NMR-based metabolomics for investigating urinary profiles of metal carpentry workers exposed to welding fumes and volatile organic compounds.

Introduction: Metal carpentry includes a wide range of work activities such as welding and cutting metallic components, use of solvents and paints. Therefore, the employees in these types of activities are mainly exposed to welding fumes and volatile organic solvents. Here, we present an NMR-based metabolomic approach for assessing urinary profiles of workers in the same company that are exposed to two different risk factors.

NMR Untargeted and HPLC-MS/MS Targeted Metabolomic Approaches for Evaluating Styrene Exposure in the Urine of Shipyard Workers.

Due to its chemical properties, styrene is largely employed in the manufacturing of several products including rubber, polymers and resins, and it is particularly suitable for shipbuilding industry purposes. In this context, the main exposure to styrene occurs in occupational settings. Despite its widespread use, its long-term effects on human health at the occupational level are still unclear.

Oxidative stress in occupational exposure to styrene vapors and dangerous chemicals in the shipbuilding industry.

In the shipbuilding industry, workers are exposed to a variety of dangerous chemicals, styrene being one of them. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified styrene as a chemical belonging to group 2A, which means it is probably carcinogenic to humans. This study aimed at evaluating the oxidative stress effects due to occupational exposure to styrene and other chemicals.

Vascular Factors in Patients with Midlife Sensorineural Hearing Loss and the Progression to Mild Cognitive Impairment.

: Midlife hearing loss (HL) has been considered as a major modifiable risk factor for a later-life progression to dementia. Our aim was to detect a link between precocious sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their association to putative risk factors for a common pathology. In this study, a retrospective case-control study was carried out.

Mometasone Furoate in Non-Allergic Rhinitis: A Real-Life Italian Study.

Background: In order to evaluate the efficacy of intranasal mometasone furoate in patients with non-allergic rhinitis (NAR), a real-life, observational, prospective study is performed.

Methods: Thirty-one patients (age 18-64 years) receive intranasal (mometasone furoate, 200 µg b.i.

Calprotectin in nasal secretion: a new biomarker of non-type 2 inflammation in CRSwNP.

Objective: We analysed calprotectin in sinonasal secretions of different chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) endotypes to assess its role as a biomarker of non-type 2 inflammation.

Methods: We included primary diffuse CRSwNP patients (n = 41) and three different control groups [non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) (n = 13), non-allergic eosinophilic syndrome (NARES) (n = 10) and healthy subjects (n = 12)]. Calprotectin levels were detected in nasal secretions using a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA).

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: is hypothyroidism a risk factor for recurrence?

Objective: To investigate the relationship between risk of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) recurrence and hypothyroidism treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Methods: 797 patients with idiopathic BPPV were divided into two groups: 250 patients with recurrence of BPPV (R-BPPV) and 547 patients without recurrence (NR-BPPV). Regarding patients with thyroid disease on HRT, we collected serum test results of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine f-T3, free thyroxine f-T4, thyroglobulin antibodies (TG-Ab) and thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab).

Impact of Tracheal Tube on Swallowing in Post-Operative Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Scintigraphic Analysis.

Dysphagia is common in tracheostomized patients who underwent head and neck surgery for cancer treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate, by means of oropharyngoesophageal scintigraphy (OPES), the impact of an occluded tracheal tube (TT) on swallowing in patients treated for head and neck cancer before hospital discharge, to provide further information to the benefit of out-patient care management. From October 2018 to November 2019, we enrolled 19 tracheostomized patients (6 females and 13 males; mean age 61 years) who underwent primary surgical resection of head and neck tumor and swallowing rehabilitation during hospitalization.

Traumatic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: personal experience and comparison with idiopathic BPPV.

Objective: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vestibular vertigo, with post-traumatic origin in about 15% of cases. Management and prognosis of traumatic BPPV (T-BPPV) are still debated, especially about recurrence. The aim was to compare T-BPPV to idiopathic (I-BPPV).

Predictors of Disease Control After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Plus Long-Term Local Corticosteroids in CRSwNP.

Background: in the era of new biological agents it is important to identify patients who may benefit from conventional therapies such as endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) plus long-term local corticosteroids from those with patterns of inflammation that are more difficult to control post-operatively and who may benefit from other therapies.

Objective: determine if preoperative assessment of type and grade of inflammation and clinical factors can predict disease control with ESS plus long-term local corticosteroids in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

Methods: Eighty patients treated with ESS plus mometasone-furoate 200 μg BID for CRSwNP and followed for at least 1 year were enrolled (November 2017-December 2018) in this prospective observational study.

Clinical and surgical management of patients with head and neck cancer in a COVID-19 dedicated center in Italy.

Introduction: For the EARs NOSE AND THROAT (ENT) surgeon, there are many challenges that show-up in the clinical management of a patient affected by a head and neck cancer during COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the postoperative period.

Methods: During the acute COVID-19 emergency phase in Italy, we analyzed the management of a patient affected by a head and neck cancer. We reported several clinical data about the hospitalization period, pointing out the difficulties encountered both from clinical and management point of view.

Is drug consumption correlated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) recurrence?

Background: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of peripheral vertigo and its recurrence is fairly common. Several studies correlated the pathophysiological role of different comorbidities-such as diabetes, osteoporosis, vascular, psychiatric and autoimmune diseases-in the development and recurrence of BPPV. The aim of this study is to analyse the pharmacological history of patients with idiopathic BPPV in relation to the risk of developing recurrence.