Use of the Microguide mobile phone application for ENT conditions: a national review.

OBJECTIVE: Smartphone applications are used widely in healthcare, including antimicrobial applications such as Microguide. There has been no review of hospitals using this smartphone application for ENT conditions. METHODS: This study analysed all hospital accounts using Microguide and examined the ENT conditions that were listed. RESULTS: In total, 123 hospitals were included in this study; 45 ENT-related conditions were listed on Microguide across all hospitals, with an average of 8 conditions listed per hospital. CONCLUSION: There is a significant disparity of ENT conditions listed on Microguide. A suggested list is recommended to be included for ENT departments using Microguide, to help improve antimicrobial stewardship for the specialty.

Nasal Symptoms in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Their Association with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Usage.

The role of nasal symptoms in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) tolerance is not completely clear. This study aimed to investigate the association between CPAP usage and nasal symptoms, either prior to, or developing during, CPAP use in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Two hundred thirty patients were studied and divided into high-, low-, and non-CPAP users. Nasal symptoms and related quality of life parameters were evaluated prior to CPAP initiation and after three months. We also investigated predictive factors for CPAP usage. Non-CPAP users had significantly worse baseline scores for runny nose compared with high and low users (1.34 vs. 0.68 and 0.75, respectively, p = 0.006). There were no other significant differences between the groups. Runny nose was an independent predictive factor for lower CPAP usage (p = 0.036). An evaluation after three months showed worsening in runny nose score in high-CPAP users (p = 0.025) but not in low- and non-users. There were no significant changes in other nasal symptoms. Our study demonstrates that nasal symptoms were very common in this population but rhinorrhoea was the only symptom associated with poorer CPAP adherence. Moreover, rhinorrhoea worsened after a three-month trial of high-CPAP usage.

The Current State and Future Possibilities of Mobile Phone "Voice Analyser" Applications, in Relation to Otorhinolaryngology.

BACKGROUND: A large proportion of the population suffers from voice disorders. The use of mobile phone technology in healthcare is increasing, and this includes applications that can analyze voice. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to review the potential for voice analyzer applications to aid the management of voice disorders. METHODS: A literature search was conducted yielding eight studies which were further analyzed. RESULTS: Seven out of the eight studies concluded that smartphone assessments were comparable to current techniques. Nevertheless there remained some common issues with using applications such as; voice parameters used; voice pathology tested; smartphone software consistency and microphone specifications. CONCLUSIONS: It is clear that further developments are required before a mobile application can be used widely in voice analysis. However, promising results have been obtained thus far, and the benefits of mobile technology in this field, particularly in voice rehabilitation, warrant further research into its widespread implementation.