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Purpose: Tacrolimus, an immunosuppressive agent, is used especially after organ transplantation. It has been asserted that tacrolimus has protective effects on the auditory system in some studies while it has negative effects in other studies. The purpose of our study is to investigate the effect of tacrolimus on the inner ear of the rats. Materials and Methods: 20 healthy Sprague Downey male rats weighing 250-350 grams were included in our study. The first group of rats were given 1mg/kg tacrolimus (n:7), the second group of rats were given 0.1 mg/kg tacrolimus (n:7), and the third group (n:6) was the non-administered control group. The first measurements of all rats were taken with distortion-product otoacoustic emission before starting the experiment. Then, tacrolimus drug was administered by gavage method to the 1st and 2nd groups along 30 days. The last measurement was repeated on the 30th day. Results: According to the results of the first measurements, emission was obtained in all rats and the responses were found to have similar characteristics. Similarly, the difference between the signal noise rate values in the last measurements taken from the groups did not show any statistical significance. Conclusions: Based on the distortion-product otoacoustic emission measurements, it can be said that Tacrolimus does not have ototoxic effects on the auditory system of rats considering the administered dosage and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Schwannomas are uncommon benign tumors of the external auditory canal. The clinical features, the differential diagnosis, and the surgical treatment of these lesions are discussed. Case presentation A 51-year-old patient presented with a mass obliterating the external auditory meatus. Excisional biopsy was performed. Diagnosis was reported to be schwannoma by histopathologic examination. Conclusion Schwannoma, rarely seen in the external auditory canal, can be managed by a precise excision of the tumor via transmeatal approach.

Abstract Background Sarcoidosis is a chronic, systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that features noncaseating granulomas in many body regions. Sinonasal involvement is rare but is also suspected to be underreported. Case presentation We present the case of a 39-year-old woman who was incidentally diagnosed with isolated sarcoidosis involving the middle turbinates. Histopathologic examination of resected concha bullosa material and an extensive panel of diagnostic tests revealed a diagnosis of isolated sarcoidosis. Since no systemic manifestations were detected, topical corticosteroid (nasal spray) was administered in the postoperative period. Throughout the 12 months after surgery, the patient remained free of symptoms and all nasal endoscopy examinations were normal. Conclusion Although isolated nasal involvement of sarcoidosis is rare, otorhinolaryngologists should consider this condition in a differential diagnosis for sinonasal complaints.

Recent investigations have shown that late preterm infants have increased risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, neurosensory impairment, and emotional, behavior and learning problems. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) abnormality may partly contribute to these problems. Our aim was to measure VEMP in late preterm infants and to compare the findings between late preterm and term infants. Seventeen late preterm infants (mean gestational age: 35.11 weeks ± 0.78) postnatal aged 8 weeks and 17 full-term (mean gestational age: 38.05 weeks ± 0.96) infants postnatal aged 4 weeks underwent cervical (c)VEMP test without sedation. Mean latencies of p13 were calculated in all study subjects. cVEMPs were elicited in all late preterm and term infants. Mean latencies of p13 in late preterm and term infants were 14.53 and 13.34 ms, respectively. Mean latencies of n23 were determined as 23.18 ms and 19.92 ms for late preterm and term infants, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between late preterm and term infants for latency of p13 (p<0.001) and latency of n23 (p<0.000). Abnormal VEMP results might be related to a delay in the maturation of the sacculocollic pathways in late preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Fibromyalgia syndrome is a disorder of widespread pain with unknown etiology. These patients frequently suffer from otologic complaints. This study aims to analyze the audiovestibular functions in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. METHODS: The study included 33 fibromyalgia patients and 33 healthy volunteers. All the study subjects underwent audiological assessment, multifrequency tympanometry, transient otoacoustic emission, and ocular and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials tests. RESULTS: Pure-tone hearing thresholds of right and left ears were found to be decreased in fibromyalgia patients compared to controls (P < 0.05). Middle ear resonance frequency values were significantly decreased in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome compared to controls (P < .05). The values for signal-to-noise ratios were higher in controls than in the FMS patients. The difference was significant for 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz (P > .005). Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential waves were obtained in all controls, but could not be obtained in 5 right ears and 4 left ears of the fibromyalgia patients (P < .05). Also, ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials were obtained in all controls, but could not be obtained in 7 right ears and 10 left ears of the patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our findings support the presence of audiovestibular dysfunction in patients with fibromyalgia. Further research that focuses on the pathogenesis of these dysfunctions is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the middle and inner ear functions, and efferent auditory systems in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: Thirty-five RA patients and 40 control subjects participated in the study. Pure-tone audiometry, high-frequency audiometry, multifrequency tympanometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, and contralateral suppression tests were administered to all participants., Results: Pure-tone hearing thresholds of RA patients were significantly higher at all frequencies except for 2000 Hz, 14,000 Hz, and 16,000 Hz in the right ear and 16,000 Hz in the left ear (p<0.05). Resonance frequency values of RA patients were statistically significantly lower than those of the control group (p<0.001). Emission amplitudes obtained with contralateral acoustic stimulation were significantly lower at 1400 Hz frequency in both groups than without contralateral acoustic stimulation (p<0.05). While contralateral suppression was observed at all frequencies in the control group, no suppression occurred at 2800 Hz and 4000 Hz in RA patients., Conclusion: The results obtained in this study demonstrated the presence of hearing dysfunction in patients with RA. When a patient is diagnosed with RA, an audiological evaluation should be made, and the patient should be informed about the possibility of audiological involvement., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©Copyright 2024 by Turkish Otorhinolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery Society / Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology is published by Galenos Publishing House.)