Medical History, Medication Use, and Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Because persistent inflammation may render the nasopharyngeal mucosa susceptible to carcinogenesis, chronic ear-nose-throat (ENT) disease and its treatment might influence the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Existing evidence is, however, inconclusive and often based on methodologically suboptimal epidemiologic studies. In a population-based case-control study in southern China, we enrolled 2,532 persons with NPC and 2,597 controls, aged 20-74 years, from 2010 to 2014. Odds ratios were estimated for associations between NPC risk and history of ENT and related medications. Any history of chronic ENT disease was associated with a 34% increased risk of NPC. Similarly, use of nasal drops or aspirin was associated with approximately doubled risk of NPC. However, in secondary analyses restricted to chronic ENT diseases and related medication use at least 5 years prior to diagnosis/interview, most results were statistically nonsignificant, except a history of uncured ENT diseases, untreated nasal polyps, and earlier age at first diagnosis of ENT disease and first or most recent aspirin use. Overall, these findings suggest that ENT disease and related medication use are most likely early indications rather than causes of NPC, although the possibility of a modestly increased NPC risk associated with these diseases and related medications cannot be excluded.

[Complications of hyperbaric therapy and their prevention]. / Oslozhneniia giperbaroterapii i ikh profilaktika.

The frequency and nature of complications encountered during hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) therapy have been studied in 678 patients with different diseases who were subjected to 4219 HBO procedures. The complications were observed in 17.9% of patients and were divided into three groups. Group I, complications associated with the damaged function of Eustachian tube and middle ear (7.2%); group II, complications associated with recurrence of chronic diseases and postoperative condition (8.1%); group III, complications associated with the impact of elevated O2 pressure (2.6%). The majority of complications (15.3%) were functional in nature. To prevent the onset of complications it seems necessary to perform differentiated therapy prior to HBO, and in some patients during sessions and between them.

[Neck-induced myoneural irritation pain--a recommendation for therapy by the ENT physician]. / Halsbedingte myoneuralgische Irritationsbeschwerden, ein Vorschlag zur Therapie durch den HNO-Arzt.

A number of typical ENT complaints which do not involve organic signs or symptoms are presented, such as sinusitis-like headache, otitis-like earache and tonsillo-pharyngitis-like dysphagia. Since patients with such complaints usually visit an ENT specialist first, an introduction of additional diagnostic and therapeutic measures is imperative. Without having been trained in chirotherapy, it is possible to identify painful locations, myogeloses and functional disorders in the craniocervical area. In many cases treatment of these disorders leads to disappearance of associated irritational complaints. In addition to local treatment of the neck, the ENT specialist may employ a procedure as described. Superficial infiltration of the mucous membrane is performed with a local suprarenin-free anaesthetic in an area around the upper wisdom tooth and on the palatoglossal arch. This procedure often leads to spontaneous and lasting relief of symptoms. It is assumed that this has the effect of inhibiting the pathologically irritated afferents and thus of interrupting an altered reflex arc. Relief from the complaints is improved by physiotherapy and by avoiding the detrimental influence of bad posture, nervous stress, air draughts, cold chills etc. Extensive massage therapy can result in worsening of complaints.