Myringoplasty for Eosinophilic Otitis Media.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical intervention of eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) has been considered contraindicated because middle ear surgery is associated with a risk of deafness. Myringoplasty is believed to be less invasive. Therefore, we analyzed the surgical results of myringoplasty for perforated eardrums in patients with EOM treated by biological drugs (biologics). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Nine ears of seven patients with EOM with eardrum perforation associated with bronchial asthma were treated with add-on biologics; myringoplasty was then performed. The controls comprised 17 ears of 11 patients with EOM treated by myringoplasty without biologics. INTERVENTIONS: The EOM status of each patient of both groups was assessed using severity scores, hearing acuity, and temporal bone computed tomography scores. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative and postoperative changes in severity scores and hearing acuity, postoperative closure of the perforation, and relapse of EOM. RESULTS: Severity scores significantly decreased after the use of biologics but did not change after myringoplasty. One patient developed postoperative relapse of middle ear effusion (MEE); in the control group, however, 10 ears developed recurrence of MEE. Significant improvement of the air conduction hearing level was obtained in the biologics group. No patients showed deterioration of the bone conduction hearing level. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report to describe successful surgical interventions with add-on biologics for patients with EOM. In the era of biologics, surgical interventions such as myringoplasty will be indicated to improve hearing and to avoid recurrence of MEE in patients with EOM with perforated eardrums, with the use of biologics.

Clinical characteristics of atelectatic eardrums and adhesive otitis media in children.

OBJECTIVES: Atelectatic eardrum and adhesive otitis media in children are related to persistent otitis media with effusion (OME) and eustachian tube dysfunction in infancy. However, the pathogenesis of these diseases is not fully understood, and some cases even progress to pars tensa cholesteatoma. This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of children with atelectatic eardrum and adhesive otitis media to clarify associated causes of and risk factors for progression of these middle ear pathologies in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retroactive study included 38 ears of 31 children with atelectatic eardrums (atelectasis group), and 19 ears of 17 children with adhesive otitis media (adhesive OM group). Thirty-two contralateral non-cholesteatoma ears of 32 children with congenital cholesteatoma were also examined as a control group. Participants were aged 15 or younger. Life history (obtained via questionnaire), associated diseases, hearing acuity, aeration and development of the temporal bone were investigated. RESULTS: All children in the atelectasis and adhesive OM groups had a history of recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) and/or OME. The prevalence of perennial allergic rhinitis was 18 cases (58%) in the atelectasis group and 16 cases (94%) in the adhesive OM group. The prevalence of perennial allergic rhinitis was significantly higher in the adhesive OM group compared to the control group (P < 0.01). The development of mastoid air cells, categorized by MC classification, showed MC0 + MC1 (poor pneumatization) in 19 ears (50.0%) with atelectatic eardrums and 12 ears (63.2%) with adhesive OM. Poor pneumatized mastoid was more frequently observed in the ears of the atelectasis and adhesive OM groups compared to the control group (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found in regards to aeration of the middle ear between the two groups; however, aeration was significantly poorer in both groups compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Three characteristics were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression: perennial allergic rhinitis (odds ratio [OR] 4.319, P = 0.013), poor mastoid pneumatization (OR 8.457, P = 0.012), and pars flaccida retraction pocket (OR 20.897, P = 0.006). These characteristics were shown to be significant risk factors for atelectatic eardrums and adhesive OM. In addition, the predisposition to perennial allergic rhinitis was shown to be the most important factor in the progression from atelectatic eardrum to adhesive otitis media (OR 16.615, P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Children with perennial allergic rhinitis, poor development of mastoid air cells, poor aeration of the temporal bone, and with pars flaccida retraction pocket were at an increased risk of developing an atelectatic eardrum and adhesive OM. In particular, perennial allergic rhinitis was shown to be a significant risk factor in the progression from atelectatic eardrum to adhesive otitis media. Allergic inflammation may affect not only the nasal passages but also the eustachian tube, resulting in persistent middle ear dysfunction. Therefore, children with rAOM/OME who have these risk factors should be carefully monitored and treat over time in effort to prevent progression of pathology.

[SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT FOR OTITIS MEDIA AND SINUSITIS ASSOCIATED WITH EOSINOPHILIC GRANULOMATOSIS WITH POLYANGIITIS USING ANTI-IL-5 RECEPTOR MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY BENRALIZUMAB].

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a type of ANCA-related vasculitis. Asthma and sinusitis occur first in the course of EGPA, followed by vasculitis symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and peripheral neuropathy. Otitis media with effusion and sensorineural hearing loss occur occasionally in EGPA patients. Here we report a case of a 39-years-old female patient with asthma that developed at age 37 and sinusitis. The patient was diagnosed with EGPA and treatment was started with oral corticosteroids. During the course of treatment, otitis media with effusion and sensorineural hearing loss developed. Benralizumab was administered for severe asthma. After treatment with benralizumab, the symptoms of asthma, otitis media with effusion and sinusitis dramatically improved. This is the first reported case in which benralizumab was used for treating otitis media and sinusitis associated with EGPA. The findings suggest that benralizumab may be effective for otitis media and sinusitis associated with EGPA.

Comparative study on adhesive otitis media and pars tensa cholesteatoma in children.

OBJECTIVE: Recurrent otitis media and persistent otitis media with effusion in early childhood may cause an atelectatic eardrum and adhesive otitis media, which sometimes progress to pars tensa cholesteatoma. When and how children with adhesive otitis media should be operated on remain controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of children with adhesive otitis media and pars tensa cholesteatoma, and to determine the risk factors of progression to cholesteatoma. METHODS: Seventeen ears of 15 children with adhesive otitis media (adhesive group) and 14 ears of 13 children with pars tensa cholesteatoma (tensa cholesteatoma group) who underwent tympanoplasty were included in this study. We analyzed the following clinical characteristics of children in both groups: medical and life history, associated diseases, sites of the adhesion, and development and aeration of mastoid air cells as shown by temporal bone computed tomography. RESULTS: Most of the children in both groups had a history of recurrent otitis media and/or persistent otitis media with effusion. They showed a male predominance and a frequent association of allergic rhinitis. The number of ears showing undeveloped mastoid air cells in the tensa cholesteatoma group was significantly larger than that in the adhesive otitis media group (P=0.0068). A lack of aeration of the middle ear, including the eustachian tube, was more frequently found in ears with pars tensa cholesteatoma than in ears with adhesive otitis media (P=0.0012). Using multivariate logistic regression, the presence of otorrhea (odds ratio [OR], 14.847; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.834-264.184), total adhesion (OR, 28.550; 95% CI, 0.962-847.508), and undeveloped mastoid air cells (OR, 19.357; 95% CI, 1.022-366.589) were related to pars tensa cholesteatoma. CONCLUSION: Children with adhesive otitis media should be carefully followed up in the outpatient setting. Ears with poor mastoid development may develop pars tensa cholesteatoma. Additionally, ears with middle ear effusion, total adhesion, and the presence of otorrhea tend to be at risk of pars tensa cholesteatoma. Tympanoplasty or tympanostomy tube insertion should be considered for children with adhesive otitis media who have these risk factors to prevent progression to pars tensa cholesteatoma.

Dupilumab therapy for patients with refractory eosinophilic otitis media associated with bronchial asthma.

OBJECTIVES: Eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is an intractable otitis media mostly associated with bronchial asthma. Dupilumab, an anti-interleukin (IL)-4 receptor (R)α, is effective and has been approved for use in patients with moderate to severe bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, whose diseases are not controlled by previous treatments including other molecular targeted drugs. We aimed to assess efficacy of dupilumab in three EOM patients with associated bronchial asthma, who were poor responders to previous topical and systemic corticosteroid therapy and molecular targeted therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three patients with severe, refractory EOM (two with a granulation type) associated with bronchial asthma received dupilumab as add-on therapy for at least 6 months. The efficacy of dupilumab therapy was evaluated using severity scores, symptom scores, hearing acuities, temporal bone computed tomography (CT) scores, and surrogate markers before and after therapy. RESULTS: Severity scores in all patients were dramatically reduced to 2 points or less (full score: 16 points) after initiation of therapy. Air conduction hearing levels were improved in all patients. Temporal bone CT scores in two patients were reduced, and serum IgE levels in all three patients also decreased following therapy. CONCLUSION: We provide the first report that add-on dupilumab therapy was effective in patients with severe, refractory EOM who did not respond to the treatments including other molecular targeted therapy. Patients with severe middle ear mucosal change may benefit particularly from dupilumab therapy.

Electromagnetic interference of implantable cardiac devices from a shoulder massage machine.

Shoulder massage machines have two pads that are driven by solenoid coils to perform a per cussive massage on the shoulders. There have been concerns that such machines might create electromagnetic interference (EMI) in implantable cardiac devices because of the time-varying magnetic fields produced by the alternating current in the solenoid coils. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential EMI from one such shoulder massage machine on implantable cardiac devices. We measured the distribution profile of the magnetic field intensity around the massage machine. Furthermore, we performed an inhibition test and an asynchronous test on an implantable cardiac pacemaker using the standardized Irnich human body model. We examined the events on an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) using a pacemaker programmer while the massage machine was in operation. The magnetic field distribution profile exhibited a peak intensity of 212 (A/m) in one of the solenoid coils. The maximal interference distance between the massage machine and the implantable cardiac pacemaker was 28 cm. Ventricular fibrillation was induced when the massage machine was brought near the electrode of the ICD and touched the Irnich human body model. It is necessary to provide a "don't use" warning on the box or the exterior of the massage machines or in the user manuals and to caution patients with implanted pacemakers about the dangers and appropriate usage of massage machines.

Recent changes in nasopharyngeal flora of children in Japan.

We investigated the relationship between nasopharyngeal flora of pediatric patients and antibiotic consumption in a local community in Japan between 2000 and 2009 retrospectively. There was a clear relationship between the lower annual consumption rate of cephalosporins and the lower annual prevalence of non-susceptible strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP). High prevalence of BLNAR (ß-lactamase nonproducing ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae) has been one of the bacteriological features of Japan.