Bamboo Nodes as an Autoimmune Disease Laryngeal Manifestation. Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: Bamboo nodes are transverse creamy-yellow subepithelial nodes in the vocal folds (VF) midpoint, usually bilateral, resembling a bamboo stem. They appear almost exclusively in females, and are associated with underlying autoimmune diseases. CASE SUMMARY: Six female patients, 45.5 years median age, with underlying autoimmune diseases, consulted due to dysphonia. The laryngeal stroboscopy showed bilateral VF bamboo nodes in four patients, and unilateral in the remaining two. VF mobility was normal in all patients, while the mucosal wave was impaired in four of them. Treatment with speech therapy and proton pump inhibitors was indicated. All the patients were referred for rheumatologic evaluation and immunosuppressive treatment optimization. Follow-up in five patients showed vocal function self-perception and GRBAS scores improvement. DISCUSSION: VF bamboo nodes are an infrequent cause for dysphonia, associated with phonotrauma and autoimmune diseases. Speech therapy and a rheumatologic workup must be indicated, for immunosuppressive treatment enhancement.

Determination of variables for a more accurate diagnostic approach in suspected acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis: A non-concurrent cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a group of patients with suspected acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) diagnosis, and identify factors associated with a greater risk of presenting this disease. DESIGN: Non-concurrent cohort study. SETTING: A single-centre non-concurrent follow-up of patients with suspected AIFRS between August 2015 and July 2018. PARTICIPANTS: 50 inpatients referred due to suspected AIFRS at Hospital Clínico Universidad Católica based on the association of a predisposing factor (neutropenia/immunodeficiency/poorly controlled diabetes) with fever of unknown origin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome was AIFRS diagnosis, defined as a concordant tissue biopsy. RESULTS: Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis was confirmed in 18% (9/50) of the evaluated patients. AIFRS was significantly associated with a positive galactomannan (P = .04), and a paranasal sinus MRI with lack of contrast enhancement (LoCE) (P = .04) orbit compromise (P = .03) or global extrasinusal extension (P = .04). LoCE and extrasinusal extension in the paranasal sinus/brain MRI were risk factors for AIFRS (OR 16; CI 1.2-210.6 and OR 12.75; CI 1.3-128.8, respectively). Conversely, a nasal endoscopy showing healthy mucosa was identified as a protective factor for AIFRS (OR 0.06; CI 0.007-0.57). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with suspected AIFRS, we identified laboratory and radiologic variables associated with the disease, which may help for a more accurate diagnostic algorithm and approach in this population.

Spasmodic Dysphonia: Standardized Spanish Tool for Ambulatory Consult Diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a focal dystonia of the larynx where involuntary spasms of its intrinsic muscles are triggered by specific phonemes. The diagnosis is challenging and is performed by listening to the patient's voice, supported by nasolaryngoscopy. There is no diagnostic tool in Spanish for SD. The objective of our study is to establish phonetically studied vocal tasks in Spanish language to diagnose patients with SD. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This is a prospective study in three groups of patients: 11 with SD, 11 with another vocal disease, and 11 with no vocal disease, recruited in the Voice Unit of Hospital Clínico Universidad Católica. Of the patients with SD, 10 (90.9%) had adductor SD and 1 (9.1%) abductor SD. Vocal tasks phonetically studied by a speech language pathologist as laryngeal spasm triggers were recorded. The audio recordings were randomized and analyzed by nine evaluators: three experts and six otolaryngology residents. The correlation between the different professionals for the correct diagnosis was analyzed. RESULTS: The audio recordings were analyzed and patients with SD presented irregular voice breaks that occurred during the trigger phonemes. Evaluators classified the audio recordings: the expert group presented 100% sensitivity, 95-100% specificity and individual consistency of κ=0.73-0.82. The interrater agreement was 81.8%. The resident group presented 55-100% sensitivity, 58-95% specificity, and individual consistency of κ=0.36-0.82. The interrater agreement was 67.0%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: We obtained a strong to almost perfect interrater agreement in experts and fair to almost perfect in residents. This study shows that the established list of phonetically studied and standardized words can be a useful tool for the diagnosis of SD.