Association of plasma atherogenic index with the severity and prognosis of Bell's palsy.

BACKGROUND: The plasma atherogenic index (AIP) is used as an indicator of cardiovascular risk. Abnormal lipid levels have been shown to potentially contribute to facial nerve inflammation observed in Bell's palsy. This study sought to investigate the association of AIP with the severity and prognosis of Bell's palsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: AIP is calculated using the equation Log (triglyceride [mg/dL]/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [mg/dL]). The study was conducted prospectively on 79 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy. The House-Brackmann (H-B) grade was used to determine the severity of Bell's palsy. RESULTS: In total, 79 patients [45 (57%) male and 34 (43% female] with Bell's palsy were included to the study. The mean (SD) age was 54.1 (16.5). In multivariable analyses prediction of unrecovered patients, the Odds Ratio (OR) and Confidence Intervals for NLR was 1.322 (1.021-1.797), p = .032, for PLR was 1.100(1.068-1.250), p = .043, for total cholesterol was 1.038 (1.001-1.076), p = .039, for AIP was 4.250 (2.239-8.226), p = .005. The highest area under curve (0.74) was observed for AIP to predict unrecovered Bell's palsy with 71.4% sensitivity and 62.7% specificity. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCES: AIP is associated with advanced-stage facial paralysis at the time of Bell's palsy diagnosis and can be used as a poor prognostic indicator.

The treatment efficacy of nasal polyposis on olfactory functions, clinical scoring systems and inflammation markers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the medical and the surgical treatment on the olfactory functions, clinical scoring systems and inflammation markers in patients with nasal polyposis. In addition, the secondary aim was to investigate the correlation between those investigated parameters. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 30 patients, who completed the standardized medical and surgical treatment and also came to 3 months of follow-ups regularly after the surgery, were included in the study. The Sniffin' Sticks olfactory tests, radiological and the endoscopic stagings, liver-expressed chemokine (CCL16) and endothelin (ET) levels and sino-nasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22) were performed at the initial and at the end of the study. RESULTS: The current study had four major findings: (1) significant improvement in odor functions after treatment was determined; however, the majority of the patients had been already hyposmic. (2) In addition, significant improvement was found in ET and CCL16 levels, SNOT-22 results, and radiologic and endoscopic stagings at the end of the study. (3) However, there was no correlation between the olfactory functions and the investigated parameters. (4) There was a positive correlation between polyp recurrence and ET levels. CONCLUSION: The standardized medical and surgical treatment provided a significant improvement in the olfactory functions. However, only one patient (3.3%) had become normosmic at the end of the study.