Roberto Eustáquio Santos Guimarães

Prevalence and impact of chronic otitis media in school age children in Brazil. First epidemiologic study concerning chronic otitis media in Latin America

OBJECTIVE The first epidemiological study carried out in Latin America to investigate the prevalence of otological disease and its impact in a representative random sample of the school children population. METHODS A cross sectional epidemiological survey to investigate the epidemiology of otitis in a representative random sample of 1119 children and adolescents from a total of 486166 elementary and high-school students, aged 6-18 years, regularly registered in one of the 521 public and private schools of the city of Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais, southern Brazil. The interviews were conducted individually, in the school, by an otolaryngologist or a pediatrician. The interview included all of the personal data and also detailed questions regarding otological disorders and hearing. The otological examination was carried out with Mini-Heine otoscopes and the audiometric evaluation with the AudioScope 3 with 25dB intensity. The questionnaire and basic procedures for medical examination had been previously tested through a pilot test in two schools. RESULTS The prevalence of chronic otitis media was 0.94%. Impacted wax was found in 12.3% of the students. The prevalence of abnormalities (excluding wax) in the otoscopy examination was 10.5%. It was found that 8.3% of students had a past history of otitis and 7.7% had a past history of otorrhea. These two special groups presented statistically significant associations with chronic otitis media, hearing loss and otolaryngological surgeries (when compared with the other school children). Parents and school children seemed significantly able to identify a special group of children with past history of otitis during childhood.

Hearing loss in cystic fibrosis

OBJECTIVES To verify the prevalence of hearing loss in cystic fibrosis patients and whether the use of aminoglycosides affects hearing and also to analyze whether the distortion product otoacoustic emissions test is suitable to assess sensorineural hearing loss in cystic fibrosis. METHODS In this descriptive study 120 cystic fibrosis patients aged five months to 18 years were assessed through questionnaires, audiometric tests and analysis of the distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Assessment of previous use of aminoglycosides was performed by collecting data in medical charts. RESULTS Audiometric tests show a 4-11% prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss. 89.2% of the patients succeeded in the otoacoustic emissions test, and 42% had used intravenous and/or inhaled aminoglycosides. There was no statistically significant (p=0.48) relation between the use of aminoglycosides and hearing loss. CONCLUSION Pure tone audiometry and analysis of the distortion product otoacoustic emissions revealed that there was a high prevalence of hearing loss, which makes cystic fibrosis patients a high-risk group which needs periodic assessment by an otorhinolaryngologist. Comparison of the groups with and without aminoglycosides use showed that there was no statistically significant difference among them in analyses, which suggests that the use of aminoglycosides is not the only causal factor for hearing loss in cystic fibrosis.

Surgical treatment of otosclerosis in medical residency training

UNLABELLED The number of patients with stapes otosclerosis compared to the number of otorhinolaryngologists has declined over the past several years. As a result a controversy has arisen in the literature, whether or not stapes surgery should be included in residency programs. AIM the objective of the present study is to evaluate the results and complications of estapedotomies performed by residents between January, 1997 and January, 2000, and consequently study the feasibility of including estapedotomies in residency programs. STUD DESIGN: retrospective review of prospectively collected audiometric data. MATERIALS AND METHODS fifty charts of patients that were submitted to a total of 51 primary stapedotomies were reviewed mainly for complications and audiological results. RESULTS there was closure of the air-bone gap within 10 dB HL in 70.5% of ears and closure to within 20 dB HL in 86.3% of ears. There was one ear with total hearing loss (2%). CONCLUSION From the results and complications seen in the present study, and analyzing papers from the literature, it is possible to conclude that stapedotomy is a procedure that can be included in residency programs, if there are surgical cases for the residents.

Tratamento cirúrgico da otite média com efusão: tubo de ventilação versus aplicação tópica de mitomicina C

The insertion of the ventilation tube (VT), which is the surgical treatment for otitis media with effusion (OME), is not free from complications and also limits social life because of the need of abandoning immersion baths. Mitomycin C is an antineoblastic that delays fibrosis and avoids stenosis in scars by its topical use. It permitted a longer ventilation of the middle ear in guinea pigs by delaying tympanostomies closure similarly to the ventilation tubes. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial. AIM: Observe and compare the efficacy of tympanostomy, effusion suction and insertion of the ventilation tube (VT group) versus results of tympanostomy, effusion suction and topic application of mitomycin C(MMC group), and also the duration of tympanotomy and incidence of complications in both groups. RESULTS: MMC group showed a significant lower efficacy (52% versus 80%) than that of VT group (p=0,34). The occurrence of type B curve in the tympanometry and tube pharyngeal ostium free from adenoid tissue in the preoperative period represent poor prognosis factors. The topic application of mitomycin on the tympanostomy permitted a patency period of two to three weeks. On the VT group, otorrhea was observed in 13,3 % of the patients. On the MMC group, despite its smaller efficacy, there were no complications or need of missing immersion baths. CONCLUSION: We concluded that VT showed better efficacy than mitomycin on this trial. However more study is needed specially focusing on higher mitomycin C concentrations, longer periods of application or its serial use, for the treatment of otitis media with effusion.

Comparative Study Between Primary Spontaneous Cerebrospinal Fluid Fistula and Late Traumatic Fistula

Objective. To compare primary spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid fistula (PSF) and late traumatic fistula (LTF). Study Design. Historical cohort study. Setting. Academic medical center. Subjects and Methods. There were 26 patients with PSF in group 1 and 23 patients with LTF in group 2. Gender, age, location of the osteomeningeal breach, time between symptom onset and surgical treatment, number of episodes of meningitis, and density of the incidence of meningitis were compared. Two factors related to chance of curing the fistula were analyzed: etiological type and fistula location. Results. In group 1, 92% of patients were women (mean age 50 years). In group 2, 74% were men (mean age 22 years). PSF predominated in the sphenoid sinus (60%), whereas LTF occurred mainly in the ethmoidal (33%) and frontal (28%) sinuses. Time between presentation and surgical treatment was 28.9 ± 50.2 and 12.4 ± 15.5 months in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = .166). There were 0.6 and 1.3 episodes of meningitis per patient in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = .038). Density of the incidence of meningitis was 0.1 and 0.2 events per patient-month, respectively (P = .016). The 4 not-cured patients had sphenoid lesions and were from the PSF group. Conclusions. Female sex, middle age, and sphenoidal fistula were prevalent in patients with PSF. Patients with LTF were twice as likely to develop meningitis, and male sex, young age, and leaks through the frontal and ethmoidal region were more common in this case. Osteomeningeal breach located in the sphenoid sinus had a lower chance of sealing.

Effect of mitomocin C in eosinophilic nasal polyposis, in vivo: concentration of IL5 and GM-CSF, RT-PCR

UNLABELLED Eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis is a chronic inflammatory infection with elevated infiltration of eosinophils, which presents high rate of recurrence after surgical treatment. The continuous inflammatory process that leads to the formation of polyps requires constant clinical treatment. Contributing to the maintenance of eosinophilia are cytokines IL5 (interleukin-5) and GM-CSF (granulocyte macrophages colony-stimulating factor), which show up in elevated concentrations. These oligoproteins diminish the rate of apoptosis and prolong the survival of eosinophils. AIM By diminishing these cytokines, the action of Mitomycin C (MMC), an antineoplastic drug which inhibits the synthesis of DNA, was studied. In a recent study the power of this drug to cause apoptosis in eosinophils, in vitro, of nasal polyps was verified. METHODOLOGY A biopsy of the nasal polyps was undertaken in 15 patients carriers of eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis 24 hours after applying 0.5 mg/ml of MMC during five minutes. RT-PCR (reverse transcription of polymerase chain reaction) for IL5 and GM-CSF was the method used to obtain the results. RESULTS The comparison of the results of GM-CSF pre- and post-application of MMC, when the paired T-test was used, showed p=0.041 and for IL5 we found p<0.001. CONCLUSION Topic use of MMC in patients with eosinophilic nasosinusal polyposis shows statistically significant reduction for GM-CSF and significant and important reduction for IL5.

Avaliação endoscópica nasal de crianças e adolescentes com fibrose cística

The main otorhinolaryngological manifestations of CF are chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis, with different clinical presentations. AIM: To characterize children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis through a questionnaire, an ENT clinical examination and nasal endoscopy. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional clinical descriptive. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Assessment of 100 children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis through a specific questionnaire, ENT physical examination, nasal endoscopy and endoscopic staging of nasal polyps. RESULTS: The most frequent symptoms were: cough (45%), oral breathing (44%), sleep disorders (42%) and nasal obstruction (37%). Twenty-eight patients (28%) had purulent nasal discharge, and 41% had medial bulging of the nasal lateral wall. Nasal polyps were identified in only 14% of cases, none were obstructing. CONCLUSION:The questionnaire, clinical examination and especially nasal endoscopy lead to a detailed assessment of the nasal characteristics of children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis. Some findings were discordant with the literature, particularly the low prevalence of nasal polyps, and appear to be related to specific characteristics of the population studied. The best characterization of this group of patients, from the ENT standpoint, contributes to an appropriate multidisciplinary approach.

Absence of nasal air flow and maxillary sinus development

UNLABELLED Paranasal sinuses development mechanisms are not well known. Nasal air flow, according to one of the proposed theories, would be fundamental to the growth and healthy development of paranasal sinuses. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the maxillary sinus growth and health in the presence and absence of postnasal air flow through a unique model. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective study of a series of cases; preoperative CT scans of 7 patients with unilateral choanal atresia, average age was 16.28 years (+/- 5.024). This study was done in a tertiary hospital, with patients treated between 1994 and 2004. The area of the maxillary sinuses was measured with the aid an Auto-Cad software. Kruskal-Wallis test was used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS Symmetrical or even bigger maxillary sinuses were found in the same side of the choanal atresia in 85.71% of the cases. There was no significant statistic difference between compared sides. CT Scan signs of sinus disease were not seem in these patients. DISCUSSION These findings oppose the commonly accepted theory about the role of nasal air flow in health and development of paranasal cavities.

Brazilian Academy of Rhinology position paper on topical intranasal therapy

This documents aims at educating those who treat sinonasal diseases - both general practitioners and specialists - about topical nasal treatments. By means of scientific evidence reviews, the Brazilian Academy of Rhinology provides its practical and updated guidelines on the most utilized topical nasal medication, except for the drugs that have topical antibiotics in their formulas.

Baixa prevalência de doenças do ouvido médio em pacientes com fibrose cística

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of middle ear alterations in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. METHODS: In this descriptive study, 120 CF patients aged 5 months to 18 years were assessed by clinical history, otoscopy, and tympanometry. Data on P. aeruginosa colonization and parenteral and/or inhaled aminoglycoside use were also collected from medical charts. RESULTS: Clinical history revealed absence of previous otitis media in 57% of patients. Tympanic membranes were normal in 94% of patients who underwent otoscopic evaluation; chronic otitis media was suggested in about 1% of the cases, otitis media with effusion (OME) in 2%, and Eustachian tube dysfunction in 3%. As for tympanometry, 91% of patients who underwent the exam showed normal results, OME was suggested in 2% of the cases, and Eustachian tube dysfunction in 7%. CONCLUSION: There was a low prevalence rate of middle ear alterations in our series of CF patients. The use of aminoglycosides and colonization by P. aeruginosa did not influence the prevalence of middle ear alterations. Our results suggest that a detailed clinical history and a routine otoscopy evaluation may confirm or rule out most middle ear alterations in CF patients.