Facial paralysis: Clinical practice guideline of the Spanish Society of Otolaryngology. / Parálisis facial: guía de práctica clínica de la Sociedad Española de ORL.

Bell's palsy is the most common diagnosis associated with facial nerve weakness or paralysis. However, not all patients with facial paresis/paralysis have Bell's palsy. Other common causes include treatment of vestibular schwannoma, head and neck tumours, iatrogenic injuries, Herpes zoster, or trauma. The approach to each of these conditions varies widely. The purpose of this guideline is to provide clinicians with guidance on the treatment and monitoring of patients with different causes of facial paralysis. We intend to draft a practical guideline, focusing on operationalised recommendations deemed to be useful in the daily management of patients. This guideline was promoted by the Spanish Society of Otolaryngology and developed by a group of physicians with an interest in facial nerve disorders, including at least one physician from each Autonomous Community. In a question and answer format, it includes 56 relevant topics related to the facial nerve.

Quality of life and voice assessment in patients with early-stage glottic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) and voice handicap in a sample of disease-free patients who had been treated at our center with radiotherapy (RT) or surgery for early glottic cancer. METHODS: QOL and voice handicap were assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaires Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30-questions (QLQ-C30) and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Head and Neck 35-questions (QLQ-H&N35) and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). RESULTS: Ninety-one patients completed the questionnaires. Fifty-nine patients (65%) were treated with RT and 32 (35%) with surgery. QOL scores for the sample recorded, moderate limitations in 6 areas, and more than moderate limitations (>30 of 100) in 2 areas. Significant differences were found in emotional functioning (88.5 vs 76.6) and social contact (4.6 vs 12.1) on the EORTC questionnaires and on the VHI (6.1 vs 12.8), which favored the RT group. CONCLUSION: In this cross-sectional study, voice quality, emotional functioning, and social contact were better in the RT group.

Valores de ALAT y ASAT en un grupo de niños mexicanos que acudieron al Instituto Nacional de Pediatría / ALAT and ASAT values in a mexican children group attending in the Instituto Nacional de Pediatría

Como parte de un estudio en el que se necesitaba evaluar la función hepática en niños normales, se les tomó una muestra de sangre para medir ALAT (Alanina amino transferasa) y ASAT (Aspartato amino transferasa) (antes conocidas como TGP y TGO, respectivamente) a niños que acudieron a la toma de una muestra sanguínea para estudios preoperatorios de cirugías menores. Varios niños aparentemente sanos, presentaron niveles elevados respecto a los valores que se consideran normales en nuestro hospital (6-40U/l para cada uno). Por esta razón se estudió a 248 niños (30 en cada grupo de edad) de 0 a 6 años. Si bien la mediana para cada grupo estaba dentro de los límites de referencia, hubo variabilidad muy amplia de los valores individuales; en algunos casos cerca del 50 por ciento de los niños estuvieron por arriba de la mediana. Estos datos deberán tomarse en cuante cuando se encuentren valores elevados de ALAT y/o ASAT en niños aparentemente sanos y sin causa aparente que los explique, antes de someterlos a procedimientos costosos, dolorosos e inútiles