Two U of M Department of Otolaryngology Research Publications Featured Among The Laryngoscope's Top 10 Articles of 2024
The University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery is proud to announce that two research publications were named among The Laryngoscope's Top 10 Articles of 2024. This national recognition highlights the outstanding work of our faculty, trainees, and research teams, and reflects the continued commitment to advancing the field of otolaryngology through new and innovative approaches to the prevention and treatment of a full range of conditions.
The first article was authored by Frank Ondrey, MD, PhD, FACS, and Beverly Wuertz, MS, from our Head and Neck Cancer research program, titled: Inhaled Fosamprenavir for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Toxicology and Fluid Dynamics Modeling. Their studies found the optimal particle size for a laryngopharyngeal dry powder inhaler (DPI) through a pre-Good Lab Practice (GLP) study and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling system. "Approximately 25% of Americans suffer from laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), a disease for which no effective medical therapy exists. Pepsin is a predominant source of damage during LPR and a key therapeutic target. Fosamprenavir (FOS) inhibits pepsin and prevents damage in an LPR mouse model. Inhaled FOS protects at a lower dose than oral; however, the safety of inhaled FOS is unknown, and there are no inhalers for laryngopharyngeal delivery." The results indicated that "no significant increase was observed in histologic lesions, cytokines, or cardiotoxicity markers in FOS or APR groups relative to the control. CFD predicted that laryngopharyngeal deposition was maximized with aerodynamic diameters of 8.1–11.5 μm for inhalation rates of 30–60 L/min" (Ondrey & Wuertz 2024). This lays critical groundwork for safe, targeted inhaled therapy for LPR, offering a potential new treatment for the millions affected.
The second article was authored by Meredith Adams, MD, MS, and residents: Maria Tibesar, MD, MS, and McKenzie Tolan, MD, working in our otology research program, titled: Cerumen Impaction: Prevalence and Associated Factors in the United States Population. Their research looked to examine the "prevalence of cerumen impaction in a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population and the association of cerumen impaction with sociodemographic factors, hearing loss, and tinnitus." Using a cohort of over 10,000 individuals aged 12 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the team examined ear health and hearing test results to identify cases of partial or complete earwax buildup. Then, they utilized statistical analysis to determine which factors were more strongly associated with cerumen impaction. They found "the prevalence of any cerumen impaction was 18.6% among individuals ≥12 years and 32.4% among those ≥70 years. The prevalence of bilateral partial and complete cerumen impaction was 6.3% and 1.2%, respectively." Concluding that "cerumen impaction is highly prevalent in the US population, especially among older adults, and has disproportionate sociodemographic impacts. Complete impaction is associated with a small, statistically significant elevation in PTA, but there is no association with tinnitus. These findings emphasize the need to implement and disseminate best practices for ear hygiene and cerumen management broadly and equitably" (Adams, Tibesar & Tolan 2024).
Congratulations to our featured faculty, staff, and trainees!
