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Abstract Objective Nasal obstruction is a common complaint. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation scale (NOSE) is a reliable validated tool used to assess the quality of life of patients with nasal obstruction. The purpose of this study is to validate the Hebrew version of the NOSE scale (He‐NOSE). Methods A prospective instrument validation was conducted. The NOSE scale was translated primarily from English to Hebrew and then back from Hebrew to English according to the accepted guidelines of the cross‐cultural adaptation process. The study group included surgery candidates suffering from nasal obstruction due to a deviated nasal septum and/or inferior turbinate hypertrophy. The study group completed the validated He‐NOSE questionnaire twice prior to the surgery and once again, a month post‐surgery. A control group of individuals with no history of nasal complaints or surgeries was asked to complete the questionnaire once. Reliability, internal consistency, validity, and responsiveness to change of the He‐NOSE were evaluated. Results Fifty‐three patients and 100 controls were included in this study. The scale showed excellent ability to discriminate between the study and the control group, exhibiting significantly lower scores in the control group (73.8 and 7 average scores respectively, p

Background:. Postrhinoplasty periorbital ecchymosis is an inevitable side effect contributing to patients’ psychological aspect and early postoperative morbidity. Efforts are constantly being made to reduce ecchymosis using different methods with varying success. To evaluate treatment response, it is mandatory to have a reliable score. Several studies suggest other scoring systems, but none has been postrhinoplasty-specific, validated, and accepted. This study aimed to demonstrate the natural history of postrhinoplasty ecchymosis, find potential risk factors for worsening patterns, and suggest a useful and reliable periorbital ecchymosis scoring system for postrhinoplasty follow-up. Methods:. This prospective study included 183 patients who underwent closed rhinoplasty by the same surgeon and the same principle method. Photographs of the periorbital ecchymosis were taken on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7. The periorbital area was divided into quarters, and three independent physicians assigned the dominant color of each quarter. Results:. There were no significant variations between the three physicians’ scoring. The interobserver consistency defined as an excellent scoring system reliability, according to our statistical analysis. The postoperative ecchymosis demonstrated a consistent pattern of spread over time, dominating the medial quarters on early postoperative days 1 and 2, following into the lower lateral quarters in postoperative day 7. We found no correlation between patient demographics and clinical characteristics to ecchymosis patterns and temporal spread. Conclusions:. Our study suggests a reliable and easy-to-use postrhinoplasty ecchymosis scoring system. This scoring method can be used for postrhinoplasty ecchymosis assessment and as a research-validated tool to quantify different perioperative treatments to reduce ecchymosis and estimate mid-face trauma.

Vaccination is a key tool to mitigate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Israel, COVID-19 vaccines became available to adults in December 2020 and to 5–11-year-old children in November 2021. Ahead of the vaccine roll-out in children, we aimed to determine whether surveyed parents intended to vaccinate their children and describe reasons for their intentions. We collected information on parental socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 vaccine history, intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, and reasons for parental decisions using an anonymous online survey. We identified associations between parental characteristics and plans to vaccinate children using a logistic regression model and described reasons for intentions to vaccinate or not. Parental non-vaccination and having experienced major vaccination side effects were strongly associated with non-intention to vaccinate their children (OR 0.09 and 0.18 respectively, p

ObjectiveStudies have demonstrated a potential correlation between low vitamin D status and both an increased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and poorer clinical outcomes. This retrospective study examines if, and to what degree, a relationship exists between pre-infection serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level and disease severity and mortality due to SARS-CoV-2.ParticipantsThe records of individuals admitted between April 7th, 2020 and February 4th, 2021 to the Galilee Medical Center (GMC) in Nahariya, Israel, with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) were searched for historical 25(OH)D levels measured 14 to 730 days prior to the positive PCR test.DesignPatients admitted to GMC with COVID-19 were categorized according to disease severity and level of 25(OH)D. An association between pre-infection 25(OH)D levels, divided between four categories (deficient, insufficient, adequate, and high-normal), and COVID-19 severity was ascertained utilizing a multivariable regression analysis. To isolate the possible influence of the sinusoidal pattern of seasonal 25(OH)D changes throughout the year, a cosinor model was used.ResultsOf 1176 patients admitted, 253 had records of a 25(OH)D level prior to COVID-19 infection. A lower vitamin D status was more common in patients with the severe or critical disease (ConclusionsAmong hospitalized COVID-19 patients, pre-infection deficiency of vitamin D was associated with increased disease severity and mortality.