Differences in the suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emissions by contralateral white noise between patients with acute or chronic tinnitus

Objective: The mechanisms underlying the shift from acute tinnitus to chronic remain obscure. An association between tinnitus and medial olivocochlear bundle (MOCB) reflex dysfunction has been hypothesised by several studies. The differences between participants with acute and chronic tinnitus have not yet been investigated. Design: Participants were examined with distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) suppression elicited by contralateral white noise. They were compared in terms of frequency regions with non-recordable DPOAEs, suppression amplitudes and the presence of DPOAE enhancement. Study sample: Eighteen participants with acute tinnitus, 40 age-matched adults with chronic tinnitus and 17 controls were included. All participants (aged 34.7 ± 9.6years; mean ± Standard deviation) had normal hearing. Tinnitus was bilateral in 22 participants and unilateral in 36. Results: Ears with chronic tinnitus presented significantly lower DPOAE suppression amplitudes than ears with acute tinnitus (p < 0.0001). Both acute and chronic tinnitus ears present a high prevalence of enhancement, significantly different from controls (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0002, respectively). Non-recordable DPOAEs were significantly more frequent in the chronic than in the acute tinnitus and control groups (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The differences between study groups indicate that when tinnitus becomes chronic, DPOAEs suppression presents changes that might reveal corresponding steps in tinnitus pathophysiology. Treatment implications are discussed. © 2017 British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society

Allergic rhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) in Greece: Integrated care pathways for predictive medicine across the life cycle

© Athens Medical Society. Allergic rhinitis is a serious global health problem which affects approximately 10–20% of the European population. In 1999, during a workshop of WHO, the project Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) was developed. Its objective was to propose a new classification of allergic rhinitis according to the severity and the duration of the symptoms, to promote the idea of multimorbidity of allergic rhinitis and asthma, and to create guidelines for global use, with the help of local stakeholders and experts from all the countries involved. The focus of ARIA during recent years has been the use of new technologies for individualized medical care and prevention. The MASK instrument uses smartphone technology to create care pathways for controlling rhinitis, for both multidisciplinary care teams and the patients themselves. Using a mobile app (Allergy Diary), a patient can assess symptoms, control and productivity using a visual analog scale, which is connected with a clinical decision support system. The information is sent to an interoperable tablet where healthcare professionals can be informed about the patient’s rhinitis management. As the European population is ageing, the novel approach of ARIA aims to provide active and healthy ageing in order to improve the quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis. In Greece, ARIA has been implemented since the early 2000s. In 2017 a new ARIA implementation group was established, consisting of a large number of health care professionals from both Greece and Cyprus. The MASK Allergy Diary has been translated into Greek and is currently being used in clinical practice and research protocols with great enthusiasm. In order to rectify the lack of recent studies on the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis in Greece, MASK will be the instrument which, in combination with aerobiological studies, will form the basis for reporting allergic rhinitis activity around the country.status: publishe

Η αλλεργική ρινίτιδα και η επίδρασή της στο άσθμα (ARIA) στην Ελλάδα Σχέδιο ολοκληρωμένης φροντίδας για την εφαρμογή προγνωστικής Ιατρικής καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια της ζωής

Allergic rhinitis is a serious global health problem which affects approximately 10-20% of the European population. In 1999, during a workshop of WHO, the project Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) was developed. Its objective was to propose a new classification of allergic rhinitis according to the severity and the duration of the symptoms, to promote the idea of multimorbidity of allergic rhinitis and asthma, and to create guidelines for global use, with the help of local stakeholders and experts from all the countries involved. The focus of ARIA during recent years has been the use of new technologies for individualized medical care and prevention. The MASK instrument uses smartphone technology to create care pathways for controlling rhinitis, for both multidisciplinary care teams and the patients themselves. Using a mobile app (Allergy Diary), a patient can assess symptoms, control and productivity using a visual analog scale, which is connected with a clinical decision support system.The information is sent to an interoperable tablet where healthcare professionals can be informed about the patient's rhinitis management. As the European population is ageing, the novel approach of ARIA aims to provide active and healthy ageing in order to improve the quality of life of patients with allergic rhinitis. In Greece, ARIA has been implemented since the early 2000s. In 2017 a new ARIA implementation group was established, consisting of a large number of health care professionals from both Greece and Cyprus. The MASK Allergy Diary has been translated into Greek and is currently being used in clinical practice and research protocols with great enthusiasm. In order to rectify the lack of recent studies on the epidemiology of allergic rhinitis in Greece, MASK will be the instrument which, in combination with aerobiological studies, will form the basis for reporting allergic rhinitis activity around the country