Cervin AU The Potential for Topical Probiotic Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis, a Personal Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2018 Jan 12;7:530. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00530. eCollection 2017.
Foreman A, Psaltis AJ, Tan LW, Wormald PJ Characterization of bacterial and fungal biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2009 Nov-Dec;23(6):556-61. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2009.23.3413.
Forestier C, Guelon D, Cluytens V, Gillart T, Sirot J, De Champs C Oral probiotic and prevention of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study in intensive care unit patients. Crit Care. 2008;12(3):R69. doi: 10.1186/cc6907. Epub 2008 May 20.
Humphreys GJ, McBain AJ Antagonistic effects of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus probiotics in pharyngeal biofilms. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2019 Apr;68(4):303-312. doi: 10.1111/lam.13133. Epub 2019 Mar 13.
Lee VS, Humphreys IM, Purcell PL, Davis GE Manuka honey sinus irrigation for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis: a randomized controlled trial. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2017 Apr;7(4):365-372. doi: 10.1002/alr.21898. Epub 2016 Dec 9.
Ooi ML, Jothin A, Bennett C, Ooi EH, Vreugde S, Psaltis AJ, Wormald PJ Manuka honey sinus irrigations in recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis: phase 1 randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2019 Dec;9(12):1470-1477. doi: 10.1002/alr.22423. Epub 2019 Aug 28.
Roos K, Hakansson EG, Holm S Effect of recolonisation with "interfering" alpha streptococci on recurrences of acute and secretory otitis media in children: randomised placebo controlled trial. BMJ. 2001 Jan 27;322(7280):210-2. doi: 10.1136/bmj.322.7280.210.
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
