Welcome to the ERS Junior Members Board!

The ERS Junior Members Board was founded in 2010 during the ERS congress in Geneva, in
order to promote and support young Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinicians and researchers.
Our mission is to provide a forum for education, discussion and presentation of research
in rhinology, allergology, facial plastic surgery and related fields. We assist the ERS in an
effort to create opportunities for junior members: to participate in congresses and meetings,
to share clinical and research experience and to discover new networking opportunities.

ENT specialists in training as well as physicians or scientists in the field of Rhinology or related disciplines who have not reached the age of 35 can register as a Junior Member. There is no membership fee, and the membership includes free access to the online version of the Rhinology Journal. Members will benefit from a 10% reduction in registration fee for courses run under the auspices of ERS.

We would like to invite you to join us, and experience the impact you can have on our community. Register as a ERS-Member

Aims of the ERS Junior Members Board

• To promote education and research in all aspects of Rhinology
• To provide a platform for all trainees with an interest in Rhinology to exchange research ideas
• To provide a forum for the exchange of experience
• To co-ordinate and disseminate information on training opportunities in Rhinology

Members of ERS Junior Board:

	Name Susanne M. Reinartz University Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam Research Area Allergic Rhinitis, Dendritic cells, Tolerance City Amsterdam Country the Netherlands Email s.m.reinartz@amc.uva.nl Field of Interest Paranasal sinus surgery, Rhinoplasty, Chronic Rhinosinusitis
	Name Catherine Rennie University Imperial College London Research Area Sinonasal Physiology City London Country UK Email catherine.rennie@doctors.org.uk Field of Interest Rhinosinusitis, Nasal Allergy and Nasal Physiology I am currently working towards a research doctorate in Rhinology on a collaborative project between the Department of Aeronautics and Otolaryngology at Imperial College London. My research investigates nasal airflow and sinus ventilation.
	Name Michael B. Soyka University University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland Research Area Epistaxis, Anatomy, pathophysiology/immunology of CRS City Zurich Country Switzerland Email michael@soyka.ch Field of Interest Paranasal sinus surgery
	Name Pavol Surda University University Ulm Research Area City Ulm Country Germany Email pavol.surda@gmail.com Field of Interest ERS, FESS
	Name Anamaria Gocea University University of Medicine `Iuliu Hatieganu` Cluj-Napoca Romania Research Area Rhinology: influence of local treatment upon the rhinosinusal´ mucosa pathology City Cluj-Napoca Country Romania Email agocea@yahoo.fr; anna.gocea@gmail.com Field of Interest Rhinosinusitis, nasal allergy, FESS
	Name Elina Eliasa University University of Latvia Research Area Rhinology; Radiofrequency surgery City Riga Country Latvia Email elina.eliasa@gmail.com Field of Interest mucociliar clearance, rhinoplastic surgery, chronic rhinosinusitis
	Name Piotr Henryk Skarzynski University Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw, Poland / Institute of Senses Organs, Kajetany, Poland Research Area Olfaction, FESS, City Warsaw Country Poland Email p.skarzynski@ifps.org.pl Field of Interest Olfaction, FESS
	Name Valerie Picavet University University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium Research Area Prospective outcome studies in rhinoplasty and facial plastic surgery City Leuven Country Belgium Email valerie.picavet@gmail.com Field of Interest facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, sinussurgery
	Name Marta Kisiel University Uppsala University Research Area Allergic Rhinitis, Dendritic cells, Tolerance City Uppsala Country Sweden Email Field of Interest
	Name Thibaut Van Zele University Ghent University Hospital Research Area Pathophysiology of chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps City Ghent Country Belgium Email thibaut.vanzele@ugent.be Field of Interest chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, functional endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery

Activities

The first mini-symposium organized by the ERS Junior Members Board was during the SERIN/ERAM meeting in Brussels, November 4th to 6th, 2010.
Next will be Junior Members activities during the 24th Congress of the European Rhinologic Society (ERS), in conjunction with the 31st International Symposium on Infection and Allergy of the Nose (ISIAN), June 17-21 2012 in Toulouse, France.
We are organizing reduced registration fee for ERS Junior Members, ERS Junior Member poster (and abstract) sessions, and social activities. Outstanding poster and abstract presentations will be awarded poster prizes!!!!

Call for abstracts submission is now open
ERS and ISIAN congress 2012, Toulouse, France

Submission deadline: 15th of February 2012

Links

ERS Registration form

ERS and ISIAN congress 2012, Toulouse, France

EAACI Website

J. Hidalgo - G. Chopard - J. Galmiche - L. Jacquot - G. Brand

Just noticeable difference in olfaction: a discriminative tool between healthy elderly and patients with cognitive disorders associated with dementia

Olfactory dysfunction appears to be one of the earliest signs of several age-related neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s disease (PD). To rate performance and olfactory deficits in patients with cognitive disorders, various olfactory tasks have been used such as odor detection, discrimination, recognition memory, identification and naming but no study has been focused on just noticeable difference (JND), a sensitive tool of detection. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare variations in JNDs in healthy elderly and in patients with cognitive disorders associated with dementia. The results showed significantly higher olfactory JNDs in a population with cognitive disorders associated with dementia - i.e. a lower olfactory detection performance - compared to a control population paired in age, gender and education level. Additionally, the findings of the present study showed strong correlations between cognitive performances and JND scores in the control population contrary to the patient population. These findings are discussed in relation to the relevance of using olfactory JNDs in the diagnosis of dementias.

Rhinology2011 5; 49(5): 513-518.

M.L. Thienhaus - J. Wohlers - R. Podschun - J. Hedderich - P. Ambrosch - M. Laudien

Antimicrobial peptides in nasal secretion and mucosa with respect to Staphylococcus aureus colonization in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps

Objective: Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (NP) is hypothesized to have pathophysiological impact on the disease. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP), especially human beta-defensin-3 (hBD-3) and LL-37, are an important part of the multifactorial defence against microorganisms in barrier organs like the nasal mucosa. The interaction of S. aureus colonization and AMP in nasal secretions and mucosa of NP were investigated in this study.
Patients and Methods: AMP were quantified in nasal secretions of 13 normal controls (NC) and 12 NP patients, each with and without S. aureus colonization, by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the cellular sources of AMP in the nasal mucosa. To explore the AMP response of primary nasal epithelial cell cultures (NEC) towards S. aureus stimulation, a functional assay was established.
Results: AMP could be demonstrated in nasal secretions of all groups without differences in hBD-3 concentrations comparing S. aureus carriers vs. non-carriers. In NC, higher LL-37 concentrations were observed in S. aureus colonized as compared to non-colonized patients. This effect was not detectable in NP patients. Epithelial cells, submucosal glands and cells of the connective tissue could be identified as sources of AMP by immunohistochemistry. An AMP response of NEC towards S. aureus stimulation was detected in all groups.
Conclusion: In NP patients, LL-37 response towards S. aureus colonization is disturbed while the ability of NEC to respond on S. aureus challenge is preserved. This deregulation of the nasal barrier could be involved in the multifactorial pathophysiology of NP.

Rhinology2011 5; 49(5): 554-561.

V. Kirtsreesakul - K. Wongsritrang - S. Ruttanaphol

Clinical efficacy of a short course of systemic steroids in nasal polyposis

BACKGROUND: Although oral steroids are widely used for the treatment of nasal polyposis, a subset of patients shows an unfavorable therapeutic outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a short course of oral prednisolone in nasal polyposis and to evaluate which, if any, clinical variables can predict treatment outcome in these patients.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL: Using a 3:2 randomization ratio, 63 patients with nasal polyposis received 50 mg of prednisolone and 46 patients received placebo daily for 14 days. Clinical response was evaluated by total nasal symptoms score (TNSS), peak expiratory flow index (PEFI) and total nasal polyps score (TNPS). Potential predictor variables were assessed by clinical history, nasal endoscopy, allergy skin test and sinus radiography.
RESULTS: The prednisolone-treated group showed significantly greater improvements in all nasal symptoms, nasal flow and polyp size than the placebo-treated group (p < 0.001, all). In the prednisolone-treated group, patients with grade 3 polyps and positive nasal endoscopy showed significantly less improvement in TNSS, PEFI and TNPS than patients with grades 1-2 size and with negative nasal endoscopy.
CONCLUSIONS: A short course of oral steroids showed good clinical efficacy in the treatment of nasal polyposis, however, polyps size grade 3 and/or positive nasal endoscopy predispose to a poorer treatment outcome.

Rhinology2011 5; 49(5): 525-532.

B. van Loon - S.G. Reddy - N. van Heerbeek - K.J.A.O. Ingels - T.J.J. Maal - W.A. Borstlap - R.R. Reddy - A. Kuijpers-Jagtman - S.J. Berge

3D stereophotogrammetric analysis of lip and nasal symmetry after primary cheiloseptoplasty in complete unilateral cleft lip repair

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate symmetry of the lip and nose in patients with CUCLP after primary cheiloseptoplasty (Afroze technique), in comparison to non-cleft controls.
METHODOLOGY: In this prospective study, forty-four patients with operated non-syndromic CUCLP were included. The control group consisted of 44 volunteers without cleft defects of approximately the same age and sex. Primary septoplasty was performed in conjunction with the cleft lip (CL) repair using the Afroze incision. 3D facial images were acquired using 3D stereophotogrammetry. After a 3D cephalometric analysis of the lip and nose was performed in both groups, linear and volumetric data were acquired. Lip and nose symmetry were calculated and compared using Student’s t-tests as well as the Chi square test.
RESULTS: For all measurements, the control group was up to 36% closer to perfect symmetry compared to the CUCLP group after primary surgery. This difference was statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: After primary cheiloseptoplasty according to the Afroze technique in patients with CUCLP, asymmetry in the nose and lip area still exists as compared to non-cleft controls. Although non-cleft individuals also show some degree of asymmetry, the results of this study stress the difficulty in obtaining near normal symmetrical relations.

Rhinology2011 5; 49(5): 546-553.

H. Blomster - T. Kemppainen - J. Numminen - P. Ruoppi - J. Sahlman - M. Peltonen - J. Seppä - H. Tuomilehto

Impaired nasal breathing may prevent the beneficial effect of weight loss in the treatment of OSA

BACKGROUND: Weight loss is considered an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in overweight patients. Some patients, however, do not benefit from weight loss. It has been postulated that nasal obstruction may act as an independent risk factor for OSA.
OBJECTIVE: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands The aim of our study was to evaluate whether impaired nasal airflow might explain the missing effect of weight reduction on OSA.
METHODOLOGY: Fifty-two overweight adult patients with mild OSA were recruited. After the 12-month lifestyle intervention, all patients who achieved ≥ 5% weight loss were divided into two groups based on whether they still had OSA or not. Change in nasal resistance measured by rhinomanometer and AHI were the main outcome variables.
RESULTS: A total of 26/52 patients achieved 5% weight reduction. Of those 26 patients, 16 were objectively cured from OSA and 10 patients did not benefit from weight loss. Nasal resistance reduced significantly more in patients who had been cured from OSA. Smoking had a negative impact on both nasal resistance and improvement of AHI.
CONCLUSIONS: Impaired nasal breathing and smoking may prevent the beneficial effects of weight reduction in the treatment of OSA.

Rhinology2011 5; 49(5): 587-592.