Factors associated with asthma symptoms in Colombian subpopulations aged 1 to 17 and 18 to 59: Secondary analysis of the study "Prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in Colombia 2009-2010".

Background: Asthma, a chronic inflammatory lung disease, is one of the leading causes of disability, demands on health resources, and poor quality of life. It is necessary to identify asthma-related risk factors to reduce the presence and development of symptoms.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the association of multiple possible factors with asthma symptoms in two subpopulations, children, adolescents, and adults, in six cities in Colombia.

The effect of cycloplegia in the accuracy of autorefraction, keratometry and axial length using the Myopia Master.

Background: Assessing refractive errors under cycloplegia is recommended for paediatric patients; however, this may not always be feasible. In these situations, refraction has to rely on measurements made under active accommodation which may increase measurements variability and error. Therefore, evaluating the accuracy and precision of non-cycloplegic refraction and biometric measurements is clinically relevant.

Extended high-frequency hearing loss among Afro-Colombian adolescents from a rural area in Colombia: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Research trends concerning hearing loss within teen rural populations are limited and current evidence suggests that extended high-frequency audiometry can be a sensitive tool to detect subclinical hearing loss. Moreover, current research emphasises the importance of representing different ethnic populations in science. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of acquired hearing loss through conventional pure-tone (0.

Factors associated with allergic rhinitis and combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome (CARAS) in adults undergoing immunotherapy in a tropical country: Is ISAAC-III questionnaire useful in adult populations?

Background: Allergic diseases affect about 10-30% of the population in low- or middle-income tropical countries. Few studies describe the factors associated with allergic diseases in adult patients undergoing immunotherapy in Latin American countries.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) and AR in comorbidity with asthma (CARAS) in adults treated with immunotherapy in two allergy referral centers in Bogotá (Colombia).

Audiological benefit, quality of life, and factors associated with functional gain in elderly hearing aid users in a developing country between 2017 and 2020: a pre-post-study.

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common auditory deficit in older adults and may lead to quality-of-life deterioration. However, few studies have been performed in low/middle-income countries, particularly in Latin America. This study aimed to assess the audiological benefit, quality of life, and factors associated with functional gain in elderly hearing aid users in the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá and UNIMEQ-ORL, two otology referral centers in Colombia.

Improvement in Nasal Obstruction and Quality of Life after Nasal Septoplasty with Turbinoplasty: A Pre- and Post-study.

 Septoplasty and turbinoplasty are common surgical interventions used to relieve nasal obstructive symptoms. Since it is difficult to measure the degree of nasal blockage, current literature wonders about the frequent performance of these procedures.  To evaluate the perceived change in the nasal obstruction and the quality of life (QoL) of patients that underwent a septoplasty along with a turbinoplasty by applying subjective scales, to describe the correlation between those scales, and to study the impact of clinical factors in the postoperative outcomes.

Dizziness in adults with chronic otitis media at two otology referral centres in Colombia: a cross-sectional study in a middle-income country.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dizziness and its associated factors in patients with COM at two otologic referral centres in a middle-income country.

Design: Cross-sectional study. Adults with and without COM diagnosis from two otology-referral centres in Bogotá (Colombia) were included.

Factors associated with allergic rhinitis and combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome (CARAS) in children aged 5-18 years undergoing immunotherapy in a tropical low- or middle-income country.

Background: Tropics have some particularities that can impact the natural history and factors associated with allergic diseases. However, few studies described the characteristics of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and combined AR and asthma syndrome (CARAS) in Latin American tropical countries.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the medical, social, and environmental factors associated with AR and CARAS in children aged 5-18 years treated with immunotherapy in two allergy referral centers in Bogotá (Colombia).

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health, daily and occupational activities of pediatric otolaryngologists in Latin America.

Background: Otolaryngologists have a higher risk of physical/psychological problems due to their frequent exposure to SARS-CoV-2. There is no information about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of these specialists in low/middle-income countries from Latin America. This study aimed to assess the frequency of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as the changes in occupational and daily activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic in a group of pediatric otolaryngologists in Latin America.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health, daily and occupational activities among health professionals in Colombia: a national study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented physical and mental burden on healthcare workers who are frequently at high risk of infection, particularly in low-income countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as changes in daily and occupational activities among healthcare professionals due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted between February and June 2021.

Isolated facial palsy after Chikungunya infection: A novel differential diagnosis.

A significant raise in the reports of neurological manifestations due to Chikungunya virus has been described worldwide. Here, we describe a case report of a previously healthy young adult who developed isolated left facial palsy after a confirmed Chikungunya virus infection in the Colombian tropics. We suggest considering this virus as a differential diagnosis for facial palsy in patients with confirmed Chikungunya virus infection who live in endemic regions or report a history of recent travel to these regions.

Control of allergic rhinitis in four latin american countries: Rinola study.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects up to 40% of the general population, there are large-scale multicenter studies that have described its characteristics and few studies have focused on studying patients with AR in Latin America (LA).

Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, multicenter study was carried out in four LA countries (Colombia, Argentina, Cuba and Peru). Patients diagnosed with AR between November 2017 and June 2020 were included.

Analysis of tinnitus severity and associated factors in patients with chronic otitis media in a low- to middle-income country.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the tinnitus severity in patients with chronic otitis media (COM) and describe the sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with tinnitus severity.

Design: Cross-sectional study. Two otology-referral centers in Bogotá (Colombia) were included.

Impact of the COVID-19 national lockdown in the allergic rhinitis symptoms in patients treated with immunotherapy at two allergy referral centers in Bogotá, Colombia.

Background: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) "lockdowns" caused an abruptly restricted access to health care services such as immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis (AR) and led to higher exposure to indoor allergens. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on AR symptoms reported by the patients treated with immunotherapy who attended the Hospital Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá and Unidad Médico Quirúrgica de Otorrinolaringología, Colombia.

Methods: Pre-post study that included patients with AR confirmed diagnosis (prick test), treated with immunotherapy before and after COVID-19 lockdowns on March-June 2020.

Recurrent Primary Inverted Papilloma of the Mastoid with Intracranial Invasion: A 7-Year Follow-Up.

A 55-year-old man presented to the otolaryngology department complaining of aural fullness in his left ear after an episode of probable otitis 3 months before. magnetic resonance imaging revealed a soft tissue mass within the mastoid cavity that had destroyed the posterior wall of the middle ear with no apparent middle ear or sinonasal origin. The patient underwent a left canal wall-up tympanomastoidectomy, and the pathology report confirmed an inverted papilloma.

Analysis of tinnitus severity and associated risk factors in patients with chronic otitis media: data from the multinational collaborative Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 study.

Background: Subjective tinnitus is a common symptom, and there is often an underlying otological cause. This study investigated the degree of tinnitus-related annoyance in patients with chronic otitis media and analysed whether associations with tinnitus severity exist.

Method: The multinational collaborative Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 study collected prospective data on 478 adult patients suffering from chronic otitis media across 9 otology referral centres in 8 countries.

Frequency of self-reported allergies at a high-complexity referral hospital in Colombia, a tropical Latin American country.

Background: The frequency of allergic diseases in tropical Latin American populations is poorly understood, and certain particularities can impact their natural history and risk factors.

Objective: The study aimed to determine the frequency of self-reported allergies (allergic diseases, drug, and food allergies) in patients who attended the Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia.

Material And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to assess the frequency of self- reported allergies reported by all the patients who attended an allergy referral center between June and December 2019.

Conductance heterogeneities induced by multistability in the dynamics of coupled cardiac gap junctions.

In this paper, we study the propagation of the cardiac action potential in a one-dimensional fiber, where cells are electrically coupled through gap junctions (GJs). We consider gap junctional gate dynamics that depend on the intercellular potential. We find that different GJs in the tissue can end up in two different states: a low conducting state and a high conducting state.

Impact of Hearing Disability and Ear Discharge on Quality-of-Life in Patients with Chronic Otitis Media: Data from the Multinational Collaborative COMQ-12 Study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess how two disease-related factors, hearing disability and ear discharge, affect health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic otitis media (COM).

Study Design: Multinational prospective cohort study.

Setting: Nine otology referral centers in eight countries.

Presentation of dizziness in individuals with chronic otitis media: data from the multinational collaborative COMQ-12 study.

Purpose: In chronic otitis media (COM), disease chronicity and severity of middle ear inflammation may influence the development of inner ear deficits, increasing the risk of vestibular impairment. This secondary analysis of the multinational collaborative Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 (COMQ-12) dataset sought to determine the prevalence of vestibular symptoms in patients with COM and identify associated disease-related characteristics.

Methods: Adult patients with a diagnosis of COM in outpatient settings at nine otology referral centers across eight countries were included.

Prevalence and associated factors of allergic diseases in school children and adolescents aged 6-7 and 13-14 years from two rural areas in Colombia.

Introduction: The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing worldwide, affecting about 30% of the population in low to middle-income countries. Research trends on allergic diseases within rural pediatric populations of Latin American countries is scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis) and their associated factors using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-III (ISAAC-III) questionnaire in school-aged children from two rural municipalities in Colombia.

Associated factors, health-related quality of life, and reported costs of chronic otitis media in adults at two otologic referral centers in a middle-income country.

Background: Despite the high prevalence of chronic otitis media (COM) in low to middle-income countries, there are few studies regarding its associated factors, health-related quality of life, and treatment costs. This study aimed to identify associated factors of COM, assess its impact on the quality of life as well as estimate the patients' reported costs of COM treatment in Colombia.

Methods: Cross-sectional study.