Neurological sequelae after childhood bacterial meningitis.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study is to evaluate childhood bacterial meningitis (BM): incidence, clinical presentation, causative pathogens, diagnostics, and outcome (neurological sequelae, hearing loss, and death). A retrospective review of all children aged ≤ 16 years and 1 month diagnosed with BM at a tertiary children's centre in the period 2010-2020. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to assess outcome, with a GOS score of 1-4 considered to be an unfavourable outcome.

Microbiome of the External Auditory Canal: Changes After Long-Term Hearing Aid Use.

Objective: To investigate the microbial changes of long-term hearing aid use culture independently.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Patients: Fifty long-term hearing aid users and 80 volunteer controls with asymptomatic ears.

The effect of single kinetic oscillation stimulation treatment on nonallergic rhinitis.

Objective: Kinetic oscillation stimulation (KOS) is a new treatment method for nonallergic rhinitis (NAR), usually delivered twice with a 2- to 4-week interval, and thought to stabilize autonomous dysregulation in the nasal mucosa. We aimed to assess the long-term (1 year) results following one KOS treatment amongst patients with NAR.

Methods: KOS was administered through a latex balloon placed in the patient's nasal cavity.

Laser, radiofrequency or tympanostomy knife? Comparison of surgical methods in tympanostomy treatment of young children and predictive value of tympanometry.

Objectives: To investigate tympanostomy tube (TT) treatment in young children, with special interest in bloodless surgical methods (laser and radiofrequency), myringosclerosis formation and tympanometric testing.

Methods: This prospective study includes 76 children whose 121 ears with middle ear effusion were treated with tympanostomy tubes. Myringotomy was performed with CO laser in 37, radiofrequency in 40 and myringotomy knife in 44 ears.

Hearing impairment in Angolan children with acute bacterial meningitis with and without otitis media.

Aim: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a common cause of hearing loss in childhood. Our aim was to investigate bacterial aetiology, hearing impairment and outcome in childhood BM with vs. without otitis media (OM) in Angola.

Severe acute otitis media and mastoiditis caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus.

Objective: To describe the characteristics, diagnostics, treatment, and outcome of severe acute otitis media (AOM) and acute mastoiditis (AM) caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS).

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Methods: The yearly incidence of inpatient care-needing GAS AOM/AM patients in our hospital catchment area between 2002 and 2018 was investigated.

Eosinophilia, asthma, NERD and the use of oral corticosteroids predict uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps after surgery.

Background: Severe uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a challenging condition to treat. The European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2020 (EPOS2020) has the following criteria when considering biological therapy for severe uncontrolled CRSwNP: eosinophilia, need for oral corticosteroids (OCS), symptom score, loss of sense of smell and co-morbid asthma.

Objective: This study aimed at finding associations of baseline factors with uncontrolled CRSwNP after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).

Complications of COVID-19 Nasopharyngeal Swab Test.

This case series investigates the frequency and type of SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal test complications in Helsinki, Finland.

The Nose as a Route for Therapy: Part 1. Pharmacotherapy.

This article reviews nasal structure and function in the light of intranasal pharmacotherapy. The nose provides an accessible, fast route for local treatment of nose and sinus diseases, with lower doses than are necessary systemically and few adverse effects. It can also be used for other medications as it has sufficient surface area protected from local damage by mucociliary clearance, absence of digestive enzymes, responsive blood flow, and provides a rapid route to the central nervous system.

Lung function and side effects of Aspirin desensitization: a real world study.

: NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) is mainly treated with topical and oral corticosteroids, as well as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) treatment after desensitization (ATAD). During desensitization and ATAD, it is common to experience an exacerbation of respiratory symptoms and other side effects, which may lead to cessation of treatment. : The aim of this retrospective follow-up study was to evaluate the effect of ATAD on lung functions and respiratory symptoms, and to clarify the occurrence of adverse events.

Factors affecting upper airway control of NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease: A real-world study of 167 patients.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) is a triad with asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and NSAID intolerance. Uncontrolled N-ERD forms a major public health problem due to frequent and difficult-to-treat exacerbations and/or requiring putatively frequent endoscopic sinus surgeries (ESS). Our aim was to study factors affecting control of N-ERD.

Microbiome of the Healthy External Auditory Canal.

Objective: To investigate the microbiota of the healthy external auditory canal (EAC) culture-independently and to evaluate the usefulness of the swabbing method in collecting EAC microbiota samples.

Study Design: Cohort study.

Patients: Fifty healthy asymptomatic working-age volunteers.

Monoclonal Antibodies and Airway Diseases.

Monoclonal antibodies, biologics, are a relatively new treatment option for severe chronic airway diseases, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this review, we focus on the physiological and pathomechanisms of monoclonal antibodies, and we present recent study results regarding their use as a therapeutic option against severe airway diseases. Airway mucosa acts as a relative barrier, modulating antigenic stimulation and responding to environmental pathogen exposure with a specific, self-limited response.

Genomics of asthma, allergy and chronic rhinosinusitis: novel concepts and relevance in airway mucosa.

Genome wide association studies (GWASs) have revealed several airway disease-associated risk loci. Their role in the onset of asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR) or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), however, is not yet fully understood. The aim of this review is to evaluate the airway relevance of loci and genes identified in GWAS studies.

High Discontinuation Rates of Peroral ASA Treatment for CRSwNP: A Real-World Multicenter Study of 171 N-ERD Patients.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD) consists of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), asthma, and NSAID intolerance. Acetylsalicylic acid treatment after desensitization (ATAD) is a treatment option for uncontrolled N-ERD.

Objective: To evaluate peroral ATAD's long-term effectiveness on CRSwNP disease control.

Airway Epithelial Dynamics in Allergy and Related Chronic Inflammatory Airway Diseases.

Allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and asthma are highly prevalent, multifactorial chronic airway diseases. Several environmental and genetic factors affect airway epithelial dynamics leading to activation of inflammatory mechanisms in the airways. This review links environmental factors to host epithelial immunity in airway diseases.

Otitis Media-associated Bacterial Meningitis in Children in a Low-income Country.

Background: Otitis media (OM) is a common childhood infection that may result in bacterial meningitis (BM). However, OM-associated BM remains poorly characterized. We aimed to study the occurrence, clinical presentation and outcome of this type of childhood BM in Luanda, Angola.

Hierarchical clustering in evaluating inflammatory upper airway phenotypes; increased symptoms in adults with allergic multimorbidity.

Background: Inflammatory upper airway diseases cause significant morbidity. They include phenotypes with different treatment; allergic or non-allergic rhinitis (AR, nAR), and chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps (CRSwNP, CRSsNP). In clinical practice, these phenotypes are often difficult to distinguish and may overlap.

Otogenic Intracranial Abscesses, Our Experience Over the Last Four Decades.

Objective: To evaluate the predisposing factors for otogenic intracranial abscesses, assess their changes over time, and analyze how they differ from those due to other causes.

Materials And Methods: The medical records of all patients treated for otogenic intracranial abscesses, between 1970 and 2012 at a tertiary referral center, were retrospectively analyzed. The analysis included patient demographics, clinical characteristics, causative pathogens, treatments, outcomes, and comparisons of otogenic and non-otogenic intracranial abscesses.

Severe Acute Otitis Media and Acute Mastoiditis in Adults.

Objective: To evaluate and compare clinical and microbiological findings in adults hospitalized for acute otitis media (AOM) or mastoid infections (acute or latent).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all adults (≥17 years old) hospitalized (between 2003 and 2012) at a tertiary referral center for acute mastoid infections or AOM not responding to outpatient medical treatment.

Results: Of the 160 patients in the study sample, 19% had an infection caused by S.

Differentiating Acute Otitis Media and Acute Mastoiditis in Hospitalized Children.

Acute otitis media is a common infection in children. Most acute otitis media episodes can be treated at an outpatient setting with antimicrobials, or only expectant observation. Hospital treatment with parenteral medication, and myringotomy or tympanostomy, may be needed to treat those with severe, prolonged symptoms, or with complications.