Current Inflammatory Status of Monocyte Ratios in Bell's Palsy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the contribution of monocyte/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio (MHR) and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) to the inflammatory process and the severity and prognosis of the disease in patients with Bell's palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed retrospectively by analyzing our electronic database. A study group consisted of 48 patients who were referred to our clinic with Bell's palsy between January 2018 and June 2020. The control group consisted of 45 healthy individuals. Monocyte, HDL, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet values were recorded. The hematological parameters obtained from the blood tests of the patients in the study group at the time of admission were statistically compared with the values in the control group. Radiologic images were also collected. RESULTS: The MHR value of the study group was 12.85±1.02, while the MHR value of the control group was 12.29±1.33, and it showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.027). However, no statistically significant difference between the groups was found in other parameters, including MLR, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR). A positive correlation was found between the MHR value and the House-Brackmann stage. The NLR value of the patients who showed contrast enhancement in facial nerves on MRI was found to be statistically significant compared to those without contrast enhancement. CONCLUSION: High MHR values in patients with Bell's palsy support the role of inflammatory and ischemic processes in etiopathogenesis. Further studies are needed to confirm our results in a multi-center manner with larger patient populations.

Eustachian Tube Function Symptoms in Palatal Surgeries for OSA: 3-Month Postoperative Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence of different soft palate surgeries for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on eustachian tube function symptoms, considering various potential factors. METHODS: A prospective, cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent isolated palatal surgeries for OSA at a single academic medical center between 2017 and 2022. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) were assessed at baseline, 1-month, 2-month, and 3-month time points. Patients with retropalatal obstruction underwent tailored surgeries: anterior palatoplasty (AP), expansion sphincter palatoplasty (ESP), or barbed palatoplasty (BP). Baseline OSA severity between baseline and follow-up time points were also examined. RESULTS: In this study, 96 patients with OSA were enrolled and allocated to three surgical groups: AP (n = 30), ESP (n = 32), and BP (n = 34). The mean age was 44.3 ± 10.2 years, with 86% male participants. No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of age, sex, and BMI. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of time on ETDQ-7 scores (p < 0.001), but no significant main effect of groups (p = 0.109) or interaction between time and groups (p = 0.082). Subgroup analysis showed a significant interaction for the 3-month change in ETDQ-7 scores by OSA severity (p = 0.046). In post hoc analysis, the BP group exhibited a higher mean ETDQ-7 score compared with the AP group at the 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of considering individual patient factors, such as OSA severity and eustachian tube function symptoms, when selecting the most appropriate surgical treatment to optimize outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:2471-2477, 2024.

The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on laryngeal cancer in a tertiary referral center.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate whether there was a significant change in the laryngeal cancer stage before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the data of patients who operated due to laryngeal cancer in a tertiary referral hospital's ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department between June 2018 and 2021. The patients were included at the same period of the years to rule out any seasonal changes. The basic characteristic, tumor localization, and TNM stage of the patients were compared. RESULTS: 97 patients were operated due to laryngeal cancer during the time period reviewed. 57 (58.8%) patients were operated before and 40 (41.2%) after the COVID-19 pandemic. When comparing the patients before and after the COVID-19 pandemic period, the mean age significantly differed between the study groups that older age was observed in patients who admitted before the COVID-19 pandemic (62.8 ± 6.5 vs. 57.3 ± 6.8, p < 0.001). Regarding the TNM classification, the patients in the after COVID-19 pandemic group had higher rates of T4 stage laryngeal cancer compared to before COVID-19 pandemic group (12 (30%) vs. 4 (7%), p: 0.003). CONCLUSION: Younger patients have operated after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the patients were presented with larger tumor sizes. The pandemic may increase the time between diagnosis and surgery in laryngeal cancer patients.