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Objectives Children differ from adults in the expression of dizziness symptoms and the causes of dizziness. In several studies, benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood (BPVC) and vestibular migraine (VM) were seen exclusively in children with vertigo, but the age threshold used to define ‘children’ varies, and there are few reported studies about adolescents with dizziness. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of vestibular and balance disorders according to age category in a multi-center study (otolaryngology departments of 11 hospitals) of children and adolescents. Methods Children and adolescents aged under 18 who visited the otolaryngology departments of 11 hospitals for dizziness were included. We classified the patients into three categories: preschool (up to and including 6-year-olds), school age (7- to 12-year-olds), and adolescents (13- to 18-year-olds). These patients were reviewed retrospectively based on their clinical charts. Results In the preschool age group, BPVC was most common, followed by VM. In the school-age group, BPVC and VMs were most common, followed by psychogenic vertigo and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). In adolescents, VM was the most common, and Meniere's disease, cardiogenic vertigo, and BPVC, which are seen primarily in adults, were also seen in some adolescents. Conclusion In children and adolescents with dizziness, VM and BPVC were the most common diseases, and prevalence of disease by age showed differing distributions. These findings will help in diagnosing and managing children and adolescents with vertigo.

Objectives To investigate the relationships between lymph node metastasis (LNM) and expression of CD31, D2-40 and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)-A and -C in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods Paraffin-embedded thyroid tissues of 72 patients were evaluated, which included 25 patients with thyroid nodular hyperplasia (TNH), 24 PTC patients without LNM, and 23 PTC patients with LNM. Three pathologists, who were blinded to the patient's clinical information, assessed the immunohistochemical staining results. The amount of expression was scored as high (>25% of cells stained) or low (0-25%). Results A higher level of VEGF-A expression was observed in the PTC groups regardless of LNM when compared to the group with TNH (91.3%, 79.2%, 4.0%, respectively). VEGF-C expression in the PTC with LNM group was significantly higher than the other two groups (P

Objectives The prognostic significance of vertigo in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remains a matter of debate because vertigo is associated with many different vestibular disorders. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) as a prognostic factor in patients with SSNHL. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 298 patients with SSNHL. Hearing outcomes were evaluated by assessments of pre-treatment hearing and hearing gain. Comparative multivariate analyses between prognostic factors and hearing outcome were conducted. Results Thirty-eight (12.7%) SSNHL patients were found to also have BPPV. BPPV showed significant negative prognostic factors in hearing outcome on multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 0.15). In comparison to average pure tone audiometry (PTA), patients diagnosed with SSNHL with BPPV exhibited poorer hearing in pre- and post-treatment PTA compared to SSNHL without BPPV. Old age (>60 years), pre-treatment hearing, and canal paresis were significant outcome predictors. Conclusion BPPV in SSNHL patients, representing definitive vestibular damage, was closely related to poor prognosis.

Objectives To contrast clinical characteristics of secondary benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (s-BPPV) with idiopathic BPPV (i-BPPV). Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting University hospital. Subjects and Methods A total of 718 patients whose medical records were reviewed had BPPV. Sixty-nine patients had existing inner ear diseases and thus were considered to have s-BPPV. We reviewed demographics, concurrent causative disorders, involved area, and response to particle repositioning maneuvers for these s-BPPV patients in comparison with i-BPPV subjects. Results Female subjects with i-BPPV outnumbered male subjects by a ratio of 1.9:1, but there was no significant sex difference for s-BPPV patients. The diseases associated with s-BPPV were idiopathic sudden sensory hearing loss (ISSHL, 50.7%), Meniere's disease (MD, 28.9%) and unilateral vestibulopathy such as acute vestibular neuronitis and herpes zoster oticus (20.2%). The posterior canal was most commonly involved in both i-BPPV and s-BPPV. The horizontal canal was the second most common, followed by multi-canal involvement. However, MD-associated BPPV most commonly involved the lateral canal. The mean durations of treatment for i-BPPV and s-BPPV were 2.28 and 4.87 days, respectively. The mean duration of treatment was 6.28 days for ISSHL with BPPV, 5.07 days for BPPV with unilateral vestibulopathy, and 2.28 days for BPPV with MD. Conclusion The mean duration of treatment for BPPV with ISSHL or unilateral vestibulopathy was longer than for other groups. The different pathophysiologies of s-BPPV associated with different inner ear diseases may explain its diverse clinical features and courses.

Objectives OK-432 has been widely used to treat lymphangioma and ranula; however, there are few studies for its use in treatment of branchial cleft cyst (BCC). We conducted this study to evaluate the effectiveness of sclerotherapy using OK-432 in treatment of BCC. Study Design and Setting Case series with planned data collection. Subjects and Methods From 2004 to 2007, we treated 23 patients with BCC using OK-432 sclerotherapy. Of these 23 patients, 18 had unilocular cysts and five had multilocular cysts. The sizes of the BCCs were measured and compared before and after treatment. Results Of the 23 cases, 14 (60.8%) showed complete regression; all of these were unilocular cysts. Of the remaining individuals with unilocular cysts, only one patient failed to show any response. This individual subsequently underwent surgical excision. A total of five patients with multilocular cysts showed no or partial response and subsequently underwent surgical excision. Minor adverse effects including fever and local pain were reported by 13 (56.5%) patients. Conclusion These results suggest that sclerotherapy using OK-432 is an effective and safe treatment modality for BCC, especially for unilocular cysts. Sclerosing of unilocular BCC with OK-432 should therefore be considered before surgical excision.

Objectives Canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) provides rapid and long-lasting relief of symptoms in most patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. However, some patients express nonspecific symptoms such as anxiety or discomfort after treatment, even after the disappearance of nystagmus and vertigo. The purpose of this study was to assess the residual symptoms after CRP in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) in a questionnaire format. Study Design and Setting Controlled, prospective study. Subjects and Methods CRP was performed in 135 patients until nystagmus and vertigo disappeared. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire before and 5 to 7 days after treatment. A control group of 135 normal volunteers was selected and cross-matched according to the age and sex of the patient group. The data were compared for the pre-CRP, post-CRP, and control groups. Results There was a significant improvement in the DHI scores when comparing the pre- and post-CRP groups ( P = 0.000), although six items showed incomplete improvement. Subsequent comparison of DHI scores between the control group and the post-CRP group still showed a difference in some items so that the improvement was incomplete. Conclusion Even after successful CRPs, Dizziness Handicap Inventory scores indicated that residual subjective symptoms may remain. Thus, additional follow-up and management are important for these patients.

Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (RAC1) is a 21-kDa signaling G protein that functions as a pleiotropic regulator of many cellular processes including epithelial differentiation. RAC1 activates the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase complex which promotes formation of reactive oxygen species and degradation enzymes. RAC1 has been associated with rapid epithelial differentiation and invasive properties in human cholesteatoma. This study aimed to identify the presence of RAC1 in human cholesteatoma and analyze its functional role as a regulator of proteolysis and overgrowth. Tissue samples from human cholesteatoma and normal postaural skin were obtained from patients during otologic surgery for cholesteatoma. The expression of RAC1 mRNA was quantified by real-time RT-PCR, and localization of RAC1 expression was confirmed using immunohistochemical staining. Expression of RAC1 mRNA in the epithelium of cholesteatoma was significantly elevated 2.94 fold on average, compared with normal control skin. RAC1 expression in the suprabasal and basal layer of cholesteatoma epithelium was stronger than normal control skin. Our results suggest that RAC1 can be associated with rapid epithelial differentiation and invasive properties of human cholesteatoma.

Purpose Many studies have shown that subjects show a change of vocal fundamental frequency (F0) when phonating subjects hear their vocal pitch feedback shifted upward or downward. This study was performed to demonstrate whether vocal parameters [F0, intensity, jitter, shimmer, and noise to harmonic ratio (NHR)] in normal males respond to changes in frequency of pure tone masking. Materials and Methods Twenty healthy male subjects participated in this study. Subjects vocalized /a/ vowel sounds while listening to a pitch-shift pure tone through headphones (upward pitch-shift in succession: 1kHz to 2 kHz and 1 kHz to 4 kHz at 50 dB or 80 dB, respectively, downward pitch-shift in succession: 1 kHz to 250 Hz and 1 kH to 500 Hz at 50 dB or 80 dB, respectively). Results Vocal intensity, F0, was increased, whereas jitter was decreased as the pitch of pure tone was shifted upward. However, there was no correlation between shimmer and NHR with pitch-shift feedback for pure tones. Unlike vocal pitch-shift feedback in other studies, upward pitch-shift feedback of pure tones caused the vocal F0 and intensity to change in the same direction as pitch-shift. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that auditory kinesthetic feedback is affected by pitch-shift in pure tone.

Purpose: Numerous methods have been utilized to repair nasal septal perforation with varying degrees of success; however, no consensus has been reached on nasoseptal perforation repair. Here, the authors describe a surgical method based on human dermal allograft (Surederm TM , Hans Biomed Corp. Korea) for the repair of nasal septal perforations. Materials and Methods: Eleven patients with a nasal septal perforation were included in this study. The causes of these septal perforations included previous nasal surgery, trauma, foreign body (button battery), and idiopathy. There were several sites of perforation: 9 in the central area, 1 in the posterior-central area, and 1 in the anterior area. An interpositional graft incorporating Surederm TM was positioned between bilateral mucoperichondrial flaps using an intranasal approach. A silastic sheet was then left in the nasal septum bilaterally until complete healing had occurred through new nasal mucosa, which took a mean duration of 6 weeks. Results: Outcomes in ten of the eleven patients were successful, with complete septal perforation closure. The remaining perforation, which was caused by a button battery, closed incompletely; however, its initial size of 2 cm was reduced to 5 mm. Conclusion: The described technique has a high success rate and can be performed under local anesthesia without external scarring. In the absence of donor site morbidity, this technique can also be utilized to repair posterior or multiple septal perforations without difficulty.