A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy and Patients' Satisfaction of Micro-focused Ultrasound (MFU) Treatment for Facial Rejuvenation and Tightening.

PURPOSE: Micro-focused ultrasound (MFU) is commonly used to improve facial relaxation and wrinkles. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of MFU for facial rejuvenation and patients' satisfaction with the treatment. METHOD: Articles published before December 2022 were retrieved using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. The retrieved literature was screened according to strict criteria, and the risk of bias of each study was assessed. RESULT: A total of 13 MFU studies for facial rejuvenation and tightening were included, involving 477 participants. Efficacy was assessed using the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS), and meta-analysis showed an overall response rate of 0.77 (95%CI: 0.58, 0.96) at 90 days after intervention and 0.69 (95%CI: 0.51, 0.87) at 180 days. 0.78 (95%CI: 0.61, 0.95) and 0.71 (95%CI: 0.54, 0.87) patients were satisfied and very satisfied overall at 90 days and 180 days, respectively. The pain score was on a 10-point scale, and the overall score was 3.10 (95%CI: 2.71, 3.94). There were no instances during treatment where patients could not tolerate pain. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, MFU is an effective way to treat facial rejuvenation and tightening. More large-sample, multicenter and randomized studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment parameters in the future. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

A Retrospective Study of Lip Hemangiomas: Curative Effect of Oral Propranolol Combined with Topical Sclerotherapy.

Objective: To analyze the therapeutic effect of oral propranolol combined with sclerotherapy of lauromacrogol and triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of lip infantile hemangiomas (IHs). Methods: We recorded the demographic characteristics and lesions of 56 patients with lip IHs. The efficacy was evaluated by Achauer grade and VAS score in this study. Nonparametric test and Spearman correlation analysis were used to identify factors that might affect the curative effect of patients, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to further analyze the factors that affect the prognosis of patients with lip IH. Results: All 56 patients improved without serious complications after treatment. Univariate analysis showed that the age of the patients at the time of treatment initiation, the layer, classification, and volume of IH may influence the course and outcome of treatment. The logistic regression analysis further showed that the frequency of topical sclerotherapy was affected by the age of the months at the time of treatment initiation. The final efficacy evaluation was influenced by the age at the beginning of treatment and the layer of IH. Conclusion: Oral propranolol combined with local sclerotherapy is a safe and effective method for treating lip IH. After combination therapy, the therapeutic effect of hemangiomas located in the mucosa and submucosa is better than those located in the skin and superficial subcutaneous fascia. Patients who were younger at treatment initiation received less frequencies of topical sclerotherapy and had better therapeutic effect.

Macrophage-stimulated microRNA expression in mural cells promotes transplantation-induced neointima formation.

In this study, we tested the possibility that macrophages might contribute to neointima formation by stimulating microRNA expressions in mural cells. Thoracic aortas from F344 rats were transplanted into recipient Lewis rats. Clodronate liposome was used for in vivo macrophage depletion. Using miR-21 as a prototypic example of vascular enriched microRNA, we showed that macrophage depletion reduced the expression level of miR-21, which was upregulated in the allograft. This effect of macrophage depletion was accompanied by attenuations in neointimal hyperplasia and transplantation-induced vascular inflammation. Using in vitro assays, we identified that macrophages might stimulate miR-21 expression in smooth muscle cells and adventitial fibroblasts via the release of tumor necrosis factor-α. We also showed that silencing of miR-21 suppressed tumor necrosis factor-induced proliferation, migration, and inflammatory responses in mural cells. Our results suggest that macrophage may promote transplantation-induced neointima formation by stimulating miR-21 expression in vascular mural cells, which promotes mural cell proliferation, migration and/or inflammation. Moreover, we have established that tumor necrosis factor-α has a major role in mediating this paracrine process.