Conservative Management of Post-Operative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak following Skull Base Surgery: A Pilot Study

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Conservative Management of Post-Operative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak following Skull Base Surgery: A Pilot Study Via leak of cerebrospinal fluid Brain Sci. 2022 Jan 24;12(2):152. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12020152. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIMS: Iatrogenic CSF leaks after endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery remain a challenging entity to manage, typically treated with CSF diversion via lumbar drainage. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of high-volume lumbar puncture (LP) and acetazolamide therapy to manage iatrogenic CSF leaks. METHODS: We performed a prospective pilot study of four patients who developed iatrogenic postoperative CSF leaks after transsphenoidal surgery and analyzed their response to treatment with concomitant high-volume lumbar puncture followed by acetazolamide therapy for 10 days. Data collected included demographics, intra-operative findings, including methodology of skull base repair and type of CSF leak, time to presentation with CSF leak, complications associated with high-volume LP and acetazolamide treatment, and length of follow-up. < p>RESULTS: Mean patient age was 44.28 years, with an average BMI of 27.4. Mean time from surgery to onset of CSF leak was 7.71 days. All four patients had resolution of their CSF leak at two- and four-week follow-up. Mean overall follow-up time was 179 days, with a 100% CSF leak cure rate at the last clinic visit. No patient suffered perioperative complications or complications secondary to treatment. CONCLUSION: Although our pilot case series is small, we demonstrate that a high-volume LP, followed by acetazolamide therapy for 10 days, can be considered in the management of post-operative CSF leaks. PMID:35203915 | DOI:10.3390/brainsci12020152 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index in the Italian population Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Feb 24. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07311-z. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: Loss of smell decreases the quality of life and contributes to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in daily life, it is important to recognize an undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown due to a lack of epidemiological studies. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in a sample of Italian adults. METHODS: Six hundred and thirty-three participants (347 woman and 286 men; mean age 44.9 years, SD 17.3, age range 18-86) were recruited from 10 distinct Italian regions. Participants were recruited using a convenience sapling and were divided into six different age groups: 18-29 years (N = 157), 30-39 years (N = 129), 40-49 year s (N = 99), 50-59 years (N = 106), > 60 years (N = 142). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve, and depression were assessed, respectively, with: Sniffin' Sticks 16-item Odor Identification Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, socio-demographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information were collected. RESULTS: About 27% of participants showed an odor identification score < 12 indicating hyposmia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that OI was significantly correlated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve index, and young women with high cognitive reserve index showing the highest olfactory scores. CONCLUSION: This study provides data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in different Italian regions. PMID:35211821 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07311-z View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Association between Thyroid Cancer and Breast Cancer: Two Longitudinal Follow-Up Studies Using a National Health Screening Cohort

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Association between Thyroid Cancer and Breast Cancer: Two Longitudinal Follow-Up Studies Using a National Health Screening Cohort Via radioactive iodine J Pers Med. 2022 Jan 20;12(2):133. doi: 10.3390/jpm12020133. ABSTRACT Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between thyroid cancer and breast cancer. Methods: Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort were collected from 2002 to 2013. In study I, 3949 thyroid cancer participants were 1:4 matched with 15,796 control I participants, and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer were evaluated using a stratified Cox proportional hazard model. In study II, 3308 breast cancer participants were 1:4 matched with 13,232 control II participants, and HRs with 95% CIs for thyroid cancer were assessed in the same way as in study I. In the subgroup analyses, associations were analyzed according to radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment and age (<60 years old and ≥60 years old). Results: The adjusted HR for breast cancer in the thyroid cancer group was 1.64 (95% CI = 1.13-2.39, p = 0.010). The adjusted HR for thyroid cancer in the breast cancer group was 1.91 (95% CI = 1.47-2.49, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analyses, the groups that were older and not treated with RAI treatment showed consistent results in study I, and the younger and older groups showed consistent results in study II. Conclusions: Based on this cohort study, breast and thyroid cancer have a reciprocal positive association. PMID:35207622 | DOI:10.3390/jpm12020133 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Precise fabrication of porous polymer frameworks using rigid polyisocyanides as building blocks: from structural regulation to efficient iodine capture

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Precise fabrication of porous polymer frameworks using rigid polyisocyanides as building blocks: from structural regulation to efficient iodine capture Via radioactive iodine Chem Sci. 2022 Jan 12;13(4):1111-1118. doi: 10.1039/d1sc05361b. eCollection 2022 Jan 26. ABSTRACT Porous materials have recently attracted much attention owing to their fascinating structures and broad applications. Moreover, exploring novel porous polymers affording the efficient capture of iodine is of significant interest. In contrast to the reported porous polymers fabricated with small molecular blocks, we herein report the preparation of porous polymer frameworks using rigid polyisocyanides as building blocks. First, tetrahedral four-arm star polyisocyanides with predictable molecular weight and low dispersity were synthesized; the chain-ends of the rigid polyisocyanide blocks were then crosslinked, yielding well-defined porous organic frameworks with a designed pore size and narrow distribution. Polymers of appropriate pore size were observed to efficiently capture radioactive iodine in both aqueous and vapor phases. More than 98% of iodine could be captured within 1 minute from a saturated aqueous solution (capacity of up to 3.2 g g-1), and an adsorption capacity of up to 574 wt% of iodine in vapor was measured within 4 hours. Moreover, the polymers could be recovered and recycled for iodine capture for at least six times, while maintaining high performance. PMID:35211277 | PMC:PMC8790772 | DOI:10.1039/d1sc05361b View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

L-Thyroxine Improves Vestibular Compensation in a Rat Model of Acute Peripheral Vestibulopathy: Cellular and Behavioral Aspects

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader L-Thyroxine Improves Vestibular Compensation in a Rat Model of Acute Peripheral Vestibulopathy: Cellular and Behavioral Aspects Via Laryngologie Cells. 2022 Feb 16;11(4):684. doi: 10.3390/cells11040684. ABSTRACT Unilateral vestibular lesions induce a vestibular syndrome, which recovers over time due to vestibular compensation. The therapeutic effect of L-Thyroxine (L-T4) on vestibular compensation was investigated by behavioral testing and immunohistochemical analysis in a rat model of unilateral vestibular neurectomy (UVN). We demonstrated that a short-term L-T4 treatment reduced the vestibular syndrome and significantly promoted vestibular compensation. Thyroid hormone receptors (TRα and TRβ) and type II iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO2) were present in the vestibular nuclei (VN), supporting a local action of L-T4. We confirmed the T4-induced metabolic effects by demonstrating an increase in the number of cytochrome oxidase-labeled neurons in the VN three days after the lesion. L-T4 treatment modulated glial reaction by decreasing both microglia and oligodendrocytes in the deafferen ted VN three days after UVN and increased cell proliferation. Survival of newly generated cells in the deafferented vestibular nuclei was not affected, but microglial rather than neuronal differentiation was favored by L-T4 treatment. PMID:35203333 | DOI:10.3390/cells11040684 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Molecular aetiology of ski-slope hearing loss and audiological course of cochlear implantees

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Molecular aetiology of ski-slope hearing loss and audiological course of cochlear implantees Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07317-7. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: A challenge for patients with ski-slope hearing loss is that hearing aids do not adequately amplify the mid-to-high frequencies necessary for speech perception and conversely, cochlear implant (CI) may damage low-frequency hearing. We aimed to describe the clinical profile of patients with ski-slope hearing loss, with a special focus on aetiology of such hearing loss and audiological course of low-frequency hearing after CI. METHODS: We recruited hearing-impaired patients who visited a tertiary referral centre and met the criteria for ski-slope hearing loss patients from 2015 to 2021. Genetic testing was performed in all ski-slope hearing loss patients unless refused. Baseline audiograms of patients who continued to use hearing aids or who finally underwent CIs were reviewed. As for CI patients, outcome and hearing pr eservation rate were rigorously analysed. RESULTS: Of 46 recruited patients with ski-slope hearing loss, 45 agreed to undergo genetic testing and causative variants were identified in 17 (37.8%) patients. The TMC1, MYO7A, and TMPRSS3 variants were the most common, while LRTOMT was newly identified as a causative gene. Twenty-five patients eventually received CI, while 13 continued to wear the hearing aid and 8 patients did not ever try hearing aids. CI in ski-slope hearing loss led to immediate and sufficient improvement of sentence recognition by as early as 3 months, however, the duration of hearing loss was inversely correlated with the sentence recognition score. The average hearing preservation rate (using the HEARRING classification) after CI was 53.0% (SD 30.0) and 45.6% (SD 31.1) at 1 year. Seventy-nine percent of implantees maintained functional low-frequency hearing (better than 85 dB at 250 and 500 Hz) eligible for electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS). A trend was fo und that patients with hair cell stereocilia-associated genetic variants may have a slightly better preservation, albeit with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Detection rate of a molecular genetic aetiology of ski-slope hearing loss appears to be lower than other type of hearing loss reported in the literature. Especially with short hearing loss duration, CI in ski-slope hearing loss leads to immediate and sufficient speech improvement, while preserving functional low-frequency hearing eligible for EAS as many as in 79%. A certain genetic aetiology might be associated with a trend towards better low-frequency hearing preservation. PMID:35212774 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07317-7 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Computed tomography-based radiomics signature as a pretreatment predictor of progression-free survival in locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma with a different response to induction chemotherapy

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Computed tomography-based radiomics signature as a pretreatment predictor of progression-free survival in locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma with a different response to induction chemotherapy Via http://link.springer.com/journal/405,European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology,The European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07306-w. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To establish and validate a radiomics signature for stratifying the risk of progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma (LAHC) undergoing induction chemotherapy (IC). METHODS: We extracted radiomics features from baseline contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) images. We enrolled 112 LAHC patients (78 in the training cohort and 34 in the validation cohort). We used cox regression model and random survival forests variable hunting (RSFVH) algorithm for feature selection and radiomics signature building. The radiomics signature was established in the training cohort and tested in the validation cohort. We used the Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test to evaluate the ability of radiomics signature in PFS risk stratification among patients with different IC responses and constructed a radiomics nomogram to predict individual PFS risk. RESULTS: The radiomics signature performed well in stratifying patients into highrisk and low-risk groups of progression in both the training and validation cohorts. The radiomics nomogram showed good discriminative ability for predicting PFS. Survival outcome analysis of subsets indicated that the radiomics signature performed well in stratifying the risk of PFS in patients with LAHC with different IC responses. CONCLUSIONS: The radiomics signature was a pretreatment predictor for PFS in patients with LAHC who exhibited different responses to IC. PMID:35212776 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07306-w View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

PET/CT versus triple endoscopy in initial workup of HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader PET/CT versus triple endoscopy in initial workup of HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma Via Head & Neck Abstract Background Synchronous primary tumors (SPTs) are detected via triple endoscopy or positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OPSCC) lack risk factors for SPTs. Methods We performed a single institution retrospective review of the efficacy of triple endoscopy and PET/CT in HPV+ OPSCC patients. Results Sixty-five HPV+ OPSCC patients underwent triple endoscopy and PET/CT. Patients were white (n = 48, 72.7%), male (n = 53, 81.5%), mean 58.7 ± 8.1 years old. SPT was detected in 1 (1.5%) patient via PET/CT. No SPTs were detected on triple endoscopy. PET/CT had 100% and 95.3% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. PET/CT positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 25.0% and 100%, respectively. Triple endoscopy specificity and NPV was 90.2% and 93.2%, respectively. Conclusions PET/CT is superior to triple endoscopy in ruling out SPTs. With negative PET/CT, only direct laryngoscopy with biopsy may be necessary. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A nomogram based on tumor response to induction chemotherapy may predict survival in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader A nomogram based on tumor response to induction chemotherapy may predict survival in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma Via Head & Neck Abstract Background To evaluate the clinical significance of tumor response to induction chemotherapy (IC) in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC) patients and further to develop a nomogram for predicting survival prognosis. Methods A total of 498 patients with stage III-IVA NPC applying IC and concurrent chemotherapy were reviewed (training cohort, n = 376; validation cohort, n = 122). Results Tumor response was an independent predictor for clinical outcomes. The nomogram included age, N stage, pretreatment Epstein–Barr virus DNA, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, and tumor response achieved an ideal C-index of 0.703 (95% CI 0.655–0.751) in the validation cohort for predicting overall survival (OS), which outperformed than that of the TNM system alone (C-index, 0.670, 95% CI: 0.622–0.718). In addition, the nomogram could successfully classified patients into different risk groups. Conclusions We established and validated a precise and convenient nomogram based on tumor response for predicting the OS of LANPC patients. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Wound infection: A review of qualitative and quantitative assessment modalities

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Wound infection: A review of qualitative and quantitative assessment modalities Via Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2021 Nov 27:S1748-6815(21)00605-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2021.11.060. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Surgical site infections (SSI) and chronic wounds represent a burden to patients and the health care system. One in 24 surgical patients will develop an SSI, making SSI the most common nosocomial infection in the USA. Early detection and monitoring of wound infection are critical for timely healing and return to normal function. However, the mainstay of wound infection diagnostic entails subjective clinical examination and semi-quantitative, invasive microbiological tests. In this review, we present current wound infection assessment modalities in the clinical and translational fields. There is a need for a point-of-care assessment tool that provides fast, accurate, and quantitative information on wound status, with minimal to no contact with the patient. In the next ten years, the evolution of wound diagno stic tools reported here may allow medical providers to optimize patient care while minimizing patient discomfort. PMID:35216936 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2021.11.060 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Possible Rehabilitation Procedures to Treat Sarcopenic Dysphagia

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Possible Rehabilitation Procedures to Treat Sarcopenic Dysphagia Via swallowing exercises Nutrients. 2022 Feb 12;14(4):778. doi: 10.3390/nu14040778. ABSTRACT Sarcopenic dysphagia requires the presence of both dysphagia and generalized sarcopenia. The causes of dysphagia, except for sarcopenia, are excluded. The treatment for sarcopenic dysphagia includes resistance training along with nutritional support; however, whether rehabilitation procedures are useful remains unclear. In this narrative review, we present possible rehabilitation procedures as a resistance training for managing sarcopenic dysphagia, including Shaker exercise, Mendelsohn maneuver, tongue-hold swallow exercise, jaw-opening exercise, swallow resistance exercise, lingual exercise, expiratory muscle strength training, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation. We hope that some procedures mentioned in this article or new methods will be effective to treat sarcopenic dysphagia. PMID:35215427 | DOI:10.3390/nu14040778 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.