Auditory brain stem responses were recorded in 20 normoacoustic long-duration Type 1 diabetic patients (duration of diabetes 26 (range 13-46) years, age 44 (25-66) years) with peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy and in 19 sex-matched normoacoustic short-duration Type 1 diabetic patients (duration of diabetes 2 (0-6) years, age 23 (18-50) years) without clinical signs of neuropathy or microangiopathy. Abnormal brain stem auditory evoked responses were demonstrated in 40% of the long-duration and in 5.3% of the short-duration diabetic patients (p less than 0.01). Interpeak latencies Jv-JI and JIII-JI were significantly prolonged in both patient groups compared with the non-diabetic control group (p less than 0.01). Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 16 of the long-duration patients and in 40 age-matched healthy volunteers on a whole body MR-scanner. Subcortical and/or brain stem lesions with abnormally high signals were seen in 69% of the long-duration Type 1 patients and in 12% of the healthy volunteers (p less than 0.02). Neuropsychological examination including 17 tests for intelligence and cognition were performed in the 20 long-duration Type 1 diabetic patients. The results indicated a performance close to that seen in a control group of healthy age-matched control subjects. Our study demonstrates that a considerable proportion of long-duration Type 1 diabetic patients suffering from retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy additionally have signs but no symptoms of central nervous system affection, diabetic encephalopathy.

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A long-term safety study of intranasally administered budesonide, a topical glucocorticoid, has been performed. 104 patients with perennial rhinitis, allergic or non-allergic, participated in a multicentre study in seven ENT-clinics utilising an identical protocol. A budesonide dosage of 400 micrograms/day was used as starting dose, but the patients were at liberty to reduce the daily dose to 200 micrograms. The patients were observed at intervals up to 12 months. At the entry and follow-up visits the following parameters were recorded: rhinoscopic findings, nasal symptom scores, blood chemistry, hematology, urinalysis and determination of plasma cortisol levels before and after stimulation with ACTH (Synacthen). Nasal biopsies taken from 50 of the patients at the beginning and completion of the study were examined in a blinded way by an independent pathologist. The analysis revealed no histopathological changes of the nasal mucosa. At rhinoscopy no signs of atrophy or candida were reported. Lividity of the nasal mucosa was significantly reduced during the trial, which was also the case for nasal congestion and secretion. All nasal symptom parameters assessed by the patients were significantly reduced from baseline during the follow-up period. No clinically significant changes in the hematological and blood chemistry parameters were observed. Plasma cortisol analysis before and after challenge with ACTH revealed no influence on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. No tachyphylaxis was observed; on the contrary, there was a clear tendency for reduction of the daily dose of budesonide necessary to keep the patients symptom-free.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

ObjectiveTo report the results of thyroid surgery in a University department of ENT – head and neck surgery, and to evaluate the benefits of the use of the surgical microscope in thyroid surgery.DesignA retrospective evaluation of the records of all patients who underwent thyroid surgery in the 10-year period 1987–1996.MethodsIn addition to standard surgical principles the Zeiss multi-discipline universal surgical microscope with a 250 mm ocular lens was used in all cases. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all malignant cases, while unilateral lobectomy plus isthmus resection was the standard procedure in benign cases.PatientsThere were 573 patients, aged 11–87 years, 444 females and 129 males. Four hundred and fifty-one had benign lesions, 122 malignant. Four hundred and eighty-nine had primary surgery, 84 underwent completion surgery or surgery for recurrent disease.ResultsPrimary thyroid gland surgery in benign/malignant disease resulted in permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 0.6 per cent/3.5 per cent of the patients respectively, when calculated as nerves at risk (NAR). In benign recurrent or malignant completion surgery this complication rate was 4.5 per cent/2.9 per cent respectively.ConclusionThyroid surgery in our University ENT – Head and Neck Department with the use of the surgical microscope provides pleasing results, especially considering the diversity of surgeons, due to the departments' teaching responsibilities.