This study demonstrated that OSA had significant negative effects on all orthonasal olfactory tasks, especially on threshold and discrimination. MRI also revealed volumetric shrinkage of OB volumes.

BackgroundOlfactory assessment is often neglected in clinical practice, although olfactory loss can assist in diagnosis and may lead to significant morbidity. “Sniffin’ Sticks” is a modern test of nasal chemosensory performance that was developed in Germany and validated in many countries. Our aim was to validate the applicability of “Sniffin’ Sticks” in a Turkish population.Material/MethodsThe study included 123 healthy volunteers with a reported normal sense of smell and 51 patients complaining of a reduction in their olfactory function presenting either at rhinology or neurology clinics. The mean age of the subjects tested was 30.2±12.5 years in 126 males and 48 females. The participants were divided into 2 groups according to subjective olfactory function – healthy or abnormal. Each subject’s olfactory function was assessed using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test.ResultsWe found significant differences in “Sniffin’ Sticks” test results between the abnormal and healthy groups. In healthy subjects, the 10th percentiles of odor threshold score, odor discrimination score, odor identification score, and TDI score were 7.25, 12, 11, and 32, respectively. Considering the 2 groups together, apple and turpentine were the least well-recognized odors from the 16 odors presented.ConclusionsOur study provides an update of normative values for routine clinical use of “Sniffin’ Sticks” in a Turkish population. Also, the present study validates that “Sniffin’ Sticks” olfactory test was applicable for clinical usage in a Turkish population.

Arrhythmia is not uncommon in the etiology of syncope which mimics epilepsy. Data about the epilepsy induced vagal tonus abnormalities have being increasingly reported. So we aimed to evaluate what a neurologist may gain by a simultaneous electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) recording in the patients who underwent EEG testing due to prediagnosis of epilepsy. We retrospectively evaluated and detected ECG abnormalities in 68 (18%) of 376 patients who underwent EEG testing. A minimum of 20 of minutes artifact-free recording were required for each patient. Standard 1-channel ECG was simultaneously recorded in conjunction with the EEG. In all, 28% of females and 14% of males had ECG abnormalities. Females (mean age 49 years, range 18-88 years) were older compared with the male group (mean age 28 years, range 16-83 years). Atrial fibrillation was more frequent in female group whereas bradycardia and respiratory sinus arrhythmia was higher in male group. One case had been detected a critical asystole indicating sick sinus syndrome in the female group and treated with a pacemaker implantation in the following period. Simultaneous ECG recording in conjunction with EEG testing is a clinical prerequisite to detect and to clarify the coexisting ECG and EEG abnormalities and their clinical relevance. Potentially rare lethal causes of syncope that mimic seizure or those that could cause resistance to antiepileptic therapy could effectively be distinguished by detecting ECG abnormalities coinciding with the signs and abnormalities during EEG recording.

Peripheral nerve gaps exceeding 1 cm require a bridging repair strategy. Clinical feasibility of autogenous nerve grafting is limited by donor site comorbidity. In this study we investigated neuroregenerative efficacy of autogenous vein grafts implanted with tissue fragments from distal nerve in combination with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in repair of rat peripheral nerve defects. Six-groups of Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8 each) were evaluated in the autogenous setting using a 1.6 cm long peroneal nerve defect: Empty vein graft (group 1), Nerve graft (group 2), Vein graft and nerve fragments (group 3), Vein graft and nerve fragments and blank microspheres (group 4), Vein graft and nerve fragments and VEGF microspheres (group 5), Vein graft and nerve fragments and MSCs (group 6). Nerve fragments were derived from distal segment. Walking track analysis, electrophysiology and nerve histomorphometry were performed for assessment. Peroneal function indices (PFI), electrophysiology (amplitude) and axon count results for group 2 were -9.12 ± 3.07, 12.81 ± 2.46 mV, and 1697.88 ± 166.18, whereas the results for group 5 were -9.35 ± 2.55, 12.68 ± 1.78, and 1566 ± 131.44, respectively. The assessment results did not reveal statistical difference between groups 2 and 5 (P > 0.05). The best outcomes were seen in group 2 and 5 followed by group 6. Compared to other groups, poorest outcomes were seen in group 1 (P ≤ 0.05). PFI, electrophysiology (amplitude) and axon count results for group 1 were -208.82 ± 110.69, 0.86 ± 0.52, and 444.50 ± 274.03, respectively. Vein conduits implanted with distal nerve-derived nerve fragments improved axonal regeneration. VEGF was superior to MSCs in facilitating nerve regeneration. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:578-585, 2016.

The UPSIT-T modification is an adequate olfactory test for clinical use in a Turkish population.