Effects of a Mask on Breathing Impairment During a Fencing Assault: A Case Series Study

Background: Fencers often complain of progressive difficulty in breathing during matches, which is generally attributed to restricted air, light and heat circulation from wearing a mask. Physiologically, the nasal structure generates airflow resistance that can reach -50% of the total respiratory resistance. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the presence of nasal obstruction in fencers and the relationship with the use of mask. Materials and Methods: An observational study on 40 fencers (18 males, 22 females) was conducted. Fencers perform a usual assault, wearing the mask and standardized physical exercises (running, sprints and obstacles) without the mask. ENT examination with a nasal flexible fiberscope, Anterior Active Rhinomanometry (AAR) and Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow (PNIF) measurement before and after physical activity with or without the mask was recorded. Results: Before physical exercise, the total nasal airway resistance mean value for AAR was 0.33 ± 0.17 Pa/cm3/s at 150 Pa. After a match with the mask, the mean value was 0.28 ± 0.16 Pa/cm3/s. After normal physical exercises without mask, the mean value was 0.24 ± 0.15 Pa/cm3/s. Using t tests, statistically significant difference between nasal resistance before and after physical activity (P < 0.05) was observed, but no significant difference in nasal resistance between the basal value and that taken after a match wearing the masks (P = 0.1265). PNIF values significantly increase with exercise (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study shows that wearing the mask causes increased breathing impairment in fencers, when compared with similar physical activity without the mask

[Cyclic activity of the nasal mucosa: relationship between muco-ciliary transport and local production of secretory immunoglobulin].

The aim of the present work has been to study the existence, presumed on the basis of recollection, of a correlation between circadian changes in SIgA concentrations in nasal secretum and the M.C.T. rate throughout the day. In order to reconfirm previously obtained data, again in this case a fluctuation in SIgA concentration was studied, finding peak values at 4 a.m. and the lowest at 10 a.m. Circadian changes were also witnessed between M.C.T. times, thus making it possible to reveal further information regarding cyclic activity of the nasal mucosa. Comparison of these two parameters showed an inverse rate; in fact, when the SIgA concentration increases the muco-ciliary transport rate decreases and vice versa. In other words, the muco-ciliary transport time is more efficient when the production of secretory immunoglobulins by the nasal mucosa is lower, as though a temporary lack in nasal defense is made up for by simultaneous improvement of the other activity

Activity of hypertonic solution with Silver and Potassium Sucrose Octasulfate on nasal symptoms in obstructive rhinopathy with and without rhinosinusitis

Nasal obstruction is a primary symptom of common upper respiratory tract disorders. In clinical practice nasal saline solutions are recommended for the cleansing of nasal cavities and relieving nasal symptoms

Role of adenotonsillectomy in OSAS children and behavioural disturbance

The main aim of this study was to assess the presence of behavioural disturbances in child with OSAS before and after adenotonsillectomy (AT)

Nuts and seed: A natural yet dangerous foreign body

Rationale and aim: This paper has the object to present the impact of nuts' and seeds' injuries withdrawing data from the Susy Safe registry, highlighting that as for other foreign bodies the main item efficiently and substantially susceptible to changes to decrease the accidents' rates is the education of adults and children, that can be shared with parents both from pediatricians and general practitioners. Indeed labeling and age related warnings have also a fundamental relevance in prevention. Methods: The present study draws its data from the Susy Safe registry. Details on injuries are entered in the Susy Safe Web-registry through a standardized case report form, that includes information regarding: children age and gender, features of the object, circumstances of injury (presence of parents and activity) and hospitalization's details (lasting, complications and removal details). Cases are prospectively collected using the Susy Safe system from 06/2005; moreover, also information regarding past consecutive cases available in each centre adhering to the project have been entered in the Susy Safe registry. Results: Nuts and seeds are one of the most common food item retrieved in foreign bodies injuries in children. In Susy Safe registry they represent the 38% in food group, and almost the 10% in general cases. Trachea, bronchi and lungs were the main location of FB's retrieval, showing an incidence of 68%. Hospitalization occurred in 83% of cases, showing the major frequency for foreign bodies located in trachea. This location was also the principal site of complications, with a frequency of 68%. There were no significant associations between these outcomes and the age class of the children. The most common complications seen (22.4%) was bronchitis, followed by pneumonia (19.7%). Adult presence was recorded as positive in 71.2% of cases, showing an association (p value 0.009) between the adult supervision and the hospitalization outcome. On the contrary there was a non significant association between adult presence and the occurrence of complications. In 80.7% of cases, the incident happened while the child was eating. Among those cases, 88.6% interested trachea, lungs and bronchi. Conclusions: Food-related aspiration injuries are common events for young children, particularly under 4 years of age, and may lead to severe complication. There is a need to study in more depth specific characteristics of foreign bodies associated with increased hazard, such as size, shape, hardness or firmness, lubricity, pliability and elasticity, in order to better identify risky foods, and more precisely described the pathogenetic pathway. Parents are not adequately conscious and aware toward this risk; therefore, the number and severity of the injuries could be reduced by educating parents and children. Information about food safety should be included in all visits to pediatricians in order to make parents able to understand, select, and identify key characteristics of hazardous foods and better control the hazard level of various foods. Finally, preventive measures including warning labels on high-risk foods could be implemented. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Predictive role of nasal functionality tests in the evaluation of patients before nocturnal polysomnographic recording

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome is a disease characterized by a collapse of the pharyngeal airway resulting in repeated episodes of airflow cessation, oxygen desaturation, and sleep disruption. It is a common disorder affecting at least 2-4% of the adult population. The role of nasal resistance in the pathogenesis of sleep disordered breathing and sleep apnoea has not been completely clarified. Aim of the present study was to establish whether nasal resistance and nasal volumes, measured by means of Active Anterior Rhinomanometry and Acoustic Rhinometry together with Muco-Ciliary Transport time play a positive predictive role in the evaluation of Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients before running a nocturnal polysomnographic recording. A retrospective study was performed analysing 223 patients referred for suspected Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. All patients were submitted to complete otorhinolaryngological evaluation and underwent nocturnal polysomnography. On the basis of polysomnographic data analysis, the apnoea-hypopnoea index and snoring index, patients were classified into two groups: Group 1 (110/223 patients) with a diagnosis of mild-moderate Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (apnoea-hypopnoea index < 30) and Group 2 (113/223 patients) affected by snoring without associated hypoxaemia/hypercapnia. A control group of 76 subjects, not complaining of sleep disorders and free from nasal symptoms was also selected. The results showed, in all the snoring and Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients, total nasal resistance and increased Muco-Ciliary Transport time compared to standard values. Furthermore, the apnoea-hypopnoea index was significantly higher in patients with higher nasal resistence and significantly different between the groups. These results allow us to propose the simultaneous evaluation of nasal functions by Active Anterior Rhinomanometry, Acoustic Rhinometry, and Muco-Ciliary Transport time in the selection of patients undergoing polysomnography