The predictive value of olfaction for quality of life (QoL) recovery after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is still underestimated. The aim of this study was to explore the proportion of patients suffering from CRS who experience clinically significant QoL improvement after ESS and identify pre-operative clinical phenotypes that best predict surgical outcomes for QoL, focusing mainly on the role of patients' olfaction. One hundred eleven patients following ESS for CRS and 48 healthy subjects were studied. Olfactory function was expressed by the combined "Threshold Discrimination Identification" score using "Sniffin' sticks" test pre-treatment and 12 months after treatment. All subjects completed validated, widely used QoL questionnaires, specific for olfaction (Questionnaire of Olfactory Deficits: QOD), for assessing psychology (Beck Depression Inventory: BDI) and for general health (Short Form-36: SF-36). Statistically significant improvement of olfactory function by 41.8% and of all QoL questionnaires scores (all p < 0.001) was observed on the 12-month follow-up examination. Clinically significant improvement for QoL was measured in a proportion of 56.8% of patients on QOD, 64.9% on SF-36 and 49.5% on BDI scales results. Although olfactory dysfunction, nasal polyps, female gender, high socio-economic status and non-smoking habits were significantly associated with better QoL results, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only olfactory dysfunction and nasal polyps were independent predictors significantly associated with higher likelihood of clinically significant improvement in all QoL questionnaire results. Olfactory dysfunction and nasal polyps were independent pre-operative predictors for surgical outcomes with regard to QoL results.

Greece has been seriously affected by the economic crisis. In 2011 there were reports of 40% reduction to public hospital budgets. Occasional shortages of medical supplies have been reported in mass media. We attempted to pivotally investigate the frequency of medical supplies shortages in two Greek hospital units of the National Health System and to also assess their possible impact on burnout risk of health care workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study (n=303) of health care workers in two Greek hospitals who were present at the workplace during a casually selected working day (morning shift work). The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used as the measure of burnout. An additional questionnaire was used about demographics, and working conditions (duration of employment, cumulative night shifts, type of hospital including medical supplies shortages and their impact on quality of healthcare. The prevalence of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment was 44.5%, 43.2% and 51.5%, respectively. Medical supply shortages were significantly associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. This finding provides preliminary evidence that austerity has affected health care in Greece. Moreover, the medical supply shortages in Greek hospitals may reflect the unfolding humanitarian crisis of the country.

Several factors were found that may predict QoL outcomes in AR patients following SLIT.

In the present paper we investigate the relationship of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure to laryngeal cancer. 209 patients who were diagnosed with laryngeal cancer from 2000 to 2009 at the University Hospital of Patras, Western Greece, were reviewed with regard to patient age, disease stage at presentation, tumor differentiation, tobacco product use, alcohol consumption, occupation, and ETS exposure in the working environment. Pearson Chi-square method was used to determine the effect of ETS exposure on cancer stage, TNM classification and tumor differentiation in the dichotomized population (exposed vs. not exposed) and in groups of low, medium and high ETS exposure. ETS exposure in the working environment was found to significantly affect overall disease stage and T stage (p < 0.01) both in the dichotomic analysis and the group analysis. Minor significance was also noted for N stage (p = 0.047) in the exposure group analysis. Our data suggest that occupational ETS exposure presents a contributing risk factor for laryngeal cancer that requires further research to determine its significance.

Aim: To evaluate the use of metronidazole as a prophylactic agent against pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) formation. Patients and Methods: Seventy patients who underwent total laryngectomy between 2000 and 2008 in our department were divided into two groups. The first group (M+ group) was placed on a 10-day metronidazole regimen (2 days prior to surgery and 7 days following). The second group (M– group) received only regular preoperative chemoprophylaxis. Results: In total, 17 (24.3%) incidents of PCF were reported, 3 of which were in the M+ group, with the remainder in the M– group. A statistically significant reduction in the PCF rate was noted in favor of metronidazole in the overall population (p = 0.005), as well as in the patient group that had received radiotherapy prior to surgery (p = 0.03). Conclusion: Metronidazole administered for a total of 10 days pre- and postoperatively seems to lower the incidence rate of PCF formation.