Impact of control of blood glucose level during treatment of sudden deafness in diabetics: relationship with prognosis.

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of control of blood glucose level during treatment of sudden deafness. A retrospective study was performed involving 197 patients from January, 2011 to September, 2015. All patients were administrated prednisolone (Pharmaprednisolone tab®, 5 mg/T; KoreaPharma) p.o under the following regimen: 60 mg/day for 4 days, 40 mg/day for 2 days, 30 mg/day for 1 day, 20 mg/day for 1 day, and 10 mg/day for 2 days. During treatment, pure tone audiometry and blood glucose level were investigated for each patient and the results were statistically analyzed. Mean hearing improvement was 19.2 dB for the non-diabetes group and 24.8 dB for the diabetes group. The greater improvement for diabetics was not statistically significant (p = 0.146). Hearing improvement was 25.1 dB for subjects with mean blood glucose <200 mg/dl and 24.6 dB for subjects with mean blood glucose >200 mg/dl; the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.267). Mean blood glucose level was 200.8 mg/dl for subjects with hearing improvement >20 dB and 181.8 mg/dl for subjects with hearing improvement <20 dB; the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.286). Control of blood glucose level during treatment of sudden deafness does not have a direct effect on prognosis.

Is Radiologic Evaluation Necessary to Find out Foreign Bodies in Nasal Cavity?

Although there were previous studies on the clinical aspects such as etiology, treatment modalities, studies regarding the necessity of radiologic evaluation for nasal foreign body were limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the necessity and indication of radiologic evaluation for nasal foreign bodies. There are consecutive patients aged less than 10 years who presented with suspected foreign bodies in nasal cavity. We reviewed the patient's age and sex, including the methods of evaluation, management tools, and types of foreign bodies. There were 35 cases (11.4%) on whom radiographs were performed in the 24 uncooperative patients and 11 cooperative patients who were not identified with any foreign bodies via nasal endoscopy. Among them, only 4 cases had positive reports of foreign body and the others were normal radiologic findings. We suggest that the radiologic evaluation is always not necessary to find the location of nasal foreign bodies. It, however, should be performed in cases of negative findings of physical examination with anterior rhinoscopy or sinus endoscopy and unwitnessed foreign bodies to rule out metallic contents, especially button type battery.

The Significance of Rhinologic Evaluation and Pretreatment for Patients Undergoing Two-Jaw Surgery Through Nasotracheal Intubation.

The aim of this study is to determine whether rhinologic preoperative evaluation and pretreatments reduce intranasal trauma and decrease postoperative complications, such as nasal obstruction and epistaxis, in patients undergoing 2-jaw surgery with nasotracheal intubation. This study included 360 patients with malocclusion (Class III) who underwent 2-jaw surgery under general anesthesia via nasotracheal intubation in our hospital from January to December 2013 and categorized into 3 groups. Nasotracheal intubation was performed according to the nasal cavity the patient was able to breathe comfortably (Group I). The site of nasotracheal intubation was decided by 1 rhinologic specialist who evaluated preoperative dental computed tomography (Group II). The site of nasotracheal intubation was decided upon nasal endoscopic findings, dental computed tomography evaluation, and rhinologic pretreatment (Group III).Group II and Group III showed less damage to the nasal mucosa compared with the nasal status of Group I. Upon comparing Group II and Group III, Group III showed better overall status of the nasal mucosa compared with Group II. Visual analogue scale scores for nasal obstruction were pretty similar for all groups on the first postoperative day. In Group III, the nasal mucosa, however, was improved to that of preoperative status on the third postoperative day.In conclusion, it may be useful to pre-evaluate the mucosal and anatomical status of the nasal cavity to select patients requiring rhinologic pretreatment and decide the site for nasotracheal intubation to minimize complications arising from nasotracheal intubation.

The correlation of serum eosinophil cationic protein level with eosinophil count, and total IgE level in Korean adult allergic rhinitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is present in eosinophil granules. It has been associated with eosinophil-associated disorders. OBJECTIVE: We compared serum ECP levels in allergic and non-allergic rhinitis patients and evaluated the association with the eosinophil count and the total IgE level. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed medical records and categorized enrolled patients into the allergic (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) groups. ECP, eosinophil count, and total IgE levels were reviewed in both groups. The association between ECP and the eosinophil count and total IgE level was further evaluated according to commonly detected specific antigens. RESULTS: Six hundred and ten adults were included in the study. In the AR group (n=349), the median age was 27.0(23.0-42.0) years and the female:male ratio was 0.26:1. In the NAR group (n=261), the median age was 32.0(24.0-45.5) years and the female:male ratio was 0.33:1. We found that ECP (AR: 18.8(9.9-31.4), NAR: 14.8(8.2-24.9), p=0.003), eosinophil count (AR: 191.0(112.0-308.5), NAR: 149.0(91.0-249.0), p=0.002) and total IgE (AR: 166.0(58.4-422.5), NAR: 68.8(24.5-141.0), p<0.001) were higher in AR than in NAR patients. The ECP level was associated with the eosinophil count in both the AR (p<0.001) and NAR groups (p<0.001). A significant correlation between the ECP level and eosinophil count was demonstrated in AR patients who were skin test positive against house dust mite, animal and pollen allergens. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that ECP could be an important mediator in the pathogenesis of AR. The level of serum ECP was positively correlated with eosinophilia in AR patients regardless of the type of allergen sensitization. However, further study is warranted to verify the role of ECP in the clinical management of allergic rhinitis.

Unusual locations of lipoma: differential diagnosis of head and neck mass.

BACKGROUND: Lipomas are the most common benign neoplasm of mesenchymal origin and may arise in any location where fat is normally present. In the head and neck region, where only 13% of lipomas are seen, the posterior neck space is the most common site. OBJECTIVE: This article describes two cases of lipoma that were unusually located in the parotid gland and in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). DISCUSSION: Intraglandular lipoma of the parotid gland should be included as a rare possibility in the differential diagnosis of tumours involving the parotid gland. The extent of surgery should be determined at the time of operation with dual goals of complete mass resection, including normal tissue and facial nerve preservation. Also, intramuscuclar liopma of SCM is rare and should not be overlooked in the differential diagnosis. A thorough preoperative clinical, radiological and cytological examination should be performed to prevent recurrences due to incomplete removal of the tumour.

Clinical characteristics of acoustic trauma caused by gunshot noise in mass rifle drills without ear protection.

One of the major occupational hazards of working in military service is being subjected to intense impulse noise. We analyzed the clinical presentation of acoustic traumas, induced by mass rifle gunshot noise during military training, in unprotected patients. We evaluated 189 soldiers who had otologic symptoms after rifle shooting exercises without using any hearing protection. All soldiers had been training on the K2 rifle. We took medical histories; conducted physical examinations and hearing evaluations (pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and impedence audiometry); and distributed the Newmann's Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) survey. In addition, we evaluated a normal control group of 64 subjects of similar age who had never fired a rifle. In the patient group, the most common and irritating reported symptom was tinnitus (94.2%), and the average THI score in the patient group was 39.51 ± 14.87, which was significantly higher than the control group score (0.56 ± 3.94) (p < 0.001). Average outcomes of post-exposure air conduction thresholds were 21.33 ± 13.25 dB HL in the affected ears. These levels also were significantly higher than those of the control group (9.16 ± 4.07dB HL) (p < 0.001). Hearing loss was most prominent at high frequencies. An asymmetry of hearing loss related to head position during shooting was not observed. Acoustic trauma induced by gunshot noise can cause permanent tinnitus and hearing loss. Hearing protection (bilateral earplugs) and environmental reform are necessary.

Using temporal bone computed tomography to predict sensorineural hearing loss in otic capsule-sparing temporal bone fracture.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of otic capsule-sparing (OCS) length for the prediction of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in patients with OCS temporal bone fracture. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with OCS temporal bone fracture were enrolled, and their temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT), audiogram, and medical records were reviewed. The TBCT measured the shortest length between the otic capsule and fracture line. This length was referred to as the OCS length and was used to predict SNHL. Ossicular dislocation and fracture were also evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of SNHL. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for age, gender, brain hemorrhage, mean bone conduction threshold on the contralesional side, OCS length, and ossicular dislocation and fracture on TBCT. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was produced to evaluate the efficacy of OCS length for the prediction of SNHL. To determine an association between degree of SNHL and OCS length, regression analysis was conducted in the SNHL group. RESULTS: The mean OCS lengths of the SNHL and non-SNHL groups were 4.42±1.67mm and 8.00±5.71mm, respectively. In the univariate analysis, a relatively significant association (P <0.20) was found between SNHL and age, brain hemorrhage, mean bone conduction threshold on the contralesional side, OCS length, and incus dislocation. Multivariate analysis was performed using these factors. On multivariate analysis, OCS length (P=0.030, odds ratio=0.598; 95% confidence interval 0.375-0.952) was the only independent factor associated with SNHL. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.747. When the cut-off value of OCS length was 5.27mm, the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of SNHL were 71.4% and 69.2%, respectively. In the regression analysis, OCS length showed a significant association with degree of SNHL in the SNHL group (P=0.025, ß=-12.822, SE=5.282). CONCLUSIONS: The major finding of our study was that OCS length was significantly associated with SNHL in patients with OCS temporal bone fracture. Such patients with a short OCS length had a higher likelihood of SNHL.

Expression of CAIII and Hsp70 Is Increased the Mucous Membrane of the Posterior Commissure in Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease.

PURPOSE: We tried to evaluate the difference in the expression of carbonic anhydrase (CA) III and heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 between laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) and non-LPRD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 28 patients who underwent laryngeal microsurgery due to benign laryngeal disease from March to August 2008. Reflux symptom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS) were measured for each person, and they were assigned either to the LPRD group (n=10) or non-LPRD group (n=18). Tissue samples were obtained from the mucosa of posterior commissure, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of CAIII and Hsp70 was performed. The IHC scores were measured and compared with clinical features including RSI and RFS. RESULTS: Total 10 patients were assigned as LPRD group, and 18 patients were as control group. The mean IHC score of CAIII and Hsp70 was 1.70 ± 1.06 and 1.90 ± 0.88, respectively, in LPRD patients, whereas the mean IHC score of CAIII and Hsp70 was 0.78 ± 0.73 and 0.94 ± 0.87, respectively, in non-LPRD patients. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: CAIII and Hsp70 expressions were higher in LPRD patients that in non-LPRD patients, suggesting the possibility as one of biomomarker in LPRD diagnosis.

Mucocele in the Base of the Tongue Mimicking a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst: A Very Rare Location.

Mucoceles are one of the most common benign soft tissue masses of the oral cavity. When they occur in the tongue, the ventral surface is the usual location. Mucoceles at the base of the tongue are extremely rare and must be differentiated from intralingual thyroglossal duct cysts. We present a case of a mucocele on the base of the tongue, which was incidentally found on a cervical spinal magnetic resonance image. We include a review of the literature on image findings, pathologic type, differential diagnosis, clinical symptoms, and treatment of oral mucoceles.

Oxidative Stress-induced Telomere Length Shortening of Circulating Leukocyte in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

The main mechanism of pathogenesis which causes systemic complications in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients is believed to be intermittent hypoxia-induced intermediary effect and it depends on the burden of oxidative stress during sleep. We aimed to search the predictive markers which reflect the burden of systemic oxidative stress in patients with OSA and whether excessive telomere length shortening is a characteristic feature that can assess oxidative stress levels. We used quantitative PCR to measure telomere length using peripheral blood genomic DNA. Telomere lengths were compared in an age- and body mass index (BMI)-dependent manner in 34 healthy volunteers and 43 OSA subjects. We also performed reactive oxygen species assay to measure the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the peripheral blood of healthy volunteers and OSA subjects. We found that the serum concentration of hydrogen peroxide was considerably higher in OSA patients, and that this was closely related with the severity of OSA. Significantly shortened telomere length was observed in the circulating leukocytes of the peripheral blood of OSA patients, and telomere length shortening was aggravated more acutely in an age- and BMI-dependent manner. An inverse correlation was observed between the concentration of hydrogen peroxide and the telomere length of OSA patients and excessive telomere length shortening was also linked to severity of OSA. The results provided evidence that telomere length shortening or excessive cellular aging might be distinctive in circulating leukocyte of OSA patients and may be an predictive biomarker for reflect the burden of oxidative stress in the peripheral blood of OSA patients.

Age-related changes in the distribution of Kv1.1 and Kv3.1 in rat cochlear nuclei.

OBJECTIVES: To identify age-related changes in voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) channels that contribute to temporal processing in neurons of the central auditory system, we investigated the distribution of Kv1.1 and Kv3.1 in the auditory brainstem of adult and aged rats. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed in accordance with the free-floating method described earlier. RESULTS: Among the auditory nuclei, only the posterior ventral cochlear nucleus (PVCN) showed age-related changes. Kv1.1 immunoreactivity was increased in the octopus cell bodies, while the staining intensity was significantly decreased in the neuropil. Image analysis demonstrated the specific increase in Kv1.1 immunoreactivity in aged cochlear nucleus neurons although the mean density of the entire selection was significantly decreased. In contrast, the number of Kv1.1-immunoreactive neurons was not significantly different between control and aged groups. The immunoreactivity for Kv3.1 was decreased in the octopus cells and neuropil of aged PVCN, which was confirmed by image analysis. The number of Kv3.1-positive cells was also significantly decreased in aged PVCN. DISCUSSION: This study may provide useful data to compare age-related changes in Kv1.1 and Kv3.1 with known physiological properties of auditory neurons.

Mucormycosis (Mucor fungus ball) of the maxillary sinus.

A fungus ball is an extramucosal fungal proliferation that completely fills one or more paranasal sinuses and usually occurs as a unilateral infection. It is mainly caused by Aspergillus spp in an immunocompetent host, but some cases of paranasal fungal balls reportedly have been caused by Mucor spp. A Mucor fungus ball is usually found in the maxillary sinus and/or the sphenoid sinus and may be black in color. Patients with mucormycosis, or a Mucor fungal ball infection, usually present with facial pain or headache. On computed tomography, there are no pathognomonic findings that are conclusive for a diagnosis of mucormycosis. In this article we report a case of mucormycosis in a 56-year-old woman and provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the "Mucor fungus ball." To the best of our knowledge, 5 case reports (8 patients) have been published in which the fungus ball was thought to be caused by Mucor spp.

Can mitochondrial dysfunction be a predictive factor for oxidative stress in patients with obstructive sleep apnea?

Mitochondrial dysfunction reflects a lifelong cumulative burden of cellular damage, and a decrease in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number is associated with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The goal of this study was to assess whether mitochondrial dysfunction and a decrease in mtDNA copy number are common features of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA). We compared mtDNA copy number between 20 healthy volunteers and 20 patients with OSA and investigated whether a significant attenuation of mtDNA copy number was observed in genomic DNA isolated from whole blood of OSA patients. Our observations lead to the hypothesis that mtDNA copy number is lower in whole blood DNA of OSA subjects and might be related to OSA severity, reflecting excessive oxidative stress in patients with OSA.

Solitary Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Apex of Arytenoid: Endoscopic, CT, and Pathologic Findings.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare plasma cell neoplasm that occurs mainly in the soft tissues of head and neck region, with the paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity and nasopharynx being the most common sites. Solitary EMP of the larynx is very rare but increasingly reported recently. Common sites of involvement in larynx in the order of frequency are the epiglottis, ventricles, vocal folds and ventricular folds. We report an extremely rare case of solitary EMP involving in the apex of arytenoids that was successfully treated by only surgical excision. Because solitary EMP of the apex of artytenoids is extremely rare, it should be included in the differential diagnosis for laryngeal mass. Also, solitary, small, pedunculated and localized EMP of the larynx could be completely removed by laryngeal microsurgery.

Therapeutic effects of carbogen inhalation and lipo-prostaglandin E1 in sudden hearing loss.

PURPOSE: Vascular disorders and viral infections are considered the main causes of sudden hearing loss (SHL), although its pathogenesis remain unclear. Treatments include carbogen inhalation and lipo-prostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1), both of which have circulation-enhancing effects. We investigated the effectiveness of carbogen inhalation and lipo-PGE1 in SHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective review included 202 patients with idiopathic SHL who visited our clinic within 14 days of symptom onset between January 2006 and June 2010. All patients received oral prednisolone for 10 days. Of the 202 patients, 44 received no additional treatment, 106 received additional carbogen inhalation, and 52 received additional lipo-PGE1. Hearing improvement was measured using Siegel's criteria. RESULTS: Overall recovery rates were 67.9% in the carbogen group, 53.8% in the lipo-PGE1 group, and 52.3% in the steroid-only control group (p=0.097). Limited to type 1 and type 2 categories of Sigels's criteria, the carbogen group had a significantly higher recovery rate (53.8%) than the lipo-PGE1 group (26.9%) and the steroid-only control group (38.6%) (p=0.005). CONCLUSION: Carbogen inhalation added to steroid was a more effective treatment than lipo-PGE1 added to steroid or steroid alone in patients with SHL.

Smoking induces oropharyngeal narrowing and increases the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking is a known risk factor for snoring, and is reported to be associated with an increased prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The purpose of this was to determine the relationship of smoking to the severity of OSAS and examine what local histological changes in the uvular mucosa of OSAS patients might influence this relationship. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty-seven OSAS subjects were included and classified according to smoking history and OSAS severity. Twenty-eight subjects were heavy smokers and 29 were nonsmokers; these 57 patients were divided according to moderate or severe OSAS. Histologic changes in the uvular mucosa were evaluated in all subjects as well as smoking duration and OSAS severity. RESULTS: Among smokers, moderate-to-severe OSAS was more common, and apnea, hypopnea, and oxygen desaturation indices were higher. Moreover, smoking duration and OSAS severity were significantly correlated. Increased thickness and edema of the uvular mucosa lamina propria were observed in moderate and severe OSAS patients, and only smokers had significant changes in uvular mucosa histology. Positive staining for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neuroinflammatory marker for peripheral nerves, was increased in the uvular mucosa of smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that smoking may worsen OSAS through exacerbation of upper airway collapse at the level of the uvula, and that histological changes of the uvular mucosa correlated with smoking might be due to increased CGRP-related neurogenic inflammation.

Depletion of ascorbic acid impairs NK cell activity against ovarian cancer in a mouse model.

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) administration has been used to prevent infectious diseases in public or as a therapeutic agent by the physicians in treatment of several diseases. Ascorbic acid is also involved in immune cell functions and immune responses, although the mechanisms by which it exerts effects on immune cells against cancer cells are not fully understood at the normal plasma level. In this study, we used the mice lacking l-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase (Gulo), the enzyme required for the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid, to characterize the effects of ascorbic acid on NK cell cytotoxicity against ovarian cancer cells, MOSECs (murine ovarian surface epithelial cells). Gulo(-/-) mice depleted of ascorbic acid survived for a shorter time than the normal control or Gulo(-/-) mice supplemented with ascorbic acid after tumor challenge regardless of treatment with IL-2. CD69 and NKG2D expression was clearly reduced in NK cells isolated from mice depleted of ascorbic acid as compared to that in the normal control and the mice supplemented with ascorbic acid. We also observed that IFN-γ secretion by NK cells isolated from Gulo(-/-) mice depleted of ascorbic acid was decreased after NK cells were co-cultured with MOSECs. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of perforin and granzyme B genes was also significantly decreased in NK cells isolated from mice depleted of ascorbic acid. Taken together, our results suggest that ascorbic acid at the normal plasma concentration has an essential role in maintaining the NK cytotoxicity against cancer cells.