Phenotypes of obstructive sleep apnea in women: A real-life cohort study.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complex, heterogeneous disease. Categorizing the disorder into phenotypes can help us better understand its pathology and guide us toward more personalized treatment approaches. Nevertheless, most of the previous cluster analysis (CA) studies in OSA predominantly included middle-aged to older men and may not adequately represent the heterogeneity of OSA phenotypes in women.

Impact of the implementation of a telemedicine program on patients diagnosed with asthma.

Background: Asthma is one of the most common respiratory ailments worldwide. Despite broad understanding of the illness and of the available therapeutic options for it, patients with serious asthma suffer poor monitoring of their illness in 50% of cases.

Aim: To assess the impact of the implementation of a mobile application (ESTOI) to control asthma in patients diagnosed with the illness, their adherence to treatment, and their perceived quality of life.

Polysomnographic Phenotypes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a Real-Life Cohort: A Pathophysiological Approach.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is heterogeneous and complex, but its severity is still based on the apnea-hypoapnea index (AHI). The present study explores using cluster analysis (CA), the additional information provided from routine polysomnography (PSG) to optimize OSA categorization.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of OSA subjects diagnosed by PSG in a tertiary hospital sleep unit during 2016-2020.

Numerical simulations to determine the stimulation of the crista ampullaris during the Head Impulse Test.

The Head Impulse Test, the most widely accept test to assess the vestibular function, comprises rotations of the head based on idealized orientations of the semicircular canals, instead of their individual arrangement specific for each patient. In this study, we show how computational modelling can help personalize the diagnosis of vestibular diseases. Based on a micro-computed tomography reconstruction of the human membranous labyrinth and their simulation using Computational Fluid Dynamics and Fluid-Solid Interaction techniques, we evaluated the stimulus experienced by the six cristae ampullaris under different rotational conditions mimicking the Head Impulse Test.

What could posturography tell us about balance in essential tremor?

Background: Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder characterized primarily by action tremor. Balance impairments in ET patients were formerly considered to be uncommon and simply age-related. However quantitative assessment with posturography has revealed impairments in control of both static and dynamic balance.

Vestibular rehabilitation with mobile posturography as a "low-cost" alternative to vestibular rehabilitation with computerized dynamic posturography, in old people with imbalance: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR), specifically, VR with dynamic computerized posturography (CDP) has proven to be useful to improve balance and reduce the risk of falling in old patients. Its major handicap is probably its cost, which has hindered its generalisation. One solution to reduce this cost is performing VR with mobile posturography systems, which allow assessment of stability at the center of body mass in daily-life conditions.

Presbyvestibulopathy, Comorbidities, and Perception of Disability: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To assess the perception of disability in patients with presbyvestibulopathy and to determine the factors (demographic, balance test scores, and comorbidities) that determine higher levels of disability. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary university hospital. There were 103 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for presbyvestibulopathy and were included.

Vestibular Rehabilitation Using Posturographic System in Elderly Patients with Postural Instability: Can the Number of Sessions Be Reduced?

Purpose: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) using posturography systems has proved useful in improving balance among elderly patients with postural instability. However, its high cost hinders its use. The objective of this study is to assess whether two different protocols of VR with posturography, one of them longer (ten sessions) and the other shorter (five sessions), show significant differences in the improvement of balance among old patients with instability.

Modified Timed Up and Go Test for Tendency to Fall and Balance Assessment in Elderly Patients With Gait Instability.

To compare the results from the modified Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) with posturographic variables, the subjective perception of disability due to gait instability, and the number of falls in a sample of the elderly population with imbalance, to confirm that the TUG Test is a useful clinical instrument to assess the tendency to fall in individuals of this age group. Cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary university hospital, in 174 people aged 65 years or older with gait instability. Modified TUG Test was performed; time, step count and the need for support during the test were the analyzed variables.

Does patient environment have any influence on balance?

Background: Although patient environment is a factor to consider when planning a vestibular rehabilitation program, there are no studies correlating this factor to outcomes of balance assessment.

Aim: To evaluate whether there are differences in objective evaluation of balance in elderly patients at risk of falls according to the environment in which they live (urban or rural) and their lifestyle (considering cardiovascular risk factors).

Methods: Cross-sectional study of a sample of 139 elderly patients with high risk of falls assessed with objective outcome measures: Computer Dynamic Posturography (CDP), and the modified Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test; and subjective outcome measures: Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and short Falls Efficacy Scale-International (short FES-I).

Differential Proinflammatory Signature in Vestibular Migraine and Meniere Disease.

Vestibular Migraine (VM) and Meniere's Disease (MD) are episodic vestibular syndromes defined by a set of associated symptoms such as tinnitus, hearing loss or migraine features during the attacks. Both conditions may show symptom overlap and there is no biological marker to distinguish them. Two subgroups of MD patients have been reported, according to their IL-1β profile.

Prognostic factors that modify outcomes of vestibular rehabilitation in elderly patients with falls.

Background: Our previous study has shown that vestibular rehabilitation (VR) is an effective technique to reduce falls in elderly patients. It would be interesting to establish patients' clinical characteristics in which vestibular rehabilitation is expected to be more effective.

Aims: Evaluate factors that could modify rehabilitation outcomes in elderly patients with previous falls.

Optimising costs in reducing rate of falls in older people with the improvement of balance by means of vestibular rehabilitation (ReFOVeRe study): a randomized controlled trial comparing computerised dynamic posturography vs mobile vibrotactile posturography system.

Background: Accidental falls, especially for the elderly, are a major health issue. Balance disorders are one of their main causes. Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) has proven to be useful in improving balance of elderly patients with instability.

Determinants of the Appearance and Progression of Early-Onset Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Young Adults. A Case-Control Study with Follow-up.

Introduction And Objectives: Determinants of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the early stages of its natural history are not well known. Improving our knowledge of these factors will help to design interventions that can modify prognosis. Study objectives are: a) to characterize a COPD population of young adults aged 35-50 years from a multidimensional point of view; b) to compare these patients with smokers with normal lung function; and c) to create a cohort of young adults aged 35-50 years (smokers or former smokers), with and without COPD, who will be followed in the future to improve understanding of the natural history of the disease.

Vestibular rehabilitation in elderly patients with postural instability: reducing the number of falls-a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Our previous study had shown the effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in improving balance in elderly patients, assessed immediately afterwards.

Aims: The main goal of the present study is to consider whether this improvement in balance assessment turns out in a reduction of the number of falls.

Methods: 139 elderly patients with high risk of falls were included and randomized to one of the following study arms: computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) training, optokinetic stimulus, exercises at home or control group.

Proinflammatory cytokines and response to molds in mononuclear cells of patients with Meniere disease.

Epidemiological studies have found a higher prevalence of allergic symptoms and positive prick tests in patients with Meniere's disease (MD); however the effect of allergenic extracts in MD has not been established. Thus, this study aims to determine the effect of Aspergillus and Penicillium stimulation in cytokine release and gene expression profile in MD. Patients with MD showed higher basal levels of IL-1β, IL-1RA, IL-6 and TNF-α when compared to healthy controls.

Regulation of Fn14 Receptor and NF-κB Underlies Inflammation in Meniere's Disease.

Meniere's disease (MD) is a rare disorder characterized by episodic vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. It is associated with a fluid imbalance between the secretion of endolymph in the cochlear duct and its reabsorption into the subarachnoid space, leading to an accumulation of endolymph in the inner ear. Epidemiological evidence, including familial aggregation, indicates a genetic contribution and a consistent association with autoimmune diseases (AD).

Caffeine intake and Menière's disease: Is there relationship?

Objectives: Although it is commonly recognized that dietary restrictions may improve the clinical course of Menière's disease, their effectiveness has not been definitely demonstrated. The aim of this study was to examine whether caffeine consumption could be involved in Menière's disease.

Methods: Cross-sectional, observational, case-control study, comparing caffeine consumption (intake of coffee, tea, kola-type beverages, energy drinks, and chocolate-containing beverages or foods) between patients with Menière's disease (group A) and patients affected by vertigo with other origins (group B) and/or control subjects (group C).

Short-term effectiveness of vestibular rehabilitation in elderly patients with postural instability: a randomized clinical trial.

Balance becomes more precarious with age, and even without pathological disorders, the physiological decline in balance that occurs with age is a factor that also favors falls. So the aim of the present study is to assess the short-term effectiveness of three different methods of vestibular rehabilitation, compared to a control group, in improving balance in elderly patients with postural instability. 139 elderly patients with high risk of falls were included and randomized to one of the following study arms: computer dynamic posturography (CDP) training, optokinetic stimulus, exercises at home, or control group.

Extended phenotype and clinical subgroups in unilateral Meniere disease: A cross-sectional study with cluster analysis.

Objectives: To define clinical subgroups by cluster analysis in patients with unilateral Meniere disease (MD) and to compare them with the clinical subgroups found in bilateral MD.

Design: A cross-sectional study with a two-step cluster analysis.

Settings: A tertiary referral multicenter study.