Though some data indicate an association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and upper airway inflammatory disease, a connection between GERD and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a matter of controversy in today's medicine. The aim of this study was to examine whether patients with GERD have a different nose- and sinus-related quality of life compared to a control group. A total of 77 patients with GERD diagnosed by gastroscopy were evaluated according to their nose- and sinus-related quality of life. It was scored using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20). Total SNOT-20 score was compared with a control group consisting of 480 teachers. The average total SNOT-20 score in patients with GERD was 22.1, and in the control group 9.4 (p < 0.005). In the patient group, the median was 17.0 and standard deviation 18.4 corresponding to 5.0 and 11.5 in the controls. The 95% confidence interval in the patient group was (18.0, 26.3), and (8.3, 10.4) in the control group. Patients with GERD have a reduced nose- and sinus-related quality of life compared to a control group based on the fact that they have a significantly higher total SNOT-20 score than the controls. Accordingly, this study indicates that there is a causal relationship between GERD and CRS.

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METHOD:We used chemiluminescent analyzer to measure nNO and eNO between healthy individuals (34) and allergic rhinitis patients (35), and compared it with a variety of clinical features of allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: In healthy individuals, mean nNO was 27688 ppb, mean eNO was 33.024.0 ppb. In allergic rhinitis patients, both nNO(389119 ppb) and eNO(64.855.9 ppb) was statistically significantly higher than healthy individuals. Especially, eNO was statistically meaningfully related to rhinorrhea(pϭ0.038), sneezing (pϭ0.019), and sum of allergic symptom score (pϭ0.028), but nNO showed no statistical relationship. CONCLUSION: Allergic rhinitis patients had higher nNO and eNO than healthy individuals and particularly, eNO showed proportional change to severity of allergic symptoms. Clinical application of this method is believed to help diagnose allergic rhinitis and estimate the severity of allergic rhinitis. Nasal Batten Grafts: Are Patients Satisfied?Ahmed Sufyan, MD (presenter); Mimi Kokoska, MD; Tonya Bergeson-Dana, PhD; Michelle Ziebarth, MSN; Nancy Crousore, LPN OBJECTIVE: 1)To learn how nasal batten grafts impact patients perception of nasal airway patency. 2)To determine the extent patients believe their appearance was altered by batten grafts. METHOD: A prospective survey study of twenty patients in a tertiary veterans hospital who suffered with nasal airway obstruction (NAO) due to nasal valve collapse was completed after IRB approval. Patients had placement of bilateral polyethylene batten grafts during a 15-month study period. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE)validated survey was used to measure a patients subjective post-operative change in nasal airway obstruction. In addition, the patients were also asked to rate the extent their appearance had changed. RESULTS: All twenty patients presented with complaints of NAO due to nasal valve collapse either in isolation or in combination with another anatomical source of obstruction. The nasal valve collapse was identified by clinical examination. All patients had preoperative photographs. Most patients had a trial with an intranasal stent prior to opting for surgical implantation of the batten grafts. The results of the NOSE survey demonstrate significant improvement in nasal obstruction. Patients also reported only a minimal change in appearance. There were no extrusions, implant exposures or implant removals in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: Nasal airway obstruction due to nasal valve collapse can be effectively treated with polyethylene batten grafts. The implants are well tolerated and patients report a significant improvement in NAO. There is little risk of implant extrusion, exposure or intolerance. In addition, patients did not note a significant change to their appearance. Nasoseptal Pedicled Flap: 100 Patients' ExperienceFabio Santos, MD (presenter); Maria Silva, MD; Leonardo Balsalobre Filho, MD; Diego Hermann, MD; Aldo Stamm, MD, PhD OBJECTIVE: 1) To describe the authors' experience in skull base reconstruction after expanded endon...