Diabetes Mellitus (DM) causes an increase in oxidative stress that leads to deterioration in auditory functions. Astaxanthine (AST) is known to have strong antioxidant effects. In this study, the aim is to investigate the effect of AST against hearing loss that is due to DM. This study is an experimental animal study. The study was designed in four groups with 8 animals (n = 8) in each group. The groups were as follows; Control Group (CNT), Diabetic Group (DM), AST applied diabetic group (DM+AST), and AST applied non-diabetic group (AST). Streptozotocin was applied in rats to induce DM. AST was administered by oral gavage. Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) tests were performed on several days of the study. At the end of the study, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were analyzed in cochlear tissue samples, and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. When the findings obtained in the ABR and DPOAE tests in the DM group, it was observed that there was a significant deterioration in the hearing sense. This deterioration was not observed in the DM+AST group. In the DM group, GPx, SOD and CAT levels decreased and MDA levels increased in blood and cochlear tissue. Compared to the DM group, it was noted that antioxidant enzyme levels increased and MDA levels decreased in the DM+AST group. Cochlear tissue pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, which increased with DM, were significantly decreased in the DM+AST group. Even though the effects of AST were investigated in a diabetic experimental animal model, if this molecule is proven to be effective in diabetic humans, it can be considered an adjunct therapeutic option with its antioxidant effects. The level of evidence of this article is 5. This article is an experimental animal and laboratory study.

Purpose: Chronic subjective tinnitus is commonly accompanied by psychological distress; however, its independent relationship with depressive and anxiety symptoms in otolaryngology outpatients has not been fully delineated. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of mood symptoms among adults with chronic tinnitus and to determine whether tinnitus severity contributes independently to psychological burden. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 adults with subjective tinnitus of at least six months’ duration were evaluated at a tertiary otolaryngology clinic. Participants completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory–II (BDI-II), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Prevalence estimates were compared with population-level data. Associations between tinnitus severity and mood symptoms were examined using correlation analyses and multivariable linear regression adjusted for age, sex, and hearing status. Results: Mean scores were 47.2 ± 18.3 for THI, 16.1 ± 10.4 for BDI-II, and 19.5 ± 11.2 for BAI. Tinnitus severity showed moderate positive associations with depressive (r = 0.50) and anxiety symptoms (r = 0.48), both p < 0.001. After adjustment, THI scores remained independently associated with higher BDI-II (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) and BAI scores (β = 0.39, p < 0.001). Severe tinnitus (THI ≥ 58) was linked to increased odds of moderate-to-severe depression (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.52– 6.30) and anxiety (OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.40– 5.72). Clinically relevant depressive and anxiety symptoms were identified in 28% and 31% of participants, respectively. Conclusion: Greater tinnitus severity is independently associated with elevated symptom severity of depression and anxiety. These findings underscore the importance of routine mental health screening and multidisciplinary management in ENT practice.

Background/Objectives: Mucormycosis is a rapidly progressive invasive fungal infection that commonly involves the sinonasal region and skull base in patients with systemic comorbidities, yet robust ENT data from middle-income settings are scarce. Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective review of all patients with histopathologically confirmed mucormycosis treated in the Otorhinolaryngology Department of Dicle University between 2010 and 2023, covering a 14-year period. Eligible patients had paranasal sinus computed tomography at presentation and received surgical and/or systemic antifungal therapy. Demographic data, comorbidities, disease subtype, radiological extent, treatment modality and survival were extracted from records. Survival was estimated using Kaplan–Meier analysis, and group differences were tested with chi-square statistics (p ≤ 0.05). Results: Fifty-two patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age 56.5 ± 15.2 years; 57.7% male); 73.1% had at least one systemic comorbidity, most frequently diabetes mellitus (65.4%) and hematological malignancy (19.2%). Disease was sinonasal in 42.3%, rhino-orbital in 28.8% and rhino-orbito-cerebral in 28.8%. Baseline CT showed intracranial extension in 26.9%. Overall survival was 59.6% and differed markedly by subtype, highest in isolated sinonasal disease (81.8%) and lowest in rhino-orbito-cerebral disease (26.7%). Intracranial extension was associated with higher mortality (71.4% vs. 28.9%). Combined surgical debridement plus systemic antifungal therapy, used in 84.6% of patients, yielded lower mortality than antifungal therapy alone (31.8% vs. 87.5%). Conclusions: In this ENT cohort, prognosis was mainly determined by anatomical extent and treatment strategy. Our findings suggest that timely combined surgical and antifungal management, when feasible and in appropriately selected patients, is associated with improved survival outcomes.