Investigation of the Effectiveness of Nasal Sprays in Allergic Rhinitis.

Objectives: We investigated the effectiveness of different types of nasal irrigation sprays in adult allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. Methods: A total of 1700 patients with AR (866 males and 834 females) were assigned to: Group 1: Hypertonic nasal spray group (n = 600) (Sinomarin® hypertonic nasal spray); Group 2: Algae-containing hypertonic nasal spray group (n = 600) (Sinomarin Plus Algae ENT); and Group 3: Isotonic saline nasal spray group (n = 500). All patients underwent an otolaryngological examination, continued their standard AR treatment, and received the assigned nasal spray additionally (1 spray to each nostril, 3 times a day, for 3 weeks). Allergic symptom scores, turbinate examination, total symptom scores, and quality of life (QoL) scores were evaluated during pre- and post-treatment periods. Results: In groups 1 and 2, symptom scores and turbinate color and edema, total symptom scores, and QoL scores increased after treatment (P < .05). In the saline group, there were no significant differences in symptom scores and total symptom scores after treatment; however, improvement was detected in turbinate color and edema values after treatment. QoL scores increased after treatment. When comparing the 3 groups, the total symptom scores of groups 1 and 2 were significantly lower, and the QoL scores of groups 1 and 2 were considerably higher than those of the saline group. There were no significant differences between groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: Algae-containing and hypertonic nasal spray may be added to the standard AR treatment to increase QoL and decrease total symptom scores.

Cervical osteophytes: a rare cause of obstructive sleep apnea.

Uncertain etiology of cervical osteophytes, in particular emerging in geriatric population, is a rare skeletal system disease. Often, the cases are asymptomatic and may lead to symptoms such as dysphagia, cough, dyspnea, and dysphonia. We present a patient who had anterior osteophytes causing symptoms of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and literature on etiology of OSA has been reviewed. A 57-year-old male patient with complaints of snoring and cessation of breathing during sleep was referred to the ear nose throat clinic. Cervical radiograph and computed tomography showed the osteophytes in the anterior of the vertebral corpus at the level C1-2. In addition, bridging osteophyte was observed between C6 and C7 vertebrae. The patient's neck circumference was 41 cm, body mass index was 29 kg/m2, Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 11, and apnea hypopnea index was 62. Surgery was recommended, but the patient refused. Continuous positive airway pressure titration was applied with 12.6 cm H2O pressure; apnea control was attained with an AHI of 2.7. One of the rare causes of OSA, a case of cervical vertebral osteophyte, was presented, and we would like to draw attention to the importance of ear nose throat examination in the diagnosis of OSA.