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Introduction: The risk of adverse events, specifically avascular necrosis (AVN), associated with corticosteroid use is not well reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of AVN among patients with prior oral corticosteroid administration. Methods: An institutional database query recognized 113,734 adult patients with oral corticosteroid administration between January 2006 and May 2017. A temporal query performed on this cohort determined that 789 had a diagnosis of AVN following oral corticosteroids. A retrospective review was performed on this cohort. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, date of initial oral corticosteroid exposure, and time to diagnosis of AVN. Records without radiographic confirmation of AVN were excluded from analysis. Patients with cumulative lifetime dosages greater than 10,000 mg prednisone were excluded from analysis. Results: A total of 789 patients with oral corticosteroid use prior to diagnosis of AVN were identified. Five hundred and seventy‐two patients were excluded due to insufficient documentation of oral corticosteroid dosage, no radiographic evidence supporting the diagnosis of AVN, insufficient data confirming the temporal relationship between oral corticosteroids and AVN, and/or a cumulative dosing of >10,000 mg prednisone. This left 217 patients included in the analysis. The mean duration of use prior to diagnosis of AVN was 219 (± 374) days, and mean cumulative dose was 3314 (± 2908) mg prednisone equivalents. Mean time between diagnosis of AVN and onset of pathologic fracture was 379 (± 1046) days. Conclusion: For patients receiving low cumulative doses of oral corticosteroids, corticosteroids pose a small risk of development of AVN. More studies are required to better characterize risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor sleep quality is common in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Prior studies have demonstrated improvements in patient‐reported measures of sleep quality following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ESS on objective sleep parameters and identify any associations between specific objective measures and patient characteristics, comorbidities, and patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs). Methods: Adults with CRS undergoing ESS were prospectively enrolled from 4 centers across North America. Any subject previously diagnosed with a known primary sleep disorder was excluded. Objective sleep indices were recorded using a portable sleep diagnostic device preoperatively and postoperatively. Patient‐reported outcome instruments were completed including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22). Results: Thirty‐six patients (mean age 47 years, 56% male) completed baseline and postoperative sleep studies with mean ± standard deviation (SD) follow‐up 9.6 ± 7.7 months. Mean PSQI and SNOT‐22 before and after ESS was 10.2 ± 3.9 vs 7.8 ± 4.4 (p = 0.001); and 54.6 ± 14.6 vs 28.5 ± 15.3 (p < 0.001), respectively. Total sleep time, sleep latency, and awakenings after sleep onset did not change following ESS (all p > 0.5) despite improvements in PSQI and SNOT‐22. Changes in PSQI did not correlate with comorbidities or objective sleep indices (all p > 0.1). Conclusion: In this multicenter prospective cohort, objective sleep indices were not improved following ESS for CRS despite significant improvements in patient‐reported sleep quality and CRS‐specific QOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Olfactory dysfunction (OD) has been reported to impact social interactions. However, the relationship between OD and loneliness has received little attention. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between OD and loneliness, controlling for patient factors. Methods: Subjects without otolaryngic complaints were enrolled and olfactory function was assessed using: Sniffin' Sticks test to measure threshold, discrimination and identification (TDI), Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders Negative Statements (QOD-NS) and 9 – item Olfactory-Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Loneliness was assessed using the De Jong Gierveld (DJG) and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) loneliness scales. Bivariate analysis was performed followed by regression analysis, controlling for confounders. Results: In total, 221 subjects were included with a mean age of 50.5 years (range 20 to 93), 133 (60.2%) females and 161 (72.9%) white. Mean TDI score was 29.3 (7.0) and 49.5% of the cohort was dysosmic. Using DJG, 36.4% of the cohort were classified as lonely, whereas 35.0% were lonely using UCLA. Olfactory measures were significantly associated with DJG, including TDI (β = −0.03, p = 0.050), olfactory discrimination (β = −0.111, p = 0.005), QOD-NS (β = 0.058, p < 0.001) and olfactory-VAS (β = 0.032, p < 0.001). UCLA scores were significantly associated with QOD-NS (PR 1.061 [CI 1.018–1.107], p = 0.005) and olfactory-VAS scores (PR 1.027, [CI 1.007–1.049], p = 0.009). After controlling for confounders, the association between DJG and olfactory discrimination, as well as DJG and olfactory-VAS remained significant. Conclusions: In this community-based sample of older adults, both OD and loneliness were common. Those subjects with worse olfactory function were more likely to report loneliness. Further research is necessary to establish causality, as well as explore the role of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Sinus Control Test (SCT) is a 4‐question, patient‐reported questionnaire that assesses disease control in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This prospective, multicenter study examines SCT outcomes following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), further validating its use as a control instrument for CRS. Methods: Adults with CRS undergoing ESS were prospectively enrolled from 5 centers across North America. The SCT was administered at baseline and once 6 months after surgery. Quality of life and disease burden were evaluated using the 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) and Lund‐Kennedy endoscopy scores. Linear regression was used to determine whether specific demographic, comorbidity, or disease severity measures were independently associated with changes in SCT scores postoperatively. Results: A total of 218 patients, 111 females (50.9%) and 107 males (49.1%), were enrolled, with mean ± standard deviation age of 50.1 ± 15.6 years. Mean SCT score improved from 8.9 ± 3.5 to 4.3 ± 3.7 postoperatively (p < 0.001). Preoperatively, 21.6% were uncontrolled, 71.5% partially controlled, and 6.9% controlled. Postoperatively, 6.0% were uncontrolled, 42.6% partially controlled, and 51.4% controlled (p < 0.001). Change in SCT score correlated independently with change in SNOT‐22 (r = 0.500, p < 0.001) and endoscopy scores (r = 0.310, p < 0.001). Endoscopy scores did not correlate with control status among patients with CRS without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP) nor between uncontrolled and partially controlled patients. Demographics and comorbidities were not associated with changes in SCT. Conclusion: Improvement in disease control following ESS as measured by the SCT correlated with improvements in SNOT‐22 and endoscopy scores. The SCT is an easily administered instrument that provides information complementary to existing patient‐reported and objective measures of disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the utility of Second-look endoscopy with debridement (SLED) after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. To compare outcomes in pediatric CF patients undergoing sinus surgery for chronic sinusitis with or without SLED. To describe findings present at the time of SLED. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 61 ESS procedures performed at a tertiary care pediatric center from 2013 to 2016. Data collected included demographics, SLED findings, and 6-month pre-/postoperative disease specific outcomes including incidence of sinonasal and pulmonary exacerbations and revisions. Results: Sixty-one cases were reviewed. SLED was performed in 38 cases on average 22.4 days postoperatively. Average preoperative Lund-Mackay score was 14.9 and 14.8 among patients undergoing ESS with and without SLED, respectively. Pre-/postoperative intranasal steroid use and extent of surgery performed was similar among all patients. At the time of SLED, rates of synechiae, polyps and maxillary antrostomy obstruction were 26.3%, 23.7%, and 7.9%, respectively. The incidence and number of days to onset of postoperative sinonasal exacerbations requiring antibiotic therapy within 6 months of ESS were 1.0 (SD 1.0) and 85 days (SD 45.7); and 1.3 (SD 1.0) and 80.4 days (SD 40.5) for patients undergoing ESS with and without SLED, respectively (P value.33). The number of days to first pulmonary exacerbation was 113.9 (SD 45.5) and 47.4 (SD 34.1) among SLED and non-SLED patients, respectively (P value.01). No significant difference was observed in revision rates and time to revision ESS (30% and overall average 1.4 years, respectively). Conclusion: The utility of SLED among pediatric CF patients remains unclear. While debridement did not have a significant impact on sinonasal exacerbations or revision rates, pulmonary exacerbations for patients undergoing SLED were delayed. Further studies are needed to clarify the impact of SLED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To present current literature on the topic of odontogenic sinusitis. Data Source: PubMed literature search for odontogenic sinusitis. Results: Odontogenic sinusitis is an inflammatory condition of the paranasal sinuses that is the result of dental pathology, most often resulting from prior dentoalveolar procedures, infections of maxillary dentition, or maxillary dental trauma. Infections are often polymicrobial with an anaerobe‐predominant microbiome requiring special considerations for antimicrobial therapy. Medical management and treatment of the underlying dental pathology remains a critical initial step in the treatment of odontogenic sinusitis, however recent literature suggests that a significant portion of patients may require endoscopic sinus surgery for successful disease resolution. Conclusions: This review describes the essential epidemiological and etiological factors, relevant clinical findings and diagnostic modalities, microbiologic and antimicrobial considerations, as well as the medical and surgical treatment approaches commonly utilized for the management of odontogenic sinusitis. Level of Evidence: NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research on iontophoretic administration of cytotoxic therapies to tumor treatment. Topics discussed include limited effect of cytotoxic agents due to systemic toxicity and poor tumor perfusion; biweekly treatment of orthotopic patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenografts with gemcitabine; and coadministration of systemic cisplatin therapy and radiotherapy.

Objective Transclival endoscopic endonasal approaches to the skull base are novel with few published cases. We report our institution's experience with this technique and discuss outcomes according to the clival region involved. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Tertiary care academic medical center Participants All patients who underwent endoscopic endonasal transclival approaches for skull base lesions from 2008 to 2012. Main Outcome Measures Pathologies encountered, mean intraoperative time, intraoperative complications, gross total resection, intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, postoperative CSF leak, postoperative complications, and postoperative clinical course. Results A total of 49 patients underwent 55 endoscopic endonasal transclival approaches. Pathology included 43 benign and 12 malignant lesions. Mean follow-up was 15.4 months. Mean operative time was 167.9 minutes, with one patient experiencing an intraoperative internal carotid artery injury. Of the 15 cases with intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, 1 developed postoperative CSF leak (6.7%). There were six other postoperative complications: four systemic complications, one case of meningitis, and one retropharyngeal abscess. Gross total resection was achieved for all malignancies approached with curative intent. Conclusions This study provides evidence that endoscopic endonasal transclival approaches are a safe and effective strategy for the surgical management of a variety of benign and malignant lesions. Level of Evidence 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]