Electrogustometry: Normative data for stimulus duration, tongue site and age decline.

OBJECTIVES: Our primary goal was to evaluate the effect of stimulus duration on electrogustometry (EGM) thresholds. Additionally, we sought to evaluate any sex-related influences and compare the above results to those of taste strips. DESIGN: Electrogustometry thresholds of various stimulus durations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 seconds) were measured in 212 non-smokers (age range: 10-80 years, divided into eight age-groups) without self-reported gustatory impairment. Furthermore, taste strips chemogustometry measurements in 132 participants were performed. SETTING: Tertiary referral medical centre. PARTICIPANTS: 212 non-smokers, divided into eight age-groups participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Electrogustometry thresholds and taste strips, duration of EGM stimuli. RESULTS: Electrogustometry thresholds increased progressively with age and with stimulus duration from 0.5 to 2 seconds. This pattern was consistent in all six anatomic areas, irrespective of sex. In contrast, when using chemogustometry, no age- or sex-related differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Electrogustometry-threshold values increase progressively with age and with stimulus duration. Therefore, we recommend documenting stimulus duration in the future EGM recordings as it may significantly affect EGM amplitude threshold values.

Endoscopic sinus surgery outcomes in CRS: quality of life and correlations with NOSE scale in a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the impact of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on clinical outcomes, quality of life (QoL) and Nasal Obstruction and Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale in patients with CRSwNP and CRSsNP. An additional question that needs to be investigated is whether there is a correlation between patients at the age of relapse. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL: A prospective cohort study of 150 subjects [96 males, 54 females, mean age: 51.99 ± (15.73)]. The SNOT-22 and NOSE questionnaires were used to measure the patients' QoL and their nasal blockage symptoms, respectively. Endoscopic and computerized tomography (CT) scores depicted the objective findings. RESULTS: Following ESS, the endoscopic scale showed a significant improvement in 83.85% of patients. QoL measured with SNOT-22 improved by 78.85% and with NOSE scale by 92.10%. Also, a statistically significant correlation was found between NOSE, SNOT-22 and the Lund-Kennedy scale. Recurrence was observed in 13 patients during follow-up. There was no statistically significant correlation between age, gender, smoking and recurrence tendency. Patients with baseline SNOT-22 and NOSE scores lower than 30 typically fail to obtain a clinically meaningful benefit. Patients with a rate greater than or equal to 40 achieved a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 83.9% and had an average symptom reduction (RI) rate of 60.3%. CONCLUSIONS: ESS is an important treatment option for symptomatic patients with CRSwNP and CRSsNP. Both objective and subjective measurements including QoL improved significantly, and the results stabilized at 12 to 18 months. The NOSE scale is a sensitive outcome measure in the CRS population, including subjects with and without nasal polyps. In our study, SNOT-22 and NOSE are excellent predictors of postoperative improvement.