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Late-Breaking Scientific Oral Presentations

Rhinology/Allergy

Session: Late-Breaking Scientific Orals: Rhinology and Allergy

A Minimally Invasive Method for Biomarker Analysis in the Olfactory Cleft: Clinical and Research Applications

Sunday, September 29, 2024
1:12 PM – 1:18 PM EDT
Location: MBCC, 222
Disclosure(s):
Goran Latif Omer, PhD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: The precise diagnosis, continuous monitoring, and enhanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms of olfactory dysfunctions require innovative, efficient, and reproducible methodologies for biomarker analysis. Our study introduces a novel protocol for the non-invasive collection and detailed analysis of biomarkers directly from the olfactory cleft, which can be implemented during routine awake nasal endoscopy.

Methods: This study was conducted at Rome Tor Vergata University Hospital from March 2022 to April 2024, involving a cohort of 60 patients with various olfactory dysfunctions, including persistent post-COVID-19 olfactory disorders and other olfactory impairments such as allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. We employed a standardized method using a soft brush under nasal endoscopic visualization to collect olfactory mucosa samples, ensuring minimal patient discomfort and optimal sample integrity. The collected samples were stabilized in Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS) and centrifugated to obtain a supernatant suitable for biomarker analysis.

Results: Key biomarkers analyzed in the nasal supernatant included calprotectin, endothelial and neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase, calcium, anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA), and a comprehensive autoimmune profile (CICs, ANA, ENA profile). The proposed technique is distinguished by its cost-effectiveness, high reproducibility in any laboratory setting, and specific focus on local biomarkers of the olfactory cleft, a crucial area of study in the current medical landscape where the importance of biomarkers is increasingly recognized.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that this method not only enhances the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape for olfactory dysfunctions but also aligns with contemporary demands for economic efficiency and procedural simplicity in clinical practices. Further validation could establish this protocol as a standard procedure for the assessment of biomarkers in olfactory disorders, offering significant advancements in both research and clinical environments.

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Stefano Di Girolamo, PhD

    Director of the Otorhinolaryngology Unit
    Roma Tor Vergata University Hospital
    Roma, Lazio, Italy

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Beatrice Francavilla, MD

    PhD Candidate in Otorhinolaryngology
    Roma Tor Vergata University Hospital
    Roma, Lazio, Italy

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • GV

    Gianluca Velletrani, MD

    Roma Tor Vergata University Hospital, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • DF

    Denise Fiorelli, MSc

    Tor Vergata University Hospital, Lazio, Italy

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • FP

    Francesco Maria Passali, PhD

    Roma Tor Vergata University Hospital, United States

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • Goran Latif Omer, PhD

    Lecturer
    University of Sulaymaniyah
    Sulaymaniyah, As Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

    Disclosure(s):

    faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  • MN

    Marzia Nuccetelli, PhD

    Tor Vergata University Hospital, Lazio, Italy

    Disclosure information not submitted.

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Stefano Di Girolamo, PhD

    Director of the Otorhinolaryngology Unit
    Roma Tor Vergata University Hospital
    Roma, Lazio, Italy

    Disclosure information not submitted.