A glimpse into the psychological status of E.N.T inpatients in China: A cross-sectional survey of three hospitals in different regions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether E.N.T inpatients have a higher prevalence of mental illness than the general population and whether certain diseases are more likely to be associated with mental illness than other diseases. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in the E.N.T departments of three hospitals in different cities in China. The psychological status of all consecutive adult inpatients was assessed within 1-2 days following hospital admission using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Inpatients from the general surgery and pneumology departments at the same hospital were enrolled and surveyed as control groups. RESULTS: The 439 patients enrolled in the final analysis accounted for 88.0% of all E.N.T inpatients during the study period. Of these patients, 16.4% were in an anxious state and 79.5% were in a depressive state. The overall anxiety (41.7 ± 9.7) and depression (55.9 ± 29.2) scores were much higher than Chinese norm (29.8 ± 10.0 and 33.5 ± 8.6, respectively), and significant differences were observed (t = 20.89, P < 0.01 and t = 13.12, P < 0.01, respectively). Although 18.7% of the E.N.T patients were psychiatric distress, these patients scored lower on the SCL-90 than the Chinese norm. Furthermore, the patients in the E.N.T department had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression than those in the general surgery department but a similar prevalence to those in the respiratory department. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress, particularly anxiety and depression, are widespread in patients with otolaryngological diseases. Therefore, the identification and treatment of co-occurring psychiatric disorders in this high risk and clinically challenging group of patients are urgent in China.

[Effects of endoscopic surgery on patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with bronchial asthma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS)-based multidisciplinary therapy for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), nasal polyps and bronchial asthma. METHOD: The study included 32 patients with CRS, nasal polyps and bronchial asthma who received ESS, besides surgery, who also used glucocorticoid inhalation, nasal spray and nasal irrigation perioperatively. The evaluation of the treatment was performed 3 years post after ESS. RESULT: In the 32 cases treated with ESS, 19 cases were cured, 9 cases were improved, 4 cases were inefficient by the treatment. The cure rate was 87.5%. The asthma symptoms were improved in 9 patients (P < 0.01), compared to 2 before surgery. The numbers of patients with improved symptoms were increased from 2 before the surgery to 9 after the surgery. CONCLUSION: As the main treatment, endoscopic si- nus surgery was effective on CRS with asthma.

[The study on the expression of tumor-suppressor gene p15 and Rb in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical significance of p15 and Rb protein expressions in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). METHOD: p15 and Rb proteins were examined with immunohistochemical SABC method in the paraffin-embedded specimens of 45 cases with LSCC and 15 cases of laryngeal normal or proliferative mucosas of larynx as a contrast. RESULT: The positive rate of p15 protein in the cases of LSCC is 48.9%, while the positive rate in the other group is 100%. The difference is significant. The positive rate of p15 protein is 66.7% in the group of LSCC during 0-II phases, and in the other group of LSCC during III-IV phases, the positive rate is 33.3%. The difference is significant. The positive rate of Rb protein in the cases of LSCC is 88.9%, the positive rate in the other group as a contrast is 93.3%, the difference between two groups isn't significant. Analyzed by chi-square test, p15 protein expressions don't correlate with Rb protein expressions in the cases of LSCC. Rb protein expressed apparently positiveness in the basal cells and adjacent stratum spinosum cells of laryngeal stratified squamous epithelium, while p15 protein expressed apparently positiveness in the distant stratum spinosum cells and stratum granulosum cells. CONCLUSION: Tumor-suppressor gene p15 may play an important role in the genesis and development of LSCC. The analysis of p15 protein expression may provide evidence for the therapeutics and evaluate prognosis of LSCC. p15 and Rb proteins aren't parallel in each stratum of the laryngeal normal or proliferative stratified squamous epithelium. p15 protein plays an important role in cell proliferation.