Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Understanding the Impact of OSA on CRS Disease Burden.

Objective: Assess the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) severeity.

Study Design: Retrospective database review.

Setting: TriNetX US database.

Comparison of surgical margins and adjuvant therapy for head and neck cancer by hospital type.

Background: Differences in patient populations and outcomes by hospital type are becoming increasingly relevant as health care systems shift to value-based care models. There is a paucity of literature on patient-level and hospital-level differences for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study was to examine differences in patient characteristics, surgical margins, and adjuvant therapy patterns for surgically treated HNSCC across different hospital types.

Evaluating ChatGPT as a Patient Education Tool for COVID-19-Induced Olfactory Dysfunction.

Objective: While most patients with COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction (OD) recover spontaneously, those with persistent OD face significant physical and psychological sequelae. ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot, has grown as a tool for patient education. This study seeks to evaluate the quality of ChatGPT-generated responses for COVID-19 OD.

Topical platelet-rich plasma as a possible treatment for olfactory dysfunction-A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) affects many survivors of COVID-19. Prior studies have investigated the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for OD. We describe the first randomized controlled trial investigating topical PRP for OD treatment and contribute to existing literature illustrating PRP as an emerging therapeutic.

Predictors of Subjective Olfactory Dysfunction and Sinonasal Quality-of-Life After Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery.

Background: This is the largest study in North America investigating olfactory outcomes after pituitary surgery to date.

Objective: Characterize factors associated with subjective olfactory dysfunction (OD) and worsened sinonasal quality-of-life (QOL) after endoscopic TSA.

Methods: Patients undergoing primary TSA for secreting and non-secreting pituitary adenomas between 2017 and 2021 with pre- and post-operative SNOT-22 scores were included.

Post-surgical readmission risk factors in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery.

Background: Otolaryngology patients are a high-readmission-risk group due to the complexity of surgeries, significant alterations to speech and swallowing functions, and high postoperative complications risk.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent otolaryngologic surgery at a single-academic-institution between March 2019 and February 2020.

Results: Among 365 discharges, 21 patients had unplanned readmissions within 30 days.

Medication utilization for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis and asthma in 12 months pre- and post-dupilumab initiation.

This study examines the impact of dupilumab on medication use for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) and asthma patients. Patients on dupilumab had a reduction in oral/inhaled/topical steroids, antibiotics, and leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs). The reduction in medication use had no impact on total polyp or SNOT-22 scores.

Stellate ganglion block for treating post-COVID-19 parosmia.

Background: Post-COVID parosmia may be due to dysautonomia and sympathetic hyperresponsiveness, which can be attenuated by stellate ganglion block (SGB). This study evaluates SGB as a treatment for post-COVID olfactory dysfunction (OD).

Methods: Retrospective case series with prospective data of patients with post-COVID OD undergoing unilateral (UL) or bilateral (BL) SGB.

Benefits of Immunoglobulin (Ig) Replacement Therapy for Primary and Secondary Immunodeficiency in Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

This is the first study to examine chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) outcomes after starting immunoglobulin (Ig) replacement therapy for patients with primary (PID) and secondary immunodeficiency (SID). This is a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with CRS from 2018 to 2022 prior to initiating Ig therapy for the treatment of PID or SID. Outcomes included medication use and Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores.

Effect of distance of treatment center on survival for HPV-negative head and neck cancer patients.

Background: In rural states, travel burden for complex cancer care required for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) may affect patient survival, but its impact is unknown.

Methods: Patients with HPV-negative HNSCC were retrospectively identified from a statewide, population-based study. Euclidian distance from the home address to the treatment center was calculated for radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy.

Poor oral health influences head and neck cancer patient survival: an International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium pooled analysis.

Background: Poor oral health has been identified as a prognostic factor potentially affecting the survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, evidence to date supporting this association has emanated from studies based on single cohorts with small-to-modest sample sizes.

Methods: Pooled analysis of 2449 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma participants from 4 studies of the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium included data on periodontal disease, tooth brushing frequency, mouthwash use, numbers of natural teeth, and dental visits over the 10 years prior to diagnosis.

Optimizing the timing of biologic and surgical therapy for patients with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP).

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) is often treated with endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS); however, patients may require revision surgery due to recurrence. To date, no studies have compared outcomes for combined surgery and biologic therapy for CRSwNP compared with biologic therapy alone.

Methods: Retrospective case-control study of CRSwNP patients who underwent ESS while on dupilumab or mepolizumab (ESS-biologic cohort) compared with CRSwNP patients on biologic therapy (biologic-only controls).

Implementation and Outcomes of ERAS Protocol for Major Oncologic Head and Neck Surgery.

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been developed and successfully implemented for many surgical specialties, demonstrating reductions in length of stay, post-operative complications, and resource utilization. Currently, there are few documented applications of ERAS protocols in head and neck surgery. Additional description of head and neck surgery protocol design, implementation, and outcomes will help advance postoperative care.

Trends in Endoscopic and Microscopic Approaches to Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery in the US.

Objectives: Among the transsphenoidal (TSS) approaches to pituitary tumors, the microscopic approach (MA) has historically been the predominant technique with the increasing adoption of the endoscopic approach (EA). This study investigates national trends in TSS approaches and postoperative outcomes for MA and EA through 2021.

Methods: The TriNetX database was queried for patients undergoing TSS (MA and EA) between 2010 and 2021.

Relationship between health literacy and disease-specific quality of life in patients with sinonasal disease.

Background:: Patients with limited health literacy tend to have worse medical outcomes, often due to decreased medication compliance or reduced capacity to self-manage disease. Health literacy can be assessed using validated tools such as the Brief health literacy screening tool (BRIEF). This study theorizes that lower health literacy is associated with worse sinonasal disease quality of life (QOL).

Socioeconomic status, access to care, risk factor patterns, and stage at diagnosis for head and neck cancer among black and white patients.

Background: Little is known about how factors combine to influence progression of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). We aimed to evaluate multidimensional influences of factors associated with HNSCC stage by race.

Methods: Using retrospective data, patients with similar socioeconomic status (SES), access to care (travel time/distance), and behavioral risk factors (tobacco/alcohol use and dental care) were grouped by latent class analysis.

Postoperative Inhaled Steroids Following Glottic Airway Surgery Reduces Granulation Tissue Formation.

Objectives: Transoral laser surgery for glottic stenosis (transverse cordotomy and anteromedial arytenoidectomy (TCAMA)) is often complicated by granulation tissue (GT) formation. GT can cause dyspnea and may require surgical removal to alleviate airway obstruction. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) have been shown to reduce benign vocal fold granulomas, however its use to prevent GT formation has not been described.

UNMASC: tumor-only variant calling with unmatched normal controls.

Despite years of progress, mutation detection in cancer samples continues to require significant manual review as a final step. Expert review is particularly challenging in cases where tumors are sequenced without matched normal control DNA. Attempts have been made to call somatic point mutations without a matched normal sample by removing well-known germline variants, utilizing unmatched normal controls, and constructing decision rules to classify sequencing errors and private germline variants.

Correlation of alterations in the pathway with radiation failure in larynx squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) often fail radiation therapy (RT), when received as monotherapy or in combination with other treatment modalities. Mechanisms for RT failure are poorly understood. We hypothesized that tumors failing RT would have increased rates of somatic mutations in genes associated with radiation resistance, particularly in genes associated with the oxidative stress pathway.

Prognostic impact of socioeconomic status compared to overall stage for HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To estimate the relative prognostic ability of socioeconomic status (SES) compared to overall stage for HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Study (CHANCE). An empirical 4-category SES classification system was created. Cox proportional hazards models, survival gradients, Bayesian information criterion (BIC), and Harrell's C index were used to estimate the prognostic ability of SES compared to stage on overall survival (OS).

The addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant radiation is associated with inferior survival outcomes in intermediate-risk HPV-negative HNSCC.

Background: Only high-risk tumors with extranodal extension (ENE) and/or positive surgical margins (PSM) benefit from adjuvant therapy (AT) with concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) compared to radiation therapy (RT) in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Optimal treatment for intermediate-risk tumors remains controversial. We categorized patients based on their surgical pathologic risk factors and described AT treatment patterns and associated survival outcomes.

Impact of Tumor Site and Adjuvant Radiotherapy on Survival of Patients with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A SEER Database Analysis.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare salivary gland tumor, displaying aggressive behavior with frequent recurrence and metastasis. Little information exists regarding the impact of clinicopathological parameters and adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) on ACC disease specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS). We extracted demographic, treatment, and survival information of 1439 patients with major or minor intraoral salivary gland ACC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

Socioeconomic Status Drives Racial Disparities in HPV-negative Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes.

Objectives/hypothesis: To determine drivers of the racial disparity in stage at diagnosis and overall survival (OS) between black and white patients with HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Data were examined from of a population-based HNSCC study in North Carolina.

Outcomes of Endoscopic Versus Open Skull Base Surgery in Pediatric Patients.

Objective/hypothesis: To characterize the pathology and outcomes of skull base surgery in the pediatric population by open versus endoscopic surgical approach.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: A retrospective review of pediatric patients (<18 years) who underwent skull base surgery for nonmalignant disease from May 2000 to August 2019 was performed.