Quality of life and control of allergic rhinitis in patients from regions beyond western Europe and the United States.

There is comparatively little information on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in subjects with allergic rhinitis (AR) or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR/C) in countries beyond western Europe and North America. The primary aim of this investigation was therefore to review and assess the information in the public domain on HRQoL in AR/C patients from diverse regions of the world, represented by different countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey. Second, in view of the absence of a standardized definition for 'AR control', the review aimed to determine whether a working definition of AR/C can be inferred from validated tests or other instruments documented to date. Despite the comparatively low number of studies, this review demonstrated that overall the symptoms of AR/C impair the HRQoL of patients in these regions by adversely impacting sleep, daily activities, physical and mental status and social functioning, similar to that demonstrated in much larger numbers of studies of AR/C patients in Europe and the United States. Furthermore, the findings of the review suggest that 'overall' control of the disease should encompass reduction of nasal and ocular symptoms, as well as improvements in HRQoL, comorbid conditions and cognition. Although some instruments are currently available for measuring control of AR, none are capable of assessing all these aspects, emphasizing the need to develop appropriate new instruments.

Prevalence and diversity of allergic rhinitis in regions of the world beyond Europe and North America.

BACKGROUND: There is comparatively little information in the public domain on the diversity in prevalence and triggers/factors associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR/C) in countries beyond western-Europe and North America. OBJECTIVE: To review the prevalence and the sensitizing agents/triggers and factors associated with AR/C in several countries in Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Australia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Turkey. METHODS: Articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals were assessed and selected for further review, following an extensive literature search using the Medline database. RESULTS: This review demonstrated that prevalence of AR and AR/C in these regions has predominantly been investigated in children; with studies indicating wide inter- and intra-regional variations ranging from 2.9% AR and 3.8% AR/C in 10-18-years-old children from one region in Turkey to 54.1% AR and 39.2% AR/C in 13-14-years-old children in one region in Nigeria. Moreover, the prevalence of AR and AR/C has increased markedly over the last decade particularly in some of the more affluent African countries, China-Taiwan and several Middle East countries, likely as a consequence of improved living standards leading to increased exposure to multiple traditional and non-traditional sensitizing agents and risk factors similar to those noted in western-Europe and North America. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our findings suggest that the greater diversity in prevalence of AR or AR/C in populations in these regions is in contrast to the lower diversity of AR or AR/C in the 'western populations (USA and Europe), which tend to be more uniform. This review provides a comprehensive database of the important allergens and triggers which are likely to influence the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in these diverse regions, where the prevalence of allergic rhinitis is increasing and its adverse impact on the quality of life of affected individuals is increasingly recognised.

Passive smoking and nonrecurrent acute otitis media in children.

INTRODUCTION: It remains uncertain whether passive smoking is a risk factor (RF) for nonrecurrent acute otitis media (AOM). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether exposure to second-hand smoke at home increased the prevalence of an isolated single episode of nonrecurrent AOM in children. METHODS AND MATERIAL: We performed a cross-sectional study with 192 children younger than 3 years who were seen at a general pediatric clinic. A questionnaire was used to quantify the exposure to cigarette smoke at home and to assess other RFs for AOM. The diagnosis of AOM was made by pediatricians using otoscopy. The results of the associations were reported by prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the role of confounding variables among other potential RFs and passive smoking. RESULTS: The prevalence ratio of an isolated single episode of nonrecurrent AOM between patients exposed and those not exposed to passive smoking was 0.82 (0.67 to 1.02). In logistic regression, any RF changed the main association significantly. CONCLUSION: Exposure to passive smoking did not change the prevalence of an isolated single episode of nonrecurrent AOM in children.

Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis with otolaryngologic manifestations: a rare neurocutaneous syndrome.

Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis (ECCL) is a rare congenital disorder and was first described in 1970. The main clinical features of the syndrome include convulsions beginning in infancy, mental retardation, and unilateral cutaneous and ophthalmologic lesions with ipsilateral cerebral manifestations. A 14-year-old caucasian boy with ECCL associated with otolaryngologic manifestations is reported. To our knowledge, this is the first case of ECCL with otolaryngologic manifestation in the English literature.

Lateral sinus thrombosis and cervical abscess complicating cholesteatoma in children: case report and review.

To call attention to complications of chronic otitis media, the case of a patient who simultaneously developed lateral sinus thrombosis and Bezold's abscess is reported. A 7 year old boy presented with fever, drowsiness, cervical mass and otorrhea not responding to medical management. Work-up revealed lateral sinus thrombosis and cervical abscess secondary to right ear cholesteatoma. After treatment with surgery and antibiotics, he had a favorable outcome. We review the literature regarding the diagnosis and management of these complications and concluded that although less frequent they remain a clinical challenge.

Chronic secretory otitis media: negative bacteriology.

There is disagreement on the role of bacteria in the genesis and maintenance of chronic secretory otitis media (CSOM). Extensive studies from other countries report up to 40% of middle ear cultures with bacterial growth. For the present study, material was collected from 94 ears of children with both clinical and tympanometric diagnoses of CSOM. The samples were sent for bacteriological analysis, in there it was stained according to Gram's method and put into growing media: MacConkey (for gram-negative bacteria) and blood agar (for gram-positive bacteria) for 24 h, at 37 degrees C. If germs were identified by Gram's method, antibiograms would be carried out as well, with the Mueller Hington medium. No cultures were made for anaerobes. Only one ear had grown bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis), which was deemed contamination. No other ear studied bore bacteria. The possible causes for this disagreement between our study and the literature are discussed.

Efficacy of celecoxib in treating symptoms of viral pharyngitis: a double-blind, randomized study of celecoxib versus diclofenac.

This study compared the efficacy and safety of the cyclooxygenase-2 specific inhibitor celecoxib with the conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac in the symptomatic treatment of viral pharyngitis. Adult patients from 27 study centers in Latin America were treated with oral doses of celecoxib 200 mg once daily or 200 mg twice daily, or diclofenac 75 mg twice daily for 5 days in a double-blind, randomized study. The primary efficacy assessment was 'Throat Pain on Swallowing' on day 3. In addition, secondary quality-of-life assessments were performed on days 3 and 5. All adverse events and treatment-emergent signs and symptoms were recorded. Data from 313 patients were evaluable for efficacy (105 celecoxib 200 mg once daily, 107 celecoxib 200 mg twice daily, 101 diclofenac 75 mg twice daily). The upper 95% confidence limits for the visual analog scale of 'Throat Pain on Swallowing' on day 3 for celecoxib 200 mg once daily relative to diclofenac 75 mg twice daily, and celecoxib 200 mg twice daily relative to diclofenac 75 mg twice daily were 9.26 and 7.83, respectively. All secondary efficacy and quality-of-life measures were clinically similar for the three treatment groups, and no statistically significant differences were detected. The incidences of treatment-emergent adverse events and withdrawals due to adverse events were similar for all groups, but numerically higher among patients taking diclofenac than celecoxib. More patients in the diclofenac group reported gastrointestinal complaints (7.3%) compared with those in the celecoxib groups (4.3% in the celecoxib 200 mg once-daily group and 3.4% in the celecoxib 200 mg twice-daily group). In conclusion, 5 days of treatment with celecoxib 200 mg once daily is as effective as diclofenac 75 mg twice daily in the symptomatic treatment of viral pharyngitis. Celecoxib 200 mg once daily is also as effective as celecoxib 200 mg twice daily in this condition.

[Evaluation of the diagnostic power of symptoms and signs in acute otitis media]. / Avaliação do poder diagnóstico dos sinais e sintomas na otite média aguda.

The diagnosis of acute otitis media (AOM) is made on clinical basis. The gold-standard tests are invasive. There are few studies quantifying the diagnostic power of the signs and symptoms. A sample of 300 children were analyzed to establish the diagnostic power of isolated and combinated signs and symptoms in AOM. The most important diagnostic signs were bulging, fluid level, acute perforation, and change in color of the tympanic membrane. Fever was the single symptom with statistical significance. We concluded that we can do an accurate and noninvasive AOM diagnosis using otomicroscopic findings.

[Lateral sinus thrombophlebitis and cervical abscess as a complication of chronic otitis media]. / Tromboflebite do seio lateral e abscesso cervical como complicação de otite média crônica.

OBJECTIVE: To focus on two rare complications of cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media. METHODS: A case of two simultaneous complications of cholesteatoma (lateral sinus thrombophlebitis and Bezold's cervical abscess) in a 7 year-old boy is reported. Thereafter, a review of the international literature about both complications is carried out. RESULTS: A 7 year-old white male patient was referred for assessment with high fever, obnubilation, cervical mass and otorrhea, being non-responsive to the clinic treatment, with the diagnostic hypothesis of infectious parotitis. The clinical examination and radiologic study demonstrated lateral sinus thrombophlebitis and cervical abscess due to cholesteatoma in the right ear. After being submitted to surgery and prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy, the patient presented a favorable outcome, with little morbidity. CONCLUSION: Despite the incidence of complications of otitis had decreased in the last decades, they are still a challenge for the clinician, especially because of the insidious manner of presentation, usually hidden with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

A multifaceted mental health training program in reducing burnout among occupational social workers.

This article looks at ways of reducing stress through a multifaceted training program involving the acquisition of mental health knowledge and skills and experiential training in a group of occupational social workers. The training group of 13 occupational workers was compared to a group of occupational social workers not attending the program. Post-training revealed statistically significant increases in professional self-efficacy associated with awareness of psychological and psychopathological issues and professional social support. Reduction in cognitive weariness and listlessness associated with burnout was also found. Gaining competence in mental health issues relating to the occupational setting coupled with emotional sharing helped to reduce professional burnout.

[Otitis media with effusion: expectant management] / Otite média crônica secretora: conduta expectante.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the fact that chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) is an entity with a high prevalence among children, the real effectiveness of most treatments in use nowadays has not been completely established. Based on its natural course, we defend an expectant management as the initial treatment. METHODS: We undertook a review of the available data taking into consideration the natural history, epidemiology and therapeutic options for OME. We looked for a guideline concerning the best treatment for OME in children. RESULTS: The treatment of OME still remains controversial, in spite of many therapeutic options. In children, the best management still seems to be the observation, probably for a period of three to six months. However, interventionist treatment should be done earlier on those patients considered as high risk or in which a problem happened with their development, due to hearing loss secondary to OME. CONCLUSIONS: The understanding of the several factors involved in the pathogenesis of OME, as well as of the features in its evolutive course, encourage the idea of a conservative expectant approach at first or up to the moment in which an interventionist approach (clinical or surgical) is justified.

[Otoscopy and tympanometry in the diagnosis of secretory otitis media] / Otoscopia e timpanometria no diagnóstico de otite média secretora.

OBJECTIVE: To study the sensitivity and specificity of otoscopy and tympanometry in the diagnosis of secretory otitis media. METHODS: A prospective study was performed in 98 children (196 ears) with indication of myringotomy with placement of tympanostomy tube because of the diagnosis of secretory otitis media. All these patients had conductive hearing loss and/or delay of speech and/or low school performance. To evaluate the diagnostic power of the tests, both otoscopy and tympanometry were performed. Myringotomy was established as the gold-standard. The statistical analysis was done using the chi-square test, being significant a p<0.05.RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 6.02 years (sd: 2.93 years). The otoscopy presented sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 61.1% and the tympanometry presented sensitivity of 93.75% and specificity of 72.2%. CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistically significant difference in sensitivity between otoscopy and tympanometry for the diagnosis of secretory otitis media, however, tympanometry was significantly more specific than otoscopy (p< 0.01).