CT-Based Intraoperative Navigation for Quick Identification of the Stylomastoid Foramen During Hypoglossal-Facial Nerve Anastomosis.

Aim: To present the ability of standard intraoperative neuronavigation to reliably identify the stylomastoid foramen, thus providing a quick and effective recognition of the facial nerve at its exit from the skull base.

Material And Methods: We describe the technical nuances of this procedure by presenting two surgical cases who underwent hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis for complete facial nerve palsy occurring post removal of a giant vestibular schwannoma 6 months earlier.

Results: CT-based neuronavigation allowed a quick and reliable identification of the stylomastoid foramen and of the facial nerve at its exit from the skull.

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome.

The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient's hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log copies/mL.

Relationship Between Clinical Control, Respiratory Symptoms and Quality of Life for Patients with COPD.

Background: The concept of clinical control has been proposed as an instrument for evaluating patients with COPD. However, the possible association between clinical control, reduced symptom severity and HRQoL has yet to be confirmed.

Methods: This multicentre, prospective and observational study was carried out in 15 pulmonology clinics in Spain.

High performance of rapid influenza diagnostic test and variable effectiveness of influenza vaccines in Mexico.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) and influenza vaccines' effectiveness (VE) during an outbreak setting.

Methods: We compared the performance of a RIDT with RT-PCR for influenza virus detection in influenza-like illness (ILI) patients enrolled during the 2016/17 season in Mexico City. Using the test-negative design, we estimated influenza VE in all participants and stratified by age, virus subtype, and vaccine type (trivalent vs quadrivalent inactivated vaccines).

Research highlights from the 2017 ERS International Congress: airway diseases in focus.

For another year, high-quality research studies from around the world transformed the annual ERS International Congress into a vivid platform to discuss trending research topics, to produce new research questions and to further push the boundaries of respiratory medicine and science. This article reviews only some of the high-quality research studies on asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis and chronic cough that were presented during the congress through the Airway Diseases Assembly (ERS Assembly 5) and places them into the context of current knowledge and research challenges.

Treatment With Systemic Steroids in Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: Use of Short Regimens in Routine Clinical Practice and Their Impact on Hospital Stay.

Introduction: It is not known whether clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of COPD exacerbations with short coursesofsystemic corticosteroids(SC-SCS) are followed in clinical practice.

Method: Prospective, observational cohort study in patients admitted due to severe COPD exacerbation. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who received SC-SCS as treatment for severe exacerbation (doses of 200-300mg for 5-6 days).

High levels of anti-tuberculin (IgG) antibodies correlate with the blocking of T-cell proliferation in individuals with high exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Objectives: To determine the effect of anti-tuberculin antibodies in the T-cell proliferation in response to tuberculin and Candida antigens in individuals with different levels of tuberculosis (TB) risk.

Methods: Sixteen high-risk TB individuals, 30 with an intermediate TB risk (group A), and 45 with a low TB risk (group B), as well as 49 control individuals, were studied. Tuberculin skin test (TST) results were analyzed and serum levels of antibodies (IgG and IgM) against purified protein derivative (PPD) were measured by ELISA.

Open-pit coal-mining effects on rice paddy soil composition and metal bioavailability to Oryza sativa L. plants in Cam Pha, northeastern Vietnam.

This study quantified Cd, Pb, and Cu content, and the soil-plant transfer factors of these elements in rice paddies within Cam Pha, Quang Ninh province, northeastern Vietnam. The rice paddies are located at a distance of 2 km from the large Coc Sau open-pit coal mine. Electron microprobe analysis combined with backscattered electron imaging and energy-dispersive spectroscopy revealed a relatively high proportion of carbon particles rimmed by an iron sulfide mineral (probably pyrite) in the quartz-clay matrix of rice paddy soils at 20-30 cm depth.

Exercise training in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to kyphoscoliosis: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Research has provided evidence for the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of exercise training in patients with COPD. However, little is known about the impact of exercise training in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to kyphoscoliosis. We evaluated the effect of an exercise training program on exercise capacity, muscle strength, dyspnea, and quality-of-life indices in subjects with chronic respiratory failure due to kyphoscoliosis.

Determination of inflammatory biomarkers in patients with COPD: a comparison of different assays.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory pulmonary disorder with systemic inflammatory manifestations that are mediated by circulating acute-phase reactants. This study compared an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to a nephelometric technique for the measurement of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) and investigated how the choice of assay influenced the estimation of inflammation in patients with stable COPD.

Methods: CRP and SAA concentrations measured by ELISA and nephelometry in 88 patients with COPD and 45 control subjects were used to evaluate the performance of these methods in a clinical setting.

Ultrasound diagnosis of peroneal nerve variant in a child with compressive mononeuropathy.

We report on a 6-year-old child presenting with subacute foot drop. Neurophysiologic and radiologic studies revealed a peroneal nerve compression secondary to fibular exostosis. Before undergoing surgical removal of the exostosis, the patient underwent further neurophysiologic and ultrasonographic evaluation that showed the presence of an accessory peroneal nerve branch that caused gastrocnemius involvement.

Effectiveness of a cognitive orientation program with and without nicotine replacement therapy in stopping smoking in hospitalised patients.

Introduction: We analysed the effectiveness of a high intensity behavioural-cognitive intervention compared to minimal intervention started during a hospital stay, to see if the combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can increase the quitting rate at 12 months of follow up.

Method: A total of 2560 active smokers were studied during their hospital stay. Of these, 717 smokers refused to enter the study and after a minimal intervention they were asked if we could telephone them after one year to ask if they still smoked.

Modified BODE indexes: Agreement between multidimensional prognostic systems based on oxygen uptake.

Aim: It has been recently shown that the original BODE index has a high degree of correlation with two modified BODE indexes using maximal oxygen uptake expressed either as mL/min/kg (mBODE) or as the percentage predicted (mBODE%). In this study we investigated the agreement between the two modified BODE indexes (mBODE and mBODE%) in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: A total of 169 patients with stable COPD were enrolled in this cross-sectional study.

Factors associated with quality of life in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to kyphoscoliosis.

Objectives: Patients with chronic respiratory failure due to kyphoscoliosis (CHRF-KS) constitute a specific population with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL). Thus far, no studies have examined factors related to HRQL. The objective of the present study was to identify clinical, functional and exertion-related factors associated with HRQL.