Nasal Function Changes at High Altitude.

Background: An ever-increasing number of people are involved in sport activities at high altitude.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the pulmonary and nasal functions, including nasal cytology, in healthy volunteers moving for 1 week from an altitude of 2000 m to another of 3400 m.

Methods: Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF), pulmonary function, including peak expiratory flow (PEF), mucociliary transport time (MCTt), nasal cytology, and oxygen saturation (O sat) were studied in 5 different occasions-T1: at base camp (2000 m); T2: at the mountain refuge (3400 m); T3: after 7 days at 3400 m; T4: after the return at the base camp (2000 m); and T5: at the base camp (2000 m) after 15 days.

Could the infiltration of the thyroarytenoid muscle define the pT2 glottic carcinoma?

Background: The involvement of the thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle by glottic cancer may be related to an impaired vocal cord mobility, which is classified as cT2 disease. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the prognostic significance of TA muscle involvement in early glottic cancer treated with transoral laser microsurgery (TLM).

Methods: A review was conducted on a cohort of 209 patients consecutively treated with TLM for early glottic carcinoma.

Peak nasal inspiratory flow measurement and visual analogue scale in a large adult population.

Objectives: Nasal obstruction is the most common symptom in nasal diseases. It can be evaluated objectively, that is by means of peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) measures and/or subjectively by means of validated questionnaires. However, it has been reported that there is a lack of reliable correlation between subjective and objective measurements of nasal obstruction.

β-Arrestin-1 expression and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in laryngeal carcinoma.

Aim: The novel primary end-point of the present study was to ascertain β-arrestin-1 expression in a cohort of consecutive patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) with information available on their cigarette-smoking habits. A secondary end-point was to conduct a preliminary clinical and pathological investigation into the possible role of β-arrestin-1 in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), identified by testing for E-cadherin, Zeb1, and Zeb2 expression, in the setting of LSCC.

Methods: The expression of β-arrestin-1, E-cadherin, zeb1, and zeb2 was ascertained in 20 consecutive LSCCs.

Update on Vertigo in Autoimmune Disorders, from Diagnosis to Treatment.

The prevalence of autoimmune diseases has been increasing over the last 20 years. The clinical presentation of this large and heterogeneous group of disorders depends on whether the involvement is organ-specific or non-organ-specific. Dizziness, vertigo, and disequilibrium are common symptoms reported by patients with vestibulocochlear involvement.

Microsurgical Decompression of the Cochlear Nerve to Treat Disabling Tinnitus via an Endoscope-Assisted Retrosigmoid Approach: The Padua Experience.

Background: The use of surgical cochlear nerve decompression is controversial. This study aimed at investigating the safety and validity of microsurgical decompression via an endoscope-assisted retrosigmoid approach to treat tinnitus in patients with neurovascular compression of the cochlear nerve.

Case Description: Three patients with disabling tinnitus resulting from a loop in the internal auditory canal were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging and tests of pure tone auditory, tinnitus, and auditory brain response (ABR) to identify the features of the cochlear nerve involvement.

Ear, nose and throat involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: how it presents and how it determines disease severity and long-term outcomes.

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) manifestations in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) represent the most frequent symptoms at disease onset. The aim of the study was to analyse ENT involvement at diagnosis, as well as how it could influence relapse rate, mortality and disease severity. A retrospective non-controlled cohort study was performed including all consecutive diagnosed GPA from 1996 to 2016 in two rheumatology centres of Northern Italy, focusing particularly on ENT presenting signs and symptoms at baseline.

Breathing parameters associated to two different external nasal dilator strips in endurance athletes.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate and compare the effects of two different external nasal dilator strips (ENDS) on nasal respiratory flow, maximal oxygen uptake (VOmax), nasal VOmax, time to exhaustion and subjective nasal obstruction in adult triathletes participating in exhaustive, controlled physical exercise tests.

Methods: Thirteen healthy triathletes without nasal symptoms were recruited and randomly tested in three different conditions: without ENDS, wearing the Breathe Right dilator strip and wearing the Master-aid Roll-flex strip. We investigated the variations in the peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) and the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation questionnaire before and after an exhaustive treadmill test.

Olfaction deterioration in cognitive disorders in the elderly.

Background: Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases are widespread neurodegenerative pathologies. Parkinson's disease affects about 1 % of the population over the age of 65 years, while Alzheimer is considered the most common cause of dementia, with an annual incidence of 1 % in persons aged 65 years. It has been demonstrated that both these neurodegenerative diseases are associated with smell dysfunction.

Olfactory sensitivity and sexual desire in young adult and elderly men: an introductory investigation.

Background: It has been suggested that olfaction could influence human sexual behavior. Age is negatively associated with many aspects of sexuality and, with increasing age, people tend to show a declining sexual desire. The present pilot study investigated the relationship between sexual desire and olfactory sensitivity in healthy men of two age groups, young adult and elderly (≥65 years old), to ascertain whether their sense of smell could determine sexual desire and whether an age-related weaker olfactory sensitivity could correlate with the decline in sexual appetite in elderly patients.