Curcumin protects against acoustic trauma in the rat cochlea.

OBJECTIVES: In this study we evaluated the therapeutic utility of curcumin in a rodent model of acoustic trauma using histopathology, immunohistochemical, and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAEs) measurements. METHODS: 28 Wistar albino rats were included in the study and randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups. The first group (group 1) served as the control and was exposed to acoustic trauma alone. Group 2 was the curcumin group. Group 3 was the curcumin plus acoustic trauma group. Group 4 was the saline plus acoustic trauma group. Otoacoustic emission measurements were collected at the end of the experiment and all animals were sacrificed. Cochlea were collected and prepared for TUNEL (TdT-mediated deoxyuridinetriphosphate nick end-labelling) staining assay. RESULTS: Group 3 maintained baseline DPOAEs values at 3000 Hz, 4000 Hz and 8000 Hz on the 3rd and 5th day of the experiment. DPOAEs results were correlated with the immunohistochemical and histopathological findings in all groups. In comparison to the histopathologic control group, Group 1 exhibited a statistically significant increase in apoptotic indices in the organ of Corti, inner hair cell, and outer hair cell areas (p < 0.05). Relative to the control group, rats in Group 3 showed little increase in inner hair cell and outer hair cell apoptotic indices. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the conclusion that curcumin may protect the cochlear tissues from acoustic trauma in rats. Curcumin injection prior to or after an acoustic trauma reduces cochlear hair cell damage and may protect against hearing loss.

The effect of melatonin and vitamin C treatment on the experimentally induced tympanosclerosis: study in rats.

INTRODUCTION: The ethiopathogenesis of tympanosclerosis has not been completely under- stood yet. Recent studies have shown that free oxygen radicals are important in the formation of tympanosclerosis. Melatonin and Vitamin C are known to be a powerful antioxidant, interacts directly with Reactive Oxygen Species and controls free radical-mediated tissue damage. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the possible preventative effects of melatonin and Vitamin C on tympanosclerosis in rats by using histopathology and determination of total antioxidant status total antioxidant status. METHODS: Standard myringotomy and standard injury were performed in the middle ear of 24 rats. The animals were divided into three groups: Group 1 received melatonin, Group 2 received vitamin C, and Group 3 received saline solution. RESULTS: The mean values of total antioxidant status were similar in the all study groups before the treatment period. The mean values of total antioxidant status were significantly higher in the melatonin and vitamin C groups compared to control group but vitamin C with melatonin groups were similar after the treatment period (p<0.001). Minimum and maximum wall thicknesses were lower in the melatonin and vitamin C groups compared to the control group but the differences were insignificant. CONCLUSION: Melatonin increases total antioxidant status level and might have some effect on tympanosclerosis that develops after myringotomy.

Intraperitoneal curcumin and vitamin E combination for the treatment of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Cisplatin ototoxicity is characterized by irreversible, progressive, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss at high frequencies, accompanied by tinnitus. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the protective action of curcumin alone or in combination with vitamin E against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in animal models. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 42 rats. Experimental animals were randomized into 6 groups. In the first group, intra-peritoneal cisplatin was administered alone. In the second group, intra-peritoneal cisplatin and curcumin were administered together. In the third group, intra-peritoneal cisplatin and vitamin E were administered together. In the fourth group, intra-peritoneal cisplatin was administered together with curcumin in combination with vitamin E. In the fifth group, intra-peritoneal curcumin was administered alone. The sixth group was sacrificed directly without administration of any drugs. A distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) test was applied to both ears of all experimental animals. Curcumin was administered 1 h before cisplatin treatment continued for three successive days. Vitamin E was administered only as a single dose 30 min prior to cisplatin. All animals were sacrificed following DPOAE testing on the 5th day of cisplatin administration. Histopathological findings included a TUNEL (TdT-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling) assay, and the percentage of apoptotic cells was calculated. DPOAE values and the percentage of apoptotic cells were compared before and after treatment and between experimental groups. RESULTS: In Group 1, DPOAE values were significantly decreased at all frequencies (3000 Hz, 4000 Hz and 6000 Hz; P < 0.05). In Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-treatment DPOAE results (p > 0.05). Apoptotic index values were lower in all treatment groups compared to the cisplatin group, however the difference was only statistically significant in group 3 (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: In rats, cisplatin ototoxicity can be prevented with curcumin or curcumin-vitamin E combination.

Paraoxonase Activity and Oxidative Status in Patients with Tinnitus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate serum paraoxanase-1 (PON) activity, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and the oxidative stress index (OSI) in tinnitus; and to compare the results with data from healthy subjects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 114 subjects-54 patients with tinnitus and 60 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Serum PON activity, TOS, TAS, and OSI levels were measured. RESULTS: In the tinnitus group, TAS, and PON were significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.001). However, the TOS, and OSI levels were significantly higher in the tinnitus group than in the control group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the data obtained from the present study, patients with tinnitus were exposed to potent oxidative stress. Oxidative stress may be the key contributing factor to the pathogenesis of tinnitus.

Protective effects of melatonin and selenium against apoptosis of olfactory sensory neurons: A rat model study.

BACKGROUND: Selenium plays a role in the prevention of oxidative damage and has been linked to regulatory functions in cell growth, apoptosis, cell survival, and cytotoxicity. Melatonin has an antioxidant effect, which protects against a number of free radical species. Given its antioxidant properties, melatonin has been widely known to inhibit neuronal apoptosis. We examined the cytoprotective effects of melatonin and selenium in rat olfactory sensory neurons after rhinosinusitis by immunohistochemical evaluation of olfactory bulb mucosa. METHODS: Rhinosinusitis was induced bilaterally in 24 animals. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three equal groups. The melatonin group was treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) melatonin and ampicillin-sulbactam, the selenium group was treated with i.p. selenium and ampicillin-sulbactam, the antibiotic group was treated with i.p. ampicillin-sulbactam; all three groups were treated for 10 days. After a period of 10 days of treatment, the animals were killed for immunohistochemical analyses. All olfactory bulb mucosae were removed immediately. RESULTS: No histochemical differences were found in the three groups. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate nick end labeling-positive cells were detected in each group. In the antibiotic group, the appearance of apoptotic cells was higher, whereas the number of apoptotic cells significantly decreased in the melatonin group. When compared with the selenium group, fewer terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate nick end labeling-positive cells were observed in the melatonin group, which was not significant. In the antibiotic group, the cytoplasmic active caspase-3 and Bax immunostaining in the olfactory epithelium and glandular cells of stroma were higher when compared with the immunostaining in melatonin and selenium groups. Active caspase-3 and Bax immunostaining in the subepithelial stroma was dramatically reduced in the melatonin group. In contrast, the staining intensity and the number of Bcl-2 immunopositive cells were significantly increased in the melatonin group. In the selenium group, Bax and active caspase-3 were moderately immunopositive in the epithelium and subepithelial stroma. However, Bcl-2 immunostaining was more pronounced in the olfactory epithelium and some stromal cells. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated the possibility that the supplementation of melatonin and selenium, two antioxidant agents for the treatments in the rhinosinusitis rat model, might be reduced or prevent anosmia.

MBL, P2X7, and SLC11A1 gene polymorphisms in patients with oropharyngeal tularemia.

CONCLUSION: A significant association was found of oropharyngeal tularemia with SLC11A1 allele polymorphism (INT4 G/C) and MBL2 C + 4T (P/Q). These results indicate C allele and Q allele might be a risk factor for the development of oropharyngeal tularemia. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of SLC11A1, MBL, and P2X7 gene polymorphism with oropharyngeal tularemia. METHODS: The study included totally 120 patients who were diagnosed with oropharyngeal tularemia. Frequencies of polymorphisms in the following genes were analyzed both in the patient and control groups in the study: SLC11A1 (5'(GT)n Allele 2/3, Int4 G/C, 3' UTR, D543N G/A), MBL (MBL2 C + 4T (P/Q), and P2X7 (-762 C/T and 1513 A/C). RESULTS: Among all polymorphisms that were investigated in this study, SLC11A1 gene showed a significance in the distriburtion of polymorphism allelle frequency at the INT4 region. Frequency of C allele was 54 (28%) in patients with oropharyngeal tularemia, and 31 (13%) in the control group (p = 0.006 and OR = 1.96 (1.21-3.20)). An association was detected between MBL2 C + 4T (P/Q) gene polymorphism and oropharyngeal tularemia (p < 0.005 and OR = 0.30 (0.19-0.48)). No significant relation was found between P2X7 (-762 C/T and 1513 A/C) gene polymorphism and oropharyngeal tularemia in this study (p > 0.05).

Evaluation of iron and zinc levels in recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to look into the roles of iron and zinc metals in etiopathogenesis of recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy by evaluating the levels of iron and zinc elements in the palatine tonsillar tissue. METHODS: In total, 40 patients who underwent a tonsillectomy to treat recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy were included in the study. Patients were classified into two groups, recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy, determined by the results of clinical and histopathological examination. The levels of iron and zinc elements were determined for each tonsillar tissue sample. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the iron and zinc concentrations (p<0.001) between the tonsillar hypertrophy and recurrent tonsillitis groups. The levels of iron and zinc were significantly lower in the recurrent tonsillitis group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that low tissue concentrations of iron and zinc may lead to recurrent tonsillitis.

Post-radiotherapy bilateral external auditory canal cholesteatoma.

In this article, we report a 55-year-old female case was treated with radiotherapy due to nasopharynx carcinoma and diagnosed with bilateral external auditory canal cholesteatoma four years after radiotherapy. Persistent otorrhea was present in the patient and the diagnosis was established through noticing a soft tissue mass eroding external auditory canal anterior wall in temporal bone tomography as well as the otoscopic findings. Canaloplasty and cholesteatoma excision were administered as the surgical treatment.

Comparison of Endoscopic and External Dacryocystorhinostomy Results and Analysis of Patients' Satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) results and evaluation of patients' satisfaction. METHODS: Forty six (35 females and 11 males) patients who underwent endoscopic DCR and 43 (37 females and six males) who underwent external DCR were included. Surgical success was objectively and subjectively assessed. The nasolacrimal duct was irrigated by a saline solution, and the saline solution was objectively visualized by endoscopy from the nose. Subjective assessment was performed asking the patients' epiphora. In addition to evaluating the success of the operation, satisfaction and result surveys were administered to the two groups. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age and sex (respectively p=0.486, p=0.23). However, the number of females was higher than the number of males in the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (endoscopic-DCR p=0.01, external-DCR p=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of postoperative bleeding and punctum damage. The success rate was 84.7% in the endoscopic DCR group and 90.6% in the external DCR group. There was no statistically significant difference in the success rate between the two groups (p=0.397). The survey results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of patient satisfaction (p=0.397). CONCLUSION: The results of many studies in the literature show operation success rates between the two groups that are similar to ours. Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages. Independent of the preferred procedure, our results show that functional success mainly determines patient satisfaction.

Evaluation of mean platelet volume and its ratio over platelet count in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy and mean platelet volume (MPV) and MPV/platelet count ratio in children, and to evaluate the impact of adenotonsillectomy on these two parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study consisted of 73 child patients (38 boys, 35 girls; mean age 8.6±3.3 years, range 2 to 17 years) with chronic adenotonsillar hypertrophy who applied to Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Medicine, Ear, Nose and Throat policlinics due to witnessed apnea and snoring in January 2011 and January 2013. Also, 56 age and sex matched pediatric patients (28 boys, 26 girls; mean age 8.0±3.2 years; range 3 to 13 years) who admitted to our clinic due to reasons besides OSAS were included in the study as control group. Preoperative and postoperative third month hemoglobin, white blood cell, thrombocyte count, and MPV values of the patients were recorded. RESULTS: Although ratio of MPV/platelet count was higher in patient group than in control group, the difference was not statistically significant. Mean platelet volume level was 7.68±1.07 fL in patient group and 7.21±0.84 fL in control group. Preoperative MPV level in patient group was significantly higher than that in control group (p<0.05). A statistically significant decrease was detected in postoperative third month MPV level and platelet count compared with preoperative MPV and platelet count (7.68±1.07 fL and 7.17±0.97 fL, respectively; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: High MPV and MPV/platelet count in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy may be an important risk factor for cardiopulmonary and cerebrovascular morbidities which may develop both in childhood and in adulthood. Adenotonsillectomy may reduce this risk significantly.

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate whether the chronic autoinflammatory process in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), which affects numerous systems, results in vestibular dysfunction in pediatric patients being followed up for diagnosis of FMF using VEMP recordings. METHODS: 30 patients (60 ears) diagnosed with FMF and 20 (40 ears) healthy volunteers were included in the study. Following routine ear, nose, and throat examination, transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) tests were performed. RESULTS: A total of 30 FMF pediatric patients (13 male, 17 female) and 20 controls (8 male, 12 female) were included in the study. The mean age of FMF patients was 12.13 ± 2.88 years, while that of the controls was 12.90 ± 2.80 years. All of the otoacoustic emission results of the patient and control groups were "pass VEMP recordings received in both ears of patients with FMF (60 ears) and both ears of controls (40 ears). There was no statistically significant difference for latencies or amplitudes for either patients or controls (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In order to research the effect of FMF on vestibular functions, we measured VEMP. However, we did not detect alterations of VEMP in FMF patients.

Mean platelet volume as an inflammatory marker of chronic otitis media with effusion.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to investigate whether mean platelet volume (MPV) may be utilized as an inflammatory marker of chronic otitis media with effusion (COME). METHODS: Routine hemogram tests were performed preoperatively for 51 patients diagnosed with COME that were to receive ventilation tube insertion. Hemogram tests were performed on age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls (n=54). Moreover, by performing a chart review, white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), platelet (PLT), and mean platelet volume (MPV) values were compared between COME patients and controls. RESULTS: A total of 51 COME patients were included in the study and 45.1% were male. The control group had 54 individuals and 51.9% were male. MPV (p=0.493) and platelet levels (p=0.336) for COME patients group were generally borderline higher than those measured for the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: No statistically significant differences were identified between pediatric patients diagnosed with COME and healthy controls in terms of WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct, PLT and MPV levels.

Investigation of the synergism between alcohol consumption and herpes simplex virus in patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancers.

We investigated the synergism between alcohol consumption and herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the development of laryngeal squamous cell cancer and in the clinical course of this disease. HSV DNA was searched by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in the fresh tumor tissues of 22 patients with laryngeal cancer without alcohol consumption (Group 1) and of 23 patients with chronic alcohol consumption (Group 2), and their HSV prevalences were compared. No statistically significant difference was detected between the two groups in terms of HSV incidence frequency (P > 0.05), but the risk of finding HSV in tumor tissue in patients with alcohol consumption history was 3.4-fold higher than in those without alcohol consumption history (OR = 3.378, 95% CI = 0.762-14.982). There were no statistically significant differences in terms of lymph node metastasis, tumor localization, tumor diameter, tumor stage and tumor differentiation between the patients in Group 1 and Group 2 (P > 0.05). Larger case series will further elucidate the role of HSV in the development of laryngeal cancer, the nature of its interactions with other carcinogens and its effect on the clinical course.