Comparison of two endoscopic perichondrium-cartilage graft underlay myringoplasty for large perforations: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the graft outcomes and complications of two endoscopic perichondrium-cartilage graft techniques for repairing large perforations. STUDY DESIGN: Single center blinded randomized controlled trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 61 large perforations more than 50% of TM area were prospectively randomized to undergo the free perichondrium and free cartilage graft group (FPFC, n = 31) or perichondrium partial attachment the cartilage graft group (PPAC, n = 30). The primary outcome measures were the operation time; secondary outcome measures were the graft success rate and hearing gain at 12 months postoperatively and postoperative complications. RESULTS: All patients completed follow-up of 12 months. The mean operation time was 38.2 ± 2.3 min in the FPFC group and 37.4 ± 5.6 min in the PPAC group (P = 0.658). At postoperative 3 months, the graft success rates were 96.7% in the FPFC group and 93.3% in the PPAC group (P = 0.976). At postoperative 12 months, the graft success rates were 96.7% in the FPFC group and 83.3% in the PPAC group (P = 0.182). However, the residual and re-perforation rate with no infection was 0.0% (0/31) in the FPFC group and 16.7% (5/30) in the PPAC group (P = 0.056). No significant between-group differences were observed pre- (P = 0.842) or post- (P = 0.759) operative air bone gap (ABG) values or mean ABG gain (P = 0.886). However, granular myringitis has been noted in 6.5% in the FPFC group and in 3.3% in the PPAC group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that 12-month graft success and hearing gain were comparable between the perichondrium free and partial attachment the cartilage graft techniques, nevertheless, partial attachment technique could increase residual and re-perforations.

Single-Cell RNA-Seq Reveals Heterogeneity of Cell Communications between Schwann Cells and Fibroblasts within Vestibular Schwannoma Microenvironment.

Vestibular schwannomas (VSs), which develop from Schwann cells (SCs) of the vestibular nerve, are the most prevalent benign tumors of the cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal. Despite advances in treatment, the cellular components and mechanisms of VS tumor progression remain unclear. Herein, single-cell RNA-sequencing was performed on clinically surgically isolated VS samples and their cellular composition, including the heterogeneous SC subtypes, was determined. Advanced bioinformatics analysis revealed the associated biological functions, pseudotime trajectory, and transcriptional network of the SC subgroups. A tight intercellular communication between SCs and tumor-associated fibroblasts via integrin and growth factor signaling was observed and the gene expression differences in SCs and fibroblasts were shown to determine the heterogeneity of cellular communication in different individuals. These findings suggest a microenvironmental mechanism underlying the development of VS.

TMEM30A is essential for hair cell polarity maintenance in postnatal mouse cochlea.

BACKGROUND: Phosphatidylserine is translocated to the inner leaflet of the phospholipid bilayer membrane by the flippase function of type IV P-tape ATPase (P4-ATPase), which is critical to maintain cellular stability and homeostasis. Transmembrane protein 30A (TMEM30A) is the ß-subunit of P4-ATPase. Loss of P4-ATPase function causes sensorineural hearing loss and visual dysfunction in human. However, the function of TMEM30A in the auditory system is unclear. METHODS: P4-ATPase subtype expression in the cochlea was detected by immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) at different developmental stages. Hair cell specific TMEM30A knockout mice and wild-type littermates were used for the following functional and morphological analysis. Auditory function was evaluated by auditory brainstem response. We investigated hair cell and stereocilia morphological changes by immunofluorescence staining. Scanning electron microscopy was applied to observe the stereocilia ultrastructure. Differentially expressed transcriptomes were analyzed based on RNA-sequencing data from knockout and wild-type mouse cochleae. Differentially expressed genes were verified by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: TMEM30A and subtypes of P4-ATPase are expressed in the mouse cochlea in a temporal-dependent pattern. Deletion of TMEM30A in hair cells impaired hearing onset due to progressive hair cell loss. The disrupted kinocilia placement and irregular distribution of spectrin-α in cuticular plate indicated the hair cell planar polarity disruption in TMEM30A deletion hair cells. Hair cell degeneration begins at P7 and finishes around P14. Transcriptional analysis indicates that the focal adhesion pathway and stereocilium tip-related genes changed dramatically. Without the TMEM30A chaperone, excessive ATP8A2 accumulated in the cytoplasm, leading to overwhelming endoplasmic reticulum stress, which eventually contributed to hair cell death. CONCLUSIONS: Deletion of TMEM30A led to disrupted planar polarity and stereocilia bundles, and finally led to hair cell loss and auditory dysfunction. TMEM30A is essential for hair cell polarity maintenance and membrane homeostasis. Our study highlights a pivotal role of TMEM30A in the postnatal development of hair cells and reveals the possible mechanisms underlying P4-ATPase-related genetic hearing loss.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Objective Sleep-related Traits Identifies Novel Risk Loci in Han Chinese Individuals.

Rationale: Previous genetic studies of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have limitations in terms of precise case definition, integrated quantitative traits, and interpretation of genetic functions; thus, the heritability of OSA remains poorly explained. Objectives: To identify novel genetic variants associated with OSA and objective sleep-related traits and to explore their functional roles. Methods: A genome-wide association study was performed in 20,590 Han Chinese individuals (5,438 OSA and 15,152 control samples). Human samples and point mutation knockin mice were used for follow-up investigation of gene functions. Measurements and Main Results: Two characteristic study-wide significant loci (P < 2.63 × 10-9) for OSA were identified: the PACRG intronic variant rs6455893 on 6q26 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-1.89; P = 6.98 × 10-10) and the missense variant rs3746804 (p.Pro267Leu) in the riboflavin transporter SLC52A3 on 20p13 (OR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79-0.88; P = 7.57 × 10-10). In addition, 18 genome-wide significant loci associated with quantitative OSA and objective sleep-related traits were identified, 5 of which exceeded the study-wide significance threshold. Rs3746804 was associated with elevated serum riboflavin concentrations, and the corresponding mutation in mice increased riboflavin concentrations, suggesting that this variant may facilitate riboflavin uptake and riboflavin-dependent physiological activity. Conclusions: We identified several novel genome-wide significant loci associated with OSA and objective sleep-related traits. Our findings provide insight into the genetic architecture of OSA and suggest that SLC52A3 might be a therapeutic target, whereas riboflavin might be a therapeutic agent.

Comparison of perichondrium-cartilage double and single underlay myringoplasty for subtotal perforations: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare graft outcome, operation time and surgical complications of the double and single perichondrium-cartilage underlay techniques for repairing subtotal tympanic membrane (TM) perforations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with unilateral subtotal perforations undergoing myringoplasty were prospectively randomized to undergo DPCN or SPCN. The operation time, graft success rate, audiometric outcomes, and complications were compared between these groups. RESULTS: In total, 53 patients with unilateral subtotal perforations were included (DPCN group, 27; SPCN group, 26).All patients completed 6 months of follow-up. The mean operation time was 41.2 ± 1.8 min in the DPCN group and 37.2 ± 5.4 min in the SPCN group, the difference was not significant (p = 0.613).The graft success rates were 96.3% (26/27) in the DPCN group and 73.1% (19/26) in the SPCN group, the difference was significant (p = 0.048). During the period of follow-up, residual perforation was found at postoperative in one (3.7%) in the DPCN group, while cartilage graft slipped (graft lateralization) in 2 (7.7%) and residual perforation in 5 (19.2%) were found in the SPCN group, the difference of residual perforation was not significant among two group (p = 0.177).In addition, no significant between-group differences were observed pre- (p = 0.741) or post- (p = 0.687) operative ABG values or mean ABG gain (p = 0.659) (Table 2).The functional success rates (postoperative ABG ≤ 20 dB) were 85.2% (23/27) in the DPCN group and 73.1% (19/26) in the SPCN group (p = 0.454). CONCLUSION: Although similar functional result and operation time can be obtained with double perichondrium-cartilage underlay technique compared to the single perichondrium-cartilage underlay technique for endoscopic closure of subtotal perforations, double unerlay technique offers better anatomical result with minimum complications.

Comparison of endoscopic over-underlay technique with and without packing for repairing chronic perforation.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare the efficacy of the endoscopic modified cartilage over-underlay technique with and without packing for repairing chronic tympanic membrane (TM) perforations. METHODS: A total of 70 cases of chronic TM perforation were randomly allocated to endoscopic modified cartilage over-underlay myringoplasty groups with (n = 35) and without (n = 35) packing. The graft success rate and hearing outcomes were compared between the two groups. In addition, neovascularization scores were subjectively obtained. RESULTS: At 12 months postoperatively, the difference in graft success rate between the packing and no-packing groups was not significant (94.3% vs. 100.0%, P = 0.473). In addition, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the pre- or postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) (15.18 ± 2.73 vs. 15.07 ± 4.02, P = 0.623 and 8.63 ± 3.03 vs. 8.52 ± 4.50, P = 0.591) or mean ABG gain (6.56 ± 3.23 vs. 6.54 ± 2.83, P = 0.751). However, the average operating times were 43.6 ± 7.1 and 32.7 ± 2.1 min in the packing and no-packing groups, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical and hearing outcomes were comparable between patients with chronic TM perforation treated using the endoscopic modified over-underlay technique with and without packing. However, without packing, the procedure was less invasive and had a shorter operating time.

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals an Altered Hcy Metabolism in the Stria Vascularis of the Pendred Syndrome Mouse Model.

Purpose: Slc26a4-/- mice exhibit severer defects in the development of the cochlea and develop deafness, while the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects remain unclear. Our study was to investigate the potential mechanism linking SLC26A4 deficiency to hearing loss. Materials and Methods: RNA sequencing was applied to analyze the differential gene expression of the stria vascularis (SV) from wildtype and Slc26a4-/- mice. GO and KEGG pathway analysis were performed. Quantitative RT-PCR was applied to validate the expression of candidate genes affected by Slc26a4. ELISA and immunofluorescence technique were used to detect the homocysteine (Hcy) level in serum, brain, and SV, respectively. Results: 183 upregulated genes and 63 downregulated genes were identified in the SV associated with Slc26a4 depletion. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that Slc26a4 deficiency significantly affected the expression of genes associated with cell adhesion, transmembrane transport, and the biogenesis of multicellular organisms. The SV from Slc26a4-/- mice exhibited a higher expression of Bhmt mRNAs, as well as altered homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism. Conclusions: The altered expression of Bhmt results in a dramatic change in multiple biochemical reactions and a disruption of nutrient homeostasis in the endolymph which may contribute to hearing loss of Slc26a4 knockout mouse.

Horizontal nystagmus is gravity-dependent in patients with vestibular neuritis.

OBJECTIVE: Horizontal nystagmus can be observed in the acute stage of vestibular neuritis, Although the direction of the nystagmus is gravity independent, its intensity can be influenced by gravity. In this study, we compared the slow phase velocity (SPV) of horizontal nystagmus in different head positions in patients with vestibular neuritis to analyze the static effects of gravity on horizontal nystagmus. METHODS: The study enrolled 22 vestibular neuritis patients with spontaneous horizontal nystagmus (9 men, 13 women; median age 40 years). The deficits were right-sided in 9 patients and left-sided in 13. The nystagmus was recorded in the sitting, supine, right and left ear down positions. The intensity of spontaneous nystagmus in the sitting versus while supine position, and SPV in affected ear down (AED), healthy ear down (HED), and supine positions were compared. The position-induced nystagmus was calculated to quantify the effect of head positions on nystagmus. RESULTS: The nystagmus intensity in the supine position had no statistic difference than when sitting, with a median value of 6.3°/s and 5.6°/s, respectively(P = 0.355). SPV in AED had a median value of 7.8°/s, which was greater than when supine (P = 0.008) and HED (4.8°/s) (P < 0.001). Position-induced nystagmus in left and right ear-down positions were 1.4°/s and -1.4°/s respectively, which were significantly correlated (Spearman's ρ = -0.848, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The nystagmus intensity in vestibular neuritis is gravity dependent; it's greater in AED than in supine and HED, and the effect of head position on nystagmus was nearly symmetrical in left and right ear-down positions.

Contrast-Enhanced MRI Combined With the Glycerol Test Reveals the Heterogeneous Dynamics of Endolymphatic Hydrops in Patients With Menière's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The sensitivity of endolymphatic hydrops (EH) to the glycerol test varies in patients with Menière's disease (MD). PURPOSE: To explore the features of EH and its glycerol-induced dynamics in MD. STUDY TYPE: Case-control study. POPULATION: Twenty patients with MD (24 affected ears) were included. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0T 3D-FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) MRI and late gadolinium enhancement. ASSESSMENT: Intratympanic gadolinium-enhanced MRI was performed in the MD-affected ears before and after the glycerol test. The borders of the endolymphatic and total lymphatic space were contoured on the axial MRI slices to evaluate the volume of hydrops in both the cochlear and vestibular regions. STATISTICAL TESTS: Paired and unpaired t-tests, the Mann-Whitney U-test, linear discriminant analysis, Pearson's correlation, and linear regression. RESULTS: After glycerol ingestion, vestibular EH decreased in all patients, whereas cochlear EH significantly decreased only in patients with positive glycerol test results (all P < 0.01). At baseline, cochlear EH in the positive result group was greater than in the negative result group (P = 0.007). Unexpectedly, in the positive result group a drastic glycerol-induced dehydrating effect was observed in patients whose pretest cochlear EH ratio was >16% (P = 0.011). Moreover, the dehydrating role of glycerol was positively correlated with the baseline cochlear hydrops level (r = 0.7691, P < 0.001). DATA CONCLUSION: MRI provides evidence that glycerol administration improves the hearing threshold via dehydrating the EH. In the cochlear region, the baseline level of cochlear EH is a closely related factor for the validity of the glycerol test, whereas EH is consistently dehydrated in the vestibular component. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:1066-1073.

Efficacy and Timing of Neonatal Ear Correction Molding.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Given the incidence of congenital auricular anomalies varies racially, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy and timing of ear correction molding in infants with auricular anomalies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 141 auricular anomalies of 100 infants less than 4 months of age were treated using the Earlimn molding system. Treatment outcomes were graded (three categories) in terms of auricular morphology. The efficacies and outcomes of modeling were evaluated in infants according to age and anomaly type. RESULTS: The mean age at which correction was initiated was 35.13 days of life, and the average treatment duration was 17.81 days. Of all anomalies, 86% were corrected. Both deformations and certain malformations were satisfactorily corrected. The outcomes of children with conchal crura and mixed anomalies were relatively poor. Although no differences in treatment efficiency were evident among the three age groups, infants < 3 weeks old required shorter treatment courses than those > 6 weeks old. The only complications were mild skin ulcers. CONCLUSIONS: Ear correction molding is remarkably effective for infants with auricular deformations/malformations. Molding efficacy depends on the type of anomaly. Initiation of molding at less than 6 weeks of age is essential to minimize treatment duration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in children.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in children. DESIGN: A retrospective study. SETTING: Six children diagnosed with BPPV between March 2014 and March 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. BPPV was diagnosed using the Dix-Hallpike and supine roll tests and treated with either the modified Epley particle repositioning procedure or Lempert or Gufoni manoeuvre. Follow-up was performed at 1-week intervals until vertigo and nystagmus disappeared during positional testing. PARTICIPANTS: A total of six children were followed up for a period of 10-22 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical features such as history, nystagmus and symptoms of vertigo, dizziness and nausea. RESULTS: Six children were diagnosed with BPPV using positional testing and treated with the modified Epley or Lempert/Gufoni particle repositioning procedures. Four children were diagnosed with posterior canal BPPV, while the remaining two were diagnosed with horizontal canal BPPV. One girl reported a history of head trauma, one girl had a family history of vertigo, and one boy reported hearing loss in the same ear as that affected by BPPV. Overall, 83.33% of children (5/6) were completely relieved of vertigo following one treatment session. The remaining child was asymptomatic after two sessions. No child reported relapse of vertigo during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: BPPV can be diagnosed accurately by taking a detailed medical history and by use of positional testing. BPPV in children can be successfully identified and treated.

Distinct severity stages of obstructive sleep apnoea are correlated with unique dyslipidaemia: large-scale observational study.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidaemia is an intermediary exacerbation factor for various diseases but the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) on dyslipidaemia remains unclear. METHODS: A total of 3582 subjects with suspected OSA consecutively admitted to our hospital sleep centre were screened and 2983 (2422 with OSA) were included in the Shanghai Sleep Health Study. OSA severity was quantified using the apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI), the oxygen desaturation index and the arousal index. Biochemical indicators and anthropometric data were also collected. The relationship between OSA severity and the risk of dyslipidaemia was evaluated via ordinal logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and multivariate linear regressions. RESULTS: The RCS mapped a nonlinear dose-effect relationship between the risk of dyslipidaemia and OSA severity, and yielded knots of the AHI (9.4, 28.2, 54.4 and 80.2). After integrating the clinical definition and RCS-selected knots, all subjects were regrouped into four AHI severity stages. Following segmented multivariate linear modelling of each stage, distinguishable sets of OSA risk factors were quantified: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein E and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); body mass index and/or waist to hip ratio; and HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides were specifically associated with stage I, stages II and III, and stages II-IV with different OSA indices. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the multistage and non-monotonic relationships between OSA and dyslipidaemia and quantified the relationships between OSA severity indexes and distinct risk factors for specific OSA severity stages. Our study suggests that a new interpretive and predictive strategy for dynamic assessment of the risk progression over the clinical course of OSA should be adopted.

Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is independently associated with obstructive sleep apnea: evidence from a large-scale cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lipid metabolism disorder is recognized to be associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, inconsistent results have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between lipid profile and OSA with adjustments for multiple confounding factors. METHODS: In total, 2983 subjects were recruited from the Shanghai Sleep Health Study (SSHS) during 2007-2013. Data for overnight polysomnography (PSG) parameters, serum lipids, fasting blood glucose, insulin levels, and anthropometric measurements were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the correlation between lipid profile and OSA with adjustments for confounders including lipids, age, gender, Epworth sleepiness scale, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, glucose, insulin resistance, hypertension, and smoking. RESULTS: The prevalence of hyper total cholesterol (TC), hyper triglycerides, hypo high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hyper low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), hyper apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, and hyper apoB differed significantly between the non-OSA and OSA patients. Without considering the interaction across different lipids, TC, LDL-C, and apoB were independently associated with OSA in primary multivariable logistic regression analyses; the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were 1.262 (1.109-1.438), 1.432 (1.233-1.664), and 5.582 (2.643-11.787), respectively. However, only LDL-C (OR = 1.430, 95 % CI = 1.221-1.675) was found to be an independent risk factor for OSA in further multivariable logistic regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that patients with OSA had a higher percentage of dyslipidemia than subjects without OSA. Of the various components in serum lipid, only LDL-C was independently associated with OSA.

Factor Analysis of Low-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Temporoparietal Junction for Tinnitus.

Objectives. We investigated factors that contribute to suppression of tinnitus after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Methods. A total of 289 patients with tinnitus underwent active 1 Hz rTMS in the left temporoparietal region. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess tinnitus loudness. All participants were interviewed regarding age, gender, tinnitus duration, laterality and pitch, audiometric parameters, sleep, and so forth. The resting motor thresholds (RMTs) were measured in all patients and 30 age- and gender-matched volunteers. Results. With respect to different factors that contribute to tinnitus suppression, we found improvement in the following domains: shorter duration, normal hearing (OR: 3.25, 95%CI: 2.01-5.27, p = 0.001), and without sleep disturbance (OR: 2.51, 95%CI: 1.56-4.1, p = 0.005) adjusted for age and gender. The patients with tinnitus lasting less than 1 year were more likely to show suppression of tinnitus (OR: 2.77, 95%CI: 1.48-5.19, p = 0.002) compared to those with tinnitus lasting more than 5 years. Tinnitus patients had significantly lower RMTs compared with healthy volunteers. Conclusion. Active low-frequency rTMS results in a significant reduction in the loudness of tinnitus. Significant tinnitus suppression was shown in subjects with shorter tinnitus duration, with normal hearing, and without sleep disturbance.

Low, but Not High, Doses of Cisplatin Damage Cochlear Hair Cells in C57 Mouse Organotypic Cultures.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of cisplatin-induced C57 mouse cochlear hair cell damage in vitro. METHODS: Forty-seven cochleae harvested from 2- to 4-day-old C57 mice were used. Forty specimens were treated with different concentrations of cisplatin (10, 25, 50, 100, 400, and 1,000 µmol/l) for 48 h. The remaining seven specimens were used as a control group. RESULTS: The rate of hair cell loss increased from 14.5 to 78.4% over cisplatin concentrations of 10 to 100 µmol/l, whereas hair cell loss decreased to 48.8 and 8.77% at concentrations of 400 and 1,000 µmol/l, respectively. Apoptosis was detected by DAPI staining in the areas of hair cell damage. Hair cell loss rates differed significantly among the cisplatin-treated groups. Linear regression analysis of cisplatin dose versus hair cell number showed a significant negative correlation for cisplatin doses up to 100 µmol/l and a positive correlation with further increases up to 1,000 µmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that cisplatin-induced hair cell damage was concentration dependent only up to a certain dose and that injury resistance may occur in cochlear cells treated with higher doses of cisplatin.

First-referral presentations of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo who were negative on positional testing and who lacked nystagmus.

The aim of the present study was to explore the demographic, clinical, and pathogenetic features; and treatment outcomes of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) who were negative upon positional testing at their first referral. A total of 133 patients presented with histories of BPPV but were negative, in our hands, upon positional testing. Patients were told to cease taking vestibular suppressant medication (if any) and were to return for re-examination when positional vertigo symptoms recurred. If BPPV was diagnosed, the appropriate repositioning maneuver was applied and patients were re-examined weekly until the characteristic nystagmus and vertigo disappeared. Follow-up was performed 1 week, 4 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after diagnosis. The 133 patients were compared with a group of 250 patients with typical BPPV. Sixty-five of the 133 patients (termed the n-BPPV group) were subsequently identified with typical BPPV. Such diagnoses were made within 10 days of the first referral in 37 (56.9%) cases. Patients of the n-BPPV group had a longer duration of the last episode of vertigo than did others (39.7 ± 38.4 vs. 26.1 ± 36.7 days, p < 0.001), and a higher proportion used vestibular suppressant medication prior to first referral (75.4 vs. 54.8%, p = 0.003). The n-BPPV and typical BPPV patients responded similarly to treatment and exhibited similar recurrence rates. BPPV patients who were negative upon positional testing at first referral were quite common, accounting for 26% of all typical BPPV patients. No significant difference in either treatment outcome or recurrence rate was evident between n-BPPV and typical BPPV positions. Positional vertigo and nystagmus are not always present as BPPV progresses.

Delayed diagnosis and treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo associated with current practice.

The purposes of this study were to demonstrate the current status of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) management and the advantages of repositioning maneuvers as well as to facilitate the accurate and efficient diagnosis and management of BPPV. Of 131 participants with severe dizziness/vertigo who were examined and treated, 31 (23.7%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for BPPV. All patients in the study had a diagnosis of BPPV confirmed by their history, typical subjective symptom reports, and characteristic positional nystagmus during the Dix-Hallpike test and/or roll test. All participants were comprehensively interviewed regarding their medical history, characteristics of the first attack of vertigo, associated symptoms, previous financial costs, and number of hospital visits. The average duration from the appearance of the first symptoms until a final diagnostic positional maneuver was >70 months. On average, patients visited hospitals more than eight times before the final diagnosis due to initial visits to inappropriate departments, including neurology, emergency, orthopaedic surgery, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a corresponding average financial cost of more than 5,000 RMB. The canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) was effective in 80.65% of patients after the first repositioning maneuver. Our data demonstrated that despite the significant prevalence of BPPV, delays in diagnosis and treatment frequently occur, which have both cost and quality-of-life impacts on both patients and their caregivers. The CRP is very effective for patients with BPPV. It is important for patients to pay more attention to the impact of BPPV on their lives and recognize its nature to ensure compliant follow-up in otolaryngology.

Assessments of Subjective Visual Gravity and Spontaneous Nystagmus in Patients With Vestibular Neuritis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the correlation between the spontaneous nystagmus (SN) and the subjective visual vertical/horizontal (SVV/SVH) among patients with vestibular neuritis (VN) at the different head positions. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. METHODS: This study evaluated the SVV/SVH in both healthy subjects and patients with VN. These evaluations were performed in 5 different head positions: upright, 45° tilt to the left, 90° tilt to the left, 45° tilt to the right, and 90° tilt to the right. Additionally, the intensity of SN, as measured by slow-phase velocity, was recorded. RESULTS: In patients with VN, a significant correlation was observed between SN and SVV/SVH in an upright position. The intensity of SN was higher when the head was tilted 90° toward the affected side compared to other positions. The SVV/SVH displayed an ipsiversive shift, when the head was tilted toward both the lesion and unaffected sides, exhibiting a contraversive direction. Furthermore, the changes in position-induced SN were consistent with the displacements of SVV and SVH caused by head tilt. CONCLUSION: The presence of SN in patients with VN was observed to vary across different head position. These variations could potentially be attributed to the diverse activation patterns of the mechanical properties of otolith organs that are induced by head tilts.

[An analysis of clinical efficacy of microvascular decompression for 21 inpatients suffering from primary hemifacial spasm].

Objective:To assess the effectiveness of microvascular decompression（MVD） in treating inpatients suffering from primary hemifacial spasm（HFS）. Methods:A total of 21 inpatients with HFS underwent MVD. The clinical effect was follow up evaluated according to the clinical symptoms until post operative 6 months. Results:The effective rate of MVD for 1 day, 14 days, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months post-operation was 95.2%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively.one patient had transient tinnitus and the symptom disappeared within 6 days postoperatively.one patient developed postoperative incomplete facial paralysis（HB grade IV facial nerve function, grade Ⅱ） and recovered 6 days after surgery; There was no cerebrospinal fluid leakage, intracranial infection, death or disability occurred during follow-up. Conclusion:Microvascular decompression is a safe and effective method for the treatment of primary hemifacial spasm, which is worthy of clinical promotion.