Homocysteine levels in plasma and sensorineural hearing loss in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

PURPOSE: To determine the incidence and severity of hearing loss in different frequencies in patients with pseudoexfoliation. Furthermore, possible links between homocysteine and pseudoexfoliation were evaluated. METHODS: Seventy-five consecutive patients with pseudoexfoliation and 75 sex- and age-matched subjects without pseudoexfoliation as control group were included in this prospective case-control study. Pure-tone audiometry was obtained in all subjects in both groups. Blood samples were obtained from 70 patients with pseudoexfoliation after overnight fasting for levels of homocysteine and analyzed by routine laboratory measurements. RESULTS: Fifty-two (69%) patients with pseudoexfoliation and 39 (52%) controls had sensorineural hearing loss in speech frequencies. The difference between pseudoexfoliation and control group with regard to the frequency of sensorineural hearing loss in speech frequencies was statistically significant (p=0.03). No relationship was found between the degree of glaucomatous damage and hearing threshold variables in the patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. Plasma homocysteine levels showed no significant difference when patients with pseudoexfoliation and hearing loss were compared with patients with pseudoexfoliation and normal hearing threshold (p=0.5). Hyperhomocysteinemia was found in 58% (29/50) of pseudoexfoliation patients with hearing loss, and 55 % (11/20) of pseudoexfoliation patients with normal hearing threshold (p=0.8). No statistically significant correlation was found between plasma homocysteine and hearing loss in patients with pseudoexfoliation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest an association between sensorineural hearing loss and pseudoexfoliation in patients with pseudoexfoliation and glaucoma. The severity of hearing loss was not correlated with the degree of glaucomatous damage. There is no association between increased homocysteine levels and hearing loss in patients with pseudoexfoliation.

Immunophenotypical profiles of salivary gland tumours: a new evidence for their histogenetic origin.

The histogenetic origin of salivary gland tumours is not clear. In normal tissues smooth muscle actin (SMA) is expressed in myoepithelial cells, CK14 immunoreactivity is seen in myoepithelial and basal cells and CK10 in keratinized squamous epithelium. In this study, we examine the immunophenotypic properties of salivary gland tumours in order to obtain further insight into their histogenesis. 30 cases of salivary gland tumours (18 pleomorphic adenomas, 8 Warthin's tumours, 2 basal cell adenomas, 2 acinic cell carcinomas) were included in our study. Cytokeratin (CK) 10, CKI4, CKI7, CK18, CK 19, and smooth muscle actin (SMA) immunostains were applied to the sections. Immunoreactivities were detected and the statistical significance was evaluated by chi square test. SMA was not detected in Warthin's tumour (p < 0.0001). CK14 was found in all tumours except acinic cell carcinomas (p < 0.0001). CK10 immunoreactivity was observed in 5 Warthin's tumour. In conclusion, pleomorphic adenomas and basal cells adenomas originate from stem cells. Immunophenotypic profile of Warthin's tumour is suggestive of an embryological remnant origin.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the tongue.

Malignant tumours of the salivary glands in children are extremely rare. We present here a 12-year-old girl initially diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma on fine needle aspiration biopsy, and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) after the lesion was excised and examined by histopathology. A wide resection of the lesion and bilateral supraomyohyoid neck dissection was performed. To our knowledge this is one of the youngest patients with ACC of the minor salivary glands. Due to its benign histological appearance, the biological agressiveness of ACC is usually underestimated. Although fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is very valuable in diagnosis, cytological variations of pleomorphic adenoma must be considered. ACC of the tongue in a young age group should be treated with wide resection and selective neck dissection if the tumour is localized in places where the risk of metastasis is increased and if there is a clinically palpable lymph node. In such cases the clinician should not avoid radical operations even in a young patient.

Cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary antrum.

The cholesterol granuloma is a particular form of granulation tissue developing as part of a variety of tissue reactions, Cholesterol granuloma is not related to cholesteatoma which may be regarded as an epidermoid cyst of the middle ear or temporal bone. Cholesterol granulomas are rarely associated with such cases (Friedmann, 1976; Gherini et al., 1985). Microscopically, the cholesterol granuloma consists of dense masses of cholesterol crystals which appear as clefts. They are surrounded by foreign body giant cells, foam cells, plasma cells and lymphocytes. There is frequently some fresh blood and some blood pigment (Wilhelm, 1977; Beales, 1979; Gibb, 1979). It seems probable that inflammation and prolonged obstruction of a bony cavity that is normally aerated, are the main ways in which cholesterol is concentrated in the paranasal sinuses. It could be expected to be relatively frequent in the maxillary and frontal sinus, but only a few cases have been reported in the literature and only nine cases affecting the maxillary sinus have been published over the last 22 years (Milton and Bickerton, 1986). We have recently found a cholesterol granuloma arising in the maxillary antrum.

Primary throat anthrax. A report of six cases.

73 cases of anthrax were recorded by the Health Office in the Sivas region in the last 4 years. This paper presents a rare and severe clinical form of anthrax displaying diagnostic difficulties. Six women aged between 16-46 were diagnosed as having throat anthrax and treated in the Infectious Diseases Department of Cumhuriyet University. The lesions were localized on the tonsils in 5 cases and on the base of the tongue in 1 case. The main clinical features were sore throat, dysphagia, fever, regional lymphadenopathy on the neck and toxemia. Three patients died with toxemia and sepsis. The diagnosis was confirmed by the isolation of Bacillus anthracis.