Otolaryngology News & Journal Articles

• Three Common Comorbidities With Asthma   Drs Sidney Braman and Linda Rogers discuss the comorbidities of reflux, rhinitis, and sleep apnea that are associated with asthma and whether treating them has a positive impact on outcomes.
  CHEST and Medscape, August 2018
• Humidifier May Help Sleep Apnea Patients Stick With CPAP Treatment People with sleep apnea are more likely to stick with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment when they use a built-in humidifier, a Swedish study suggests.
  Reuters Health Information, August 2018
• Marijuana Use Tied to Less Pain/Anxiety in Head and Neck Cancer Patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer who used marijuana reported strikingly less pain and anxiety than well-matched nonusers. They also reported a greater sense of well-being.
  Medscape Medical News, August 2018
• Oximetry Results Help Determine Need for Adenotonsillectomy
  Reuters Health Information, August 2018
• Alert FDA Clears CF Drug Orkambi for Children as Young as Age 2 The lumacaftor/ivacaftor combination drug is now approved for children aged 2 to 5 years who have two copies of the F508del mutation in the CTFR gene.
  FDA Approvals, August 2018
• Could HPV Be Prognostic in Esophageal Cancer Too? HPV positivity is associated with significantly better outcomes in patients with Barrett's high-grade dysplasia or esophageal adenocarcinoma, suggesting less intensive therapy might be considered.
  Medscape Medical News, August 2018
• Gene Therapy Restores Sense of Smell in Mouse Model Gene therapy can restore the sense of smell in mice lacking Ift88, a gene necessary for normal ciliary function of olfactory sensory neurons, researchers report.
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• Suspect Congenital Zika? What to Do Next   CDC eliminates the guesswork with guidance on next steps when evaluating an infant with possible congenital Zika infection.
  CDC Expert Commentary, July 2018
• Is EOE Part of the Allergic March?   New research suggests that eosinophilic esophagitis is a previously unidentified step in the allergic march.
  CHOP Expert Commentary, July 2018
• Second Primary Malignancy Risk Doubled After Head and Neck Cancer The risk of second primary malignant neoplasm (SPMN) doubles after a first head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), especially when the site of the first cancer is not typically associated with malignancies due to human papillomavirus (HPV), according to a retrospective study.
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• FDA Panel Votes Against Recommending Mepolizumab for COPD An FDA panel recommended against mepolizumab as add-on treatment to inhaled corticosteroid-based maintenance treatment in patients with COPD guided by blood eosinophil counts.
  Medscape Medical News, July 2018
• Soccer Headers May Fuel Balance Problems Soccer players who like to head the ball risk developing balance problems, according to a preliminary study presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Sports Concussion conference underway in Indianapolis.
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• Migraine Patients May Be at Greater Risk of Tinnitus
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• More Data Indicate Ondansetron Is Safe for Morning Sickness A large data set composed of two birth defect studies confirms there is little risk for teratogenicity when off-label ondansetron is taken for nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy.
  Medscape Medical News, July 2018
• Transcutaneous Implants Helpful in Pediatric Aural Atresia Transcutaneous osseointegrated implantation is an effective option for children with aural atresia, according to a case review.
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• Antibiotic Overuse Highest in Urgent Care Clinics Nearly half of urgent care patients diagnosed with conditions that don't require antibiotic treatment receive a prescription for an antibiotic.
  Medscape Medical News, July 2018
• Thinking of a Fluoroquinolone? Think Again   Fluoroquinolones are often prescribed even in the absence of any indication for antibiotics, despite their risk for serious harm.
  CDC Expert Commentary, July 2018
• Adjust Expectations Before Multi-Flap Reconstruction for Head and Neck Cancer Surgeons should weigh the curative potential, as well as functional and aesthetic outcomes and costs, before undertaking complex, multi-flap reconstructions in head and neck cancer patients, researchers say.
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• Physicians' Empathetic Statements Often Buried in Other Information Physicians often respond to family emotional statements during pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) conferences with empathy, but their statements are commonly buried in medical talk, researchers report.
  Reuters Health Information, July 2018
• Czech Beer Is Designed for Cancer Patients' Tastes The nonalcoholic beer has fewer hops, which reduces bitterness, and is diluted with apple juice for sweetening. Clinicians in the Czech Republic, where beer is the national drink, are handing it out to breast cancer patients.
  Medscape Medical News, July 2018