Evaluation of vitamin D levels and biochemical markers in infants diagnosed with laryngomalacia.

Background/aim: The pathology of laryngomalacia is still not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and laryngomalacia, and to evaluate vitamin D levels according to the classification of laryngomalacia. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was conducted in the Kahramanmaras Sütçü Imam University Medicine Faculty's Otorhinolaryngology Clinic between June 2014 and January 2021. Laryngomalacia was classified. Laboratory tests for all patients included calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), parathormone (PTH), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), alanine transaminase (ALT), and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-D). Results: Evaluations were performed for 64 infants with laryngomalacia, including 41 male and 23 female infants with a mean age of 4.6 ± 3.0 months, and a control group of 64 healthy infants with a mean age of 4.5 ± 2.8 months. A statistically significant difference was determined between the laryngomalacia group and the control group with respect to 25-OH-D and PTH levels (p < 0.001). When data were examined according to laryngomalacia types, a statistically significant difference was determined between the groups for 25-OH-D, Ca, P, PTH, and ALT values. The 25-OH-D level was statistically significantly lower in the severe laryngomalacia group than in the mild and control groups (p < 0.001). A statistically significant difference was determined between the moderate and severe laryngomalacia groups and the control group regarding PTH levels (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency may have a role in the etiology of laryngomalacia, and this view is supported by the finding that there was a decrease in vitamin D levels associated with laryngomalacia classification. In addition, the reduction in PTH levels in infants with laryngomalacia may be explained by the change in Ca metabolism. It would be appropriate for further studies to investigate the response to vitamin D replacement therapy in patients with moderate and severe laryngomalacia.

Does Maras powder affect the nasal mucociliary clearence?

PURPOSE: Many studies have been conducted about the effect of cigarettes and other tobacco products on mucociliary clearance. However, there has been no study of the relationship between mucociliary clearance and Maras powder, which is a smokeless tobacco product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Maras powder use on mucociliary clearance through comparisons with cigarette smokers and those who used no tobacco products. METHODS: The study included 75 male volunteers, aged 23-54 years. Group 1 (n: 25) comprised subjects who do not use any tobacco products, Group 2 (n: 25) those who smoked cigarettes, and Group 3 (n: 25) those who used Maras powder. The saccharin test was used to evaluate mucociliary clearance and the time was recorded in seconds. The groups were statistically compared in respect of mean age and mucociliary clearance time (MCCT). RESULTS: The mean MCCT was determined to be 645.8 ± 200 secs for the whole study sample, 497 ± 108 secs for Group 1, 796 ± 200 secs for Group 2, and 644 ± 161 secs for Group 3. The difference between the groups in respect of MCCT was statistically significant (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in respect of mean age (p = 0.730). CONCLUSION: The study results demonstrated that the nasal mucociliary clearance time was prolonged both by cigarettes and by the use of Maras powder, and that this time was prolonged more by cigarette smoking than the use of Maras powder.