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Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the originally applied frequency allocation of cochlear implant electrodes assigned by default at the time of activation with a more recent frequency allocation that is anatomy-based by a software called OTOPLAN®. Based on a computed tomography scan of the temporal bone, this software calculates the position of each electrode in the cochlea and its corresponding tonotopic frequency. We also evaluated whether patients with a significant mismatch between these two allocations present poorer speech intelligibility. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent cochlear implantation from 2016 to 2021 at the University Hospital of Liege were included in this retrospective study. We used OTOPLAN® to calculate the tonotopic frequency allocation of each electrode according to its exact position in the cochlear duct. This anatomical frequency mapping was compared with the default frequency mapping at the time of cochlear implant activation. Finally, we compared the mismatch with the patients' auditory performance, represented by the Auditory Capacity Index (ACI). Results: Thirteen patients were included in the study. All patients had a mismatch between the two frequency maps, to a variable extent (200 Hz–1,100 Hz). Frequency shift was significantly inversely correlated with ACI and with the time needed to improve speech intelligibility. Conclusion: Our primary results show that patients with a larger mismatch between default frequency mapping and anatomically assigned frequency mapping experience poorer hearing performance and slower adaptation to a cochlear implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 survivors face the risk of long-term sequelae including fatigue, breathlessness, and functional limitations. Pulmonary rehabilitation has been recommended, although formal studies quantifying the effect of rehabilitation in COVID-19 patients are lacking. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study including consecutive patients admitted to an outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation center due to persistent symptoms after COVID-19. The primary endpoint was change in 6-min walk distance (6MWD) after undergoing a 6-week interdisciplinary individualized pulmonary rehabilitation program. Secondary endpoints included change in the post-COVID-19 functional status (PCFS) scale, Borg dyspnea scale, Fatigue Assessment Scale, and quality of life. Further, changes in pulmonary function tests were explored. Results: Of 64 patients undergoing rehabilitation, 58 patients (mean age 47 years, 43% women, 38% severe/critical COVID-19) were included in the per-protocol-analysis. At baseline (i.e., in mean 4.4 months after infection onset), mean 6MWD was 584.1 m (±95.0), and functional impairment was graded in median at 2 (IQR, 2–3) on the PCFS. On average, patients improved their 6MWD by 62.9 m (±48.2, p < 0.001) and reported an improvement of 1 grade on the PCFS scale. Accordingly, we observed significant improvements across secondary endpoints including presence of dyspnea (p < 0.001), fatigue (p < 0.001), and quality of life (p < 0.001). Also, pulmonary function parameters (forced expiratory volume in 1 s, lung diffusion capacity, inspiratory muscle pressure) significantly increased during rehabilitation. Conclusion: In patients with long COVID, exercise capacity, functional status, dyspnea, fatigue, and quality of life improved after 6 weeks of personalized interdisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation. Future studies are needed to establish the optimal protocol, duration, and long-term benefits as well as cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Knowledge of IgE-verified allergy in young adults is limited as most studies are based on self-reported data. Allergic heredity is important in allergy development in early life, but less is known about the hereditary component later in life. The aim was to investigate IgE-verified and self-reported allergy and asthma at 20 years of age in association to parental allergy and environmental factors. Methods: In total, 281 individuals born into the cohort of well-characterized parents regarding allergic disease were followed to 20 years of age. The participants were categorized by parental allergy and examined regarding allergic diseases (IgE sensitization and allergic symptoms) at 2, 5, 10, and 20 years of age. FeNO was measured at 10 and 20 years. Results: In total, 45% of the study participants were allergic, with twice as many self-reported cases at age 20. Rhinitis was key to distinguishing confirmed allergy from self-reported. Having two allergic parents and increased FeNO were associated with an increased prevalence of allergic disease at 20 years. From a longitudinal perspective, rhinitis increased from childhood to young adulthood, in all heredity groups. Conclusion: In this longitudinal study, we have shown that two allergic parents as well as increased FeNO levels seem to be of importance for being allergic at 20 years old. Self-reported allergy was overreported – a result that should be considered in future survey-based reports on allergic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wheat is a common food causing allergy which has implications on the quality of life. The diagnosis of IgE-mediated wheat allergy is based on the clinical history and presence of IgE antibodies (IgE-Ab) in skin or blood, and the results of an oral food challenge which is time consuming and associated with risks. An improved diagnostic workup is needed for wheat allergy. The objective was to examine the relationship between wheat challenge, CD-sens and IgE-Ab to related allergens in wheat-allergic children and investigate if a combination of different markers could enhance the prediction of challenge outcome. Method: Twenty-four children (aged 1-15 years) with a wheat allergy diagnosis underwent an open wheat challenge. CD-sens and IgE-Ab to wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWP), ω-5 gliadin and timothy grass were analyzed and related to the challenge outcome. Results: A positive challenge was seen in 12/24 children. Children reacting to the challenge had higher IgE-Ab concentrations to wheat, ω-5 gliadin and HWP (p < 0.01) and a tendency to higher wheat CD-sens values (p = 0.08) than nonreacting children. Combining wheat CD-sens >150 and IgE-Ab to wheat >20 kUA/l, or ω-5 gliadin >0.1 kUA/l predicted the challenge outcome in 83% of the patients. Most children with IgE-Ab to wheat also had IgE-Ab to timothy. Seven of 9 challenge-positive children had a positive CD-sens to HWP and IgE-Ab to HWP >8 kUA/l. Conclusion: Combining CD-sens and IgE-Ab to wheat or wheat components could be useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of wheat-allergic children. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A reproducible standard for a graded allergen response in allergic rhinitis is lacking. The aim was to evaluate basophil allergen threshold sensitivity, CD-sens, as a diagnostic complement to nasal allergen challenge. Methods: Twenty-six patients with a history of allergic rhinitis due to grass pollen were intranasally challenged and nasal symptom score and peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) changes were determined after 15 min. A 20% decrease in PNIF or a symptom score ≥2 were considered a positive test. A blood sample for CD-sens was drawn before each challenge. Eighteen patients were tested twice. Results: CD-sens agreed with the positive or negative nasal symptom score in 22/26 and PNIF in 24/26 patients. After the second challenge, 14/18 patients had the same symptom, 17/18 the same PNIF, while all had identical CD-sens classification. Conclusion: CD-sens appears to be a reproducible test for diagnosis of allergic rhinitis with great advantages also for follow-up of disease development and treatment effects. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the subjective and objective performance of the new fine structure processing strategy (FSP) compared to the previous generation coding strategies CIS+ and HDCIS. Methods: Forty-six adults with a minimum of 6 months of cochlear implant experience were included. CIS+, HDCIS and FSP were compared in speech perception tests in noise, pitch scaling and questionnaires. The randomized tests were performed acutely (interval 1) and again after 3 months of FSP experience (interval 3). The subjective evaluation included questionnaire 1 at intervals 1 and 3, and questionnaire 2 at interval 2, 1 month after interval 1. Results: Comparison between FSP and CIS+ showed that FSP performed at least as well as CIS+ in all speech perception tests, and outperformed CIS+ in vowel and monosyllabic word discrimination. Comparison between FSP and HDCIS showed that both performed equally well in all speech perception tests. Pitch scaling showed that FSP performed at least as well as HDCIS. With FSP, sound quality was at least as good and often better than with HDCIS. Conclusions: Results indicate that FSP performs better than CIS+ in vowel and monosyllabic word understanding. Subjective evaluation demonstrates strong user preferences for FSP when listening to speech and music. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two atopic patients suffering from severe allergy difficult to handle by conventional medication were given Xolair despite an IgE level <30 kU/l. Methods: Increasing dosages were given and monitored by clinical evaluation and CD-sens to clinically relevant allergens. The patients’ IgE antibody fractions were 11–14%. Results: Xolair dosages extrapolated from a recommended dose for IgE of 30–75 kU/l were adapted to the patients’ IgE body pool but had very little effect. The double dose resulted in some clinical improvement and a decrease in CD-sens. However, not until the dose was doubled again did the patients become symptom free, although 1 patient needed some additional drugs but no oral steroids. CD-sens turned negative to 5 of the 7 tested allergens. Conclusions: Xolair is most useful also in atopics with an IgE level <30 kU/l. The dose must be adjusted to the size of the IgE antibody fraction adding all non-cross-reacting, clinically relevant specificities. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]