Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: This study investigated the differences between the standard guidelines and the practice patterns of otolaryngologists in managing "penicillin-allergic" patients. A major goal was to identify factors influencing an otolaryngologist's choice of antibiotic. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Four hundred seventy members of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngologists (ASPO) and 150 general otolaryngologists from the Florida Society of Otolaryngology (FSO) were surveyed. RESULTS: Ninety-six ASPO members (20.4%) and 22 members of FSO (14.6%) responded. When asked about the management of a pediatric patient with acute otitis media and a history of a nonsevere immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated amoxicillin allergy, 54% of ASPO respondents indicated they would initiate guideline-recommended cefdinir, whereas only 27% of FSO respondents chose cefdinir (P = .02). Otolaryngologists who are fellowship trained in pediatrics or have pediatric-focused practices were significantly more likely to prescribe cefdinir. Overall, 57% of respondents indicated that they were familiar with the literature regarding the cross-reactivity of beta-lactams, but only 25% of respondents felt that they could easily differentiate a potentially life-threatening IgE-mediated allergy from a non-IgE-mediated drug intolerance. CONCLUSIONS: The data show differences between the current recommendations and the behavior of otolaryngologists. Pediatric otolaryngologists were more familiar with the guideline-recommended therapy, likely from their frequent exposure to patients requiring a beta-lactam. Nevertheless, most otolaryngologists could benefit from increased awareness of the current literature. Patients may be receiving less than optimal medication management due to a misidentification of those at risk of life- threatening allergic cross-reactions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 2015.

Age-related loss of muscle bulk and strength (sarcopenia) is often cited as a potential mechanism underlying age-related changes in swallowing. Our goal was to explore this phenomenon in the pharynx, specifically, by measuring pharyngeal wall thickness and pharyngeal lumen area in a sample of young versus older women. MRI scans of the neck were retrospectively reviewed from 60 women equally stratified into three age groups (20s, 60s, 70+). Four de-identified slices were extracted per scan for randomized, blinded analysis: one mid-sagittal and three axial slices were selected at the anterior inferior border of C2 and C3, and at the pit of the vallecula. Pixel-based measures of pharyngeal wall thickness and pharyngeal lumen area were completed using ImageJ and then converted to metric units. Measures of pharyngeal wall thickness and pharyngeal lumen area were compared between age groups with one-way ANOVAs using Sidak adjustments for post-hoc pairwise comparisons. A significant main effect for age was observed across all variables whereby pharyngeal wall thickness decreased and pharyngeal lumen area increased with advancing age. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences between 20s versus 70+ for all variables and 20s versus 60s for all variables except those measured at C2. Effect sizes ranged from 0.54 to 1.34. Consistent with existing sacropenia literature, the pharyngeal muscles appear to atrophy with age and consequently, the size of the pharyngeal lumen increases.

OBJECTIVE: The American Thyroid Association (ATA) medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) guidelines group RET variants, in the setting of familial medullary thyroid cancer and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, into 4 classes of severity based on epidemiological data. The aim of this study was to determine if genotype correlates with phenotype in RET missense mutations. STUDY DESIGN: In silico mutational tolerance prediction. SETTING: Academic research hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed all RET variants currently listed in the ATA guidelines for the management of MTC using 2 computer-based (in silico) mutation tolerance prediction approaches: PolyPhen-2 HumVar and PolyPhen-2 HumDiv. Our analysis also included 27 different RET single-nucleotide polymorphisms resulting in missense variants. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the overall HumDiv score between ATA groups A and B (P = .025) and a statistically significant different HumVar score between benign polymorphisms and ATA group A (P = .023). Overall, RET variants associated with a less aggressive clinical phenotype generally had a lower Hum Div/Var score. CONCLUSIONS: Polyphen-2 Hum Div/Var may provide additional clinical data to help distinguish benign from MEN2/familial medullary thyroid carcinoma-causing RET variants as well as less aggressive phenotypes (ATA A) from more aggressive ones (ATA B-C). In silico genetic analyses, with proper validation, may predict the phenotypic severity of RET variants, providing clinicians with a tool to aid clinical decision making in cases in which the RET variant is currently unknown or little epidemiological data are available.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether recombinant growth factor (hGH) therapy has an effect on cochlear implant (CI) performance. PATIENTS: Two pediatric CI recipients (S1, S2) who underwent treatment with hGH for short stature were identified for review. S1 has bilateral labyrinthine dysplasia and received implants at ages 10 months (right) and 4 years 3 months (left). S2 was diagnosed with severe to progressive sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally and received a CI at age 9 years 10 months (left). INTERVENTION(S): Case series. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Cochlear implant, hGH, and speech perception data were collected. Phonetically Balanced Kindergarten (PBK) and Consonant Nucleus Consonant (CNC) word recognition scores were reviewed to assess auditory perception. Electrode impedances, threshold levels, and comfort levels were also reviewed. RESULTS: After 4 months of hGH, word recognition scores for S1 were observed to decrease from 90 to 72% (right) and were stable at 40% (left). Despite troubleshooting, performance continued to decline bilaterally to 52% (right) and 28% (left), and the decision was made to discontinue hGH. One month after cessation of hGH, word recognition scores began improving to 74% (right) and 68% (left). Word recognition scores for S2 were observed to have decreased from 92% the previous year to 82% after taking hGH for 2 months. Given both our previous experience with S1 and discussions with S2's parents, hGH was discontinued after 10 months of therapy. Two months after cessation of hGH, S2's word recognition had improved to 86% (left). CONCLUSIONS: Our case studies illustrate that implanted children undergoing treatment with hGH may experience a decrease in speech perception, which recovers after the cessation of treatment. Since hGH use has become more prevalent in recent years, it is important to inquire whether children undergoing, or who have undergone, implantation are receiving hGH so that they may be appropriately monitored.

What is the best way to help humans adapt to a distorted sensory input? Interest in this question is more than academic. The answer may help facilitate auditory learning by people who became deaf after learning language and later received a cochlear implant (a neural prosthesis that restores hearing through direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve). There is evidence that some cochlear implants (which provide information that is spectrally degraded to begin with) stimulate neurons with higher characteristic frequency than the acoustic frequency of the original stimulus. In other words, the stimulus is shifted in frequency with respect to what the listener expects to hear. This frequency misalignment may have a negative influence on speech perception by CI users. However, a perfect frequency-place alignment may result in the loss of important low frequency speech information. A trade-off may involve a gradual approach: start with correct frequency-place alignment to allow listeners to adapt to the spectrally degraded signal first, and then gradually increase the frequency shift to allow them to adapt to it over time. We used an acoustic model of a cochlear implant to measure adaptation to a frequency-shifted signal, using either the gradual approach or the "standard" approach (sudden imposition of the frequency shift). Listeners in both groups showed substantial auditory learning, as measured by increases in speech perception scores over the course of fifteen one-hour training sessions. However, the learning process was faster for listeners who were exposed to the gradual approach. These results suggest that gradual rather than sudden exposure may facilitate perceptual learning in the face of a spectrally degraded, frequency-shifted input. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled .

Abstract Conclusion: The human frequency-to-place map may be modified by experience, even in adult listeners. However, such plasticity has limitations. Knowledge of the extent and the limitations of human auditory plasticity can help optimize parameter settings in users of auditory prostheses. Objectives: To what extent can adults adapt to sharply different frequency-to-place maps across ears? This question was investigated in two bilateral cochlear implant users who had a full electrode insertion in one ear, a much shallower insertion in the other ear, and standard frequency-to-electrode maps in both ears. Methods: Three methods were used to assess adaptation to the frequency-to-electrode maps in each ear: (1) pitch matching of electrodes in opposite ears, (2) listener-driven selection of the most intelligible frequency-to-electrode map, and (3) speech perception tests. Based on these measurements, one subject was fitted with an alternative frequency-to-electrode map, which sought to compensate for her incomplete adaptation to the standard frequency-to-electrode map. Results: Both listeners showed remarkable ability to adapt, but such adaptation remained incomplete for the ear with the shallower electrode insertion, even after extended experience. The alternative frequency-to-electrode map that was tested resulted in substantial increases in speech perception for one subject in the short insertion ear.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The goal of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of mucosal contact points (MCP), concha bullosa (CB), and variable paranasal sinus (PNS) volumes among patients sent for rhinogenic headache workup as compared with controls. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study with case and control groups. METHODS: Fifty-three adults with clear PNS computed tomography (CT) scans were included: 28 patients who have originally undergone PNS CT scan as part of sinus (rhinogenic) headache workup, and 25 controls in whom PNS CT scans were obtained for other purposes. All subjects were asked to report their symptoms using a headache scoring system. CT scans of all subjects were analyzed for presence of MCP, CB, as well as for volumes of maxillary, frontal, and sphenoid sinuses. RESULTS: MCP was found in 40% of controls, and in 50%, 50%, and 40% of mild, moderate, and severe headache groups, respectively. CB was found in 24% of controls, and in 33.3%, 58.3%, and 20%, of mild, moderate, and severe headache groups, respectively. Total volume of the measured PNS ranged from 23.9 to 81.4 cm3 (mean +/- standard deviation [SD], 48.3 +/- 15.8) in the control group and from 5.31 to 87.4 cm3 (mean +/- SD, 43.6 +/- 16) in the patient group. No statistically significant difference was found between groups regarding all studied variables. CONCLUSIONS: Radiological identification of MCP, CB, or hyperpneumatized sinuses does not seem to be a predictor of headache causality. Further studies are required to identify clinical scenarios in which these variations may contribute to pain symptoms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3b. Laryngoscope, 2015.

HYPOTHESIS: Using a linear measurement of the cochlea on a single radiographic image can reliably estimate the complete and two-turn cochlear duct length (CDL) in a normal human temporal bone. BACKGROUND: CDL is measured from the middle of the round window to the helicotrema. Histologic studies have shown the length of the organ of Corti (OC) to range from 25 to 35 mm. CDL measurements, performed either radiographically or histologically, are quite tedious and time-consuming. We propose equations that can reliably estimate both two-turn and complete CDL using a single computed tomography (CT) image. METHODS: Prior studies of CDL, measured either histologically or radiographically, were reviewed, which yielded distributions of CDL measured at the OC and the lateral wall of the cochlea. Using Escude's third equation as a basis, we were able to extrapolate complete and two-turn CDL based on a CT scan measurement of the diameter of the basal turn (A). RESULTS: Using measurement A, the relationship of two-turn CDL measured at the OC is 2TL(oc) = 3.65(A-1) and for 2TL(i) = 3.65(A-0.7). The equation for estimation of complete CDL is CDL(oc) = 4.16A - 4 and for CDL(i) = 4.16A - 2.7. CONCLUSION: Using a single linear measurement from a CT scan image can reliably estimate the two-turn and complete CDLs in human temporal bones. The two-turn length represents the best compromise of cochlear coverage while minimizing intracochlear trauma for electrode insertions.

BACKGROUND: Use of routine surveillance testing beyond guideline recommended levels is common in many oncologic disciplines, including head and neck cancer. The impact of guideline familiarity and other physician characteristics on surveillance imaging use are not well understood. METHODS: A cross-sectional national survey was performed of physicians responsible for surveillance of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The primary outcome was self-reported use of routine surveillance PET/CT in asymptomatic patients. A secondary outcome was familiarity with guideline recommendations. Using multivariable regression, the impact of guideline familiarity and other physician characteristics on PET/CT use was examined. RESULTS: Of the 502 responders, 79% endorsed ever using PET/CT scans for routine surveillance imaging, and 39% were high imaging users (used PET/CT scans on more than half of their asymptomatic patients); 76% were familiar with the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Head and Neck Cancers recommending against routine surveillance PET/CT scans. Although guideline familiarity was associated with being a low imaging user or a never-user, among those who were familiar with guidelines, 31% were nonetheless high imaging users and 73% endorsed ever using PET/CT scans. In multivariable analysis controlling for physician characteristics, guideline familiarity was the strongest predictor of PET/CT use. CONCLUSIONS: Familiarity with the NCCN Guidelines predicts self-reported routine surveillance PET/CT use among physicians who treat patients with HNSCC. However, given the observed variation and high levels of imaging even among physicians who are familiar with the guidelines, further research should examine the reasons physicians choose to use surveillance PET/CT scans.