Inner Ear Malformations in Congenital Deafness Are Not Associated with Increased Risk of Breech Presentation

Background: There is speculation that an immature vestibular system may be associated with breech presentation at delivery. Our aim was to determine whether syndromes with congenital inner ear malformations were accompanied by a higher frequency of breech presentation/malpresentations than in the general population (2%−3%). Methods: A review was conducted for published literature using PubMed/MEDLINE (1936–2016), to determine frequency of breech presentation and transverse lie in cases with congenital deafness (Michel aplasia, Wildervanck syndrome, Mondini-Alexander dysplasia, Waardenburg syndrome, CHARGE syndrome, Large vestibular aqueductal syndrome, Pendred syndrome, Oculo-aurico-vertebral spectrum, Jervel and Lange-Nielsen syndrome, Usher syndrome, and Scheibe dysplasia) and vestibular nerve aplasia. Results: Identified were total of 122 cases. The frequency of breech presentation was 1.64%, and of transverse lie 1.64%, giving a total of 3.28% malpresentations. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that congenital malformations of the vestibular apparatus are not associated with the increased risk of breech presentation at delivery

Evaluation of serum ischaemia-modified albumin levels in patients with Bell's palsy

Objective This prospective study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum ischaemia-modified albumin levels and Bell's palsy severity. Methods The study included 30 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy and 30 healthy individuals. The patients were separated into three disease severity groups (grades 2, 3 and 4) according to House-Brackmann classification. Blood samples were collected from all participants and the results compared between groups. Results Significant differences in serum ischaemia-modified albumin were found between the study and control groups (p < 0.001); values were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. Conclusion The significantly higher levels of serum ischaemia-modified albumin in the study group suggest that Bell's palsy pathogenesis is associated with oxidative stress.WOS:0004863238000132-s2.0-85071190329PubMed: 3143459

Does the radioactive iodine dose affect smell, taste sensation and nose function?

Objective To detect whether the adverse effects of post-operative radioactive iodine therapy following differentiated thyroid cancer on smell, taste and nasal functions were associated with radioactive iodine dose. Methods Fifty-one patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy because of differentiated thyroid cancer were divided into two groups depending on the post-operative radioactive iodine therapy dose: low dose group (50 mCi; 21 patients) and high dose group (100-150 mCi; 30 patients). The Sniffin' Sticks smell test, the Taste Strips test and the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test were performed on all patients one week before therapy, and at two months and one year following therapy. Results Statistically significant differences were detected in the Sniffin' Sticks test results, total odour scores, total taste scores and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test results between the assessment time points. There was no statistically significant difference between the low and high dose groups in terms of odour, taste or Sino-Nasal Outcome Test scores either before or after therapy. Conclusion Radioactive iodine therapy has some short-and long-term adverse effects on nasal functions and taste and odour sensations, which affect quality of life. These effects are not dose-dependent