American journal of rhinology & allergy
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Am J Rhinol Allergy · Jan 2021
ReviewViral Infections of the Upper Airway in the Setting of COVID-19: A Primer for Rhinologists.
Viral respiratory tract infections are associated with a significant burden of disease and represent one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. The current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlights the devastating toll that respiratory viruses have on humanity and the desperate need to understand the biological characteristics that define them in order to develop efficacious treatments and vaccines. To date, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected nearly 600 times more people and resulted in 200 times more deaths relative to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) combined. ⋯ In light of these unprecedented times, the need to understand the nuances of these viral respiratory pathogens, especially SARS-CoV-2, cannot be overemphasized. This knowledge base is of particular importance to otolaryngologists, whose expertise in the upper airway coincides with the anatomic tropism of these infectious agents.
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Am J Rhinol Allergy · Mar 2019
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Analysis.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in developed countries. With a plethora of CAM therapies available, their effectiveness and safety are poorly understood in the context of CRS. ⋯ Overall, there is very limited evidence to support the use of CAM in the treatment of CRS. No significant adverse effects have been found. Given its widespread use, more rigorous data from high-quality research are needed before it can be routinely recommended.
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Am J Rhinol Allergy · Jul 2018
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyHypertonic Saline Versus Isotonic Saline Nasal Irrigation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Background Saline nasal lavage is one of the treatments of sinonasal diseases. Evidence from basic research favors hypertonic saline (HS) over isotonic saline (IS) for mucociliary clearance, but evidence from clinical studies is controversial. Conversely, HS may carry greater side effects. ⋯ Conclusion HS improves symptoms over IS nasal irrigation in treating sinonasal diseases. There is no difference in disease-specific quality of life. However, HS brings greater minor side effects than IS.
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Am J Rhinol Allergy · Jul 2018
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyHypertonic Saline Versus Isotonic Saline Nasal Irrigation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Background Saline nasal lavage is one of the treatments of sinonasal diseases. Evidence from basic research favors hypertonic saline (HS) over isotonic saline (IS) for mucociliary clearance, but evidence from clinical studies is controversial. Conversely, HS may carry greater side effects. ⋯ Conclusion HS improves symptoms over IS nasal irrigation in treating sinonasal diseases. There is no difference in disease-specific quality of life. However, HS brings greater minor side effects than IS.
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Am J Rhinol Allergy · Jul 2017
ReviewAre prophylactic systemic antibiotics necessary with nasal packing? A systematic review.
The use of prophylactic systemic antibiotics with nasal packing has been a controversial topic. There are few evidence-based studies to determine the need for prophylactic systemic antibiotics. We performed a systematic literature review to determine the role of prophylactic systemic antibiotics with nasal packing in the prevention of toxic shock syndrome and local nasal infections. ⋯ There is a paucity of literature that reviewed the need for prophylactic systemic antibiotics with nasal packing. The available literature does not show a significant benefit to the use of antibiotics with nasal packing, but the studies were underpowered to detect such a difference. One must consider the associated risks of prophylactic antibiotics to the patient as well when deciding to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics.