Depressive symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis, correlation to severity and response to treatment

Symptomatic allergic rhinitis has been associated with variable degrees of depressive symptoms, the degree of which is directly related to the severity of symptoms and the response to treatment. In this study we aimed to assess the depressive symptom score in allergic rhinitis patients and its affection by response to treatment. In this study we aimed to compare the results between the male and female populations. The study included 60 patients in 2 groups, one received full treatment course for allergy, and the second received only a placebo. We used the SNOT for assessment of nasal symptoms, and the Beck Scale for assessment of the depressive symptoms. The over all results showed that a degree of depression is present in most patients with allergic rhinitis, the severity of which is directly related to the severity of allergic symptoms, and improves with the reduction of allergic symptoms. Lack of improvement or poor response to treatment exacerbates the depressive status. with a more severe affection and increased liability in female population than in the male one

Management of osteomas of the nose and paranasal sinuses

Craniofacial osteomas are benign tumors of the skull base, often involving the nose and paranasal sinuses. The aim of the present study is to compare different approaches in the management of osteomas of the nose and paranasal sinuses. In this study 20 patients were treated for osteomas within the nose and paranasal sinuses. All patients had standard radiological studies and computed tomography with coronal and axial cuts of the nose and paranasal sinus. Four cases were Asymptomatic and so managed conservatively. Surgery was done for 16 symptomatic cases. We used endoscopic approach in 8 out of 16 symptomatic patients. Endoscopic and radiological follow-up ranging from 6m to 24 months was done postoperatively. In our study we found that nasoendoscopic approach allows closer and more direct visualization during surgical removal of osteoma and with the aid of the intranasal drill for osteoma fragmentation and root separation, hemorrhage was more easily controlled, and extensive excision was minimized, with no cosmotic complications occurred

Possible role of food allergy in chronic otitis media with effusion

The pathogenesis of chronic otitis media with effusion is multifactorial. Bacterial, viral infections, and eustachian tube blockage are believed to play major roles. However, the role of food allergy in its pathogenesis is the least well understood, so, the aim of this work was to detect the prevalence of food allergy in patients with chronic otitis media with effusion. 60 patients with chronic otitis media with effusion were included in this study, there were 37 males and 23 females. Their ages ranged between 6 and 14 years. All cases were subjected to clinical examination and audiological assessment [audiometry and tympanometry]. They were evaluated for the presence of food allergy by skin prick test, specific IgE testing and food elimination-challenge studies over a 12 weeks period with monitoring of their middle ear effusions. Based on these tests, there was a statistically significant linkage between food allergy and chronic otitis media, with effusion in 12/60 patients [20%], the highest frequencies occurred with milk [58%], egg white [41.5%], and wheat [16.5%]. We concluded that IgE-mediated food allergies may contribute to a proportion of cases of chronic otitis media with effusion especially if occurred in a younger age group, and if associated with nasal allergy

Effects of amikin administration on the spiral genglia of pregnant guinea PIGS: a light and electron microscopic study

Thirty healthy pregnant female guinea pigs [GPs] were assigned for this study. Fefteen GPs were injected with Amikin in a dose of 200 mg/kg. b.w., intraperitoneally for three weeks; from 40th to 60th days of gastation, where the maximum peiod of anatomical and functional maturation of the cocthlea takes place. The other fifteen pregnant GPs were assigned for the control group and were injected with slaine intraperioneally for the same period as the Amikin injected animals. After delivery, i.e. at birth, 15 newborns from each of the injected and control mothers were chosen for comparative morphological study of the spiral ganglia between the newborns and their mothers using light and electron microscopy. There types of spiral ganglion neurona cells. [SGNC], were recognized in the spiral ganglia of all studied animals viz; type I, type II and type III. Type I SGNC constiuted the majority of cell population in the control group; 95% in mother GPs and 90% in the newborn GPs type Ii percentage was 4% in the mother GPs and 9% in the newborn, GPs while, type III was 1% only in either two ages. Type I cells were surrounded by myelin sheath which was lacking around type II and type III, however it was noticed around the nerve fibers in both groups. The ganglion cells as well as the nerve fibers were capped by Schwann cells. Post natal maturation was evident in SGNC and nerve fibers espcially in the basal turn. Systemic administration of Amikin in pregnant GPs readily corssed the placental blood barrier and produced toxic effects on the spiral ganglia both in adults and their newborns. Neuronal degeneration was more obvious in the newborn GPs at birth than in the mothers also in the upper turns of the cochlea than in the basal turn. The cell density in the Amikin injected group was decreased than that of the control group. On the other hand, the mean cell diameter of the type I cells increased with apperance of vacoules in their cytoplasm and karryolysis of their nuclei. Separation and fasiculation of myelin lamellae, with clumping of myelin particles was observed in some cells, while other showed absence of their myelin sheath. Degenerative changes of the nerve fibers and Schwann cells were also noted. Type I cells were the most vulnerable cells, however, type II and III did not show any changes. The mode of action of Amikin ototoxicity is mainly, direct effect on ganlion cells as it occurred immediately, so early stimulation of deafferenated cells by cochlear implant may prevent secondary degeneration. Speech discrimination after cochlear implantation is expected to be better in local than in systemic aminoglycosides ototoxivity. Measurements of maximum diameter of the cochlear nerve by magnetic resonance imaging could be a pre dictor of remaining spiral ganglion cell cound and as a mean prognostication of success of implantation and speach perception