scholarly journals Alternative therapies for chronic rhinosinusitis: A review

2020 ◽  
pp. 014556132093941
Author(s):  
Aaron S. Griffin ◽  
Peter Cabot ◽  
Ben Wallwork ◽  
Ben Panizza

The use of alternative medicine in chronic rhinosinus-itis (CRS) continues to increase in popularity, for the most part without meeting the burden of being based on sound clinical evidence. New and emerging treat-ments, both natural and developed, are numerous, and it remains a challenge for otolaryngologists as well as general practitioners to keep up to date with these therapies and their efficacy. In this systematic review, we discuss a number of alternative therapies for CRS, their proposed physiologic mechanisms, and evidence supporting their use. This analysis is based on our re-view of the English-language literature on alternative therapies for CRS (we did not include any therapies that are already recommended by accepted profession-al bodies). Data collection was performed using the PubMed database (not restricted to MEDLINE due to the nature of the subject matter), the Cochrane data-bases, and bibliography searches. We found that while many of the alternative therapies we reviewed might have a firm basis in science, they lack any clinical ev-idence to support their use specifically for CRS. Some emerging therapies, such as therapeutic ultrasonog-raphy and phonophoresis, show some promise, based on a growing body of positive evidence. In addition, the use of baby shampoo, thyme honey, and bromelain additives to saline lavage in CRS are all supported by clinical evidence, as is Sinupret, an oral preparation that contains echinacea. However, higher levels of ev-idence gleaned from large, well-designed, prospective, randomized, controlled trials are needed before any of these therapies can be recommended.

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam Ahmed Saad ◽  
Mostafa Alfishawy ◽  
Mahmoud Nassar ◽  
Mahmoud Mohamed ◽  
Ignatius N Esene ◽  
...  

Introduction: Over 4.9 million cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been confirmed since the worldwide pandemic began. Since the emergence of COVID-19, a number of confirmed cases reported autoimmune manifestations. Herein, we reviewed the reported COVID-19 cases with associated autoimmune manifestations. Methods: We searched PubMed database using all available keyword for COVID-19. All related studies between January 1st, 2020 to May 22nd, 2020 were reviewed. Only studies published in English language were considered. Articles were screened based on titles and abstract. All reports of confirmed COVID-19 patients who have associated clinical evidence of autoimmune disease were selected. Results: Among 10006 articles, searches yielded, Thirty-two relevant articles for full-text assessment. Twenty studies meet the eligibility criteria. The twenty eligible articles reported 33 cases of confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who developed an autoimmune disease after the onset of covid-19 symptoms. Ages of patients varied from a 6 months old infant to 89 years old female (Mean=53.9 years of 28 cases); five cases had no information regarding their age. The time between symptoms of viral illness and onset of autoimmune symptoms ranged from 2 days to 33 days (Mean of the 33 cases=9.8 days). Autoimmune diseases were one case of subacute thyroiditis (3%), two cases of Kawasaki Disease (6.1%), three cases of coagulopathy and antiphospholipid syndrome (9.1%), three cases of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (9.1%), eight cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (24.2%), and sixteen cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome (48.5%). Conclusions: COVID-19 has been implicated in the development in a range of autoimmune diseases which may shed a light on the association between autoimmune diseases and infections.


2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia Coelho de Soárez ◽  
Ana Cláudia Oliveira ◽  
Jorge Padovan ◽  
Edison Roberto Parise ◽  
Marcos Bosi Ferraz

CONTEXT: Experimental and clinical studies suggest that LOLA may have a favorable influence on hepatic encephalopathy due to the effect on the reduction of ammonia, and improvement of the symptoms and laboratory findings. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and to critically analyze the efficacy and/or effectiveness results of the use of LOLA when compared to placebo in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. DATA SOURCES: LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE, PubMed database and Cochrane Collaboration Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 1966 to September of 2006. The review has included all the randomized controlled double-blind clinical trials performed in humans in English language. RESULTS: Four studies published between 1993 and 2000 were selected and reviewed. LOLA was showed as being able to reduce hyperammonemia in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, when compared to patients in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the trials have shown efficacy of LOLA in reducing hyperammonemia of hepatic encephalopathy, sufficient evidence of a significant beneficial effect of LOLA on patients with hepatic encephalopathy was not found. The studies performed in this area were small, with short follow-up periods and half of them showed low methodological quality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-45
Author(s):  
Emanuela Martina ◽  
Federico Diotallevi ◽  
Tommaso Bianchelli ◽  
Matteo Paolinelli ◽  
Annamaria Offidani

Background: Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is a disease characterized by the onset of wheals and/or angioedema over 6 weeks. The pathophysiology for CSU is very complex, involving mast cells and basophils with a multitude of inflammatory mediators. For many years the treatment of CSU has been based on the use of antihistamines, steroids and immunosuppressive agents with inconstant and frustrating results. The introduction of omalizumab, the only licensed biologic for antihistamine- refractory CSU, has changed the management of the disease. Objective: The aim of this article is to review the current state of the art of CSU, the real-life experience with omalizumab and the promising drugs that are under development. Methods:: An electronic search was performed to identify studies, case reports, guidelines and reviews focused on the new targets for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria, both approved or under investigation. The search was limited to articles published in peer-reviewed journals in the English Language in the PubMed database and trials registered in Clinicaltrials.gov. Results:: Since the advent of omalizumab, the search for new therapies for chronic spontaneous urticaria has had a new impulse. Anti-IgE drugs will probably still be the cornerstone of therapy, but new targets may prove effective in syndromic urticaria or refractory cases. Conclusion:: Although omalizumab has been a breakthrough in the treatment of CSU, many patients do not completely get benefit and even require more effective treatments. Novel drugs are under investigation with promising results.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fausto Meriggi

Background:Malignant pleural effusion, which is a common clinical problem in patients with cancer, may be due to both primary thoracic tumours or to a metastatic spread in the chest and constitutes the first sign of disease in approximately 10% of patients. Almost all cancers can potentially produce a pleural effusion. The presence of malignant tumour cells in the pleural fluid is generally indicative of advanced disease and is associated with high morbidity and mortality with reduced therapeutic options. Dyspnoea during mild physical activity or at rest is generally the typical sign of restrictive respiratory failure. </P><P> Methods: This is a systematic review of all the main articles in the English language on the topic of malignant pleural effusion and reported by the Pubmed database from 1959 to 2018. I reviewed the literature and guidelines with the aims to focus on what is known and on future pathways to follow the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural effusions.Results:The main goal of palliation of a malignant pleural effusion is a quick improvement in dyspnoea, while thoracentesis under ultrasound guidance is the treatment of choice for patients with a limited life expectancy or who are not candidates for more invasive procedures such as drainage using an indwelling small pleural catheter, chemical pleurodesis with sclerosing agents, pleurectomy or pleuro-peritoneal shunt.Conclusion:Despite progress in therapeutic options, the prognosis remains severe, and the average survival is 4-9 months from the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Moreover, mortality is higher for patients with malignant pleural effusion compared with those with metastatic cancer but no malignant pleural effusion. Therefore, the prognosis of these patients primarily depends on the underlying disease and the extension of a primary tumour. This review focuses on the most relevant updates in the management of malignant pleural effusion.


2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry D. Carnegie ◽  
Brad N. Potter

While accounting researchers have explored international publishing patterns in the accounting literature generally, little is known about recent contributions to the specialist international accounting history journals. Specifically, this study surveys publishing patterns in the three specialist, internationally refereed, accounting history journals in the English language during the period 1996 to 1999. The survey covers 149 contributions in total and provides empirical evidence on the location of their authors, the subject country or region in each investigation, and the time span of each study. It also classifies the literature examined based on the literature classification framework provided by Carnegie and Napier [1996].


Author(s):  
YI MENG CHENG

Abstract A fresh look at the 1888 Sikkim Expedition using both Chinese and English language sources yields very different conclusions from that of previous research on the subject. During the course of policymaking, the British Foreign Office and the British Government of India did not collaborate to devise a plan to invade Tibet; conversely, their aims differed and clashed frequently. During the years leading to war, the largest newspapers in British India gave plenty of coverage to the benefits of trade with Tibet, thus influencing British foreign policy and contributing indirectly to the outbreak of war. The Tibetan army was soundly defeated in the war, while the British troops suffered only light casualties. Although the Tibetan elites remained committed to the war, the lower classes of Tibetan society quickly grew weary of it. During the war, the British made much use of local spies and enjoyed an advantage in intelligence gathering, which contributed greatly to their victory. Finally, although the war was initially fought over trade issues, the demarcation of the Tibetan-Sikkim border replaced trade issues as the main point of contention during the subsequent peace negotiations. During the negotiations, Sheng Tai, the newly appointed Amban of Tibet, tried his best to defend China's interests.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanober Nusrat ◽  
Elsie Gulick ◽  
David Levinthal ◽  
Klaus Bielefeldt

Constipation and fecal incontinence are common in patients with neuromuscular diseases. Despite their high prevalence and potential impact on overall quality of life, few studies have addressed anorectal dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The goal of this paper is to define the prevalence, pathophysiology, impact, and potential treatment of constipation and incontinence in MS patients. Methods. The PubMed database was searched for English language publications between January 1973 and December 2011. Articles were reviewed to assess the definition of the study population, duration, type and severity of MS, sex distribution, prevalence, impact, results of physiologic testing, and treatments. Results. The reported prevalence of constipation and fecal incontinence ranged around 40%. Anorectal dysfunction significantly affected patients with nearly 1 in 6 patients limiting social activities or even quitting work due to symptoms. Caregivers listed toileting as a common and significant burden. The only randomized controlled trial showed a marginal improvement of constipation with abdominal massage. All other reports lacked control interventions and only demonstrated improvement in individuals with milder symptoms. Conclusion. Anorectal dysfunction is a common manifestation in MS that significantly affects quality of life. Therapies are at best moderately effective and often cumbersome, highlighting the need for simple and more helpful interventions.


Pragmatics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Petraki ◽  
Sarah Bayes

Research in English language teaching has highlighted the importance of teaching communication skills in the language classroom. Against the backdrop of extensive research in everyday communication, the goal of this research was to explore whether current discourse analytic research is reflected in the lessons and communication examples of five English language teaching textbooks, by using spoken requests as the subject of investigation. The textbooks were evaluated on five criteria deriving from research on politeness, speech act theory and conversation analysis. These included whether and the extent to which the textbooks discussed the cultural appropriateness of requests, discussed the relationship of requests and other contextual factors, explained pre-sequences and re-requests and provided adequate practice activities. This study found that none of the coursebooks covered all of the criteria and that some coursebooks actually had very inadequate lessons. The results of the textbook analysis demonstrate that teachers using these five coursebooks and designers of future coursebooks must improve their lessons on requests by using pragmatics research and authentic examples as a guide.


1892 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Blackie

I will commence by stating that three reasons have moved me to bring this subject before the Society—(1) Because I found everywhere loose and even altogether false ideas possessing the public mind on the subject; (2) because I much fear that we, the academical teachers of the Greek language, are chiefly to blame for the currency of these false ideas; and (3) because, if Greek is a living and uncorrupted language, and dominating large districts of Europe and the Mediterranean, as influentially as French on the banks of the Seine and German on the Rhine, it follows that a radical reform must take place in our received methods of teaching this noble and most useful language. Now that the current language of the Greeks in Athens and elsewhere is not, in any sense, a new or a corrupt language, as Italian is a melodious and French a glittering corruption of Latin, may be gathered even a priori; for languages are slow to die, and the time that elapsed from the taking of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453 and the establishment of the Venetian power in the Morea in 1204, to the resurrection of Greek political life in 1822, was not long enough to cause such a fusion of contrary elements as produced the English language from the permanent occupation of the British Isles by the Normans.


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