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We investigated the prognostic utility of preoperative neck lymph node-to-primary tumor maximum standardized uptake value ratios (NTRs) in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 141 consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having OSCC and had received fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography within 2 weeks prior to radical surgery between 2009 and 2018. To determine the optimal NTR cutoff, receiver operating characteristic analysis for overall survival (OS) was executed. The NTR’s prognostic value for disease-free survival (DFS) and OS were determined through Cox proportional hazards analysis and the Kaplan–Meier method. We determined the median (range) follow-up duration to be 35.2 (2.1–122.4) months. The optimal NTR cutoff was 0.273, and patients with a higher NTR (≥0.273) exhibited significantly worse DFS and OS (p = 0.010 and 0.003, respectively). A higher NTR (≥0.273) predicted poorer DFS (hazard ratio: 2.696, p = 0.008) and OS (hazard ratio: 4.865, p = 0.003) in multivariable analysis. We created a nomogram on the basis of the NTR, and it could accurately predict OS (concordance index: 0.774). Preoperative NTRs may be a useful prognostic biomarker for DFS and OS in patients with OSCC who have undergone surgery. NTR-based nomograms may also be helpful prognostic tools in clinical trials.

We introduced a novel squamous cell carcinoma inflammatory index (SCI) and explored its prognostic utility for individuals with operable oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). We retrospectively analyzed data from 288 patients who were given a diagnosis of primary OSCC from January 2008 to December 2017. The SCI value was derived by multiplying the serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio values. We appraised the associations of the SCI with survival outcomes by performing Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan–Meier analyses. We constructed a nomogram for survival predictions by incorporating independent prognostic factors in a multivariable analysis. By executing a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, we identified the SCI cutoff to be 3.45, and 188 and 100 patients had SCI values of

This study investigated preoperative neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) for predicting oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) survival. We retrospectively analyzed 368 patients who received curative OSCC surgery between 2008 and 2017. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were employed to identify the optimal NPAR cutoff (16.93), and the patients were then separated into low-NPAR and high-NPAR groups. Intergroup differences in survival were determined through Kaplan–Meier analysis and log-rank tests. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) predictors were identified using Cox proportional-hazards models. A nomogram integrating independent prognostic factors was proposed to increase the accuracy of OS prediction. A high NPAR (≥16.93) was associated with worse median OS and DFS than was a low NPAR (both p < 0.001); this finding was confirmed through multivariate analyses (hazard ratio (HR) for OS = 2.697, p < 0.001; and HR for DFS = 1.671, p = 0.008). The nomogram’s favorable predictive ability was confirmed by the calibration plots and concordance index (0.784). The preoperative NPAR is thus a promising prognostic biomarker in patients with OSCC after external validation in a larger cohort. Our nomogram can facilitate clinical use of the NPAR and provides accurate individualized OS predictions.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether prognostic nutritional index (PNI) predicts patient survival outcomes in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS The data of a total of 360 patients subjected to primary surgery for OSCC were retrospectively analysed. Patients were categorised into high-PNI (≥51.75) and low-PNI (

Respiratory arousal is the change from a state of sleep to a state of wakefulness following an apnea or hypopnea. In patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it could have a helpful role to activate upper airway muscles and the resumption of airflow and an opposing role to contribute to greater ventilatory instability, continue cycling, and likely exacerbate OSA. Patients with very severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 60 events/h) may have specific chemical (e.g., possible awake hypercapnic hypoxemia) and mechanical (e.g., restricted dilator muscles) stimuli to initiate a respiratory arousal. Little was reported about how respiratory arousal presents in this distinct subgroup, how it relates to AHI, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), body mass index (BMI), and oxygen saturation, and how a non-framework surgery may change it. Here, in 27 patients with very severe OSA, we show respiratory arousal index was correlated with each of AHI, mean oxyhemoglobin saturation of pulse oximetry (SpO2), mean desaturation, and desaturation index, but not in BMI or ESS. The mean (53.5 events/h) was higher than other reports with less severe OSAs in the literature. The respiratory arousal index can be reduced by about half (45.3%) after a non-framework multilevel surgery in these patients.

A non-framework surgery could change the postoperative components of breathing disturbances and increase the frequency or duration of hypopnea in patients with very severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Either an increase of hypopnea index, which increases apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), or an increase of its duration raises the concern of worsening the oxygen desaturation and so morbidity and mortality associated with OSA. It is unclear how the oxygen saturation would change in those having increased frequency or duration of hypopneas after the surgery. Here in 17 patients with AHI ≥ 60 events/h, having increased frequency or duration of hypopneas after the non-framework surgery, the results show that the surgery improved oxygen saturation by reducing obstructive-apnea index (36.1 events/h) and duration (8.6 s/event), despite it increased hypopnea index (16.8 events/h) and duration (9.8 s/event). The surgery improved the average of the mean oxyhemoglobin saturation of pulse oximetry (SpO2) by 2.8% (toward a ceiling mean of 94.3%), mean minimal SpO2 by 7.5%, and mean desaturation by 5%. The results suggest sufficient apnea reduction and shift from apnea to hypopnea may mask the negative impact of the increase of hypopnea index or duration and improve postoperative mean SpO2, minimal SpO2, and mean desaturation.

AimThe aim of our study was to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) and to establish prognostic nomograms for the prediction of survival outcomes in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).Materials and MethodsA total of 372 patients who received primary curative surgery for OSCC during 2008–2017 at a tertiary referral center were enrolled. We used the receiver operating characteristic curve to determine the optimal cutoff point of ALI. Through a Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan–Meier analysis, we elucidated the ALI–overall survival (OS) and ALI–disease-free survival (DFS) associations. Prognostic nomograms based on ALI and the results of multivariate analysis were created to predict the OS and DFS. We used the concordance indices (C-indices) and calibration plots to assess the discriminatory and predictive ability.ResultsThe results revealed that the ALI cutoff was 33.6, and 105 and 267 patients had ALI values of p < 0.001) and DFS (33.6% vs. 62.8%; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, ALI < 33.6 was independently associated with poor OS and DFS (both p < 0.001). The C-indices of established nomograms were 0.773 and 0.674 for OS and DFS, respectively; moreover, the calibration plots revealed good consistency between nomogram-predicted and actual observed OS and DFS.ConclusionALI is a promising prognostic biomarker in patients undergoing primary surgery for OSCC; moreover, ALI-based nomograms may be a useful prognostic tool for individualized OS and DFS estimations.

Objectives: The role of autoimmune diseases on the risk for acute epiglottitis remains uncertain. This study aimed to delineate the association between epiglottitis and autoimmune diseases using population database. Methods: A population-based retrospective study was conducted to analyze claims data from Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database collected over January, 2000, to December, 2013. Results: In total, 2339 patients with epiglottitis were matched with 9356 controls without epiglottitis by sex, age, socioeconomic status, and urbanization level. The correlation between autoimmune diseases and epiglottitis was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Compared with controls, patients with epiglottitis were much more likely to have preexisting Sjögren syndrome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.14-4.91; P = .021). In addition, polyautoimmunity was associated with increased risk of epiglottitis (aOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.14-3.80; P = .018), particularly in those aged >50 years (aOR: 2.61; 95% CI: 1.21-5.66; P = .015). Conclusions: Among autoimmune diseases, we verify the association between epiglottitis and Sjögren syndrome in Taiwan. Furthermore, we present the novel discovery that patients with epiglottitis have an increased risk of polyautoimmunity, particularly those aged >50 years.

Objectives: Supine position reduces nasal patency compared with that in the sitting position; however, data on the effects of prone position on nasal patency is lacking. Methods: We assessed the nasal patency of 30 healthy individuals without upper respiratory tract disorders by using visual analog scale (VAS) score and acoustic rhinometry in 7 positions: sitting; frontal, right, and left supine; and frontal, right, and left prone. Results: According to the VAS scores, compared with that in the sitting position, both the supine and prone positions significantly increased subjective nasal obstruction ( P < .001). The prone position had a more significant effect than did the supine position ( P = .017). The results of minimal cross-sectional area measured through acoustic rhinometry demonstrated that both the supine and prone positions reduced the nasal patency significantly, but without significant differences between the effects of prone and supine positions ( P = .794). Conclusion: This is the first study to elucidate that the prone position can significantly reduce the nasal patency in healthy individuals through subjective and objective assessments. Level of Evidence: IV

Background: Ethmoid or sphenoid intestinal-type adenocarcinomas (ITACs) form a distinct subtype of sinonasal adenocarcinomas that occur less than 1 case/100,000/yr. They have obvious exposure relationship to hardwood or leather dusts, infrequent metastasis, but a relatively high local-recurrence rate. They locate at sinuses close to vital structures listed as high-risk areas in surgeries. Even in expert hands, a craniofacial resection is associated with non-negligible mortality and morbidity. Management of these tumors, first or recurrent, needs to weigh these consequences versus the survival, regional-recurrence, and distant-recurrence rates. Due to the rareness of ethmoid or sphenoid ITACs, accurate overall survival and local- or regional-recurrence rates across diverse treatments are unclear. The aim of this study is to report the overall statistics of this cancer and the relationship between enrollment year versus age, recurrence, and survival. Methods: Systemic review and meta-analysis with 1126 cases across various treatments in the literature. Results: Here, we show that patients of ethmoid or sphenoid ITACs had overall local-, regional-, and distant-recurrence rates of 32.2%, 2.2%, and 10.3%, respectively, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 66.2%. The results present a significant correlation between age, local-recurrent rate, or overall survival rate versus enrollment year. Conclusion: This suggests that recent patients of ethmoid or sphenoid ITACs may present at an older mean age, have a lower local-recurrence rate, and have a better 5-year survival rate than before. There was a shifting trend of treating ethmoid ITACs from external approach to endoscopic resection. Clinicians may want to weigh mortality and morbidity rates of external surgeries and these data to share or decide a solution.

BACKGROUND We aimed to investigate the preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP)-lymphocyte ratio (CLR) as a prognostic biomarker in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS Three hundred and sixteen patients with OSCC treated with curative surgery were retrospectively assessed and the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the discriminative ability of inflammatory markers. The prognostic value of CLR was investigated with Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS The CLR cutoff of 3.88 (p

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) may demonstrate secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), characterized by parathyroid hormone oversecretion in response to electrolyte imbalance (e.g., hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia). Moreover, this electrolyte imbalance may affect vocal cord muscle contraction and lead to voice change. Here, we explored the effects of SHPT on the voices of patients with ESRD. We used data of 147,026 patients with ESRD from the registry for catastrophic illness patients, a sub-database of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We divided these patients into 2 groups based on whether they had hyperparathyroidism (HPT) and compared vocal dysfunction (VD) incidence among them. We also prospectively included 60 ESRD patients with SHPT; 45 of them underwent parathyroidectomy. Preoperatively and postoperatively, voice analysis was used to investigate changes in vocal parameters. In the real-world database analysis, the presence of HPT significantly increased VD incidence in patients with ESRD (p = 0.003): Cox regression analysis results indicated that patients with ESRD had an approximately 1.6-fold increased VD risk (p = 0.003). In the clinical analysis, the “jitter” and “shimmer” factors improved significantly after operation, whereas the aerodynamic factors remained unchanged. In conclusion, SHPT was an independent risk factor for VD in patients with ESRD, mainly affecting their acoustic factors.

Background A typical assessment for sarcopenia involves the use of abdominal computed tomography (CT) for calculating the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3). However, abdominal CT is not regularly performed on patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). We investigated whether masticatory SMI (M-SMI) measurements based on head and neck CT scans can be used to conduct sarcopenia assessments by evaluating whether M-SMI is correlated with L3-SMI. Methods Abdominal and head and neck CT images of patients with trauma (n = 50) and HNC (n = 52) were analyzed retrospectively. Both manual delineation and threshold selection methods were used to measure cross-sectional areas of masticatory muscles and those of muscles at the L3 level on CT images. Muscle cross-sectional areas were normalized to height squared to calculate SMI, and a multivariate linear regression model was established to evaluate the correlation between the M-SMI and L3-SMI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the ability of the M-SMI to identify sarcopenia, and Cox logistic regression was used to identify predictors of sarcopenia. Results Patients with HNC had significantly lower M-SMI and L3-SMI than did patients with trauma (p = 0.011 and 0.03, respectively). M-SMI and L3-SMI were strongly correlated (r = 0.901, p < 0.001); in the multivariate model that included sex, the correlation was stronger (r = 0.913, p < 0.001). The associations of sarcopenia with a lower M-SMI (p < 0.001), male sex (p = 0.028), and advanced age (p = 0.011) were significant, and multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that an M-SMI of p < 0.001). Conclusions M-SMI assessment in routine head and neck CT scans is feasible and can be an alternative for detecting sarcopenia in patients with HNC.

Objectives/hypothesis To assess the prognostic utility of third cervical vertebra skeletal muscle index (C3 SMI) measured from preoperative head and neck computed tomography (CT) in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Study design Retrospective study. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 125 patients who underwent primary curative surgery for OSCC between 2009 and 2017. Their preoperative C3 SMI was calculated by adjusting the C3 cross-sectional area delineated on head and neck CT by body height squared. A Cox proportional hazard model was employed to identify prognostic factors, and a novel nomogram based on C3 SMI was built for individualized survival prediction. Results In Kaplan-Meier analysis, high C3 SMI was significantly associated with higher 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than low C3 SMI. In multivariate analysis, low C3 SMI was an independent risk factor for poor DFS and OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.197; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.170-4.512, P = .032 and HR: 2.143; 95% CI, 1.232-3.728, P = .007, respectively). The concordance-index (C-index) of the nomogram based on C3 SMI was 0.814 for OS, higher than that of the nomogram based on tumor-node-metastasis staging alone (C-index = 0.731). Conclusions C3 SMI might serve as a novel prognosticator in OSCC patients undergoing curative surgery, and the nomogram based on C3 SMI might provide good prognostic discrimination ability for individualized survival prediction. Level of evidence IV Laryngoscope, 131:E2257-E2265, 2021.

ObjectivesPatients with uremia are prone to infection; however, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) as a risk factor for acute epiglottitis warrants study. We investigated the risk of severe epiglottitis requiring hospitalisation in patients with ESRD.SettingWe conducted a retrospective matched cohort study by using the claims data of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database.ParticipantsWe identified an ESRD cohort with 87 908 patients newly diagnosed in 2000–2013 and underwent dialysis. The non-ESRD cohort comprised patients who had not received a diagnosis of ESRD, and they were matches to the ESRD cohort (1:1) by sex, age, residence urbanisation level, monthly income, and diabetes and hypertension status.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe cumulative incidence of epiglottitis at the end of 2013 was analysed with Kaplan-Meier methods and log-rank tests. The HR of epiglottitis was calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model after adjustment for confounding factors.ResultsThe overall epiglottitis incidence rate was 94% greater in the ESRD cohort than in the non-ESRD cohort (10.3 vs 5.3 cases per 100 000 person-years, p=0.002), with an adjusted HR of 1.89 (95% CI: 1.23 to 2.91, p=0.004). In the log-rank analysis, compared with the non-ESRD group, the epiglottitis cumulative incidence was significantly higher in the ESRD group (p=0.003). Epiglottitis did not exhibit an association with higher rates of airway interventions, intensive care unit admissions or longer hospitalisation in patients with ESRD than in controls.ConclusionsThis nationwide matched cohort study indicated that ESRD patients should be monitored for the risk of severe epiglottitis requiring hospitalisation.

In patients of very severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with confined framework, reducing volume is difficult to achieve a postoperative apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) qualifying the classical surgical success. However, a higher AHI with a larger part of hypopneas may have similar or even less severity of oxygen (O2) desaturation, compared to a lower index mostly made of apneas. Here, in 27 consecutive enrolled patients, we show that besides the improvement of mean AHI, the multilevel surgery increased hypopnea in AHI from 29.1% to 77.3%, and improves postoperative O2 saturation by reducing desaturation frequency (mean desaturation index decreased from 62.5 to 24.4 events/h) and level (mean oxyhemoglobin saturation of pulse oximetry (SpO2) desaturation cut down from 10.0 to 5.8%). The mean SpO2 improved from 92.3% to 94.7%, and the improvement was positively related to the proportion increase of hypopnea/AHI. The results suggest that the non-framework surgery could help patients with very severe OSA whose AHIs are &ge, 60 events/h in terms of improving postoperative O2 saturation. Due to the improvement also presented in those not qualified as classical surgical success, further studies are needed to clarify the connection between O2 desaturation and various consequences to reconsider defining a surgical success.

Although the serum albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) is recognized as a valuable prognostic biomarker in various cancers, its clinical value in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still unclear. We aimed to probe the prognostic value of AGR in patients with OSCC undergoing curative surgery. This retrospective study analyzed 306 patients who were newly diagnosed as having OSCC and receiving curative surgery between 2008 and 2017. The correlation of AGR with survival outcomes was estimated using Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan–Meier analysis. A nomogram based on AGR was established, and its accuracy was assessed according to the concordance index. The log rank test and Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated that patients who had low AGR had significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS) as well as 5-year overall survival (OS) than those with high AGR. The multivariate Cox analysis revealed that low AGR was an independent predictor of poor OS and DFS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.812; 95% CI 1.729–4.573; p

Background Although the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) can predict poor outcomes in assorted cancers, its prognostic value in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. We explored the value of preoperative CAR in predicting clinical outcomes in OSCC patients treated with radical surgery. Methods All the recommended cutoff values were defined analyzing receiver operating characteristic curves or overall survival (OS). Dichotomization was performed on the basis of optimal CAR cutoff, and we compared the clinicopathological features between groups. Kaplan–Meier analysis was also performed to compare OS curves between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model were conducted to find the clinical characteristics that were most closely correlated with disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). A nomogram incorporated CAR and several clinicopathological factors was established to predict prognosis and its accuracy was evaluated using concordance index (c-index). Results In this retrospective study, a total of 326 patients with newly diagnosis of OSCC and received primary surgery between 2008 and 2017 were enrolled. Through the executed ROC curve analyses, the optimal CAR cutoff derived was 0.195 (area under the curve = 0.718, p < 0.001), with this cutoff exhibiting a discrimination ability superior to that of other inflammation-based prognostic scores after comparing the area under curves. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CAR (≥0.195/p = 0.002) and DFS (hazard ratio 1.917; 95% CI [1.051–3.863]; p = 0.029). Kaplan–Meier analysis and log rank test revealed a significant difference in DFS and OS curves between patients with low CAR (p < 0.001). The c-index of the nomogram based on TNM system alone was 0.684 and could be increased to 0.801 if CAR and other clinicopathological factors were included. Conclusions Preoperative CAR could constitute an independent prognostic indicator for OS and DFS prediction in OSCC patients treated with curative surgery. The established nomogram that incorporated CAR and prognostic factors might increase the accuracy of prognostic prediction for patients with OSCC.

Background: Little evidence is available about the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in patients with thyroid diseases. We assessed whether a diagnosis of thyroid disease, particularly hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, is associated with SSNHL risk in an Asian population. Material and Methods: This case-control study was conducted with population-based data from Taiwan&rsquo, s National Health Insurance Research Database from January 2000 to December 2013. The case group comprised 3331 adult patients with newly diagnosed SSNHL, and four controls without SSNHL for each case matched by sex, age, monthly income, and urbanization level of residence. Underlying Thyroid diseases were retrospectively evaluated in the case and control groups. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore relations between thyroid diseases and SSNHL. Results: Of the 3331 cases, 5.7% had preexisting thyroid diseases, whereas only 4.0% of the 13,324 controls had the same condition. After adjustment for sex, age, monthly income, urbanization level of residence, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic otitis media, and hyperlipidemia, associations were identified between a history of either hypothyroidism (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.54, 95% CI, 1.02&ndash, 2.32, p&thinsp, =&thinsp, 0.042) or hyperthyroidism (AOR, 1.41, 95% CI, 1.07&ndash, 1.85, 0.015) and an elevated risk of SSNHL. In subgroup analysis, the correlation between hypothyroidism and increased SSNHL risk remained significant only for patients aged over 50 years (AOR, 1.61, 95% CI, 1.01&ndash, 2.57, 0.045), and that between hyperthyroidism and SSNHL was significant only for female patients (AOR, 1.48, 95% CI, 1.09&ndash, 2.01, 0.012). Treatment for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism did not alter the association in subgroup analyses. Conclusion: Preexisting hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism appear associated with SSNHL susceptibility in Taiwan. Physicians should be wary of this elevated risk of SSNHL among patients with previously diagnosed thyroid dysfunction, especially women and patients aged more than 50 years.

Traumatic operative injury of the optic nerve in an endoscopic sinus surgery may cause immediate or delayed blindness. It should be cautioned when operating in a sphenoethmoidal cell, or known as Onodi cell, with contact or bulge of the optic canal. It remains unclear how frequent progression to visual loss occurs and how long it progresses to visual loss because of a diseased sphenoethmoidal cell. Research to discuss these questions is expected to help decision making to treat diseased sphenoethmoidal cells. From July 2001 to June 2017, 216 patients received conservative endoscopic sinus surgery without opening a diseased sphenoethmoidal cell. We used their computed tomography images of paranasal sinuses to identify diseased sphenoethmoidal cells that could be associated with progression to visual loss. Among the 216 patients, 52.3% had at least one sphenoethmoidal cell, and 14.8% developed at least one diseased sphenoethmoidal cell. One patient developed acute visual loss 4412 days after the first computed tomography. Our results show that over half of the patients have a sphenoethmoidal cell but suggest a rare incidence of a diseased sphenoethmoidal cell progressing to visual loss during the follow-up period.

Background Sarcopenia is typically assessed using abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans, which are not obtained routinely in patients with oral cavity cancer. In order to investigate the feasibility of using masticatory muscles to assess general skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in oral cancer patients, we aimed to correlate the masticatory SMM evaluated on head and neck CT-images with the SMM measurement at the level of L3 on abdominal CT-scans. Methods The abdominal and head and neck CT-scans of the oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC, n = 54) and trauma (n = 50) patients were analyzed retrospectively. All muscles at the L3 level were delineated on abdominal CT scans, and skeletal muscles at the mandibular notch level and C3 level were delineated on head and neck CT scans. Cross-sectional area (CSA) of the muscles at the mandibular notch and C3 level were compared to skeletal muscle CSA at the L3 level using linear regression, and a multivariate linear regression model was also calculated. Results The OSCC patients had significantly smaller muscle CSA at the mandibular notch level than trauma patients (1221.4 vs. 1512.2 mm2, p = 0.006). Masticatory muscle CSA strongly predicted the L3 muscle CSA (r = 0.880, p < 0.001), and this correlation was stronger in the multivariate model including age, body weight, and sex (r = 0.898, p < 0.001). Conclusions Evaluation of the masticatory skeletal muscle mass on head and neck CT images is simple, feasible, and may be an alternative to abdominal CT scans. Assessment of masticatory muscle at mandibular notch can be performed using routinely obtained scans without additional imaging or cost. Identifying patients at risk of being sarcopenic may select oral cancer patients for nutritional intervention and appropriate treatment modality to improve their prognosis.

ObjectiveWhether dysrhythmia is a risk factor of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the risk of developing SSNHL among patients with dysrhythmia in different age and gender groups by using population-based data in Taiwan.MethodsWe conducted a matched cohort study by analyzing data between January 2000 and December 2013 obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. 41,842 newly diagnosed dysrhythmia patients and 83,684 comparison subjects without dysrhythmia were selected from claims. The incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss at the end of 2013 was determined in both groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the risk of SSNHL among patients with dysrhythmia.ResultsThe incidence of SSNHL was 1.30-fold higher in the dysrhythmia group compared with the control group (53.2 versus 40.9 per 100,000 person-years), and using Cox proportional hazard regressions, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.70). Gender-stratified analysis revealed a significantly higher risk of SSNHL in patients with dysrhythmia than in those without dysrhythmia for both men and women (HR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.02-1.76, P = 0.039, HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.02-1.78, P = 0.035, respectively). Age-stratified analysis revealed remarkable associations between dysrhythmia and SSNHL among those aged less than 40 years and more than 65 years (HR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.03-4.64, P = 0.043 and HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.14-2.09, P = 0.006, respectively).ConclusionsOur findings support dysrhythmia as an independent risk factor for SSNHL. Based on the study results, clinicians managing patients with dysrhythmia should be aware of the increased risk of developing SSNHL, especially among patients aged 65 years, and counsel patients to seek medical advice immediately if they experience any acute change in their hearing ability.

Postoperative hearing improvement is one of the main expectations for patients receiving tympanoplasty. The capacity to predict postoperative hearing may help to counsel a patient properly and avoid untoward expectations. It is difficult to predict postoperative hearing without knowing the disease process in the middle ear, which can only be assessed intraoperatively. However, the duration and extent of the underlying pathologies may represent in bone-conduction threshold and air-bone gap. Here in patients undergoing tympanoplasty without ossiculoplasty, we sorted and separated the surgery dates into the first group to build the predicting models and the second group to test the predictions. There were 87 and 30 ears, respectively. No specific enrollment or exclusion criteria were based on underlying pathologies such as the perforation size of the tympanic membrane or the middle ear conditions. The results show that bone-conduction threshold and air-bone gap together predicted air-conduction threshold after the surgery, including each frequency of 0.5k, 1k, 2k, and 4k Hz. The discrepancies between the predictions and recordings did not differ among these four frequencies. Of the variance in mean postoperative air-conduction threshold, 56.7% was linearly accounted for by these two preoperative predictors in this sample. The results suggest a trend that, the higher the frequency, the larger the part was accounted for by these two preoperative predictors. These together may help a surgeon to estimate frequency-specific hearing outcome after the surgery, answer patients’ questions with quantitative statistics, and counsel patients with proper expectations.

Malnutrition is common among patients who have oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but its effect on the incidence of postoperative complications remains uncertain. Validated nutrition and complication assessment tools were used to evaluate the effects of nutrition on the likelihood of postoperative complications after curative surgery for OSCC. A retrospective study that spanned January 2014 to December 2018 enrolled 70 patients who received curative surgery for OSCC. Nutritional status before surgery was evaluated with the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), and patients were classified as either well-nourished (rating A) or malnourished (ratings B and C). Complications 30 days after the operation were graded using Clavien-Dindo classification. The perioperative clinicopathological characteristics of the groups were compared, and risk factors for postoperative complications were identified through logistic regression. A total of 44 (62.8%) patients formed the malnourished group, and they tended to be older (P = .03), weigh less (P = .001), have lower Body Mass Index (P = .003), higher PG-SGA scores (P

Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the major causes of acquired sensorineural hearing loss in modern society. While people with excessive exposure to noise are frequently the population with a lifestyle of irregular circadian rhythms, the effects of circadian dysregulation on the auditory system are still little known. Here, we disturbed the circadian clock in the cochlea of male CBA/CaJ mice by constant light (LL) or constant dark. LL significantly repressed circadian rhythmicity of circadian clock genes Per1, Per2, Rev-erb&alpha, Bmal1, and Clock in the cochlea, whereas the auditory brainstem response thresholds were unaffected. After exposure to low-intensity (92 dB) noise, mice under LL condition initially showed similar temporary threshold shifts to mice under normal light&ndash, dark cycle, and mice under both conditions returned to normal thresholds after 3 weeks. However, LL augmented high-intensity (106 dB) noise-induced permanent threshold shifts, particularly at 32 kHz. The loss of outer hair cells (OHCs) and the reduction of synaptic ribbons were also higher in mice under LL after noise exposure. Additionally, LL enhanced high-intensity noise-induced 4-hydroxynonenal in the OHCs. Our findings convey new insight into the deleterious effect of an irregular biological clock on the auditory system.

Objective The meticulous two-layer closure is a step to complete the modified Z-palatoplasty, which has been reported to serve as an effective element in multilevel sleep surgery for patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea, especially with Friedman anatomical stages II and III diseases. A single layer closure—the suture closure as originally described in uvulopalatopharyngoplasty by Fujita et al., is an alternative of the two-layer closure, featured by simplicity while its efficacy has not been completely proved in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea. Methods By apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), we investigated 7 patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea undergoing the modified Z-palatoplasty with one-layer closure in a multilevel surgery. Results The mean apnea–hypopnea index is reduced from 52.9 ± 17.1 (preoperative) to 18.4 ± 9.7 events/h (postoperative) without any wound dehiscence or bleeding that results in an unplanned return to the operating room. In comparison, the percentage of reduction in mean apnea–hypopnea index is 65%. The improvement of apnea–hypopnea index is statistically significant with the p-value 0.004. Conclusion Our results support that one-layer closure remains the efficacy of modified Z-palatoplasty (with two-layer closure) in one-stage multilevel surgery for severe obstructive sleep apnea with an unfavorable anatomical stage.