An atypical position of the foramen ovale

Visual inspection of a dry adult human skull revealed absence of a typical foramen ovale on the left side of the cranial base. The region of the foramen ovale was covered by an osseous lamina, which was continuous with the lateral pterygoid plate and thus formed a wall of an apparent canal, which opened on the lateral side of the pterygoid process. This canal is referred to as an oval canal (canalis ovalis), instead of the foramen ovale. It runs superiorly, medially from the infratemporal fossa, and opens into the middle cranial fossa. The altered osseous morphology of this basicranial region may affect the course of the neurovascular structures which pass through the foramen ovale. As a consequence, clinical symptoms could occur, including paresthesiae of the inner aspect of the cheek and compression and neuralgia of the mandibular nerve or its branches

Modulation of inflammatory and hemostatic markers in obstructive sleep apnea patients treated with mandibular advancement splints : a parallel, controlled trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with systemic inflammation and a hypercoagulable state. The current study aim was to investigate whether mandibular advancement splint (MAS) therapy affects inflammatory and hemostatic parameters in patients with mild-to-moderate OSA. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with mild-to-moderate OSA and 16 control subjects were studied. OSA subjects were treated with a titratable MAS for 6 months. Baseline plasma C-reactive protein, interleukin-1β, interleukin-10, interleukin-6, P-selectin, fibrinogen, D-dimer, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), thrombin-antithrombin complex, activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFIa), 6-keto-PGF1α, glucose, and fibrin clot lysis time (CLT) were measured in all subjects. After 3 months of MAS therapy, measurements were repeated for the 22 patients, and after 6 months all measurements were repeated for all study subjects. RESULTS: MAS treatment reduced significantly AHI at 3 months (24 vs 13.1/h) and further improved it at 6 months (13.1 vs 7.05/h). Compared with controls, OSA subjects had a significant higher baseline mean levels of fibrinogen, TAFIa, 6-keto-PGF1α, and glucose. MAS treatment significantly improved levels of IL-1β, D-dimer, TAFIa, and CLT. Despite residual apneas, MAS treatment group presented similar measured homeostatic and inflammatory levels to controls except for glucose. CONCLUSION: Treatment with MAS in mild-to-moderate OSA subjects improves the inflammatory profile and homeostatic markers. CITATION: Niżankowska-Jędrzejczyk A; Almeida FR; Lowe AA; Kania A; Nastałek P; Mejza F; Foley JH; Niżankowska-Mogilnicka E; Undas A. Modulation of inflammatory and hemostatic markers in obstructive sleep apnea patients treated with mandibular advancement splints: a parallel, controlled trial. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(3):255-262

Gaps in using bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and influenza vaccine among 23 high- and low-income sites

BACKGROUND: Increasing access to essential respiratory medicines and influenza vaccination has been a priority for over three decades. Their use remains low in low and middle income countries (LMICs) where little is known about factors influencing use, or about the use of influenza vaccination for preventing respiratory exacerbations. METHODS: We estimated rates of regular use of bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and influenza vaccine, and predictors for use among 19,000 adults from 23 high (HIC) and LMIC sites. FINDINGS: Bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and influenza vaccine were used significantly more in HIC than in LMICs after adjusting for similar clinical needs. Although used more commonly by people with symptomatic or severe respiratory disease, the gap between HIC and LMICs is not explained by prevalence of COPD or doctor-diagnosed asthma. Site-specific factors are likely to influence use differently. The gross national income per capita for the country is a strong predictor for use of these treatments, suggesting that economics influence under-treatment. CONCLUSION: A better understanding of determinants for low use of essential respiratory medicines and influenza vaccine in low income settings remains important. Identifying and addressing these more systematically could improve access and use of effective treatments

Hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - classification, diagnosis and management: Review of the EAACI/ENDA and GA2LEN/HANNA.

To cite this article: Kowalski ML, Makowska JS, Blanca M, Bavbek S, Bochenek G, Bousquet J, Bousquet P, Celik G, Demoly P, Gomes ER, Niżankowska-Mogilnicka E, Romano A, Sanchez-Borges M, Sanz M, Torres MJ, De Weck A, Szczeklik A, Brockow K. Hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - classification, diagnosis and management: Review of the EAACI/ENDA and GA2LEN/HANNA. Allergy 2011; 66: 818-829. ABSTRACT: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are responsible for 21-25% of reported adverse drug events which include immunological and nonimmunological hypersensitivity reactions. This study presents up-to-date information on pathomechanisms, clinical spectrum, diagnostic tools and management of hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs. Clinically, NSAID hypersensitivity is particularly manifested by bronchial asthma, rhinosinusitis, anaphylaxis or urticaria and variety of late cutaneous and organ-specific reactions. Diagnosis of hypersensitivity to a NSAID includes understanding of the underlying mechanism and is necessary for prevention and management. A stepwise approach to the diagnosis of hypersensitivity to NSAIDs is proposed, including clinical history, in vitro testing and/or provocation test with a culprit or alternative drug depending on the type of the reaction. The diagnostic process should result in providing the patient with written information both on forbidden and on alternative drugs

Detection of exacerbations in asthma based on electronic diary data: results from the 1-year prospective BIOAIR study.

Objective measures are required that may be used as a proxy for exacerbations in asthma. The aim was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of electronic diary data to detect severe exacerbations (SEs) of asthma. A secondary aim was to identify phenotypic variables associated with a higher risk of exacerbation. METHODS: In the BIOAIR study, 169 patients with asthma (93 severe (SA); 76 mild to moderate (MA)) recorded lung function, symptoms and medication use in electronic diaries for 1 year. Data were analysed using receiver-operator characteristics curves and related to physician-diagnosed exacerbations. Medical history and baseline clinical data were used to assess risk of exacerbation. RESULTS: Of 122 physician-diagnosed exacerbations, 104 occurred in the SA group (1.1 per patient/year), 18 in the MA group (0.2 per patient/year) and 63 were severe using American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society criteria. During exacerbations, peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s significantly decreased, whereas day and night symptoms significantly increased. An algorithm combining a 20% decrease in PEF or a 20% increase in day symptoms on 2 consecutive days was able to detect SEs with 65% sensitivity and 95% specificity. The strongest risk factors for SEs were low Asthma Control Questionnaire score, sputum eosinophils ≥ 3%, body mass index >25 and low quality of life (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire), with ORs between 3.61 and 2.22 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Regular electronic monitoring of PEF and asthma symptoms provides an acceptable sensitivity and specificity for the detection of SEs and may be suitable for personal internet-based monitoring of asthma control

Lung function fluctuation patterns unveil asthma and COPD phenotypes unrelated to type 2 inflammation

Background: In all chronic airway diseases, the dynamics of airway function are influenced by underlying airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness along with limitations in reversibility owing to airway and lung remodeling as well as mucous plugging. The relative contribution of each component translates into specific clinical patterns of symptoms, quality of life, exacerbation risk, and treatment success. Objective: We aimed to evaluate whether subgrouping of patients with obstructive airway diseases according to patterns of fluctuation in lung function allows identification of specific phenotypes with distinct clinical characteristics. Methods: We applied the novel method of fluctuation-based clustering (FBC) to twice-daily FEV1 measurements recorded over a 1-year period in a mixed group of 134 adults with mild-to-moderate asthma, severe asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from the European BIOAIR cohort. Results: Independently of clinical diagnosis, FBC divided patients into 4 fluctuation-based clusters with progressively increasing alterations in lung function that corresponded to patterns of increasing clinical severity, risk of exacerbation, and lower quality of life. Clusters of patients with airway disease with significantly elevated levels of biomarkers relating to remodeling (osteonectin) and cellular senescence (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1), accompanied by a loss of airway reversibility, pulmonary hyperinflation, and loss of diffusion capacity, were identified. The 4 clusters generated were stable over time and revealed no differences in levels of markers of type 2 inflammation (blood eosinophils and periostin). Conclusion: FBC-based phenotyping provides another level of information that is complementary to clinical diagnosis and unrelated to eosinophilic inflammation, which could identify patients who may benefit from specific treatment strategies or closer monitoring. © 202