Abstract Introduction: The nose and throat are areas of high viral load, which could place otolaryngologists at an even higher risk for COVID-19 than other health-care workers. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in otorhinolaryngologists in southern Brazil, its relationship to demographic data, professional practice and reported symptoms of COVID-19, and compare it with official data on other health-care workers of the state and the general population in the same period. Methods: In this cross-sectional multicenter study, otolaryngologists actively practicing officially registered in Rio Grande do Sul were screened for IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 from August 1 to September 15, 2020. A questionnaire was also applied. Results: We screened 358 (80.1%) of 447 actively practicing otolaryngologists (195 [54.5%] male; mean [SD] age, 47.77 [13.57] years; range, 26-84 years). Twenty-three were positive for IgM and/or IgG (6.4%). This result was significantly associated with reports of infected household contacts (19/315 negatives and 8/23 positives; p<0.001). From 23 seropositive participants, 14 were asymptomatic (60.9%; p< 0.001). There were no significant associations between seroconversion and age, sex, number of patient appointments and surgical procedures, workplace (hospital or private practice), patients with or without respiratory symptoms, or level of personal protective equipment used. The rate of COVID-19 in all health-care workers in the state was 7.69% at the end of the same period. Data from state government seroprevalence was 5.26 (risk ratio [RR]; 95% CI 3.27–8.45) and 4.66 (RR; 95% CI 2.93–7.43) times higher in otolaryngologists than in the general population in August and September, respectively. Conclusion: Otolaryngologists had a higher seroconversion rate than the general population. Using personal protective equipment, the level of occupational exposure did not result in higher rates of infection than other health-care workers, but the presence of infected household contacts was associated with higher rates of seroconversion.

Laringomalácia é o colapso supraglótico durante a inspiração; é responsável por até 75% dos casos de estridor em crianças de até 30 meses. O achado característico é estridor inspiratório; até 20% dos pacientes apresentam quadros graves, sendo necessária intervenção cirúrgica. A supraglotoplastia é o procedimento de escolha e se considera a presença de comorbidades como o maior fator prognóstico para o sucesso da cirurgia. OBJETIVOS: Descrever a casuística de hospital pediátrico terciário, índices de sucesso e analisando fatores prognósticos cirúrgicos. MÉTODO: Estudo de coorte retrospectivo. Incluídos 20 pacientes submetidos à supraglotoplastia no período de julho de 2007 a maio de 2011. RESULTADOS: Dos 20 pacientes, 13 (65%) eram do sexo masculino; a média de idade no procedimento foi de 6,32 meses. Na endoscopia, 12 apresentavam associações de tipos de laringomalácia, 40% apresentavam faringomalácia associada e três apresentavam também traqueomalácia. Treze crianças apresentavam laringomalácia isolada e sete pacientes apresentavam doença do refluxo gastroesofágico. Quinze (75%) pacientes foram submetidos à ressecção de pregas ariepiglóticas. Após o procedimento, 11 pacientes ficaram assintomáticos e dois necessitaram traqueostomia. A presença de comorbidades foi a variável preditora de desfecho desfavorável pós-operatório (p = 0,034). CONCLUSÃO: A supraglotoplastia é um procedimento seguro para tratamento de laringomalácia em casos selecionados.

Laryngomalacia is the condition responsible for 75% of the cases of stridor in children aged up to 30 months, in which there is supraglottic collapse during inhalation. Inspiratory stridor is a characteristic telltale. As many as 20% of the patients are severely affected and require surgery. Supraglottoplasty is the procedure of choice and the presence of comorbidities is the most relevant prognostic factor for surgery success. OBJECTIVE: To describe a series in a tertiary pediatric hospital, its success rates, and surgery prognostic factors. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 20 patients submitted to supraglottoplasty between July 2007 and May 2011. RESULTS: Thirteen (65%) patients were males; mean age at the time of the procedure was 6.32 months. Endoscopic examination showed that 12 subjects had combined forms of laryngomalacia, 40% had associated pharyngomalacia, and three also had tracheomalacia. Thirteen subjects had isolated laryngomalacia and seven had gastroesophageal reflux disease. Fifteen (75%) patients underwent aryepiglottic fold resection. After the procedure, eleven patients were asymptomatic and two required tracheostomy. Presence of comorbidities was the strongest predictor of unfavorable postoperative outcome (p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Supraglottoplasty is a safe therapeutical procedure for select patients with laryngomalacia.

OBJETIVO: Determinar se a utilização de salbutamol, em uma mistura de hélio-oxigênio (80:20), modifica a evolução e o risco de internação em pacientes pediátricos. MÉTODOS: Delineado estudo de coorte controlada que incluiu pacientes de 2 meses a 12 anos de idade, com diagnósticos de crise de asma ou bronquiolite viral. Intensidades caracterizadas de moderada a grave, aferidas através de escore clínico (pulmonary index, PI) para doença obstrutiva. Foram considerados elegíveis escores > 8. Vinte pacientes constituíram o grupo Heliox® e 40 o grupo Oxigênio. Os pacientes receberam sequencialmente, em intervalos de 20 min, até completar seis nebulizações (período de 2 h): salbutamol 0,15 mg/kg/dose (máximo 5 mg). A droga utilizou como veículo gerador do aerossol a mistura de Heliox® (80:20) ou oxigênio a 100%. Os pacientes com diagnóstico de crise aguda de asma receberam, adicionalmente, prednisolona (2 mg/kg) via oral. RESULTADOS: Onze pacientes do grupo Heliox® permaneceram necessitando de tratamento na 6ª h de atendimento, enquanto que no grupo que recebia nebulização veiculada em oxigênio, esse número foi de 38 (p = 0,034). Na 12ª h, 7 pacientes do grupo Heliox® permaneciam em observação, enquanto no grupo Oxigênio foram 27 (p = 0,02). Diferenças quanto à necessidade de suplementação de oxigênio foram observadas apenas na 6ª h de tratamento (p = 0,02). CONCLUSÕES: Heliox® (80:20), para administração de salbutamol, é efetivo no tratamento da doença obstrutiva infantil que apresente resposta à terapêutica broncodilatadora. Comparado à técnica usual de nebulização, está associado à menor permanência em sala de observação após 6 h de tratamento.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the use of salbutamol, in a helium-oxygen mixture (80:20), can modify outcome and risk of hospitalization of pediatric patients. METHODS: A controlled cohort study including patients aged 2 months to 12 years with diagnoses of asthmatic crisis or viral bronchiolitis. Intensity was characterized from moderate to severe, as measured by clinical score (pulmonary index, PI) for obstructive disease. Scores > 8 were considered eligible. The Heliox® group was composed of 20 patients and the Oxygen group of 40 patients. Patients received sequentially, at 20-min intervals, until six nebulization cycles were completed (2-h period): salbutamol 0.15 mg/kg/dose (maximum 5 mg). The nebulized drug was driven either by Heliox® mixture (80:20) or 100% oxygen. Patients diagnosed with acute asthmatic crisis received, additionally, prednisolone (2 mg/kg) orally. RESULTS: Eleven patients in the Heliox® group still required treatment at 6 h, against 38 patients in the group receiving oxygen-driven nebulization (p = 0.034). At 12 h, 7 patients in the Heliox® group remained under observation, against 27 in the Oxygen group. Differences regarding the need for supplemental oxygen were observed only at 6 h of treatment (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Heliox® (80:20), for salbutamol administration, is effective in the treatment of pediatric obstructive disease that responds to bronchodilator therapy. Compared to usual aerosol delivery technique, Heliox®-driven salbutamol nebulization is associated with shorter stay in the observation room after 6 h of treatment.

Introdução: As anomalias da via aérea freqüentemente se apresentam com estridor. A sua principal causa em recém-nascidos e lactentes são as alterações congênitas da laringe. O diagnóstico etiológico específico pode ser realizado com a fibronasolaringobroncoscopia, a qual é fundamental para o manejo adequado dessas crianças. Forma de estudo: prospectivo clínico de delineamento transversal de análise descritiva. Objetivo: Descrever as principais causas e achados clínicos associados ao estridor das crianças que se apresentam em nosso hospital. Material e Método: Realizou-se um estudo prospectivo, no período de março de 2000 a abril de 2001, que avaliou todas as crianças encaminhadas ao Serviço de Otorrinolaringologia Pediátrica do Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio, cujo critério de inclusão foi a presença de estridor. Os pacientes foram então avaliados segundo protocolo definido a priori, que incluía, além de perguntas sobre história, exame físico e comorbidades associadas, o exame fibronasolaringobroncoscópico padronizado. Resultados: Foram avaliadas 125 crianças com estridor: 69 masculinos e 56 femininos. A idade média de apresentação foi de 19 meses. A maior parte dos pacientes avaliados veio da unidade de tratamento intensivo. Foram encontradas comorbidades em quase todos os casos, sendo a intubação prolongada a mais comum (n=36, 28,8%). Os diagnósticos mais freqüentes foram laringomalácia em 51 (40,8%) pacientes e estenose subglótica em 22 (17,6%). Conclusões: Mesmo que se tenha avaliado pacientes mais selecionados do que as grandes séries mundiais, as anomalias congênitas da laringe também foram a maior causa de estridor em nossa casuística. Em alguns casos com história de intubação prolongada foi difícil diferenciar a estenose subglótica congênita da adquirida. A presença de comorbidades é freqüente e pode auxiliar na seleção dos pacientes que necessitam de exame endoscópico.

Introduction: Abnormalities of the airway often present with stridor. The main cause in neonates and infants are the congenital defects of the larynx. The specific etiologic diagnose can be just obtained through fibronasolaryngobroncoscopy, which is necessary for the correct management of this children. Study design: Clinical prospective and descriptive cross-sectional study. Aim: To describe the main causes and associated clinical findings of stridor in children presenting to our hospital. Material and Method: A prospective investigation was performed from March 2000 to April 2001 to study all children evaluated at the Department of Pediatric Othorrinolaryngology of Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio with the inclusion criterion of stridor. These patients were examined according to a priori defined protocol, which includes besides questions about history, physical examination and associated comorbities, a standard fibronasolaryngobroncoscopy examination. Results: A group of 125 children (69 male and 56 female) were evaluated. The mean age at inclusion was 19 months. Most patients came from intensive care unit. Almost all cases had comorbidities, long-term endotracheal intubation been the most common finding. The most frequent diagnose were laryngomalacia (n=51, 40.8%) and subglottic stenosis (n=22, 17.6%). Conclusions: Even in the presence of a more select sample than the great international series, we also found congenital anomalies of the larynx as the main cause of stridor. It was difficult to differentiate between congenital and acquired subglottic stenosis in some cases with a history of endotracheal intubation. The presence of comorbidities is frequent and may help to select the patients who will need endoscopic evaluation.