A prognostic marker in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss serum calprotectin

Objectives. Calprotectin, a protein released by neutrophils, has been used in many studies as a biomarker showing the presence of inflammation. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between serum calprotectin level and response to the treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL). Methods. The present study is a prospective, cross-sectional historical cohort study.The study group consisted of 44 patients with ISSHL, and the control group consisted of 41 healthy volunteers without ear pathology. At the same time, patients in the study group were divided into three groups according to the response to ISSHL treatment (recovered, partially recovered, unrecovered). The relationship between the groups was statistically evaluated in terms of serum calprotectin levels. Results. The mean serum calprotectin value was 75.67 +/- 19.48 ng/mL in the study group and 50.24 +/- 29.14 ng/mL in the control group (P=0.001). Serum calprotectin value according to the severity of hearing loss in the mild, moderate and severe was 66.20 +/- 8.82, 70.35 +/- 16.77, and 91.23 +/- 1.9.73 ng/mL, respectively. Serum calprotectin value in the severe group was significantly higher compared to the moderate and mild groups (P=0.004, P=0.001, respectively). Serum calprotectin value according to the treatment response in the recovered, partially recovered and unrecovered groups was 63.36 +/- 11.54, 80.17 +/- 12.06, and 85.33 +/- 22.33 ng/mL, respectively. Serum calprotectin value in the recovered group was significantly lower compared to the partially recovered and unrecovered groups (P=0.002, P= 0.001, respectively). Conclusion. Serum calprotectin value informs the clinician about both the severity of hearing loss and the response to treatment. Hence, serum calprotectin can be used as an important biomarker in ISSHL patients for the determination of the prognosis of disease

Serum Oxidative Stress Levels in Patients with Nasal Septal Deviation

Objective:Comparison of the total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and paraoxonase (PON1) serum levels in patients with nasal septum deviation (NSD) and healthy subjects.Methods:The TAS, TOS, and PON1 serum levels of 47 patients with NSD (mean age 35.3) and 50 healthy subjects (mean age 37.8) were compared in this study.Results:We found significantly higher TAS levels in the control group (p<0.001). The mean TAS value was 1.196 mmoL/L in the control group, whereas it was 1.046 mmoL/L in the NSD group. On the other hand, TOS was significantly higher in the NSD group (p<0.001). We found that the mean TOS value was 6.600 mmoL/L in the control group, and 20.194 mmoL/L in the NSD group. The NSD and control groups had similar PON1 levels (p=0.446). The mean PON1 value was 279.64 U/L in the control group, and 324.21 U/L in the NSD group.Conclusion:We detected higher TOS and lower TAS levels in patients with NSD compared to healthy subjects. These results indicate that patients with NSD are exposed to oxidative stress

Efficiency of Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Objective:Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by recurrent episodes of upper respiratory- tract obstruction during sleep and decrease in arterial oxygen saturation. Expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (ESP) is a simple, safe, and effective method for the surgical treatment of OSAS. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of ESP with polysomnography (PSG) in OSAS patients.Methods:This study was conducted on patients referred to our center for the treatment of snoring, apnea, witnessed apnea, and daytime sleepiness during 2010- 2018. Overall, 67 patients (16 females, 51 males) who had PSG test at postoperative three months and were considered suitable with history, physical examination, and surgery after PSG were included in the study. Patients were classified into three groups according to OSAS severity: mild, moderate, and severe. Patient age, sex, body mass index (BMI), pre- and postoperative period apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), Epworth sleepiness scores, and PSG data were recorded.Results:The mean BMI of all groups was 27.44±2.73. The postoperative AHI decreased from 18.26±2.23 to 8.01±0.97 (p<0.001). Surgical success rate was 67.2%; it was higher in females (p=0.047). The highest success rate was found in the mild OSAS group; however, this difference was not statistically significant when compared to the other groups (p=0.217). There were statistically significant improvement at postoperative Epworth sleepiness scores and minimum O2 saturations (p<0.001 and p=0.018, respectively).Conclusion:ESP is an effective and successful surgery in selected patients with lateral pharyngeal and retropalatal narrowing

A Rare Complication of Chronic Otitis Media: Cerebellar Abscess

Chronic otitis media (COM) and its associated complications are currently less common because of the popularity of imaging modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and the increased use of antibiotics. Patients can be treated without any complications owing to early diagnosis. Despite all these new developments and opportunities, complications of autogenous cerebellar abscess may develop and be fatal. In this case report, we present our own clinical experience regarding a patient with cerebellar abscess as a complication of COM

Does the Change in the Indications of Endoscopic Sinonasal Surgery Continue? Data between 1994-2018

Objective: Endoscopic sinonasal surgery (ESS) has changing over the years in parallel with the developments in endoscopy devices, video-imaging techniques, and surgical instruments. In the present study we investigated whether the indications of patients who underwent surgery over a period of 25 years have accommodated to these changes.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 1173 patients who underwent surgery in our clinic from 1994 through 2007, and 954 patients who underwent surgery from 2008 through 2018. The patients were divided into three groups as follows: chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps (CRSwNP), chronic rhinosinusitis without polyps (CRSsNP), and others. The changes in the indications during the first 14 years and the following 11 years were compared, and the results were statistically evaluated.Results: A significant decrease was observed in the number of patients who underwent surgery following the diagnosis of CRSsNP (p<0.001). In addition, a statistically significant increase was found in CRSwNP (p<0.001) and other (p<0.001) indications.Conclusion: When ESS indications identified in our clinic were reviewed, it was observed that the increasing trend in CRSwNP rate in the first 14 years continued, there was a significant increase in non-CRS indications in the last 11 years, and there has been an increase in patients with fungal sinusitis, especially in this group

Predicting Severe Sleep Apnea in Patients with Complaints: Pulse Oximetry and Body Mass Index

Objective:An adequate evaluation combined with an easily accessible test would be a useful way to direct the appropriate patients to sleep centers in circumstances with a limited opportunity for polysomnography (PSG). For this reason, it is necessary to use a screening method prior to PSG evaluation. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the use of body mass index (BMI) and pulse oximetry is sufficient to predict the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) without PSG.Methods:A total of 956 patients who were admitted to a tertiary referral center with complaints of witnessed apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, and previously performed PSG were included in the study. Data of PSG (included pulse oximetry) and BMI were investigated for the determination of cut-off points for parameters in the patients.Results:Based on the presence of severe OSAS, the cut-off points were ≥31.7 kg/m2 for BMI, <81% for minimum oxygen saturation (Min O2), and ≥14.1 min for sleep time with oxygen saturation <90% (ST90). Severe OSAS risk was found to be higher in patients with BMI ≥31.7 kg/m2, ST90 ≥14.1 min, and Min O2 ≤81% than in those without (OR: 37.173; 95% CI: 22.465–61.510, p=0.001). Specificity and accuracy were 94.85% and 72.49%, respectively, when all three cut-off scores were provided.Conclusion:The appropriate cut-off values obtained from combining BMI and pulse oximetry data can provide accurate results for predicting the severity of OSAS

İlk diyaliz makinesini Türkiye’ye getiriliş süreci

Ankara : İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent Üniversitesi İktisadi, İdari ve Sosyal Bilimler Fakültesi, Tarih Bölümü, 2014.This work is a student project of the The Department of History, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University.by Çolak, Ayşegül Doğan