The evaluation of ozone and betahistine in the treatment of tinnitus.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of ozone and betahistine treatments in the treatment of tinnitus. Sixty-eight patients were enrolled in this randomized, prospective controlled study. The ozone group consisted of 27, betahistine group consisted of 26 and control group consisted of 15 patients. The patients in ozone group received 10 sessions of ozone treatment via major autohemotherapy. Betahistine group received 48 mg/day betahistine tablets per oral for 3 months duration. The control group was followed up without any treatment given. The evaluation of tinnitus was made by tinnitus loudness and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI). The changes in findings from baseline to 3rd and 6th months were assessed, and the group results were compared. Comparison of the initial mean tinnitus loudness and 3 and 6 months after treatment in each of the three groups did not reveal a significant difference. The comparison between the groups in terms of the improvement of tinnitus loudness was not significant (p = 0.821). Comparison of the initial mean THI and 3 and 6 months after treatment revealed a significant difference in ozone and betahistine groups but not in the control group. When the delta (Δ) THI (the change of mean THI between the initial and 6th month) was compared between the groups, there was no significant difference. This randomized controlled study investigating the effects of ozone in tinnitus tries to shed light to a new method of treatment in tinnitus. The findings of the study does not provide enough evidence to support ozone and betahistine as a treatment for tinnitus and further research on the subject is necessary.

Tularemia: a rare cause of neck mass, evaluation of 33 patients.

The objective of the study is to report 33 cases presenting with neck masses later diagnosed with tularemia and to raise attention to this rare zoonotic infection. A retrospective analysis of 33 patients, who were diagnosed with tularemia and treated at Erciyes University Department of Otorhinolaryngology between January 2010 and December 2010 was conducted. In conclusion, because tularemia is a rare infection, its diagnosis is frequently delayed and the symptoms of the patients may last for months without any appropriate treatment. The diagnosis of tularemia rests on clinical suspicion. For the patients, who carry risk factors for tularemia and having cervical lymphadenopathies with or without oropharyngeal symptoms and who do not response to treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics, tularemia must be kept in mind.