Arzu Tatar

Primary hypogonadism, partial alopecia, and Mullerian hypoplasia: Report of a third family and review†

Two sisters presented with partial alopecia, primary hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and Mullerian hypoplasia associated with mild mental retardation, microcephaly, flat occiput, sparse eyebrows, absence of breast tissue, absent ovaries, mild‐moderate dorsal kyphosis, thin upper lip and unilateral sensorioneural deafness in one of them. They were the product of a Turkish consanguineous marriage. The clinical course for our patients is similar to two families reported by Al‐Awadi et al. [Al‐Awadi et al. (1985) Am J Med Genet 22:619–622] and Megarbane et al. [Megarbane et al. (2003) Am J Med Genet Part A 119A:214–217]. This report supports the literature by proposing an autosomal recessive syndrome which was firstly reported by Al‐Awadi et al. [Al‐Awadi et al. (1985) Am J Med Genet 22:619–622]. This condition may be due to a founder mutation.

Assessment of nasal parameters in determination of olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease

Objectives To assess nasal cycle, nasal mucosal pH and mucociliary clearance time in patients with Parkinson’s disease and healthy control subjects. Methods Patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease and healthy control subjects were recruited. Presence of the nasal cycle, nasal mucosa pH and mucociliary clearance time were investigated in all participants. Results The study included 27 patients and 24 control subjects. The nasal cycle was present in significantly fewer patients than controls. Nasal pH and mucociliary clearance time were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Conclusions Parkinson’s disease is associated with alterations in nasal cycle, nasal mucosa pH and mucociliary clearance time. Measurements of these nasal parameters may be useful for the early diagnosis of autonomic and olfactory dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease.

The role of endothelin-1 and endothelin receptor antagonists in allergic rhinitis inflammation: ovalbumin-induced rat model.

OBJECTIVE Desloratadine is a biologically active metabolite of loratadine which is indicated for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Bosentan is a dual endothelin receptor antagonist used to treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). In this study, we aimed to determine the role of endothelins in allergic rhinitis (AR) and the effects of endothelin receptor antagonists in AR rat models through comparison with desloratadine. METHODS In total, 20 adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. An ovalbumin-induced allergic rhinitis model was formed in three study groups except for the control group. Bosentan (100 mg/kg/day) was given to the bosentan-treated group for 7 days and desloratadine (10 mg/kg/day) was administered to the antihistaminic-treated group for 7 days. Nasal symptom scorings and histopathological examinations of the nasal tissues were carried out. Serum IgE levels and ET-1 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression levels were analysed. Between group comparisons for nasal symptoms, histopathological analysis, and molecular analyses were performed with a one-way ANOVA and Duncans multiple comparison tests. Significance was accepted at p smaller than 0.05. RESULTS Bosentan inhibited nasal symptom more significantly than desloratadine. The IgE level, ET-1 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression levels statistically increased in the allergic rhinitis group when compared to other groups. Conversely, the bosentan-treatment group showed a significant recovery from the same parameters. The deterioration in histopathological parameters reached the highest levels in the allergic rhinitis group. The histopathological findings were close to those of the control group in the bosentan and antihistaminic-treated group. CONCLUSIONS ET-1 is one of the mediators that impact AR development and ET-1 antagonists can be useful for symptom control and for decreasing allergic inflammation in AR patients.

Effects of Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation on the Nasal Cycle Measured Using Rhinomanometry

Objective: This study was designed to research the effects of radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA) surgery on the nasal cycle, with anterior rhinomanometry being used for assessment. Methods: Thirty patients with inferior concha hypertrophy and 13 healthy volunteers were included in this study. An anterior rhinomanometry was performed on each of the patients before surgery and at 1 month and 6 months after surgery, and on the volunteers in the control group, simultaneously. Results: Nineteen of the 30 patients and 8 of the 13 healthy participants showed a distinct type of nasal cycle at different periods of measurement. The mean of the total nasal airflow of the patients was lower before RFTA surgery but increased at a rate of 71.07%, closer to the value of the control group, after RFTA surgery. After RFTA, the unilateral nasal airflow (fmin and fmax) values increased at ratios of 22.36% and 94.44%, respectively. The amplitude (fmax-fmin) showed a statistically significant decrease in the postoperative period (108.43 ± 54.37), when compared with that of the preoperative period (202.80 ± 81.24) (P < .01). Conclusion: We conclude that the RFTA is a useful method for treating inferior concha hypertrophy, because it positively affects the nasal physiology, increasing the total nasal airflow without changing the nasal cycle time.

Effects of allergic rhinitis and desloratadine on the submandibular gland in a rat allergy model

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and antihistamine usage can cause xerostomia. The study aims to examine if AR, antihistamines, and the use of antihistamines in AR have histopathological effects on the submandibular gland. The study also investigates the effect of oxidant and antioxidant plasma parameters.

Evaluation of Volume of Nasopharyngeal Cancers by the Cavalieri Principle

Prediction of tumor volume using the Cavalieri method may be helpful in management of therapy and evaluation of treatment results. The aim of this study was to adapt the Cavalieri stereological method to magnetic resonance imaging for determining volume of nasopharyngeal cancers and assess changes after treatment using the Cavalieri method. Serial MRI images in the sagittal plane were obtained from a total of 33 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas (11 with stage T2, 11 with stage T3, and 11 with stage T4 lesions). The images were analyzed retrospectively before and two months following the cessation of radiochemotherapy for comparison. Average tumor volumes before and after treatment in patients with stage T2 were 21. 5±10.5 cm3 and 2.82±3.43 cm3, respectively (p=0.000). The respective figures were 35.1±19.0 cm3 and 6.27±7.82 cm3 (p=0.000) for stage T3 cases, and 62.8±27.8 cm3 and 11. 6±11.9 cm3 (p=0.000) for stage T4. Post-treatment tumor volumes were statistically reduced when compared to pre-treatment volumes in all stages.

The potential role of amlodipine on experimentally induced bacterial rhinosinusitis

INTRODUCTION Antibiotics are frequently used for the treatment of rhinosinusitis. Concerns have been raised regarding the adverse effects of antibiotics and growing resistance. The lack of development of new antibiotic compounds has increased the necessity for exploration of non-antibiotic compounds that have antibacterial activity. Amlodipine is a non-antibiotic compound with anti-inflammatory activity. OBJECTIVE In this study we aimed to investigate the potential role of amlodipine in the treatment of rhinosinusitis by evaluating its effects on tissue oxidative status, mucosal histology and inflammation. METHODS Fifteen adult albino guinea pigs were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and treated with saline, cefazolin sodium, or amlodipine for 7 days. The control group was composed by five healthy guinea pigs. Animals were sacrificed after the treatment. Histopathological changes were identified using Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Inflammation was assessed by Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte infiltration density. Tissue levels of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, glutathione) and an oxidative product (malondialdehyde) were determined. RESULTS In rhinosinusitis induced animals, amlodipine reduced loss of cilia, lamina propria edema and collagen deposition compared to placebo (saline) and although not superior to cefazolin, amlodipine decreased polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration. The superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels were reduced, whereas the malondialdehyde levels were increased significantly in all three-treatment groups compared to the control group. Amlodipine treated group showed significantly increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels and decreased malondialdehyde levels compared to all treatment groups. CONCLUSION The non-antibiotic compound amlodipine may have a role in acute rhinosinusitis treatment through tissue protective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

The comparison of trans-septal suture, Merocel nasal packing and septal splint following septoplasty combined with inferior turbinate surgery

Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Ocak 2014 Kasım 2015 tarihleri arasında, çalışmaya septoplasti ile birlikte inferior turbinat cerrahisi planlanan 180 hasta (129 erkek, 51 kadın; ort. yaş 31.32±10.27 yıl; dağılım 18-55 yıl) dahil edildi. Septoplastiyi takiben Radyofrekans Termal Ablasyon (RFTA) ve Parsiyel İnferior Turbinektomi (PİT) uygulanmak üzere hastalar iki eşit gruba ayrıldı. Her iki hasta grubu da kendi içinde, her grupta 30 hasta olacak şekilde, nazal splint, Merocel tampon ve trans-septal sütür uygulamak üzere üç alt gruba daha ayrıldı. Cerrahi süresi, minör ve majör hemoraji, ameliyat sonrası 6. saat, 1, 2. ve 3. günlerde değerlendirilen ağrı ve ameliyat sonrası 6. haftada görülen komplikasyonlar (septal perforasyon, hematom, enfeksiyon, kabuklanma ve nazal sineşi) ile karşılaştırıldı.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of alpha-lipoic acid in experimentally induced acute otitis media.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and tissue protective effects, as well as the potential therapeutic role, of alpha-lipoic acid in experimentally induced acute otitis media. METHODS Twenty-five guinea pigs were assigned to one of five groups: a control (non-otitis) group, and otitis-induced groups treated with saline, penicillin G, alpha-lipoic acid, or alpha-lipoic acid plus penicillin G. Tissue samples were histologically analysed, and oxidative parameters in tissue samples were measured and compared between groups. RESULTS The epithelial integrity was better preserved, and histological signs of inflammation and secretory metaplasia were decreased, in all groups compared to the saline treated otitis group. In the alpha-lipoic acid plus penicillin G treated otitis group, epithelial integrity was well preserved and histological findings of inflammation were significantly decreased compared to the saline, penicillin G and alpha-lipoic acid treated otitis groups. The most favourable oxidative parameters were observed in the control group, followed by the alpha-lipoic acid plus penicillin G treated otitis group. CONCLUSION Alpha-lipoic acid, with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and tissue protective properties, may decrease the clinical sequelae and morbidity associated with acute otitis media.