To detect whether the adverse effects of post-operative radioactive iodine therapy following differentiated thyroid cancer on smell, taste and nasal functions were associated with radioactive iodine dose.

Fifty-one patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy because of differentiated thyroid cancer were divided into two groups depending on the post-operative radioactive iodine therapy dose: low dose group (50 mCi; 21 patients) and high dose group (100–150 mCi; 30 patients). The Sniffin’ Sticks smell test, the Taste Strips test and the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test were performed on all patients one week before therapy, and at two months and one year following therapy.

Statistically significant differences were detected in the Sniffin’ Sticks test results, total odour scores, total taste scores and Sino-Nasal Outcome Test results between the assessment time points. There was no statistically significant difference between the low and high dose groups in terms of odour, taste or Sino-Nasal Outcome Test scores either before or after therapy.

Radioactive iodine therapy has some short- and long-term adverse effects on nasal functions and taste and odour sensations, which affect quality of life. These effects are not dose-dependent.

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum ischaemia-modified albumin levels and Bell's palsy severity.

The study included 30 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy and 30 healthy individuals. The patients were separated into three disease severity groups (grades 2, 3 and 4) according to House–Brackmann classification. Blood samples were collected from all participants and the results compared between groups.

Significant differences in serum ischaemia-modified albumin were found between the study and control groups (p < 0.001); values were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group.

The significantly higher levels of serum ischaemia-modified albumin in the study group suggest that Bell's palsy pathogenesis is associated with oxidative stress.

Eosinophils are the principal effector cells involved in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. Cell numbers increase in non-allergic rhinitis patients with eosinophilia, aspirin hypersensitivity and nasal polyposis, as well as in allergic rhinitis patients. Exfoliative nasal cytology can be used in the differential diagnosis of allergic rhinitis.

To evaluate nasal eosinophilia in nasal smears of patients with mild, persistent and intermittent allergic rhinitis.

The study comprised 60 patients with allergic rhinitis and 20 healthy volunteers. The patients were divided into intermittent and persistent allergic rhinitis groups. Nasal smear status, eosinophil numbers and Total Nasal Symptom Scores were compared.

Nasal smear results were pathological in 40 of 60 allergic rhinitis patients, which was significantly higher than the rate in controls. The mean nasal eosinophilia score was significantly higher in the intermittent allergic rhinitis than in the persistent allergic rhinitis group (p = 0.029). There was a positive correlation between nasal eosinophilia score and Total Nasal Symptom Score (r = 0.652; p < 0.05) in persistent allergic rhinitis and intermittent allergic rhinitis patients.

The nasal smear test is inexpensive, objective and simple to perform, and should be part of the diagnostic investigation.

To evaluate the effects of CyberKnife stereotactic radiotherapy for the treatment of vestibular schwannoma on hearing, as evaluated by audiological tests.

Patients with vestibular schwannoma were evaluated before and after CyberKnife radiosurgery. Evaluation included pure tone thresholds, speech discrimination scores, auditory brainstem responses and radiological signs.

The study comprised 26 patients diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma and subsequently treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery. The mean follow-up time was 16.4 months. The mean post-treatment hearing preservation rate was 69.23 per cent. There was no significant relationship between hearing loss after treatment and patient age, radiation dosage during treatment, or size of tumour. With regard to auditory brainstem responses, patients with hearing loss following treatment had a significantly higher inter-peak latency between waves I–III than patients with preserved hearing.

Stereotactic CyberKnife radiosurgery is an excellent alternative treatment modality for patients with vestibular schwannoma, and results in acceptable preservation of hearing. Residual hearing following CyberKnife therapy is not significantly affected by factors such as age, size of tumour or dosage of treatment.