Comparison of Transalar Suture Technique and External Wedge Resection for Alar Base Narrowing.

BACKGROUND: Alar narrowing is indicated in some rhinoplasty operations. This study compared transalar sutures and external wedge resection for alar narrowing in patients undergoing rhinoplasty. METHODS: This study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial with a parallel design. Participants were allocated randomly to the transalar suturing technique group or the external wedge resection group (one-to-one allocation ratio). Primary outcomes were scar formation and satisfaction score (Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation questionnaire and patient component of Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire) after 12 months. Secondary outcomes were the duration of procedure, amount of bleeding, and need for bleeding control. RESULTS: In total, 44 and 46 patients completed the study in the transalar suture and external wedge resection groups, respectively. The postoperative assessment showed a significantly lower scar formation rate in the transalar suture group (75.0% versus 37.0%; P < 0.001). The Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation questionnaire revealed no statistically significant difference in patient satisfaction between two groups. The Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire results showed that patients who received transalar sutures had a lower overall score (1; interquartile range, 1 to 1) compared with the external wedge resection group (2; interquartile range, 1 to 4.50) ( P < 0.001). The duration of the procedure ( P < 0.001), amount of bleeding ( P < 0.001), and need for bleeding control ( P = 0.009) were significantly lower in the transalar suture group than in the external wedge resection group. CONCLUSIONS: Transalar sutures result in high postoperative patient satisfaction. This approach has a decreased incidence of scarring, operation time, bleeding, and necessity for bleeding control. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, II.

Comparison of the underlay and over-underlay tympanoplasty: A randomized, double-blind controlled trial.

Objective: We aimed to compare the graft success rate and hearing outcomes in patients with large tympanic membrane (TM) perforation in underlay and over-underlay approaches. Methods: This is a prospective double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial with a parallel design. Patients aged 15-75 years old with large TM perforation (more than 50% of TM) who operated at Khalili hospital affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Science, Iran, were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were recent otorrhea, revision surgery, and pathologic intraoperative findings such as the presence of cholesteatoma, cholesterol granuloma, ear canal polyp, or damaged ossicle. In the first group, the underlay method and in the second group over-underlay method were performed. Graft success rate, atelectasis, and audiology outcomes were evaluated after 6 months. Results: The investigation was conducted on 84 patients in the underlay and 67 patients in the over-underlay group. Although there was a higher rate of graft failure (9%) in the over-underlay group in comparison with the underlay group (4.8%), the difference was not statistically significant (p-value = .34). No atelectasis was seen in both group. Although, between-groups comparison of the preoperative and postoperative speech reception thresholds (SRT) and air-bone gaps (ABG) values showed statistically significantly lower SRT and ABG in the over-underlay technique, the difference was clinically negligible. Conclusion: Both techniques provide the same graft success rate, but SRT and ABG were significantly lower in the over-underlay technique after the operation. Levels of Evidence: 1b.

Correlations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in obsessive-compulsive disorder with the clinical features or response to therapy.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder, in which the patient endures intrusive thoughts or is compelled to perform repetitive or ritualized actions. Many cases of OCD are considered to be familial or heritable in nature. It has been shown that a variety of internal and external risk factors are involved in the pathogenesis of OCD. Among the internal factors, genetic modifications play a critical role in the pathophysiological process. Despite many investigations performed to determine the candidate genes, the precise genetic factors involved in the disease remain largely undetermined. The present review summarizes the single nucleotide polymorphisms that have been proposed to be associated with OCD symptoms, early onset disease, neuroimaging results, and response to therapy. This information could help us to draw connections between genetics and OCD symptoms, better characterize OCD in individual patients, understand OCD prognosis, and design more targeted personalized treatment approaches.

Anxiety and Stress Seem Temporary during the Pneumonia COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey on the Mental Health Status of Healthcare Workers.

Objective: To evaluate the presence/severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among health care workers (HCWs) who work on the specially allocated COVID-19 ward (Group A) and HCWs on the other wards (Group B). Methods: This questionnaire-based study was conducted from January 25 to February 28, 2021. The mental status was assessed using the Persian version of the 42-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress score (DASS-42). Gathered data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. The independent T-test and Chi-square tests were used to compare quantitative and qualitative variables. Results: Two-hundred and twenty two questionnaires were eligible for analysis. Group A consisted of 33 HCWs, and 189 (85.1%) individuals were working on the other wards. No statistically significant differences were seen regarding the Socio-demographic features except for the marital status (p=0.005). The depressions' mean score was comparable between group A and B (p=0.102). The mean scores of anxiety and stress were significantly lower in group A than group B (p=0.006), although the frequency of DASS-42 parameters did not differ between these two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Contrary to our assumptions, this study showed that the DASS-42 parameters were not higher in HCWs working on the COVID-19 wards. This might be justified by developing coping mechanisms, being on the honeymoon phase of the disaster, compassion satisfaction, promising vaccine news, and working on the less impacted hospital.

The role of non-coding RNAs in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including colorectal, gastric, hepatic, esophageal, and pancreatic tumors, are responsible for large numbers of deaths around the world. Chemotherapy is the most common approach used to treat advanced GI cancer. However, chemoresistance has emerged as a critical challenge that prevents successful tumor elimination, leading to metastasis and recurrence. Chemoresistance mechanisms are complex, and many factors and pathways are involved. Among these factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical regulators of GI tumor development and subsequently can induce resistance to chemotherapy. This occurs because ncRNAs can target multiple signaling pathways, affect downstream genes, and modulate proliferation, apoptosis, tumor cell migration, and autophagy. ncRNAs can also induce cancer stem cell features and affect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, ncRNAs could possibly act as new targets in chemotherapy combinations to treat GI cancer and to predict treatment response.

Oncogenic viruses and chemoresistance: What do we know?

Chemoresistance is often referred to as a major leading reason for cancer therapy failure, causing cancer relapse and further metastasis. As a result, an urgent need has been raised to reach a full comprehension of chemoresistance-associated molecular pathways, thereby designing new therapy methods. Many of metastatic tumor masses are found to be related with a viral cause. Although combined therapy is perceived as the model role therapy in such cases, chemoresistant features, which is more common in viral carcinogenesis, often get into way of this kind of therapy, minimizing the chance of survival. Some investigations indicate that the infecting virus dominates other leading factors, i.e., genetic alternations and tumor microenvironment, in development of cancer cell chemoresistance. Herein, we have gathered the available evidence on the mechanisms under which oncogenic viruses cause drug-resistance in chemotherapy.

Joint application of biochemical markers and imaging techniques in the accurate and early detection of glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is a primary brain tumor with the most metastatic effect in adults. Despite the wide range of multidimensional treatments, tumor heterogeneity is one of the main causes of tumor spread and gives great complexity to diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Therefore, featuring noble noninvasive prognostic methods that are focused on glioblastoma heterogeneity is perceived as an urgent need. Imaging neuro-oncological biomarkers including MGMT (O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) promoter methylation status, tumor grade along with other tumor characteristics and demographic features (e.g., age) are commonly referred to during diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic processes. Therefore, the use of new noninvasive prognostic methods focused on glioblastoma heterogeneity is considered an urgent need. Some neuronal biomarkers, including the promoter methylation status of the promoter MGMT, the characteristics and grade of the tumor, along with the patient's demographics (such as age and sex) are involved in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Among the wide array of imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging combined with the more physiologically detailed technique of H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy can be useful in diagnosing neurological cancer patients. In addition, intracranial tumor qualitative analysis and sometimes tumor biopsies help in accurate diagnosis. This review summarizes the evidence for biochemical biomarkers being a reliable biomarker in the early detection and disease management in GBM. Moreover, we highlight the correlation between Imaging techniques and biochemical biomarkers and ask whether they can be combined.

Prophylactic Antibiotic Practices in Common Otologic Surgeries in Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Rational surgical antibiotic prophylaxis is suggested for some selected surgical processes. However, inappropriate utilization of antimicrobial prophylaxis reduces benefits and increases costs and risks, such as antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the current practice of antibiotics prescribed by surgeons in common otologic surgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among otolaryngologists with at least 5 years of experience in common otologic surgeries (tympanoplasty, tympanomastoidectomy, stapes, or middle ear exploration (MEE) surgeries). A total of 257 otolaryngologists filled a checklist about their selected regimen and timing of antibiotic(s) administration. RESULTS: The rates of antibiotic prophylaxis prescription in dry and wet ears in tympanoplasty were 7.4% and 87.1% (preoperative), 40.9% and 47% (intraoperative), 88.3% and 98% (postoperative); in tympanomastoidectomy with no cholesteatoma were 7.1% and 97.8% (preoperative), 39.6% and 50.9% (intraoperative), 93.7% and 99.6% (postoperative); in tympanomastoidectomy with cholesteatoma were 14% and 98.3% (preoperative), 45.4% and 51.9% (intraoperative), 98.3% and 99.6% (postoperative), respectively, and in stapes or MEE surgeries were 6.4% (preoperative), 41.7% (intraoperative) and 73.1% (postoperative), respectively. There were no significant differences in the rates of prescribing intraoperative prophylaxis between wet and dry ears, except in tympanomastoidectomy without cholesteatoma. Overall, the most prescribed antibiotics were cephazolin, cephlexin, and ciprofloxacin drop. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed the inappropriate administration and timing of antibiotic prophylaxis regarding current literature evidence. Despite the lack of evidence on the potential role of antibiotic prophylaxis in clean-contaminated and contaminated ears, a significant number of surgeons prescribed prophylactic antibiotics in tympanoplasty and tympanomastoidectomy without cholesteatoma.