Protective effects of esomeprazole against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity: an in vitro and in vivo study.

In this study, we aimed to identify novel compounds that could afford protection against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity by employing both cell- and zebrafish (Danio rerio)-based screening platforms. We screened 923 US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs to identify potential compounds exhibiting protective effects against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in HEI-OC1 cells (auditory hair cell line). The screening strategy identified esomeprazole and dexlansoprazole as the primary hit compounds. Subsequently, we examined the effects of these compounds on cell viability and apoptosis. Our results revealed that esomeprazole and dexlansoprazole inhibited organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2), thus providing in vitro evidence that these compounds could ameliorate cisplatin-induced ototoxicity by directly inhibiting OCT2-mediated cisplatin transport. In vivo, the protective effects were validated using zebrafish; esomeprazole was found to decrease cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in neuromasts. Furthermore, the esomeprazole-treated group showed a significantly lower number of TUNEL-positive cells than the cisplatin-treated group. Collectively, our findings revealed that esomeprazole exerts a protective effect against cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in both HEI-OC1 cells and a zebrafish model.

The Utility of Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Examination Versus Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography in the Detection of Second Primary Lesions in Korean Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Head and neck cancer often accompany a synchronous secondary primary lesion in the digestive tract. The aim of this study was to compare detection rates between positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (G-fiber) or colonoscopy (C-fiber) in the initial staging and to analyze risk factors for premalignant, malignant, and total synchronous secondary primary lesions. METHODS: A total of 739 patients with head and neck cancer who underwent PET-CT, G-fiber, or C-fiber were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Positron emission tomography-CT did not definitely detect any premalignant synchronous secondary primary lesions (0 [0%] of 739) but definitely detected 10 malignant synchronous secondary primary lesions (10 [1.35%] of 739). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy or C-fiber detected all 20 premalignant synchronous secondary primary lesions (20 [2.71%] of 739) and all 37 malignant synchronous secondary primary lesions (37 [5.00%] of 739). The patients with nasopharynx cancer tended to have premalignant synchronous secondary primary lesions (odds ratio [OR]: 3.793; 95% CI: 1.414-10.171; P = .008). Those with distant metastasis tended to have premalignant (OR: 4.743; 95% CI: 1.508-14.916; P = .009), malignant (OR: 3.803; 95% CI: 1.486-9.731; P = .005), and total synchronous secondary primary lesions (OR: 2.753; 95% CI: 1.159-6.538; P = .022). CONCLUSIONS: Premalignant or malignant synchronous secondary primary lesions that were not definitely detected by PET-CT could be found in the endoscopic examination.

Long-term results of sleep-related quality-of-life and behavioral problems after adenotonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Improvements in sleep-related quality of life (QOL) and behavioral problems have been observed in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during a short-term follow-up after adenotonsillectomy. Whether this trend continues beyond the short term remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of surgery in children with OSA. METHODS: The study participants comprised 20 children with OSA who underwent adenotonsillectomy. We used the scores from the Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) and total scores from the Korean OSA-18 Survey (KOSA-18) before and after adenotonsillectomy to compare and analyze behavioral problems and OSA-specific health-related QOL, respectively, during a long-term follow-up. Respiratory disturbance parameters from standard polysomnography and subjective symptom scores for snoring and apnea were also investigated. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 6.6 ± 3.4 years (range, 3-13), and the male-to-female ratio was 15:5. The mean follow-up period was 54.5 months (range, 27-98). The total scores for both ADHD-RS (from 17.6 to 10.5; P = 0.006) and KOSA-18 (from 74.3 to 40.7; P = 0.001) decreased significantly from before to after surgery. Significant decreases were also observed in the subjective symptom scores for snoring (from 5.4 to 2.4; P = 0.000) and apnea (from 3.3 to 0.8; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Significant improvement was observed in sleep-related QOL and behavioral problems in children with OSA during long-term follow-up after adenotonsillectomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:546-550, 2020.

Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes of Congenital Cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVES: Since its introduction in 2002, the staging system for congenital cholesteatoma, as defined by Potsic, has been used widely owing to its simplicity and predictability. The aim of the present study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment outcomes of congenital cholesteatoma and to correlate them with postoperative recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for 38 patients who were diagnosed with congenital cholesteatoma and who underwent surgical resection between August 2007 and November 2014 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of our hospital. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 7.9±8.2 years, and the number of males and females was 20 and 18, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 30±26 months. Of the 38 patients, 9 (24%) had residual or recurrent cholesteatoma during follow-up examination after primary surgery. The results showed that the size (≥4 mm) of the lesion was significantly correlated with residual or recurrent disease (p=0.026). The disease extent (single vs. multiple quadrant involvement), type (closed vs. open type), and stage; applied surgical method (with mastoidectomy vs. without mastoidectomy); and preoperative hearing level (normal vs. abnormal) were not significantly correlated with residual or recurrent disease. CONCLUSION: The disease extent, type, and stage; applied surgical methods; and preoperative hearing level were not significantly correlated with residual or recurrent disease. The size (≥4 mm) of congenital cholesteatoma was significantly correlated with residual or recurrent disease.

Questionnaires in Patients with Unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) in patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 101 patients with unilateral SSNHL (44 women, 57 men), who were admitted and treated at our institution between December 2012 and June 2014, were included in the study. All patients completed the questionnaires for DHI and THI during their admission and were treated with bed rest and oral methylprednisolone (1 mg/kg, which was eventually tapered). Of these, 83 patients received intratympanic dexamethasone 4 times over a 2-week period. Demographic data, accompanying symptoms, and DHI and THI subscales were compared between the non-recovery group (Siegel's criteria type 4, n=63) and the recovery group (Siegel's criteria type 1-3, n=38). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular attack, and tinnitus. Patients in the non-recovery group were significantly older (51.53 vs. 50.24 years, p<0.05) and had a higher incidence of chronic kidney disease (10.53% vs. 1.59%, p<0.05) than those in the recovery group. Although more patients in the non-recovery group complained of dizziness (47.37% vs. 25.40%, p<0.05), DHI subscales were not significantly different between the groups. THI subscales were also not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: DHI and THI questionnaires may have limited prognostic value for patients with unilateral SSNHL.

Does Snoring Time Always Reflect the Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

OBJECTIVES: Although it is commonly believed that the degree of snoring reflects the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), there is often a mismatch between the improvement in OSA and the decrease of snoring time following OSA treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between OSA severity and snoring time. METHODS: A total of 280 subjects who complained of snoring were divided by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) into 5 groups. The snoring rate (the amount of sleep time spent snoring divided by the total sleep time) and the clinical data including polysomnographic findings were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between AHI and snoring rate (r = -0.038, P = .524). The snoring rate in the control group was significantly lower than that in the moderate ( P < .001) and severe ( P = .003) groups. The snoring rate in the very severe group was significantly lower than those in the mild ( P < .001), moderate ( P < .001), and severe ( P < .001) groups. However, there was no significant difference between snoring rates in the control group and the very severe group ( P = .832). CONCLUSIONS: The change in snoring rate according to the severity of AHI showed an inverted U-shaped pattern, with a peak in the moderate OSA group.

Analysis of Effect of Eggshell Membrane Patching for Moderate-to-Large Traumatic Tympanic Membrane Perforation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of eggshell membrane (ESM) patching for tympanic membrane (TM) perforation, and to investigate correlations between healing time and age, gender, patching time, perforation size, and perforation location. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy-five patients diagnosed with traumatic TM perforation at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University Ansan Hospital, between January 2008 and October 2013. Patients were divided into two groups, according to perforation edge approximation or ESM patching treatment. Healing time was compared between the group that received perforation edge approximation and the group that received ESM patching. Perforation grade, age, onset, and location were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS: ESM patching significantly improved healing time compared to spontaneous healing, especially in patients with moderate or large traumatic TM perforations (≥grade II). However, patient age, gender, perforation location, and especially timing of procedure, did not significantly affect healing time. CONCLUSIONS: ESM patching can be a good treatment choice to promote tympanic membrane healing in large traumatic TM perforations.

[Classification Of Planorbidae Cellected From Geum River Basin]

The distribution, external morphology, radula, chromosome numbers of Planorbidae snails were studied. 1. The specimens were collected at four stations in Nonsangun, Kongjugun, and Daedukgun which are located around Geum river. Three genera and three species of Planorbidae, Hippeutis cantori, Segmentina hemisphaerula and Gyraulus convexiusculus, were collected. H. cantori was the most abundant species among the three species. G. convexiusculus was the least abundant one. Each species could be identified on the basis of its external characteristic, since the periphery of each species has a peculiar shape. H. cantori was the largest one among the three species. The radula formula of each species was very similar to other species. The size of radula was proportional to the size of shell. The radula formulae of H. cantori, S. hemisphaerula, and G. convexiusculus were 29:1:29, 23:l:23, and 16:1:16 respectively. The difference of radula formula could be found in the total numbers of laternal and marginal teeth. The haploid chromosome number of H. cantori was eighteen (n=18). S. hemisphaerula and G. convexiusculus were assumed to be same in their chromosome numbers (n=18).