Air Pollution Exposure Affects Severity and Cellular Endotype of Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Air pollution has emerged as an important environmental risk factor for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) progression. This study assessed exposure to five types of air pollution (PM2.5/10 , SO2 , NO2 , CO, O3 ) and explored their effects on CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) severity and endotype. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Air pollution data from monitoring sites in Beijing were obtained to assess individual air pollution exposure. Outcomes of CRSwNP (n = 282) including Lund-Mackay (L-M) score, Lund-Kennedy (L-K) score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score and nasal patency/airflow resistance and so on were measured to analyze correlations with air pollution and compare groups with different exposure types. Multivariable-adjusted binary logistic regression was used to determine potential air pollution risk factors of the endotype of eosinophilic CRSwNP (ECRSwNP). RESULTS: Short-term exposures to PM2.5/10 , SO2 , CO, NO2 , and O3 were weak but significantly associated with increased L-M scores. Short-term exposures to PM10 , CO, and NO2 were correlated with increased VAS headache/facial pain scores. The L-M scores of the group of the highest PM2.5 (≥150 µg/m3 ) exposure were significantly higher than those of control group. For each increased unit of the average concentration of PM2.5 , there was a 1.047-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.005-1.091) increased risk of the endotype of ECRSwNP. CONCLUSIONS: Air pollution exposure exacerbated CRSwNP severity and PM2.5 could be a risk factor for endotype of ECRSwNP, suggesting the role of air pollution in CRSwNP pathogenesis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 132:2103-2110, 2022.

Effects of Acute Alcohol Intake on Nasal Patency.

BACKGROUND: Acute alcohol intake may influence nasal patency; however, there is lack of objective evidence. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute alcohol intake on nasal patency employing both subjective and objective measures. METHODS: A total of 31 participants were classified into 2 groups of non-heavy drinkers (n = 17) and heavy drinkers (n = 14). Both groups consumed wine in 1 h and were assessed for subjective nasal symptoms and objective nasal patency, using rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry, at baseline and at 0.5, 2, and 6 h post-alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption significantly increased nasal obstruction from baseline values in both heavy and non-heavy drinking groups. Total nasal volume (TNV) and the minimal cross-sectional area (MCA) were significantly decreased and nasal airway resistance (NAR) significantly increased from baseline values by 2 h post-alcohol consumption for both heavy and non-heavy drinking groups (P < .05). Significant differences were found in TNV, MCA, and NAR between baseline and post-drinking in allergic rhinitis subjects; with no significant differences in MCA and NAR in subjects without allergic rhinitis. Pulse rate (PR) and temperature (T) were elevated, and blood pressure (BP) was decreased after alcohol consumption (P < .05). Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was not significantly correlated with nasal patency with regard to any subjective or objective measurement. CONCLUSION: Acute alcohol consumption may impair nasal patency, independent of the amount consumed. Individuals with allergic rhinitis may be more prone to nasal obstruction after alcohol consumption than those without allergic rhinitis.

New therapeutic approaches for endometriosis besides hormonal therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disease that frequently leading to chronic pelvic pain, severe dysmenorrhea, and subfertility. As first-line hormonal treatment can interfere with ovulation and may cause recurrent pelvic pain, exploration of new non-hormonal therapeutic approaches becomes increasingly necessary. This review aimed to evaluate the pre-clinical and clinical efficacy and safety of non-hormonal treatment for endometriosis DATA SOURCES:: Databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, SINOMED, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar were searched up to October 2019, using search terms "endometriosis" and "non-hormonal therapy." STUDY SELECTION: Twenty-four articles were reviewed for analysis, including nine animal studies and 15 human trials; all were published in English. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles were identified, including 15 human trials with 861 patients and nine animal studies. Some agents have been evaluated clinically with significant efficacy in endometriosis-related pelvic pain and subfertility, such as rofecoxib, etanercept, pentoxifylline, N-palmitoylethanolamine, resveratrol, everolimus, cabergoline (Cb2), and simvastatin. Other drugs with similar pharmacological properties, like parecoxib, celecoxib, endostatin, rapamycin, quinagolide, and atorvastatin, have only been tested in animal studies. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical data about most of the non-hormonal agents are not sufficient to support them as options for replacement therapy for endometriosis. In spite of this, a few drugs like pentoxifylline showed strong potential for real clinical application.

Primary epidural hemangiopericytoma of the thoracic spine: Case report and literature review.

Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare tumor originating from pericapillary cells. Rarely found in the central nervous system, it is extremely rare in the spinal canal. Because of the low incidence of this tumor, its radiographic features and clinical manifestations have not been extensively studied and reported, therefore, it is often misdiagnosed as a schwannoma or spinal meningioma. We describe an unexpected HPC in a 35-year-old woman who was admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital with a severe backache, sensory abnormalities, and muscle weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an enhancing lesion at T6-7 with severe compression of the spinal cord. Gross total resection was achieved, and subsequently, a marked neurologic improvement was observed. The diagnosis of primary extradural HPC in our patient was confirmed based on postoperative histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Neither recurrence nor metastasis of the tumor was found during the 14-month follow-up, which did not include radiotherapy. To describe the demography, radiologic features, treatment, and prognosis of spinal HPC, a comprehensive literature review was performed and 105 cases of primary spinal HPC from 1958 to 2017 were collected from 39 articles. Although rare, HPC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intraspinal lesions. Immunohistologic examination is of decisive importance in making the diagnosis. Adequate surgical resection, when feasible, is the first choice of treatment for all cases of HPC; however, the outcomes of radiotherapy and chemotherapy have yet to be determined. Individualized treatment combined with long-term follow-up for each patient is recommended.