We previously reported that 24% of 113 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients had hearing impairment (HI). We investigated if disease activity was a predictor of incidental HI. One hundred and four patients completed three consecutive 6 months-apart rheumatic evaluations and concomitant audiometric evaluations which included at least an interview, an otoscopic evaluation, and a pure tone audiometry. HI was defined if the average thresholds for at least one of low-, mid-, or high-frequency ranges were ≥25 decibels (dB) hearing level in one or both ears. Appropriated statistics was used. Internal review board approval was obtained. Patients were most frequently middle-aged (43.4 ± 13.3 years), female (89.4%), and had median disease duration of 5 years and low disease activity. All were receiving RA treatment. At inclusion, 24 patients had HI which was sensorineural in 91.7% of them. Among the 80 patients without HI at baseline, 10 (12.5%) developed incidental HI, and they had more disease activity either at baseline ([median, range] disease activity score-28 joints evaluated-C-reactive protein [DAS28-CRP], 3.9 [1.6-7.3] vs. 2.1 [1-8.7], p = 0.006) or cumulative previous incidental HI (3.4 [1.8-4.8] vs. 2 [1-6.2], p = 0.007) and were more frequently on combined methotrexate and sulfasalazine (20 vs. 1.4%, p = 0.05) than their counterparts. In the adjusted Cox proportional model, cumulative DAS28-CRP was the only variable to predict incidental HI (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.7; p = 0.01). Almost 13% of RA patients with short disease duration and low disease activity developed incidental HI during 1 year. Cumulative disease activity predicted incidental HI.

Adjustable gastric banding is a widely used modality in some countries for the treatment of morbid obesity, and several complications have been reported. We report the unusual case of a patient who developed bilateral ulcers of the palate after intense vomiting caused by tightening of her gastric band.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare neoplasm of plasma cells, described in soft tissue outside the bone marrow. EMP of the larynx represents 0.04 to 0.45% of malignant tumors of the larynx. A male of 57 years old presented with hoarseness, dyspnea, and biphasic stridor of 2 months. The indirect laryngoscopy (IL) revealed severe edema of the posterior commissure and a polypoid mass in the right posterior lateral subglottic wall. A biopsy of the subglottic mass was performed by a direct laryngoscopy (DL). The histopathologic diagnosis was EMP CD138+, therefore radiotherapy was given at 54 Gy in 30 sessions. The patient had an adequate postoperative clinical course and a new biopsy was performed having tumor-free margins. All laryngeal lesions should be biopsied prior to treatment to determine an accurate diagnosis to guide a proper management of the condition. Radiation therapy to the EMP is considered the treatment of choice, having local control rates of 80% to 100%. The subglottis is the least accessible area of view and the least frequent location of a laryngeal mass, nevertheless the otolaryngologist should always do a complete and systematic exam of the larynx when a tumor is suspected, to detect diagnoses such as a subglottic plasmacytoma.

B-2b.

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Primary laryngeal aspergillosis is a rare condition. Only a few cases have been reported in the past years. Most of them have been reported in healthy patients or with a mild immunocompromised state. We report a case of primary laryngeal aspergillosis in a solid organ transplant recipient (SOT), an infection not previously described in this population; we reviewed the published literature in all populations.