Selection Sensitivity of a new grading system for studying nasal polyps with the potential to detect early changes in polyp size after treatment with a topical corticosteroid (budesonide). Johansson, L., We have previously compared different scoring systems for endoscopic staging of nasal polyps. Of the ve methods evaluated, we found that two were better than the others with regard to reproducibility and agreement between physicians. One method was lateral imaging, developed by the authors, and

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... the other was a scoring system developed by Lildholdt et al. The main objective of the present study was to compare the sensitivity of these two methods. Another aim was to study the effect on nasal polyposis of topical nasal corticosteroids over a two week period. Patients with bilateral nasal polyposis (n.=.100) were randomized to a two week treatment with a topical corticosteroid (budesonide aqueous nasal spray: 128 microg b.i.d.) or placebo in a double-blind manner. Nasal symptoms were scored before treatment and after three, seven and 14 days of treatment, and the patients underwent nasal endoscopy at clinical visits. Patients treated with active substance had an improvement in their symptoms, an effect already detectable after three days of treatment, compared with those who received placebo. In addition, a statistically signi cant decrease in polyp size could be registered after 14 days using lateral imaging but not with the other scoring system. In conclusion, lateral imaging was more sensitive and could detect effects earlier than the other scoring system and can be recommended for the endoscopic staging of nasal polyps in clinical studies. Relationship between three inner ear antigens with different molecular weights and autoimmune inner ear disease. Gong, S. Crude inner ear antigen (CIEAg) can induce autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) although it is not known which subcomponent of CIEAg is involved. In this study, we investigated the relationship between three puri ed inner ear antigens (31, 42-45 and 60.kD proteins) and AIED, and determined their distribution in normal guinea pig cochlea. Three groups of guinea pigs were immunized with the three inner ear antigens and one group served as a control. The hearing thresholds, serum IgG level and morphological changes in the inner ear were observed. The expression of the three antigens in the cochlea was detected using immunohistochemical techniques. No obvious changes in hearing thresholds or inner ear morphology were observed between the control and 42-45.kD groups. Animals immunized with the 31 or 60.kD proteins showed a signi cant increase in hearing thresholds (p 0.05 vs control), accompanied by morphological changes in the inner ear. The serum IgG level was increased signi cantly (p 0.05) in all immunized animals. The 31.kD protein was distributed in the cochlear nerve and spiral ganglion, while the 42-45 and 60.kD proteins were distributed widely, being found in the spiral ganglion, organ of Corti, stria vascularis and spiral ligament. These results suggest that two subcomponents of CIEAg (the 31 and 60.kD proteins), may induce AIED independently, that several inner ear antigens may contribute to the pathogenesis of AIED and that the 31.kD protein is of high tissue speci city and may be used as a marker protein for the clinical diagnosis of AIED. We developed a method for performing intralaryngeal ultrasonography. Normal larynges were obtained from 10 cadavers and examined using an intraluminal ultrasonic tomography apparatus connected to a radial scanning 20.MHz miniaturized probe. The larynx was placed in a bath lled with physiologic saline and the probe was inserted through the forceps channel of the berscope (6.mm diameter). A horizontal ultrasonic image of the vocal fold was obtained. Histologic sections of the larynx were compared with the ultrasonic images. The mucosa in the membranous region of the vocal fold was comprised of three layers ultrasonographically. The epithelium and super cial layer of the lamina propria were visualized as a high echo (hyperechoic) region, the intermediate layer of the lamina propria was visualized as a low echo (hypoechoic) region and the deep layer of the lamina propria was seen as a hyperechoic region. The vocal fold structure can be visualized by intralaryngeal ultrasonography using the lling method. This method may be clinically useful for the detection of tumors involving the vocal folds. Change in olfaction after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer -a prospective study.