OBJECTIVES: To underline the effect of oxidative stress in chronic otitis media with and without cholesteatoma and to compare the oxidative stress values in the serum and tissue specimens in these two forms. METHODS: The study included a total of 75 individuals, 35 cases with chronic otitis media (COM; 16 females and 19 males) and a healthy control group of 40 cases (20 females and 20 males). The COM patient group was comprised of 18 patients with cholesteatoma and 17 patients without cholesteatoma. All patients underwent mastoidectomy. Serum specimens were taken prior to surgery and diseased tissue specimens from the ear were obtained during surgery from all patients. Only serum specimens were taken from the healthy control cases. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GHPx) were measured in the serum and tissue samples of the patient group and in the serum specimens of the control group. RESULTS: The age ranged from 14 to 48 years in the patient group (mean age, 20.4+/-12.2 years) and from 19 to 40 years in the control group (mean age, 26.4+/-4.64 years). When the serum values of all COM patients were compared with those of the control group, in the patient group MDA, which reflects lipid peroxidation, was found to be significantly higher (P<0.01) whereas the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and GHPx were found to be significantly lower (P<0.01). When the serum and tissue MDA, SOD, CAT, and GHPx values in patients with and without cholesteatoma were compared, no significant difference was found these parameters (P>0.01). CONCLUSION: Although oxidative stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of COM with or without cholesteatoma, it may not reflect the severity of the disease. In patients with COM, the evaluation of only serum oxidative stress values without tissue evaluation may be sufficient for assessing oxidative stress.
Animals ; Catalase ; Cats ; Cholesteatoma ; Ear ; Female ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Malondialdehyde ; Otitis Media* ; Oxidative Stress* ; Superoxide Dismutase

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of weight percentile on deep neck infections in children. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of 79 patients who were treated for deep neck infections. The patients were divided into six groups according to weight percentile. Patients who had systemic and/or congenital disease were excluded. Their demographics, etiology, localization, laboratory, and treatment results were reviewed. RESULTS: In total, 79 pediatric patients were recorded: 48.1% were females and 51.9% were males, with a mean age of 7.3 years. In total, 60 patients were under the 50th percentile according to their weight versus all children. The anteroposterior triangle (29.1%) and submandibular (26.5%) spaces were most commonly involved with deep neck infection. However, the anteroposterior triangle space was the highest in the group below the 3rd percentile (44.4%). In the blood analysis, white blood cell levels in patients with at percentile values of 75-50 were higher than other groups (P<0.05). Significant differences were found between C-reactive protein and hemoglobin levels and diameter of abscesses. The need for surgical drainage in patients in lower percentiles was higher. The patients who needed surgical drainage consisted of 56 patients (93.3%) below the 50th percentile and 9 patients (100%) below the 3rd percentile. CONCLUSION: Deep neck infection is more insidious and dangerous in low-weight-percentile children, especially those having low white blood cell counts, low hemoglobin levels, and high C-reactive protein in laboratory results.
Abscess ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child* ; Demography ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; Male ; Neck* ; Retrospective Studies