the CRS. Recent evidence, showing the presence of biofilms within the paranasal sinuses, suggests a role for biofilm in the pathogenesis. To elucidate the role of biofilm in the pathogenesis of CRS, we assessed the presence of biofilm at the infection site and the ability of the aerobic flora isolated from CRS patients to form biofilm in vitro. For selected bacterial strains the susceptibility profiles to antibiotics in biofilm condition was also evaluated.Staphylococci represented the majority of the isolates obtained from the infection site, with S. epidermidis being the most frequently isolated species. Other isolates were represented by Enterobacteriaceae or by species present in the oral flora. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of the mucosal biopsies taken from patients with CRS revealed the presence of biofilm in the majority of the samples. Strains isolated from the specific infection site of the CRS patients were able to form biofilm in vitro at moderate or high levels, when tested in optimized conditions. No biofilm was observed by CLSM in the biopsies from control patients, although the same biopsies were positive for staphylococci in microbiological culture analysis. Drug-susceptibility tests demonstrated that the susceptibility profile of planktonic bacteria differs from that of sessile bacteria in biofilms.

Predicting the Outcome after Acute Unilateral Vestibulopathy: Analysis of Vestibulo-ocular Reflex Gain and Catch-up Saccades.

Objectives (1) To describe the relationships among the main instrumental features characterizing an acute unilateral vestibulopathy and (2) to clarify the role of the video head impulse test in predicting the development of chronic vestibular insufficiency. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Subjects and Methods Sixty patients suffering from acute unilateral vestibulopathy were retrospectively analyzed: 30 who recovered spontaneously (group 1) and 30 who needed a vestibular rehabilitation program (group 2). The main outcome measures included Dizziness Handicap Inventory score, canal paresis, high-velocity vestibulo-oculomotor reflex gain, and catch-up saccade parameters. The tests were all performed between 4 and 8 weeks from the onset of symptoms. Results The high-velocity vestibulo-oculomotor reflex gain correlated with the Dizziness Handicap Inventory score ( P = .004), with the amplitude of covert and overt saccades ( P < .001), and with the prevalence of overt saccades ( P < .001). Patients in need for vestibular rehabilitation programs had a significantly lower gain ( P < .001) and a higher prevalence and amplitude of overt saccades ( P = .002 and P = .008, respectively). Conversely, we found no differences in terms of response to the caloric test ( P = .359). Conclusions Lower values of high-velocity vestibulo-oculomotor reflex gain and a high prevalence of overt saccades are related to a worse prognosis after acute unilateral vestibulopathy. This is of great interest to clinicians in identifying which patients are less likely to recover and more likely to need a vestibular rehabilitation program.

Aging with Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Dizziness: The Importance of Undiagnosed Peripheral Vestibular Disorders.

Recent studies showed a link between cerebral small vessel white matter disease (SVD) and dizziness: patients whose dizziness cannot be explained by vestibular disease show severe SVD and gait abnormalities; however, little is still known about how SVD can cause this symptom. The primary aim of this study is to examine the possible underlying causes of dizziness in neurovascular patients; this is in order to assess whether treatable causes could be routinely disregarded. A secondary aim is to possibly define a central oculomotor pattern induced per se by SVD. This could help the diagnosis of SVD-related dizziness. In this single-blind prospective study, 60 patients referred to a neurovascular clinic because of dizziness and SVD on imaging were divided into an L-SVD and a H-SVD group (low and high SVD burden, respectively), and then blindly examined with vestibulometric tests. In H-SVD group, the percentage of unexplained dizziness reached 82.8%. There was a higher prevalence of peripheral vestibular abnormalities in the L-SVD patient group (51.6%) than in the H-SVD (17.2%; p = 0.012). We found no differences in central oculomotor findings between the two groups. Although oculomotricity does not show any consistent pattern, a severe SVD can directly represent a cause of dizziness. However, a patient with mild SVD is more likely to suffer by a peripheral vestibular disorder. Therefore, given the high incidence of vestibular disease in neurovascular or geriatric clinics, clinicians should be cautious when ascribing dizziness solely to the presence of SVD as easily treatable peripheral vestibular causes may be missed.

Assessment of Vestibulo-oculomotor Reflex in Ménière's Disease: Defining an Instrumental Profile.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze and compare, in two groups of patients affected by definite Ménière's disease (MD) but treated differently, the Video Head Impulse Test findings especially by putting them in relationship with canal paresis, hearing loss, and duration of the disease. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. PATIENTS: Seventy patients affected by unilateral definite MD (16 in Group 1 and 54 in Group 2) observed between March 2014 and May 2015 in a tertiary referral center were retrospectively studied and then divided into two groups: Group 1 was previously treated with intratympanic gentamicin, whereas Group 2 underwent only a conservative therapy. Instrumental tests included audiometry, caloric test, and Video Head Impulse Test. All the findings were statistically analyzed; significance was set at p = 0.005. INTERVENTION: Diagnostic. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: If MD is treated conservatively the high-frequency vestibulo-oculomotor reflex gain determined with Video Head Impulse Test is normal; it is pathological if MD is treated with gentamicin. RESULTS: High-frequency vestibulo-oculomotor reflex gain showed a statistically significant reduction in Group 1; at the same time, it showed no correlation in both groups with hearing loss, duration of disease or canal paresis. CONCLUSION: High-frequency vestibulo-oculomotor reflex is naturally preserved even in late stage MD if the patient has been treated conservatively; the dissociation between Caloric Test and Video Head Impulse Test findings could be considered an instrumental hallmark of MD. Gentamicin significantly reduces high-frequency vestibulo-oculomotor reflex gain: this reduction can be taken into account when determining the effectiveness of an ablative treatment.

Intratympanic gentamicin for Meniere's disease: short- and long-term follow-up of two regimens of treatment.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the results of the 2 regimens of treatment at 2-year follow-up and (2) to evaluate the need and the efficacy of retreatment after the recurrence of vertigo attacks in a longer period of follow-up (using the Kaplan-Meier method of analysis). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 77 patients treated with intratympanic gentamicin (ITG). Thirty-five patients were treated with high-dose (HD) ITG (in total 6 injections, twice a day, repeated every 3 days) and 42 with low-dose (LD) ITG (1-2 injections). The results of treatment were evaluated in terms of functional level scale, control of vertigo, and hearing impairment. RESULTS: At 2-year follow-up, a similar percentage of vertigo control was obtained in the 2 groups; the incidence of hearing loss and posttreatment disequilibrium was significantly higher in patients treated with HD-ITG. The long-term follow-up showed a control of vertigo attacks with a single round of treatment in 71.4% of patients treated with HD-ITG and in 55% of those treated with LD-ITG. With repeated rounds, an effective control of vertigo could be achieved in 88.5% using a HD-ITG protocol and 97.7% using a LD-ITG protocol. CONCLUSIONS: LD-ITG allows obtaining good results in term of vertigo attacks associated with a limited occurrence of side effects. The long-term follow-up showed that LD-ITG needed repeated rounds more frequently than the HD-protocol. HD-ITG ran less risk of needing repeated rounds, but retreatment was ineffective in 40% of the cases requiring surgical therapy.

Patient-related and ENT-related predictive factors based on the pain experienced during flexible nasendoscopy.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to explore the role of specific patient-related and operator-related factors in pain perception during flexible laryngoscopy, which is one of the most common ENT procedures. STUDY DESIGN: Monocentric, randomized, individual prospective study. METHODS: A total of 532 patients (145 men and 387 women), without any relevant ENT diseases, underwent laryngoscopy performed by otolaryngologists with various degrees of experience. Patient discomfort was reported using visual analog scores, and willingness to repeat the experience was also recorded. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed that greater pain was significantly associated with female patients and female otolaryngologists, whereas the pain was less severe in the cases of experienced laryngologists and older patients. Pain plays an important role in determining the willingness to repeat the examination; in fact, patients who experienced lower levels of pain during laryngoscopy were more prone to repeat the experience. CONCLUSION: This article explores the importance of the extrinsic factors that are related to the patient and the otolaryngologist in determining the level of pain associated with laryngoscopy. Our study indicated that laryngoscopy is generally a well-tolerated procedure, causing little overall discomfort, but that a subgroup of patients may experience more pain than others, which may affect the patient's perspective toward undergoing a similar future experience. Our analysis may be helpful for clinicians in understanding pain perception during a routine procedure, enabling them to focus more on that subgroup of patients who are more prone to pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1b.