Objective Upper airway dyspnoea is a challenging condition in which assessing the discomfort experienced by the patient is essential. There are three patient‐reported outcome (PRO) instruments developed particularly for this patient group, none of which is available in Swedish. The aim of this study was to translate the Dyspnea Index (DI) into Swedish and validate the instrument for use in the Swedish‐speaking population by investigating its basic psychometric properties. Design A prospective instrument validation study. Setting Tertiary referral centre. Participants Fifty‐three (n = 53) patients with upper airway dyspnoea and 19 healthy controls. Main outcome measures The questionnaire was translated into Swedish (swDI) with a forward‐backward method. Reliability, repeatability, responsiveness and construct validity were assessed by asking the subjects to complete the swDI, a visual analog scale (VAS) at exertion and at rest and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Results The swDI showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.85) and repeatability (interclass correlation coefficient: 0.87 and Pearson's r: .89) in the patient group. No ceiling effect was observed (maximum score achieved was 39; 85% of the patients scored ≤ 36). SwDI scores moderately correlated with VAS at exertion (r: .59) and at rest (r: .42), yet poorly with the VHI (r: .36). The effect size (ES) was 3.8. Conclusions The swDI is a valid, robust and reliable questionnaire for self‐assessment in Swedish‐speaking patients with upper airway obstruction. A future anchor‐based longitudinal study is needed to assess the smallest detectable change (SDC) and minimal important change (MIC) that were not estimated in our study.

Objective The aim was to examine the correlations among the anatomic Cotton-Myer classification, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and patient-perceived dyspnea or dysphonia in patients with subglottic stenosis and identify measurements accurately reflecting treatment effects. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Method Fifty-two adults receiving endoscopic treatment for isolated subglottic stenosis were consecutively included. Correlations were calculated among the preoperative Cotton-Myer scale, PFTs, the Dyspnea Index (DI), and the Voice Handicap Index. Receiver operating characteristic curves were determined for PFT, DI, and Voice Handicap Index pre- and postoperative measurements. Results The Cotton-Myer classification correlated weakly with peak expiratory flow ( r = −0.35, P = .012), expiratory disproportion index ( r = 0.32, P = .022), peak inspiratory flow ( r = −0.32, P = .022), and total peak flow ( r = −0.36, P = .01). The DI showed an excellent area under the curve (0.99, P < .001), and among PFTs, the expiratory disproportion index demonstrated the best area under the curve (0.89, P < .001), followed by total peak flow (0.88, P < .001), peak expiratory flow (0.87, P < .001), and peak inspiratory flow (0.84, P < .001). Patients treated endoscopically with balloon dilatation showed a 53% decrease in expiratory disproportion index (95% CI, 41%-66%; P < .001) and a 37% improvement in peak expiratory flow (95% CI, 31%-43%; P < .001). Conclusion Expiratory disproportion index or peak expiratory flow combined with DI was a feasible measurement for the monitoring of adult subglottic stenosis. The percentage deterioration of peak expiratory flow and increase in expiratory disproportion index correlated significantly with a proportional percentage increase in DI.

Introduction Endoscopic treatment of subglottic stenosis (SGS) is regarded as a safe procedure with rare complications and less morbidity than open surgery yet related with a high risk of recurrence. The abundance of techniques and adjuvant therapies complicates a comparison of the different surgical approaches. The primary aim of this study was to investigate disease recurrence after CO2 laser excisions and balloon dilatation in patients with SGS and to identify potential confounding factors. Materials and methods In a tertiary referral center, two cohorts of previously undiagnosed patients treated for SGS were retrospectively reviewed and followed for 3 years. The CO2 laser cohort (CLC) was recruited between 2006 and 2011, and the balloon dilatation cohort (BDC) between 2014 and 2019. Kaplan‒Meier and multivariable Cox regression analyzed time to repeated surgery and estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for different variables. Results Nineteen patients were included in the CLC, and 31 in the BDC. The 1-year cumulative recurrence risk was 63.2% for the CLC compared with 12.9% for the BDC (HR 33.0, 95% CI 6.57–166, p < 0.001), and the 3-year recurrence risk was 73.7% for the CLC compared with 51.6% for the BDC (HR 8.02, 95% CI 2.39–26.9, p < 0.001). Recurrence was independently associated with overweight (HR 3.45, 95% CI 1.16–10.19, p = 0.025), obesity (HR 7.11, 95% CI 2.19–23.04, p = 0.001), and younger age at diagnosis (HR 8.18, 95% CI 1.43–46.82, p = 0.018). Conclusion CO2 laser treatment is associated with an elevated risk for recurrence of SGS compared with balloon dilatation. Other risk factors include overweight, obesity, and a younger age at diagnosis.

Apremilast (Otezla®) is a relatively novel orally administered non-biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) extensively used in the management of psoriasis and psoriasis arthritis, lately approved for treating oral ulcerations in Behçets disease. Its advantageous side effect profile together with its uncomplicated follow-up and monitoring when compared to other DMARDs facilitates even a broad off-label prescribing. Here, the first case of laryngeal pseudotumor in a patient treated with apremilast for plaque psoriasis is presented.