The aim of our study is to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of otolaryngology symptoms in COVID 19 patients. Methods 116 patients with positive PCR test results for COVID-19 and followed up by otolaryngologists at a tertiary referral center/COVID-19 pandemic hospital were questioned in terms of otolaryngology symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection. Data including demographics, disease severity, concomitant diseases, previous otolaryngologic diseases,incidence and duration of new onset symptoms were collected and categorically analyzed. In addition, the severity of loss of smell and taste was evaluated by visual analogue score (VAS). Results A total of 58 men and 58 women participated. The mean age of the patients was 57.24 ± 14.32 (19-83). The most common otolaryngological findings were hyposmia/anosmia (37.9%) and hypogeusia/ageusia (41.37%), respectively. These complaints were followed by headache (37.1%), and nausea/vomiting (31%). The most common oropharyngeal symptoms were sore throat (32.7%) and dysphagia (20.6%). The rate of otological/vestibular symptoms was dizziness (31.8%), tinnitus (11%), true vertigo (6%), and hearing impairment (5.1%), respectively. The most of symptoms were more frequent in > 60 years and women. There was a significant correlation between nasal itching and smell disturbance in patients with allergic rhinitis. Considering the duration of symptoms, the longest were hyposmia/anosmia and hypogeusia/ageusia. The mean VAS's in patients with hyposmia/anosmia and hypogeusia/ageusia were 5.52 ± 2.08 and 5.79 ± 2.21, respectively. Conclusion The most common otolaryngologic symptoms of COVID-19 infection are known as sore throat, smell and/ or taste disturbances. However, our study showed that these patients can be seen with different symptoms in otological or laryngeal areas. Therefore, a more careful evaluation should be made in terms of otolaryngologic symptoms when COVID 19 infection is suspected.

Congenital hearing impairment affects nearly 1 in every 1000 live births and is the most frequent birth defect in developed societies. Hereditary types of hearing loss account for more than 50% of all congenital sensorineural hearing loss cases and are caused by genetic mutations. HL can be either nonsyndromic, which is restricted to the inner ear, or syndromic, a part of multiple anomalies affecting the body. Nonsyndromic HL can be categorised by mode of inheritance, such as autosomal dominant (called DFNA), autosomal recessive (DFNB), mitochondrial, and X-linked (DFN). To date, 125 deafness loci have been reported in the literature: 58 DFNA loci, 63 DFNB loci, and 4 X-linked loci. Mutations in genes that control the adhesion of hair cells, intracellular transport, neurotransmitter release, ionic hemeostasis, and cytoskeleton of hair cells can lead to malfunctions of the cochlea and inner ear. In recent years, with the increase in studies about genes involved in congenital hearing loss, genetic counselling and treatment options have emerged and increased in availability. This paper presents an overview of the currently known genes associated with nonsyndromic congenital hearing loss and mutations in the inner ear.

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Objective:The aim of this study was to provide insight into the acceptance and publication times of articles submitted to international otolaryngology journals.Material and Methods:The study was carried out by examining the top 37 journal titles returned in an online search for otolaryngology journals published from 1999 to 2013 that have an international status based on their impact factor.Results:In total, 9,765 publications were examined. When journals were compared based on journal impact factor, statistically significant differences (p<0.01) were found. Comparisons of the acceptance and publication times for both original research and case reports revealed that these times have become shorter over the years.Discussion:Journals with higher impact factors likely have larger workloads in terms of articles, and consequently, their acceptance and publication times might be longer. An implication from this study finding that these periods have decreased over the years is that these processes can be expedited by more intensive use of the Internet and increases in journal capacity and number of issues published.Conclusion:The expedition of these processes over time might result from journals’ ability to use technology more intensively or from increases in journal’s capacity and number of issues published.

The aim of our study is to evaluate the relationship between peripheral facial paralysis and the patients who had a contact with a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient or had COVID-19. Patients with a history of contact with a COVID-19 patient or having COVID-19 disease, who were admitted to the emergency department for peripheral facial paralysis in the last 6 months, were included in the study. Facial paralysis grade at first presentation, treatment modality, treatment duration, post-treatment facial paralysis grade, and additional findings were analyzed. A total of 34 patients, 20 females and 14 males, were included into the study. Nasal-oropharyngeal reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was test taken from patients with a history of contact, and patients having COVID-19 disease were determined as positive in 5 and 3 patients, respectively. Peripheral facial paralysis was detected as an initial finding in 5 of these 8 patients, and paralysis developed in 7-12 days after the diagnosis of the COVID-19 disease in the remaining 3 patients. The grade of first admission paralysis did not change in one patient in the (+) group, while improvement was observed in all patients in the (−) group. Neuroinvasive potential of COVID-19 in the central and peripheral nervous system was reported in current literature. Our study indicates peripheral facial palsy can also be encountered during the clinical course of COVID-19 and should be considered a finding of this disease.