A comparative analysis of the decongestive effect of oxymetazoline and xylometazoline in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: Oxymetazoline and xylometazoline are locally effective and direct acting drugs that relieve nasal congestion. The aim of this study was to objectively determine and compare the decongestive effects of oxymetazoline and xylometazoline in healthy subjects. METHODS: The study population comprised thirty healthy adults. All subjects underwent active anterior rhinomanometry (AARhm) and acoustic rhinometry (AR) tests following the application of oxymetazoline, xylometazoline, or placebo (physiological saline). The change in nasal resistance, nasal airflow, and different cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the nasal cavity in the subjects were examined for each solution separately. The measurements were obtained over a 1-h period (baseline and 1, 15, 30, and 60 min post-dosing). All results were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: A total of 6,300 measurements of AARhm and AR were obtained. The application of placebo did not cause a statistically significant change in nasal resistance, nasal airflow, and CSAs (CSA1, 2, and 3, respectively) of the nasal cavity. In contrast, statistically significant changes in nasal resistance (inspiration p = 0.000 and p = 0.004; expiration p = 0.000 and p = 0.000), nasal airflow (inspiration p = 0.000 and p = 0.004; expiration p = 0.000 and p = 0.000), and CSAs of the nasal cavity (CSA2 p = 0.000 and p = 0.000, CSA3 p = 0.000 and p = 0.00), with the exception of CSA1 (p = 0.982 and p = 0.994), were obtained after the application of oxymetazoline and xylometazoline. A comparison of oxymetazoline and xylometazoline based on nasal resistance, nasal airflow, and CSAs of the nasal cavity demonstrated no statistically significant difference, except for CSA3. CONCLUSION: Oxymetazoline and xylometazoline are fast-acting and potent topical decongestants that have similar decongestive effects.

Staged-surgery with permanent pathology for the management of high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancer of the nose.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of staged-surgery with permanent pathology on tumour recurrence of high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) of the nose and to determine the factors associated with subclinical spread and deep-margin involvement. Twenty-one patients who underwent staged-surgery with permanent pathology for high-risk NMSCs of the nose between 2007 and 2008 were prospectively followed-up for tumour recurrence. The incidence of tumour recurrence after staged-surgery with permanent pathology was 0%. A positive correlation between perineural involvement and subclinical spread (p = .012); and a statistically significant relationship between infiltrative type basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and deep-margin involvement (p = .033) was detected. Staged-surgery with permanent pathology is a reliable surgical method for complete excision of high-risk NMSCs of the nose and provides a significant decrease in tumour recurrence. Perineural involvement may cause subclinical spread, and infiltrative type BCC may invade deeper structures of the nose.