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Purpose Publications about increased number of peripheral facial paralysis in the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the literature. However, these studies comprised of an estimate rather than a broad analysis of exact numbers. In this study, we planned to investigate whether the pandemic really resulted in an increase in facial paralysis cases admitted to the hospital by evaluating the cases who applied to our hospital due to facial paralysis in the COVID-19 pandemic year and in the previous 4 years. Materials and methods Patients who applied to our hospital due to facial paralysis between March 2016–February 2017 (Group 1), between March 2017–February 2018 (Group 2), between March 2018–February 2019 (Group 3), between March 2019–February 2020 (Group 4), and between March 2020–February 2021 (Group 5) were investigated and detailed data were noted. Results 156, 164, 149, 172 and 157 patients were admitted to the hospital due to peripheral facial paralysis in Group 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Of these patients, 155, 164, 145, 169, and 153 were Bell's palsy, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test was positive in only 2 of the 153 patients who were diagnosed in the year of the pandemic. Conclusions This study showed that the number of peripheral facial paralysis detected during the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to previous years. Very few number of positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results may have been found incidentally in Bell's palsy patients. Theses stating that SARS-CoV-2 causes peripheral facial paralysis should be supported by laboratory studies and postmortem research.

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Objective: In this study, we aimed to reveal whether training on sleep hygiene have an effect on blood glucose regulation of type 2 diabetes patients. Materials and methods: Those with even protocol numbers were included in the case group and those with odd numbers were included in the control group. Pittsburgh sleep quality index was applied face-to-face to all patients included in the study and at the first admission sleep hygiene training was given to the case group. HbA1c values were noted separately as first and second visit for both groups. Those with known sleep disorders and language or psychiatric problems that would prevent them from answering the questionnaire were excluded from the study. Differences between demographic and clinical features of groups were evaluated using chi-square and Student's t-tests. Comparisons of the case and control groups before and after sleep hygiene training were evaluated using ANCOVA test adjusted for BMI and DM duration. Results: A total of 347 type 2 diabetes patients included in this randomized controlled trial (113 case 234 control). Significant difference was observed in the HbA1c This article is available in open access under Creative Common Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license, allowing to download articles and share them with others as long as they credit the authors and the publisher, but without permission to change them in any way or use them commercially. values measured before and after the training of the case group. The second mean HbA1c (8.13 ± 2.03 mmol/L) of the control group was significantly higher than the second mean HbA1c (7.51 ± 1.42 mmol/L) values of the case group (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Our study revealed that in addition to classical diabetes treatment, sleep hygiene training also has a positive effect on blood glucose regulation of patients.

AimHypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a weak acid that ionizes in water. It is an effective antiseptic exhibiting low toxicity on living tissues. We aimed to investigate the ototoxic effects of HOCl on an animal model by using electrophysiological and histological methods.Materials and MethodsThe study comprised 32 Sprague-Dawley rats, which were separated into four groups: control group (A), saline solution group (B), 70% isopropyl alcohol + 2% chlorhexidine group (C), and HOCl group (D). After recording the auditory brainstem response (ABR) for basal hearing thresholds (8, 16, 24, and 32 kHz), 0.03 ml of the aforementioned materials was injected intratympanically three times every 2 days in groups B, C, and D. ABR measurements were repeated on the 7th and 21st days. All animals were sacrificed, and temporal bones were prepared for examinations of cochlear histology and vascular endothelial growth factor immunohistochemistry.ResultsBasal hearing levels were normal across all frequencies and groups, with no statistical differentiation. On the 7th and 21st days after the ABR test, all other groups demonstrated a significant deterioration in hearing levels compared with group A. When the results from 7th and 21st days were compared within group D, a partial recovery was observed. In histopathology, groups C and D demonstrated moderate and severe cochlear degeneration, along with decreased immunoreactivity in the organ of Corti, stria vascularis, and spiral ligament.ConclusionThis is the first study to evaluate the safety of using HOCl in otology. Although HOCI is less ototoxic than the disinfectant used, it may have a toxic effect on cochlea.Level of Evidence: Animal Research.