Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in Community Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Objective: Cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), possibly causing degeneration of the utricular epithelium and subepithelium, but supportive evidence is mixed. This is the first study to examine the association between cardiovascular risk factors and BPPV as they present in the community practice of comprehensive otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

Study Design: Cross-sectional case-matched case-control series.

Factors influencing STI transmission in middle-aged heterosexual individuals.

Research has shown that individuals aged 45-64, or the 'middle-aged' population, are at an increasing risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). An exploration of the factors that may influence STIs in this age group was carried out to ascertain how to reduce the risk. A critical review identified 14 research papers that considered STIs in middle-aged people.

Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent and seasonal influenza vaccination among adults 25 to 64 years of age with high-risk conditions--United States, 2010.

Background: Seasonal influenza vaccination has been routinely recommended for adults with high-risk conditions. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that persons 25 to 64 years of age with high-risk conditions be one of the initial target groups to receive H1N1 vaccination during the 2009-2010 season.

Methods: We used data from the 2009-2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey.

Generation of human inner ear prosensory-like cells via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Aim: To identify human hair cell progenitors from adult inner ear sensory epithelium.

Materials & Methods: We collected discarded utricles from translabyrinthine surgery and isolated human utricular sensory epithelial cells (HUCs) to explore whether they can proliferate and obtain features of stem/progenitor cells in vitro using reverse transcription PCR and immunofluorescence.

Results: When cultured in vitro, HUCs expressed genes and proteins that are usually present in prosensory cells and stem cells.

Randomized, prospective, three-arm study to confirm the auditory safety and efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine in Colombian patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

The safety of artemether-lumefantrine in patients with acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria was investigated prospectively using the auditory brainstem response (ABR) and pure-tone thresholds. Secondary outcomes included polymerase chain reaction-corrected cure rates. Patients were randomly assigned in a 3:1:1 ratio to either artemether-lumefantrine (N = 159), atovaquone-proguanil (N = 53), or artesunate-mefloquine (N = 53).

Interlaboratory comparison study of serum total testosterone [corrected] measurements performed by mass spectrometry methods.

Background: Though mass spectrometry (MS) assays are increasingly used for routine clinical measurements of serum total testosterone (TT), information about the variability of results is limited. This study assessed the variability of TT measurement results from routine MS assays.

Methods: Twenty serum samples (12 females, 8 males) were analyzed on 2 days by seven high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and one gas chromatography (GC)-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS) assays.

Standardization of high-sensitivity immunoassays for measurement of C-reactive protein; II: Two approaches for assessing commutability of a reference material.

Background: We evaluated the commutability of a proposed reference material (PRM), with a formulation based on dilution of Certified Reference Material 470 (CRM470), for 24 high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) methods. We also investigated whether calibration by use of PRM was effective in harmonizing results.

Methods: A set of 40 native clinical samples was measured along with PRM and 3 dilutions of PRM.

Extracts from The Cochrane Library: vestibular rehabilitation for unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction (review).

The "Cochrane Corner" is a quarterly section in the Journal that highlights systematic reviews relevant to otolaryngology--head and neck surgery, with invited commentary to highlight implications for clinical decision making. This installment features a Cochrane Review entitled "Vestibular rehabilitation for unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction," which concludes that there is moderate to strong evidence from high-quality randomized trials supporting the safety and efficacy of this intervention.

Evaluation of maximum likelihood procedures to estimate left censored observations.

The optimal procedure for estimating chemical levels below the limit of detection (LOD) remains a topic of interest when working with ultratrace analysis of environmental or clinical specimens. Unique to this investigation, we evaluated the performance of three maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) procedures to estimate the population mean and standard deviation from chemical data with 10-40% observations below the LOD. Randomly drawn observations from the normal distributions with these parameter estimates were used to replace censored observations.

The Cooperative Outcomes Group for ENT: a multicenter prospective cohort study on the outcomes of tympanostomy tubes for children with otitis media.

Objective: Outcomes for patients with otitis media were assessed in this prospective, multicenter study.

Study Design And Setting: Thirty-one otolaryngologists enrolled 272 pediatric patients with otitis media; caregivers completed surveys at 3-month intervals, and clinical and treatment data was also collected. The Otitis Media 6 (OM-6) was the primary outcome measure.

The Cooperative Outcomes Group for ENT: a multicenter prospective cohort study on the effectiveness of medical and surgical treatment for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objective: To assess outcomes for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.

Study Design And Setting: Prospective, multicenter study; 31 otolaryngologists enrolled 276 adult patients with chronic rhinosinusitis; patients completed surveys at 3-month intervals, and physicians provided clinical and treatment data. The primary outcome measure was the Chronic Sinusitis Survey-Duration (CSS-D).

The mechanism of hearing loss in Paget's disease of bone.

Objectives/hypothesis: The mechanism of hearing loss (HL) in Paget's disease of bone was investigated. The present study was a systematic, prospective, controlled set of clinical investigations to test the hypothesis that there is a general underlying mechanism of HL in Paget's disease of bone and to gain additional insights into the auditory and otologic dynamics of this disease. Specific questions were 1) whether the mechanism is cochlear or retrocochlear and 2) whether the bone mineral density of the cochlear capsule is related to hearing levels.

Role of the specialty society in outcomes assessment: the development of COG*ENT.

The Cooperative Outcomes Group for ENT (COG*ENT), a clinical outcomes project of the American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, was established to assess clinical outcomes of otolaryngological care of patients with two diseases, otitis media and rhinosinusitis. COG*ENT has produced an assessment tool with many potential applications. The development and early experience of the Foundation with this project are described, emphasizing the factors the authors believe are important for success.

Hearing loss as a complication of Paget's disease of bone.

Hearing loss has long been known to be a complication of Paget's disease of bone. Older ideas about the mechanisms of hearing loss are being replaced by a new view based on experimental evidence from patients. Studies reviewed show no evidence of auditory nerve dysfunction and confirm a cochlear site of lesion.

Computerized dynamic platform posturography.

Computerized dynamic platform posturography is defined in this technology assessment. The review discusses what computerized dynamic platform posturography measures, what the reliability and validity of the information are, and the uniqueness of the information provided. The clinical contribution and indications for testing are discussed.

Segmentation of acoustic neuromas with magnetic resonance imaging and Eigen image filtering.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether magnetic resonance imaging with Eigen image filtering can segment acoustic neuromas as a preliminary requirement to the development and validation of a volumetric method of measuring tumor size and growth using Eigen image filtering.

Study Design: This was an observational study.

Setting: The study was performed in an academic, comprehensive multi-specialty group practice.