Is the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio a marker for differentiating between benign and malignant submandibular gland masses?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on the differentiation of benign and malignant masses in the submandibular triangle. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 48 patients who underwent surgery for submandibular gland masses between January 2013 and February 2023. The patient's age, gender, preoperative complete blood count and imaging findings, postoperative histopathological diagnosis, and hemogram data were analysed. Patients were evaluated according to their postoperative histopathological diagnoses and categorised into four main groups: sialolithiasis, sialadenitis, benign tumours, and malignant tumours. Benign submandibular gland disease formations were evaluated under group B and malignant tumour formations under group M. RESULTS: A preoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed on 19 patients due to sialadenitis, pleomorphic adenoma, and malignant diseases other than sialolithiasis. One patient died among the patients with malignant disease and the remaining 7 patients were compared with the benign group of 40 patients regarding preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. In the benign group, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was 2.64 preoperatively and decreased to 2.34 in the first postoperative year. The preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio decreased from 4.79 to 1.77 postoperatively in the malignant group. A statistically significant difference was observed (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a biomarker in submandibular gland masses and has prognostic significance in malignant masses. In addition to fine needle aspiration biopsy results, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a biomarker.

The Effect of Methylphenidate Treatment on Olfactory Function in Children and Adolescents With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to research whether there is an olfactory disorder in ADHD, and if so, what is the effect of methylphenidate on this condition. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study aiming to evaluate olfactory threshold, identification, discrimination and threshold, discrimination, and identification (TDI) scores in 109 children and adolescents, 33 of whom have ADHD without medication, 29 with ADHD with medication and 47 control groups. RESULT: In the post hoc tests, the mean odor discrimination test, the mean odor identification test, and the mean TDI scores of the unmedicated ADHD group were significantly lower than those of the other two groups, and that the mean odor threshold test scores of the medicated ADHD group were significantly lower than those of the control and unmedicated groups. CONCLUSION: Olfactory function could be a useful tool to monitor treatment effects and may be a promising candidate as a biomarker in ADHD.

Is the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio a marker for differentiating between benign and malignant submandibular gland masses?

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on the differentiation of benign and malignant masses in the submandibular triangle. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 48 patients who underwent surgery for submandibular gland masses between January 2013 and February 2023. The patient's age, gender, preoperative complete blood count and imaging findings, postoperative histopathological diagnosis, and hemogram data were analysed. Patients were evaluated according to their postoperative histopathological diagnoses and categorised into four main groups: sialolithiasis, sialadenitis, benign tumours, and malignant tumours. Benign submandibular gland disease formations were evaluated under group B and malignant tumour formations under group M. RESULTS: A preoperative fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed on 19 patients due to sialadenitis, pleomorphic adenoma, and malignant diseases other than sialolithiasis. One patient died among the patients with malignant disease and the remaining 7 patients were compared with the benign group of 40 patients regarding preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. In the benign group, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was 2.64 preoperatively and decreased to 2.34 in the first postoperative year. The preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio decreased from 4.79 to 1.77 postoperatively in the malignant group. A statistically significant difference was observed (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a biomarker in submandibular gland masses and has prognostic significance in malignant masses. In addition to fine needle aspiration biopsy results, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a biomarker.

Do Mean Values of the Peak Inspiratory Nasal Flowmeter Vary According to the Severity, Direction and Type of Nasal Septum Deviation?

The aim is to investigate the contribution of the PNIF test in daily clinical practices in the objective evaluation of the early postoperative functional results of septoplasty and the effect of the severity, direction, and type of nasal septum deviation on mean PNIF values. Nasal septum deviation (NSDs) of the cases were grouped according to the Mladina classification and the severity of NSDs. An objective evaluation of the nasal airway was conducted via a peak flowmeter device in the preoperative and postoperative first month. When examining the mean PNIF values according to genders, it was observed that the values determined in male cases in the preoperative and postoperative period were higher. In the intragroup evaluation performed according the Mladina classification, a statistically significant increase was observed in the preoperative and postoperative PNIF values of the cases in Types 1-4. In the intragroup evaluation performed according to the severity of NSD, there was a significant increase in the preoperative and postoperative PNIF values of the mild and moderate cases. When comparing the preoperative and postoperative PNIF values of the groups in terms of the severity of NSD, it was observed that there was a significant difference. The PNIF can be used in routine clinical practices to evaluate the septoplasty results objectively. In the evaluation of functional results, the change in the mean PNIF values may also vary according to the direction and severity of septum deviation and the Mladina classification other than age, gender and ethnic origin.

Olfactory Impairment in Children and Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

In this study, we aimed to examine the olfactory function of adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We investigated olfactory function of 50 adolescents with OCD and 50 healthy controls (min-max, 12-17 years) by the "Sniffin' Sticks" extended test. OCD and depression symptomatology were assessed with the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Adolescents with OCD had lower olfactory performance than healthy controls. The patients who responded positively to the treatment exhibited performance superior to the patients with partial response and those untreated. All olfactory measurements were significantly inversely correlated with MOCI and CDI total scores and OCD duration. Our results show that OCD has a significant impact on all olfactory tests, and olfactory impairment is related to symptom severity, duration, and course of OCD. The decrease in olfactory function may be a noninvasive state marker for OCD. Further investigations in longitudinal studies are required to confirm our results.

Olfactory Function in Depressed Adolescents.

Some researchers have suggested that olfactory deficits might be a sensitive marker for depression in adults. However, olfactory function has not been well studied in relation to depression among children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of depression on olfactory function of adolescents. The olfactory threshold, odor identification, and discrimination abilities of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (43 adolescents with major depressive disorder and 43 healthy controls) alongside their sum were evaluated using the Sniffin' Sticks extended test. Olfactory scores were similar between the groups. However, depressed adolescents perceived their own olfactory function scores significantly lower than the measured values. No correlation was found between olfactory scores and age, sex, severity of depression, and duration of depression. This study conducted with a small sample size revealed that olfactory function of the adolescents with depression was similar to olfactory function of the healthy adolescents. It is required to conduct further adequately powered, longitudinal studies in order to verify these results.

Examining the Early Period Effect of Nilotinib on Hearing: An Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVES: Nilotinib has very few side effects, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, cardiotoxicity, high pancreatic lipase, ischemia, and vascular occlusion. We aimed to investigate whether short-term administration of nilotinib had ototoxic effects in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar-albino rats were categorized into three groups: group C (administered 0.25 mL of distilled water, no nilotinib), group N-20 (administered 20 mg/kg/day of nilotinib dissolved in distilled water), and group N-50 (administered 50 mg/kg/day of nilotinib dissolved in distilled water). A single dose was administered once per day, at the same hour, over 21 days. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds were recorded on day 0 and day 21. RESULTS: There were no changes in ABR threshold values obtained on day 0 (baseline) and on day 21 across all three groups. A statistically significant difference was not found in terms of the mean latency of waves V and III, interpeak latency values of waves III-V, and amplitude ratios of waves III-V and V/Va at baseline and on day 21 across all three groups on within-group or between-group evaluation. CONCLUSION: Consequently, further studies are needed that involve different drug doses, prolonged administration of drugs, as well as distortion otoacoustic emission test for the evaluation of cochlear activation and ABR. Furthermore, histopathological studies are needed to indicate whether the cochlea is affected to prove that nilotinib has definitively no ototoxic effect.

Evaluation of hearing loss and tinnitus in Behcet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate sensorineuralhearing loss (SHNL) and tinnitus in patients with Behcet's disease (BD), while also determining the association between the clinical symptoms of BD and the disease duration with the development of hearing loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 44 patients with BD and 42 healthy volunteers as the control group. The level of tinnitus-induced annoyance and the effects of tinnitus on daily life were evaluated with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire (TRQ). The hearing levels of all participants were measured with high-frequency audiometry and transient auto-acoustic emission tests. RESULTS: The patients with BD were significantly more affected by SNHL and tinnitus than the controls (p < 0.05). The correlation between disease duration and age among those with SNHL was statistically significant (p < 0.05). No association was found between the clinical findings and SNHL and tinnitus (p > 0.05) in the BD patients. CONCLUSION: In the present study, high-frequency SNHL was found to be common in among the patients with BD. SNHL in BD is positively correlated with the patients' age of the and the disease duration.

[Genetic constitution analysis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss]. / Idyopatik ani isitme kayipli olgularin genetik yapilarinin analizi.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research is to understand the etiology of sudden hearing loss due to genetic factors in Turkish people. Determination of these genetic factors and better understanding of molecular pathogenesis may guide more realistic planning and treatment recommendations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients (Group 1; 19 males, 21 females; mean age 37.9+/-15.6 years; range 9 to 76 years) who presented with sudden hearing loss to the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of Medical Faculty Hospital of Cumhuriyet University between January 2008 and June 2009, and were diagnosed with sudden hearing loss through history, physical examination and review of audiometric findings, and 20 healthy volunteers (Group 2; 14 males, 6 females; mean age 31.7+/-4.4 years; range 24 to 43 years) for the control group were included in this study. All Patients were evaluated by the genetic clinic for the GJB2, GJB3, GJB6 and WFS1 gene using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) method mutation analysis. RESULTS: No difference was found in the peripheral blood sample analyses of the two groups at WFS1 exon 8 and connexin 26, 30 and 31 gene zones using the MLPA method with respect to heterozygous mutation (p=0.291, p>0.05). In four patients in group 1 heterozygous mutation was detected at the target gene zone. Heterozygous mutation was in the WFS1 exon 8 zone in two patients; and in the WFS1 exon 1 zone in other two patients. CONCLUSION: Sudden hearing loss studies in the future should include connexin 26, connexin 30 and other gene mutations that may affect the function of the gap-junction located in the region of the cochlea stria vascularis (stV), basal membrane (BM), spiral limbus (Li) and spiral ligament (SL). These studies should be performed on larger series, and should include family members of patients with sudden hearing loss.