Objective Olfactory loss is a challenging clinical problem with few proven therapeutic options. Early experimental results with olfactory training (OT) suggest that this novel therapy may be an effective intervention for olfactory dysfunction of multiple etiologies. The aim of this study was to systematically review currently available studies that assess the efficacy and outcomes of OT in patients with olfactory loss. Methods A comprehensive systematic literature review was performed with the assistance of a reference librarian using the Medline, PsycInfo, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Proquest databases. Eligible studies were extracted based on defined inclusion criteria and the effect of OT on objective olfactory function was evaluated qualitatively and by meta-analysis. Results A total of ten studies with 639 patients were identified and systematically reviewed. Sufficient data for meta-analysis was available for 3 studies. Patients receiving OT experienced a statistically significant improvement in the TDI (Threshold, Discrimination, Identification) score compared to control patients (mean difference [MD] 3.77; 95% CI 2.28–5.26). Improvement in olfactory function was observed in discrimination ([MD] 1.92; 95% CI 1.13–2.71) and identification ([MD] 1.61; 95% CI 0.55–2.68), but not in olfactory thresholds ([MD] −0.01; 95% CI −0.42–0.39). Conclusion Olfactory training is a promising modality for the treatment of olfactory dysfunction. Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that it may be an effective treatment for olfactory dysfunction due to multiple etiologies. Additional high quality studies are needed to define indications, outcomes, and duration of therapy for this novel therapy.

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BackgroundSurgeons play a pivotal role in combating the opioid crisis that currently grips the United States. Changing surgeon behavior is difficult, and the degree to which behavioral science can steer surgeons toward decreased opioid prescribing is unclear.MethodsThis was a single‐institution, single‐arm, pre‐ and postintervention study examining the prescribing of opioids by urologists for adult patients undergoing prostatectomy or nephrectomy. The primary outcome was the quantity of opioids prescribed in oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) after hospital discharge. The primary exposure was a multipronged behavioral intervention designed to decrease opioid prescribing. The intervention had 3 components: 1) formal education, 2) individual audit feedback, and 3) peer comparison performance feedback. There were 3 phases to the study: a pre‐intervention phase, an intervention phase, and a washout phase.ResultsThree hundred eighty‐two patients underwent prostatectomy, and 306 patients underwent nephrectomy. The median OMEs decreased from 195 to 19 in the prostatectomy patients and from 200 to 0 in the nephrectomy patients (P < .05 for both). The median OMEs prescribed did not increase during the washout phase. Prostatectomy patients discharged with opioids had higher levels of anxiety than patients discharged without opioids (P < .05). Otherwise, prostatectomy and nephrectomy patients discharged with and without opioids did not differ in their perception of postoperative pain management, activity levels, psychiatric symptoms, or somatic symptoms (P > .05 for all).ConclusionsImplementing a multipronged behavioral intervention significantly reduced opioid prescribing for patients undergoing prostatectomy or nephrectomy without compromising patient‐reported outcomes.

Chronic invasive fungal sinusitis (CIFS) is a rare but potentially aggressive form of invasive fungal disease that occurs in immunocompetent patients. We report a case of CIFS in an otherwise healthy young adult associated with intranasal illicit drug abuse. The patient presented with non-healing nasal septal and palatal perforations. Biopsy demonstrated invasive Aspergillus flavus requiring surgical debridement and extended intravenous antifungal therapy. Tissue necrosis and ulceration related to intranasal drug use should be recognized as a potential risk factor for invasive fungal sinusitis.

Normal pancreatic epithelium progresses through various stages of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasms (PanINs) in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Transcriptional regulation of this progression is poorly understood. In mouse, the Hnf6 transcription factor is expressed in ductal cells and at lower levels in acinar cells of the adult pancreas, but not in mature endocrine cells. Hnf6 is critical for terminal differentiation of the ductal epithelium during embryonic development and for pancreatic endocrine cell specification. We previously showed that, in mice, loss of Hnf6 from the pancreatic epithelium during organogenesis results in increased duct proliferation and altered duct architecture, increased periductal fibrosis and acinar-to-ductal metaplasia. Here we show that decreased expression of HNF6 is strongly correlated with increased severity of PanIN lesions in samples of human pancreata and is absent from >90% of PDAC. Mouse models in which cancer progression can be analyzed from the earliest stages that are seldom accessible in humans support a role for Hnf6 loss in progression from early to late stage PanIN and PDAC. In addition, gene expression analyses of human pancreatic cancer reveal decreased expression of HNF6 and its direct and indirect target genes compared to normal tissue and up-regulation of genes that act in opposition to HNF6 and its targets. The negative correlation between HNF6 expression and pancreatic cancer progression suggests that HNF6 maintains pancreatic epithelial homeostasis in humans, and that its loss contributes to the progression from PanIN to ductal adenocarcinoma. Insight on the role of HNF6 in pancreatic cancer development could lead to its use as a biomarker for early detection and prognosis.