Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission During Flexible Laryngoscopy: A Systematic Review.

IMPORTANCE: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reportedly infected otolaryngologists disproportionately in the early parts of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Recommendations from national and international health organizations suggest minimizing the use of flexible laryngoscopy as a result. OBJECTIVE: To review evidence on the risks of aerosolization and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from patients to health care personnel during endoscopy of the upper aerodigestive tract. EVIDENCE REVIEW: A comprehensive review of literature was performed on April 19, 2020, using the PubMed/MEDLINE (1966-April 2020), Embase (1975-April 2020), and Web of Science (1900-April 2020) databases. All English-language primary research studies were included if they assessed the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV-1 during procedures in the upper aerodigestive tract. The primary outcome measure was disease transmission among health care workers. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used for accuracy of reporting. FINDINGS: The queries for SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 identified 6 articles for systematic review. No studies included in this review provided data for SARS-CoV-2 transmission during flexible laryngoscopy. A total of 204 of 1264 health care workers (16.1%) had procedure-specific infections of SARS-CoV-1 or SARS-CoV-2. Among those, 53 of 221 (24.0%) were exposed during intubation, 1 of 15 (6.7%) during bronchoscopy, and 1 of 1 (100%) during endoscopy-assisted intubation. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A substantial lack of research precludes formal conclusions about the safety of flexible laryngoscopy and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from patients to health care workers. The use of appropriate precautionary measures and personal protective equipment appears to reduce the risk of transmission. Given the uncertainty in transmission and the known benefits of safety precautions, upper airway endoscopy may be reasonable to perform if precautionary steps are taken

Corticosteroid utilization among otolaryngologists for the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections.

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of knowledge and practice variations on prescribing patterns of systemic corticosteroids (SC) for acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional evaluation of practicing otolaryngologists in the United States through the use of a 16-question Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice survey. The survey was self-administered through email delivery to practicing members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. RESULTS: Of 349 respondents, the majority were attending physicians in private practice and used SC 25% to 50% of the time. There was a higher rate of SC use by clinicians in the Southeast United States (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.10; 95% confidence intervals [95% CI], 1.18-3.72) and by those in private practice (aOR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.63-4.37). Levels of SC knowledge did not vary across respondents; however, knowledge was associated with increased use of SC. Only 62.8% of respondents answered all 4 Knowledge questions correctly and this was associated with a 3.5-fold decrease in SC use (aOR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.19-0.44). Attitudes toward SC use reflected prescribing practices and were also linked to levels of knowledge, as respondents with less knowledge were more likely to have a favorable outlook toward use of SC. CONCLUSION: Use of SC for treatment of acute URTI is associated with clinician demographics and knowledge. Otolaryngologists are more likely to use SC for acute URTI in the Southeast United States and in private practice. Knowledge and provider education are key factors in prescribing patterns

Combat zone exposure and respiratory tract disease.

BACKGROUND: The impact of deployment to combat zones on the respiratory and sinonasal health of U.S. soldiers is an emerging public health concern. Retrospective studies have shown a correlation between deployment and development of post-deployment pathology, particularly of the aerodigestive system. Respiratory disease, including sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma, are commonly reported in soldiers deployed to the Middle East and Southwest Asia. METHODS: Current literature pertaining to combat zone exposure and development of respiratory disease was retrieved using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. RESULTS: Several types of combat zone exposures exist that may play an influential role in the development of upper and lower respiratory tract diseases. Exposures including foreign dusts, harsh environments, particulate size, and close living quarters may play a causative role. The effect of combat zone exposures has been better examined for lower respiratory tract diseases; however, with the theory of the unified airway, the upper respiratory tract may also be involved. There is evidence that the upper respiratory tract is susceptible, with an increased risk for development of sinusitis and sinonasal disease; however, the quality of evidence of the present literature is generally low. CONCLUSION: More research is necessary to determine a pathophysiologic mechanism between combat zone exposure and the development of sinonasal disease. Practicing otolaryngologists should be aware of the possibility of combat zone exposures that could contribute to rhinologic symptomatology

Knowledge Gaps among Patients and Providers in HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the level of knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) among the general population and health care providers. DATA SOURCES: Systematic search was performed on December 20, 2018, using MEDLINE (1966 to December 2018), EMBASE (1975 to December 2018), Web of Science (1900 to December 2018), and CENTRAL (1996 to December 2018) databases. English-language literature involving human subjects was used, and studies were limited to case series, case-control, cohort, and randomized controlled trial designs. REVIEW METHODS: Studies were included if they assessed knowledge of HPV and HPV-associated OPSCC. The primary outcome measure was the knowledge of HPV-associated OPSCC among the general population and with health care providers. Meta-analysis of proportions was attempted using random-effects model. The PRISMA guidelines were used for accuracy of reporting. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies were included with 17,288 participants. There was a high degree of heterogeneity preventing completion of a meta-analysis. Knowledge of HPV and HPV-associated OPSCC varied between the general population and health care providers. The proportion of the general population and health care providers with knowledge of HPV ranged from 16% to 75% and 21% to 84%, respectively. Knowledge of HPV-associated OPSCC was greater in health care providers and ranged from 22% to 100% compared with the general population, which ranged from 7% to 57%. CONCLUSION: There is a knowledge gap of HPV-associated OPSCC for both the general population and health care providers. Additional education may not only increase awareness but may also result in prevention and earlier detection

Association of a standardized measure of nasopharyngeal inflammation with Eustachian tube dysfunction questionnaire score.

BACKGROUND: Standardized diagnostic criteria for Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction (ETD) have not been established. The purpose of this study was to characterize the relationship between ET inflammation and ETD symptoms and to determine the diagnostic performance of a quantitative score. METHODS: Patients were enrolled in a rhinology clinic between October 2018 and June 2019. Patients underwent nasal endoscopy and completed the 7-item Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7). Nasopharyngeal inflammation identified on endoscopy was quantified using the Endoscopic Evaluation of the Eustachian Tube (3ET) score. Tympanometry was performed as indicated. Comorbid conditions were assigned during the patient encounter. RESULTS: A total of 414 patients were included in the study. Patients with clinically significant ETD symptoms (ETDQ-7 ≥2.1) had higher 3ET scores than those without symptoms. A 1-point increase in 3ET score was associated with a 1.7-fold increase in odds of clinically significant ETD symptoms (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.46 to 2.05). The 3ET scores were correlated with ETDQ-7 scores (ρ = 0.54) and 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores (ρ = 0.52). 3ET scores were not associated with tympanometric peak pressures. Patients with ETD symptoms were more likely to have laryngopharyngeal reflux (aOR, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.24 to 6.18). A 3ET score of 4 predicted symptomatic state in 80% of cases with a specificity of 97.8% and positive predictive value of 96.6%. CONCLUSION: Inflammatory findings at the nasopharyngeal ET orifice are associated with clinically significant ETD symptoms. The 3ET score is specific for a symptomatic state and has potential clinical utility in the evaluation of suspected ETD. ©2021 ARSAAOA, LLC

Intramuscular Corticosteroids for Acute Upper Respiratory Infections Affects Healthcare Utilization.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of intramuscular corticosteroid (IMCS) injections for treatment of acute upper respiratory infections (URI) and the influence on healthcare utilization. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used patient encounter data from a large multicenter regional health care system between 2013 and 2017. Adult patients diagnosed with acute URI (acute pharyngitis, acute sinusitis, acute otitis media, and URI not otherwise specified) during ambulatory encounters were included. Follow-up encounters for a diagnosis of acute URI within 60 days were identified and patient characteristics, encounter details, and procedure codes were retrieved. Frequency data was used to calculate IMCS injection administration prevalence, utilization trends, and associations with covariates. Follow-up data for return encounters within 60 days for the same diagnosis was examined. RESULTS: Of the 153 848 initial encounters, 34 600 (22.5%) patients received IMCS injection for acute URI. Injection rates varied from 0.85% to 49.1% depending on specialty and practitioner type. Internal medicine, family medicine, urgent care, and otorhinolaryngology clinics most commonly administered IMCS. 3788 patients returned for a second encounter of which 751 (19.8%) received an injection. IMCS injection during the first encounter was associated with increased odds of repeat visit within 60 days (OR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.61-1.88). CONCLUSION: IMCS use in the treatment of acute URI is highly prevalent despite lack of evidence for impact and safety. Prevalence is variable across multiple medical and surgical specialties including otorhinolaryngology. Administration of IMCS injection may contribute to the likelihood of a subsequent healthcare visit for the same indication

Differentiation of Clinical Patterns Associated With Rhinologic Disease.

BACKGROUND: Common rhinologic diagnoses have similar presentations with a varying degree of overlap. Patterns may exist within clinical data that can be useful for early diagnosis and predicting outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of artificial intelligence to differentiate patterns in patient data in order to develop clinically-meaningful diagnostic groups. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of prospectively-acquired patient data at a tertiary rhinology clinic was performed. Data extracted included objective findings on nasal endoscopy, patient reported quality of life (PRQOL) instrument ratings, peripheral eosinophil fraction, and past medical history. Unsupervised non-hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to discover patterns in the data using 22 input variables. RESULTS: A total of 545 patients were analyzed after application of inclusion and exclusion criteria yielding 7 unique patient clusters, highly dependent on PRQOL scores and demographics. The clusters were clinically-relevant with distinct characteristics. Chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP) was associated with two clusters having low frequencies of asthma and low eosinophil fractions. Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) was associated with high frequency of asthma, mean (standard deviation [SD]) NOSE scores of 66 (19) and SNOT-22 scores of 41 (15), and high eosinophil fractions. AR was present in multiple clusters. RARS was associated with the youngest population with mean (SD) NOSE score of 54 (23) and SNOT-22 score of 41 (19). CONCLUSION: Broader consideration of initially available clinical data may improve diagnostic efficiency for rhinologic conditions without ancillary studies, using computer-driven algorithms. PRQOL scores and demographic information appeared to be useful adjuncts, with associations to diagnoses in this pilot study

Decreased Complications After Total Laryngectomy Using a Clinical Care Pathway.

Background: Complications following total laryngectomy can lead to increased hospital length of stay (LOS) and increased health care costs. Our objective was to determine the efficacy of a clinical care pathway for improving outcomes for patients following total laryngectomy. Methods: This quality improvement study included all adult patients undergoing total laryngectomy—either primary or salvage—at a tertiary referral center between January 2013 and December 2018. The primary outcome was hospital LOS measured in postoperative days. The total and specific postoperative complication frequencies were evaluated, as well as 30-day readmission rates and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS. Results: Sixty-three patients were included in the study: 29 (46.0%) patients before the pathway implementation and 34 (54.0%) patients after pathway implementation. Demographic characteristics between the groups were similar. The prepathway cohort had a higher rate of total complications compared to the postpathway group (relative risk=0.5; 95% CI 0.3-1.0), although the differences in individual complications were similar. The median LOS of 10 days was the same for the 2 cohorts. The median ICU LOS was 1 day greater in the postpathway cohort, but no difference was seen in rates of ICU readmission in the 2 groups. The 30-day readmission rate also was not significant between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Implementation of a postoperative order set pathway for patients undergoing laryngectomy is associated with decreased overall complication rates. Use of a clinical care pathway may improve outcomes in patients undergoing total laryngectomy