Brainstem auditory evoked potential combined with high resolution cranial base CT can optimize the diagnosis of auditory nerve injury / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Auditory nerve injury is one of the most common nerve injury complications of skull base fractures. However, there is currently a lack of auxiliary examination methods for its direct diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to find a more efficient and accurate means of diagnosis for auditory nerve injury.@*METHODS@#Through retrospectively analyzing the results of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and high-resolution CT (HRCT) in 37 patients with hearing impairment following trauma from January 1, 2018 to July 31, 2020, the role of the two inspection methods in the diagnosis of auditory nerve injury was studied. Inclusion criteria were patient had a clear history of trauma and unilateral hearing impairment after trauma; while exclusion criteria were: (1) severe patient with a Glasgow coma scale score ≤5 because these patients were classified as severe head injury and admitted to the intensive care unit, (2) patient in the subacute stage admitted 72 h after trauma, and (3) patient with prior hearing impairment before trauma. According to Goodman's classification of hearing impairment, the patients were divided into low/medium/severe injury groups. In addition, patients were divided into HRCT-positive and negative groups for further investigation with their BAEP results. The positive rates of BEAP for each group were observed, and the results were analyzed by Chi-square test (p < 0.05, regarded as statistical difference).@*RESULTS@#A total of 37 patients were included, including 21 males and 16 females. All of them were hospitalized patients with GCS score of 6-15 at the time of admission. The BAEP positive rate in the medium and severe injury group was 100%, which was significantly higher than that in the low injury group (27.27%) (p < 0.01). The rate of BEAP positivity was significantly higher in the HRCT-positive group (20/30, 66.7%) than in the HRCT-negative group (1/7, 14.3%) (p < 0.05). Twenty patients (54.05%) were both positive for BEAP and HRCT test, and considered to have auditory nerve damage. Six patients (16.22%) were both negative for BEAP and HRCT test, and 10 patients (27.03%) were BAEP-negative but HRCT-positive: all the 16 patients were considered as non-neurological injury. The rest 1 case (2.70%) was BAEP-positive but HRCT-negative, which we speculate may have auditory nerve concussion.@*CONCLUSION@#By way of BAEP combining with skull base HRCT, we may improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of auditory nerve injury. Such a diagnostic strategy may be beneficial to guiding treatment plans and evaluating prognosis.

Obstructive Spirometeric Patterns and Its reversibility against Short acting ß-2 Agonist in Patients with Bronchiectasis

Objectives: To determine the frequency of obstructive pattern of spirometry in bronchiectasis patients. Material and methods: This case series study was conducted at Department of Pulmonology, Jinnah Hospital Lahore. Total 143 patients with bronchiectasis having age 30-60 years either male or female and having duration of symptoms ?1 years were selected for this study. Results: Total 143 patients with Bronchiectasis were selected for this study. Mean age of the patients was 47.56 ± 9.11 years, mean weight, mean height and mean BMI was 68.01 12.22, 59.63 ± 4.21 and 29.84 5.71 respectively. Out of 143 patients of Bronchiectasis, Positive obstructive pattern was noted in 80 (55.9%) patients and reversibility was noted in 45 (56.25%) patients. Conclusion:Results of this study showed a higher number of positive obstructive pattern in patients of bronchiectasis and percentage reversibility is also very high. Reversibility was significantly associated with age of the patients and duration of disease.