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Conclusion: Guyuron type 2 and Mladina type 1 were the most common types of nasal septal deformity (NSD) in Koreans. The Guyuron classification showed a higher concordance rate with computed tomography (CT) findings than the Mladina classification. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to classify the NSD according to the Guyuron and Mladina classifications, and to evaluate the correlation between anterior rhinoscopy and CT findings. Methods: Each septum of the patients who visited Seoul National University Hospital Health Care Center was classified according to the Guyuron and Mladina classifications. For the patients who underwent septoplasty, the correlation of NSD between anterior rhinoscopy and CT findings was evaluated. Results: Of 970 patients, 50.3% had NSD. According to the Guyuron and Mladina classifications, type 2 (41.4%) and type 1 (35.4%) were most common, respectively. Among 64 patients who underwent septoplasty, the concordance rates with CT findings were 71.9% for the Guyuron classification and 50% for the Mladina classification. This difference was statistically significant (chi-squared test, p = 0.026). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) enhances inflammation in allergic rhinitis (AR) and interleukin (IL)-17 may play a significant role in regulation of the inflammatory process induced by SEB. Objectives: Exposure to SEB is associated with severe symptoms in AR patients. However, how SEB influences the inflammatory process in AR has not been elucidated so far. The aim of this study was to identify the role of SEB and IL-17 in AR. Methods: BALB/c and IL-17-deficient mice were divided into three groups: control, OVA, and SEB groups. The control group was challenged with phosphate-buffered saline, the AR group was challenged with ovalbumin (OVA), and the SEB group was treated with SEB before OVA challenge. Nasal symptoms, eosinophil infiltration, serum total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E levels, and cytokine levels including IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and interferon (IFN)-γ in splenocyte culture were compared between the groups. Results: The SEB group produced significantly greater amounts of cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and IFN-γ than the OVA group in wild-type mice. However, these enhanced inflammatory responses in the SEB group compared with the OVA group were not observed in IL-17-deficient mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: Genetic dysregulation may be associated with development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Objectives: Genetic expression was investigated in the soft palate of patients with OSA to evaluate the biomolecular characteristics of the tissue where airway obstruction actually occurs. Methods: Soft palate mucosa was obtained during uvulopalatal flap surgery. Three patients with apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) >30/h and three simple snoring patients with AHI < 5/h were enrolled. After total RNA was extracted and amplified, gene expression levels were determined by microarray analysis, and relative signal intensities for each gene were evaluated. Results: Of the 45,034 genes analyzed, 137 were up-regulated in OSA patients compared with simple snorers and 95 were down-regulated. Gene network analysis showed that genes related to RNA interference and transcription were most commonly involved in the functional pathophysiology of OSA. In particular, genes encoding proliferating cell nuclear antigen and proteasome 26S subunit ATPase 6 were functionally connected with other genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]