Sulfurous-arsenical-ferruginous thermal water nasal inhalation and irrigation in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections: Clinical outcomes and predictive factors.

PURPOSE: Recurrent upper respiratory disorders (RURD) are among the most common problems diagnosed in pediatric otolaryngology practice. Although several preliminary studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of thermal water inhalations for RURD, inhalation of thermal water has not been included among validated management protocols. The effects of sulfurous-arsenical-ferruginous thermal water nasal irrigations have been confirmed also in prospective, randomized studies. The main aim of this explorative, retrospective, observational study has been to compare the clinical outcome in pediatric patients with RURD treated with sulfurous-arsenical-ferruginous thermal water inhalation versus combined inhalation and nasal irrigation. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-three pediatric patients with RURD were considered; 231 underwent thermal water inhalations (inhalation of hot humid air and aerosol) only, while 22 underwent nasal irrigations combined with inhalations. Subjective overall efficacy perception and treatment tolerability were scored as categorical variables (from 0 = no efficacy/worst tolerability to 3 = maximal efficacy/best tolerability). RESULTS: Nasal obstruction, sneezing, serous, mucous, and purulent rhinorrhea, cough, and snoring improved respectively in 80.2%, 72.9%, 79.0%, 93.8%, 92.3%, 64.8%, and 60.4% of patients referring these symptoms at presentation, respectively. No statistically significant differences between inhalations alone and combined inhalations and irrigations emerged. The median overall efficacy perception score was 2 while the median treatment tolerability score was 3. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation found that sulfurous-arsenical-ferruginous water treatment was a well-tolerated therapeutic option for selected pediatric patients with RURD. These promising preliminary results should be confirmed in prospective, randomized, double-blind settings, also using minimally invasive but objective and quantitative evaluation methods.

A Higher Angiogenin Expression is Associated With a Nonnuclear Maspin Location in Laryngeal Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: In numerous malignancies, angiogenin (ANG) and Maspin are important proangiogenic and antiangiogenic regulators, respectively. The aim of this study was to identify potential relationships between the biological roles of these two proteins in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining for ANG and Maspin was performed on specimens from 76 consecutive LSCC patients treated with surgery alone, considering the subcellular pattern of Maspin expression. Univariate and multivariate statistical models were used for prognostic purposes. RESULTS: On univariate analysis, a different level of ANG expression was seen for patients stratified by subcellular Maspin expression pattern: the mean ANG expression was higher in cases with a nonnuclear MASPIN expression than in those with a nuclear pattern (P=0.002). Disease-free survival (DFS; in months) differed significantly when patients were stratified by N stage (P=0.01). Patients whose Maspin expression was nonnuclear (i.e., it was cytoplasmic or there was none) had a significantly higher recurrence rate (P<0.001), and shorter DFS (P=0.01) than those with a nuclear Maspin pattern. The mean ANG expression was significantly higher in cases with loco-regional recurrent disease (P=0.007); and patients with an ANG expression ≥5.0% had a significantly shorter DFS than those with an ANG expression <5.0% (P=0.007). On multivariate analysis, ANG expression ≥5.0% was a significant, independent, negative prognostic factor in terms of DFS (P=0.041). CONCLUSION: Our results support the hypothesis that a higher ANG expression is associated with a nonnuclear Maspin expression pattern in patients with LSCC. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between the ANG and Maspin pathways, and their potential diagnostic and therapeutic role in LSCC.

Prognostic Significance of Serine-Phosphorylated STAT3 Expression in pT1-T2 Oral Tongue Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Phosphorylated (activated) STAT3 (pSTAT3) is a regulator of numerous genes that play an essential part in the onset, development and progression of cancer; it is involved in cell proliferation and preventing apoptosis, and in invasion, angiogenesis, and the evasion of immune surveillance. This study aimed mainly to investigate the potential prognostic role of pSTAT3 expression in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: Phospho-ser727 STAT3 immunolabeling was correlated with prognostic parameters in 34 consecutive cases of pT1-T2 tongue SCCs undergoing primary surgery. Computer-based image analysis was used for the immunohistochemical reactions analysis. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed a difference in disease-free survival (DFS) when patients were stratified by pN status (P=0.031). Most tumors had variable degrees (mean±SD, 80.7%±23.8%) of intense nuclear immunoreaction to pSTAT3. Our findings rule out any significant association of serine-phosphorylated nuclear STAT3 expression with tumor stage, grade, lymph node metastasis, recurrence rate, or DFS. CONCLUSION: In spite of these results, it is worth further investigating the role of pSTAT3 (serine- and tyrosine-pSTAT3) in oral tongue SCC in larger series because preclinical models are increasingly showing that several anticancer strategies would benefit from STAT3 phosphorylation inhibition.

Sniffin' Sticks and olfactory system imaging in patients with Kallmann syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between olfactory function, rhinencephalon and forebrain changes in Kallmann syndrome (KS) have not been adequately investigated. We evaluated a large cohort of male KS patients using Sniffin' Sticks and MRI in order to study olfactory bulb (OB) volume, olfactory sulcus (OS) depth, cortical thickness close to the OS, and olfactory phenotype. METHODS: Olfaction was assessed administering Sniffin' Sticks®, in 38 KS patients and 17 controls (by means of Screening 12 test®). All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study OB volume, sulcus depth, and cortical thickness. RESULTS: Compared to controls, KS patients showed smaller OB volume (p<0.0001), reduced sulcus depth (p<0.0001), and thicker cortex in the region close to the OS (p<0.0001). Anosmic KS patients had smaller OB than controls and hyposmic KS patients; there was no difference between hyposmic KS patients and controls. OB volume correlated with Sniffin' Sticks score (r = 0.64; p < 0.001), OS depth (p<0.0001) and, inversely, with cortical thickness changes (p<0.0001). Sniffin' Sticks showed an inverse correlation with cortical thickness (r = -0.5; p<0.0001) and a trend toward a statistically significant correlation with OS depth. CONCLUSION: The present study provides further evidence of the strict relationship between olfaction and OB volume. The strong correlation between OB volume and the overlying cortical changes highlights the key role of rhinencephalon in forebrain embryogenesis.

Silver sucrose octasulfate nasal applications and wound healing after endoscopic sinus surgery: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present prospective, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled investigation (approved by the Ethical Committee of Padova University Hospital [Italy]) was to assess the effect of a nasal gel containing a combination of silver sucrose octasulfate and potassium sucrose octasulfate (Silsos gel® [SG]) in wound healing after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis in terms of: nasal symptoms (SNOT22), endoscopic appearance of the sinonasal mucosa (Lund-Kennedy score), nasal air flow (anterior active rhinomanometry), evidence of mucosal inflammatory processes (nasal cytology and histology), and microbiological growth. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were randomized on a 1:1 ratio to receive after ESS either SG or placebo (contained only the excipients [carbopol and propylene glycol] in the same concentrations as in SG). RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Judging from the present prospective investigation on patients who underwent ESS for chronic rhinosinusitis, treatment with SG seems to enable a significantly faster improvement in specific symptoms (assessed on the validated SNOT22 scale) than placebo. Patients treated with SG also had a quicker improvement in the endoscopic appearance of their nasal mucosa after ESS than patients treated with placebo. These endoscopic improvements in the SG group were also confirmed at the long-term follow-up, while the same did not apply to the placebo-treated group.

Olfactory threshold for bourgeonal and sexual desire in young adult males.

Olfactory receptors were found to be expressed also in human sperm giving rise to the hypothesis that they might play a role in fertility and sexual behavior. For instance, bourgeonal was demonstrated to be an agonist of sperm cells olfactory receptor, OR1D2. OR1D2 has been found to be expressed in human olfactory epithelium and to play a critical role in human sperm chemotaxis. Recent preliminary evidence showed that olfaction sensitivity (determined by n-butanol olfactory threshold) and sexual desire were associated in young adult males. It is reasonable to hypothesize that bourgeonal olfactory threshold could be related with human sexual behavior and desire. In 37 healthy young adult male volunteers (age range 20-36 years), the bourgeonal odor threshold and the intensity of sexual desire [the latter using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scale] were examined. In addition, samples of DNA were collected. Allele and genotype frequency of the OR1D2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were then evaluated in order to study the relationship between sexual desire and OR1D2 SNPs expression. The olfactory threshold was categorized as <10, 10⩽threshold<15, 15⩽threshold<20, ⩾20. IIEF 1 and IIEF 2 scores were significantly associated. IIEF1 scores, but not IIEF2 scores were significantly associated with olfactory threshold. No statistically significant associations were found neither between genotypes frequency and sexual desire (IIEF1 and IIEF2), nor between genotypes frequency and olfactory threshold. Hypothesizing for the first time the relationship between bourgeonal olfactory sensitivity and sexual desire in a group of young adult males, the present study found a significant association between lower olfactory threshold for bourgeonal and stronger sexual desire, in terms of IIEF1.

The prognostic role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin and Slug in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

AIMS: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) prognosis is definitely related to lymph node metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows neoplastic cells to gain the plasticity and motility required for tumour progression and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of EMT in the prognosis of LSCC. METHODS AND RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail, Slug, ZEB1, and ZEB2 was performed in 37 consecutive LSCC cases. Low E-cadherin levels and high Slug levels correlated with both disease recurrence (P = 0.02 and P =0.01, respectively) and shorter disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02, respectively). Relative expression levels of CDH1, SNAI2, miR-1 and the miR-200 family were also evaluated. CDH1, miR-200a and miR-200c down-regulation and SNAI2 overexpression were significantly associated with disease recurrence (P = 0.03, P = 0.02, P = 0.04, and P = 0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: EMT increases tumour recurrence risk and shortens DFS in LSCC. E-cadherin and Slug immunohistochemical analysis could be useful for identifying patients requiring more aggressive treatment after surgery.

Endoglin (CD105) expression in sinonasal polyposis.

Despite appropriate surgical therapy, 5-10 % of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and nasal polyps (NP) experience disease recurrences. It has been suggested that angiogenesis may relate to the pathogenesis and prognosis of CRS with NP. Endoglin (CD105) is a component of the receptor complex of transforming growth factor-beta, a pleiotropic cytokine that modulates angiogenesis. A series of patients treated surgically for CRS with NP was analyzed to assess the relationship between CD105 expression, main clinicopathological features, and recurrence rate. The immunohistochemical expression of CD105 was assessed in 70 patients consecutively operated for CRS with NP. In the univariate setting, the presence of CD105 (1/0) showed a trend towards a significant association with increasing NP dimensions (p = 0.054). Intensity of CD105 reaction was also significantly associated with NP size (0.04) and with an eosinophilic histology (p = 0.048). In our multivariate setting, only asthma (p = 0.016), hypereosinophilia (p = 0.022), and preoperative polyposis score (p = 0.046) retained their independent prognostic significance in relation to NP recurrence. Further efforts are needed to elucidate the biological, angiogenic and proliferative mechanisms behind recurrent NP. Our preliminary results support the clinical utility of extra postoperative care, in terms of closer follow-ups and medication with oral anti-histamines, topical and/or oral steroids, and antileukotrienes in patients with asthma, advanced nasal polyposis at presentation, and serum hypereosinophilia.

Nasal and oral snoring endoscopy: novel and promising diagnostic tools in OSAS patients.

The aim of the present study was to investigate if any of the three awake procedures [fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy with modified Müller Maneuver (FNMM), nasal snoring endoscopy (NSE), or oral snoring endoscopy (OSE)] could efficiently predict the grade or pattern of upper airway (UA) collapse found with drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE), which is considered by many authors as the current gold standard in optimizing obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patient selection for UA surgery. Twenty consecutive patients (simple snorers and OSAS patients) were studied with FNMM, NSE, OSE, and DISE. The inter-test agreement was evaluated with Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ). In the current series, we found that NSE and OSE were better than FNMM in predicting the pattern of collapse found with DISE. A significant pattern agreement between NSE and DISE was present in all sub-sites, and the agreement was measured with a scale proposed by Landis and Koch as: moderate in velo- and oropharynx (κ = 0.52, p = 0.001, and κ = 0.47, p = 0.003, respectively), and substantial in hypopharynx (κ = 0.63, p < 0.00001). Comparing OSE with DISE, the pattern agreement was almost perfect at oropharyngeal level (κ = 0.82, p < 0.00001), and moderate at hypopharyngeal level (κ = 0.55, p = 0.0002); while a trend towards significance was found at velopharyngeal level (κ = 0.20, p = 0.07). FNMM showed a fair pattern agreement with DISE only at oropharyngeal level (κ = 0.31, p = 0.009); while in the other sub-sites, no significant agreement was found. NSE and OSE are new promising diagnostic tools in OSAS patients. Further investigations are needed to see if they could predict the effectiveness of UA surgery.

Immunohistochemical and HPV-related features of laryngeal adenosquamous carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) of the head and neck is a rare malignancy characterized by loco-regional and distant aggressiveness. At histology, ASC reveals two distinct, juxtaposed components, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and true adenocarcinoma. METHODS: The immunohistochemical expression of AE3, CK19 and CAM5.2, and HPV infection was tested in a case of laryngeal ASC. RESULTS: The patient had no regional lymph node metastases, but developed a recurrence in neck soft tissues shortly after primary radical surgery. The laryngeal surgical specimen had the typical morphological features of ASC. The tumor's squamous and glandular components were both strongly and diffusely immunoreactive for AE3 and CK19, whereas CAM5.2 selectively stained only the gland-like part. We found no high- or low-risk HPV DNA (28 genotypes) in the specimens. The patient underwent salvage extended radical neck dissection and received postoperative radio-chemotherapy. At 4-month follow-up control, neck recurrence was found. Palliative chemotherapy was instituted. CONCLUSIONS: An accurate histological and immunohistochemical diagnosis is mandatory to differentiate ASC from conventional SCC. Radical surgical excision is recommended for laryngeal ASC. Adjuvant postoperative therapy is administered in most cases, but there are no widely accepted indications for these treatments.

Deep neck infections originating from the major salivary glands.

OBJECTIVES: Before the widespread use of antibiotics, most deep neck infections (DNIs) stemmed from complicated pharyngeal infections. Nowadays, they seem to be due mainly to dental infections. In 2010, our group reported that DNIs originated from a major salivary gland in 14% of cases. The main endpoint of the present investigation was to review our experience of the diagnosis and treatment of DNIs of salivary gland origin. We also compared the characteristics of DNIs originating from salivary glands with those originating elsewhere. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2011, 44 patients were treated for DNIs of salivary origin at our institution. These patients were compared with 191 cases of DNI diagnosed as having other sites of origin. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: In the present series, DNIs originating from a major salivary gland accounted for 19% of all cases of DNI of known origin. Patients with DNI of salivary gland origin were more likely to be elderly than those whose DNI originated from elsewhere (p=0.000). Our multivariate statistical model showed that comorbidities (p=0.051, statistical trend) and the need for surgical treatment (p=0.028) independently predicted long-term hospitalization for DNIs originating from a major salivary gland.

Postoperative radiotherapy for laryngeal carcinoma: the prognostic role of subcellular Maspin expression.

PURPOSE: Reported outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) have varied and sometimes been disappointing. The aim of the present preliminary study was to investigate whether a given immunohistochemical pattern of Maspin expression in laryngeal carcinoma cells could be prognostically associated with response to PORT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients treated for LSCC with primary surgery and PORT. The subcellular (nuclear vs non-nuclear) pattern of Maspin expression was assessed immunohistochemically on LSCC surgical specimens and analyzed in relation to recurrence rate (RR) and disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: A non-nuclear Maspin expression was found in 23 of 32 cases (72%), and all recurrences (17 cases) occurred in this subgroup of patients. A non-nuclear Maspin expression was strongly associated with recurrence [p = 0.0002, hazard ratio (HR) 5.58] and a shorter DFS (p = 0.0004) after PORT for LSCC. Even in N0 patients, a non-nuclear Maspin expression was associated with a significantly higher RR (p = 0.04, HR 1.42) and a shorter DFS (p = 0.02). Among the common clinic-pathological parameters considered, only N stage showed a trend toward an association with prognosis in terms of DFS (p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Assessing subcellular patterns of Maspin expression in LSCC specimens could identify patients less likely to respond to PORT, who might benefit from combined chemo-radiotherapy to improve the efficacy of adjuvant protocols.

Elderly patients at higher risk of laryngeal carcinoma recurrence could be identified by a panel of two biomarkers (nm23-H1 and CD105) and pN+ status.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) recurrences are very difficult to manage in elderly patients (age ≥65 years), because treatment carries significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to develop a panel of parameters (clinicopathological variables or biomarkers) to improve our ability to detect elderly patients at higher risk of LSCC recurrence. Maspin, nm23-H1, and CD105 were investigated using immunohistochemistry on surgical specimens from 46 elderly patients treated for LSCC. After univariate analysis identified parameters associated with LSCC recurrence, a multivariate prognostic model was constructed. At univariate analysis, a higher recurrence rate was significantly associated with nm23-H1 nuclear expression in carcinoma cells ≤2.0% (p = 0.01), CD105 expression in intratumoral vascular endothelial cells ≥5.28% (p = 0.04), and pN+ status (p = 0.04). Multivariate modeling confirmed that nuclear nm23-H1 ≤2.0% (p = 0.009) and CD105 ≥5.28% (p = 0.013) had a negative prognostic significance in terms of disease recurrence, while pN+ status showed a trend toward significance (p = 0.05). We thus obtained a panel comprising two biomarkers and neck lymph node status that revealed an excellent discriminatory power [AUC (ROC) of 0.81] in terms of the risk of LSCC recurrence. The panel achieved a specificity of 96% and a positive predictive value of 93%. We identified a panel with an excellent discriminatory power in identifying elderly patients at higher risk of recurrence after treatment for LSCC. These patients would benefit from a more aggressive primary treatment.

Partial laryngeal surgery in recurrent carcinoma.

With the growing acceptance of nonsurgical therapies for laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs), it has become important to delineate surgical salvage strategies for disease recurrences. Total laryngectomy is often recommended, but appropriately selected laryngeal recurrences may be treated successfully with partial laryngeal surgery: laryngeal function can be preserved with oncological efficacy. The main available studies dealing with partial laryngeal surgery in recurrent carcinoma were critically reviewed. The most appealing feature of salvage transoral laser surgery (TLS) is the opportunity to make tumor-tailored excisions without any reconstructive limitations and retaining the option to switch to open partial laryngectomy. A recent detailed review of 11 series found a pooled local control rate of 57% after a first TLS procedure. Supracricoid laryngectomy (SCL) seems to achieve good local control rates in selected cases of recurrent supraglottic-glottic carcinoma: one review considering seven series calculated that 85% of the patients treated with salvage SCL after radiotherapy experienced no local recurrence; and total laryngectomy after failure of salvage SCL afforded an overall local control rate of 65%. Neck dissection is mandatory in all cases of local LSCC recurrence with evidence of neck metastases, and routine elective neck dissection is recommended for recurrent supraglottic and transglottic cancers.

Uni- and multivariate models for investigating potential prognostic factors in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

With a worldwide incidence estimated at 8-15 per 100,000 population a year, idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) is a common clinical finding for otologists. There is a shortage of information on the clinical factors capable of predicting hearing recovery and response to therapy. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively investigate the prognostic value of clinical variables in relation to hearing recovery, in a cohort of 117 consecutive patients with ISSHL. Clinical parameters (signs, symptoms, comorbidities and treatments) and audiometric data were analyzed with univariate and multivariate statistical approaches for prognostic purposes to identify any correlation with hearing recovery, also expressed according to the Wilson criteria. Univariate analysis showed that age and hypertension were significantly related to hearing outcome (p = 0.004 and p = 0.015, respectively). Elderly patients and those with hypertension were at higher risk of experiencing no hearing recovery (OR = 3.25 and OR = 2.89, respectively). Age was an independent prognostic factor on multivariate analysis (p = 0.007). Tinnitus as a presenting symptom showed a trend towards an association with hearing recovery (p = 0.07). The treatment regimen, the time elapsing between the onset of symptoms and the start of therapy (p = 0.34), and the duration of the treatment (p = 0.83) were unrelated to recovery on univariate analysis. Among the parameters considered, only age was significantly and independently related to hearing outcome. There is a need for well-designed, randomized clinical trials to enable an evidence-based protocol to be developed for the treatment of ISSHL.

Does the contraceptive pill influence peak nasal inspiratory flow values?

BACKGROUND: Early oral contraceptive pills (OCP) had higher estrogen levels and have been thought to cause nasal obstruction in about 40% of women users. A recent small study conducted on women taking OCP showed no significant effects on nasal patency. The aim of the present study was to analyse in a large number of volunteers if Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow (PNIF) values could be influenced by modern OCP. METHODOLOGY: PNIF was measured in 257 women (from 14 to 51 years old), divided into two groups: the study group composed of 109 healthy women taking modern OCP; the control group composed of 148 healthy women who did not take OCP. 9 women in the study group were excluded because of allergic disease, 248 females were finally considered. Data were statistically analysed and figures/tables were produced to see the effect of OCP on PNIF. RESULTS: The present study could not show any effect of OCP on nasal function. Moreover, while height influenced PNIF in both groups, age was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: From the present study, it seems that OCP could have no effects on nasal airflow, confirming that modern OCP with lower estrogen doses should not affect nasal mucosa or nasal patency.

Oral appliances for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with low C-PAP compliance: a long-term case series.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of mandibular advancement devices (MADs) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) over a long-term follow-up in patients non-compliant with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and to identify potential predictive factors of response to MADs. METHODS: Fifteen OSAS patients were enrolled. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and daytime sleepiness were assessed at baseline and at the end of follow-up. Potential baseline predictors of treatment effectiveness were assessed. RESULTS: AHI and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores improved significantly with MADs. Sixty per cent of patients were 'responders', of whom 33% were 'full responders'. Sixty-seven per cent of patients showed total compliance. No correlations between the potential predictors and the response to MAD therapy were found. DISCUSSION: Effectiveness of MAD therapy was shown over a long-term follow-up in OSAS patients with low compliance to CPAP. Efforts to identify predictive success factors fell short.

A panel of biomarkers for predicting response to postoperative RT for laryngeal cancer?

OBJECTIVES: Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) improves locoregional control and survival rates for patients with advanced laryngeal carcinoma (LSCC), but reported outcomes after PORT for LSCC vary considerably. Predictive markers (including biomarkers) are needed for LSCC to orient the choice of the most appropriate adjuvant therapy for individual patients. The aim of this study was to identify a panel of LSCC tissue markers (considering EGFR, mTOR, survivin, Bcl-2, angiogenin, endoglin [CD105], nm23-H1) capable of pinpointing patients at higher risk of recurrence among 33 LSCC cases treated with PORT. METHODS/RESULTS: Univariate analysis found 4 biomarkers (mTOR, nuclear survivin, CD105, non-nuclear nm23-H1) significantly associated with LSCC recurrence. A collinearity emerged between mTOR and CD105 expressions. The predictive role of two different panels (panel 1: mTOR, nuclear survivin, non-nuclear nm23-H1; panel 2: CD105, nuclear survivin, non-nuclear nm23-H1) was considered. According to the Hosmer and Lemeshow scale, panel 1 demonstrated an outstanding discriminatory power (AUC 0.903) in predicting LSCC recurrence after PORT. Panel 2 had an excellent discriminatory power too (AUC 0.899). CONCLUSIONS: Both panels of biomarkers showed an important discriminatory power in pinpointing patients at higher risk of recurrence after PORT for LSCC who could reasonably benefit from adjuvant postoperative chemo-RT.

Burkholderia cepacia complex isolation in non-polypoid chronic rhinosinusitis.

PURPOSE: Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) infections of the head and neck have been infrequently reported in immunocompetent patients, while their association with cystic fibrosis is quite well known. One of the main problems associated with Bcc is their intrinsic resistance to most clinically-available antimicrobials. Bcc has already been isolated in sinonasal polyposis, while here we report for the first time on its isolation in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) but no nasal polyposis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four consecutive surgically-treated CRS patients without cystic fibrosis were recruited. RESULTS: Bcc was isolated in 4 cases of CRS without polyposis, and in another case in sinonasal polyposis. All tested Bcc strains isolated in non-polypotic CRS were resistant to ciprofloxacin, amikacin, ertapenem, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefotaxime, and gentamicin. CONCLUSIONS: The novel finding of Bcc species in CRS without polyposis as well suggests that the mechanism by which these bacteria adhere to the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract may be important in the host's colonization.

Multivariate approach to investigating prognostic factors in deep neck infections.

Deep neck infections (DNI) spread along fascial planes and involve neck spaces. Very few studies have investigated potentially prognostic factors using multivariate statistical models. Our aim was to analyze 282 consecutive cases of DNI using multivariate (logistic) statistical models to identify independent significant factors influencing prognosis in terms of complications and long-term hospitalization (>6 days). In our series, only involvement of more than one neck space was independently significant in prognosticating complications of DNI (odds ratio [OR] 2.46). The presence of comorbidities (OR 2.13), non-odontogenic sites of origin (OR 1.88), leukocyte counts above 11.0 cells × 10(9)/L at presentation (OR 3.57), and the need for both medical and surgical treatments (OR 4.66) was significantly and independently prognostic of long hospital stays. Multivariate analysis can distinguish between risk factors and their relative contribution to outcome. The few published studies using multivariate models to analyze DNI prognosis considered quite large cohorts, but no clinical variables persistently revealed an independent significant prognostic role. This evidence seems to underscore the complex interdependence of several clinical variables in contributing to DNI prognosis, and the heterogeneity of the diagnostic/therapeutic approaches adopted.