http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcearnosethroatdisord//comments The latest comments on all articles published by BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders 2010-07-20T12:00:31Z http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6815/9/9/comments#418680 <p>Dear Editor <br/> <br/>I read this article with great interest and would like to clarify a few points. <br/>The authors conclude statistically significant differences between the taste thresholds of smokers and non-smokers. However, the thresholds differed in smokers themselves between the right and left of tongues and circumvallate papillae. Thresholds among non-smokers&#8217; right and left of tongue and soft palate also differed. Given these intra-group differences, how can authors conclude inter-group differences? <br/> <br/>Also when six smokers showed normal taste thresholds, they were examined additionally three times. Was this because the results were not the anticipated ones? This introduced an element of differential investigation between the groups. Hence, in my humble opinion, it would have been better for this re-testing not to have taken place or alternatively all of the subjects should have been subjected to re-testing according to the same protocol. <br/> <br/>Also, do authors or readers feel that the apparent smoking induced effect on taste could be due to its effect partially on olfaction and not just due to direct adverse effects on taste buds? <br/> <br/>It would be interesting to gauge readers&#8217; and authors&#8217; thoughts on these ideas.</p> Chaudhary Farqan Riaz 2010-07-20T12:00:31Z http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6815/9/9 Pavlos et al. BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders 9 9 Thu Aug 20 09:30:10 BST 2009 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6815/6/15/comments#291602 <p>I am a veterinarian. My own dog, a 10 year old male doberman pinscher, has megaesophagus. He recently experienced an episode of arrhythmia (detectable by palpation and confirmed by ascultation) shortly after running an agility course. He converted to normal rhythm (before I was able to run an EKG) after he drank water and was sat upright, elevating his thorax. When an EKG was obtained about 36 hours later, it showed no abnormalities and his echocardiogram revealed mild mitral regurg but no signs of cardiomyopathy. I theorized that because he did not drink very much water (due to the cold ambient temperature), food in the esophagus put pressure against his heart when he was running and jumping the agility course, triggering the arrthymia. </p> Carol Kluka 2008-01-11T10:44:02Z http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6815/6/15 Upile et al. BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders 6 15 Wed Dec 13 11:24:31 GMT 2006