The gold standard for treating obstructive sleep apnea in adults is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, it can be difficult to convince patients to adhere to this therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between nasal endoscopy findings/nose patency and CPAP adherence. Material and methods: A cohort of 450 consecutive patients suspected of having OSA were prospectively enrolled. For further analyses, 47 OSA patients undergoing CPAP treatment were selected (13 females and 34 males, average age, 65.3 years, BMI 34.1, apnea-hypopnea index. AHI 51.0). The patients were divided into two groups: patients with good CPAP adherence (n = 35) and patients who did not adhere to CPAP therapy (n = 12). The influence of nasal endoscopy and flow measurement on CPAP adherence was explored. Results: We found a statistical independence between adherence to CPAP and AHI (p = 0.124), T90 (p = 0.502), endoscopic findings (p = 0.588) and nasal patency measured by a flowmeter (p = 0.498). Conclusions: In our studied sample, endoscopic findings and nasal patency measured by a flowmeter were not predictors of CPAP non-adherence in the first year of the treatment. Our data show that while an endoscopic finding in the nasal cavity could indicate that a patient has a severe obstruction, compliance with CPAP therapy is not reduced in these patients and neither is it reduced with a decrease in nasal flow, according to our observation.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: This study focuses on the hearing threshold for bone conduction (BC) after middle-ear surgery. METHODS: A total of 92 patients (120 ears) were treated for newly diagnosed chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma (2013-2018). BC was examined at frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz prior to and 1 year after surgery. STAM classification for cholesteatoma location, EAONO/JOS for stage, and surgery according to SAMEO-ATO classification were applied. The bone conduction threshold was compared for individual frequencies in patients with occurrence/absence of cholesteatoma in different locations. RESULTS: For the occurrence of cholesteatoma in the attic (A), a statistically significant difference was found at 4 kHz (p < 0.001), in the supratubal recess (S1) at 4 kHz (p = 0.003), and for the mastoid (M) at 0.5 kHz (p = 0.024), at 1 kHz (p = 0.032), and at 2 kHz (p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Cholesteatoma location can influence the post-operative hearing threshold for bone conduction.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Hyaluronan (HA) comprises a fundamental component of the extracellular matrix and participates in a variety of biological processes. Half of the total amount of HA in the human body is present in the skin. HA exhibits a dynamic turnover; its half-life in the skin is less than one day. Nevertheless, the specific participants in the catabolism of HA in the skin have not yet been described in detail, despite the essential role of HA in cutaneous biology. A deeper knowledge of the processes involved will act to support the development of HA-based topical and implantable materials and enhance the understanding of the various related pathological cutaneous conditions. This study aimed to characterize the distribution and activity of hyaluronidases and the other proteins involved in the degradation of HA in healthy human full-thickness skin, the epidermis and the dermis. Hyaluronidase activity was detected for the first time in healthy human skin. The degradation of HA occurred in lysates at an acidic pH. HA gel zymography revealed a single band corresponding to approximately 50 kDa. This study provided the first comprehensive view of the distribution of canonic HA-degrading proteins (HYAL1 and HYAL2) in human skin employing IHF and IHC. Furthermore, contrary to previous assumptions TMEM2, a novel hyaluronidase, as well as CEMIP, a protein involved in HA degradation, were localized in the human epidermis, as well as in the dermis.
