Assessment of TNF-α (-857 C/T) gene polymorphism in oral lichen planus disease: A case-control study.

Background and aims: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an inflammatory mucocutaneous disorder with an immune-mediated pathogenesis. The tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level in the serum of OLP patients is significantly higher than in the control group. TNF-α-857 C/T polymorphism can be related to the increased TNF-α level in blood circulation. This study investigated the relationship between TNF-α (-857 C/T) polymorphism and OLP patients in an Iranian population. Methods: Saliva samples were taken from 200 people, including 100 patients with OLP and 100 healthy people who did not have significant differences in age and sex. Then, DNA was extracted from them and the TNF-α (-857 C/T) genotype was identified using the polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers method. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software analyzed the results. Results: The frequency of C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypes of the TNF-α-857 C/T polymorphism in the patient group were 78%, 18%, and 4%, respectively, and in the control group were 72%, 23%, and 5%, respectively. The differences between the two groups regarding allele (χ 2 = 0.97, p = 0.32) and genotype (χ 2 = 0.96, p = 0.62) frequency among the studied population were insignificant. Conclusion: This study showed that the difference in the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphism TNF-α-857 C/T polymorphism in the patient and control group had no significant relationship with the increased OLP incidence. Also, no significant association was observed between allele and genotype frequency of TNF-α (-857 C/T) with OLP subtypes.

Evaluation of the association between TNF-α-1031 T/C polymorphism with oral lichen planus disease.

BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease that affects the epithelial cells of the oral cavity. This study was performed to investigate any possible relationship between - 1031(T/C) polymorphism (rs1799964) of the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) gene with the risk and severity of oral lichen planus (OLP) disease among an Iranian population. METHOD: Saliva samples were collected from 100 patients with OLP and a similar number of healthy controls (age and sex-matched). Then, DNA was extracted from the collected samples for genotyping TNF-α-1031 T/C polymorphism using the PCR-CTPP method. The results were assessed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The findings revealed a significantly higher prevalence of the C allele in OLP patients (53%) compared to healthy controls (36%), suggesting an association between TNF-alpha gene polymorphism and OLP. A multivariate logistic regression analysis supported this finding, as the presence of the C allele was significantly associated with an increased risk of OLP [χ2 = 4.17, p = 0.04, 95% CI = 1.01-2.65, OR = 1.64]. However, our data indicated no significant association between TNF-alpha-1031 T/C gene polymorphism and OLP severity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide the first evidence supporting a possible role of TNF-α-1031 T/C gene polymorphism in OLP susceptibility in the Iranian population. The findings of this study demonstrate a positive association between TNF-α-1031 C/T allele distribution and the risk of OLP disease in the Iranian population. Therefore, carrying the C allele may increase the susceptibility to OLP disease.

Association between alcohol dehydrogenase polymorphisms (rs1229984, rs1573496, rs1154460, and rs284787) and susceptibility to head and neck cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a prevalent and complex group of malignancies with increasing incidence globally. Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) play a crucial role in alcohol metabolism, and their polymorphisms have been linked to HNC risk. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the association between ADH polymorphisms and susceptibility to HNCs, incorporating additional analyses and adding more studies to increase power and accuracy of the results. DESIGN: Subgroup analysis, meta-regression analysis, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore potential differences within the data and assess the stability of pooled odds ratios (ORs). To mitigate the risk of false conclusions from meta-analyses, a trial sequential analysis was performed. RESULTS: For ADH1B rs1229984, the pooled OR (95 % confidence interval (CI)) was 0.73 (0.65, 0.82), 0.42 (0.35, 0.50), 0.57 (0.44, 0.73), 0.56 (0.50, 0.62), and 0.80 (0.73, 0.88), as well as for ADH7 rs1573496, the pooled OR was 0.72 (0.62, 0.85), 0.36 (0.17, 0.74), 0.76 (0.64, 0.91), 0.80 (0.71, 0.91), and 0.38 (0.18, 0.78) with a p < 0.05 in all allelic, homozygous, heterozygous, recessive, and dominant models, respectively. However, no significant association was found between the ADH7 rs1154460 and rs284787 polymorphisms and the risk of HNC with pooled ORs of 1.11 (p = 0.19) and 1.09 (p = 0.24) for the recessive model, respectively. The ethnicities, tumor subsites, control sources, sample sizes, quality scores, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium statuses were confounding factors. CONCLUSION: The ADH1B rs1229984 and ADH7 rs1573496 polymorphisms are significantly associated with a reduced risk of HNC.

Salivary and serum levels of soluble E-cadherin in patients with gastrointestinal cancers: A comparative study.

AIM: According to the literature, high levels of salivary soluble E-cadherin may be lined to advanced stage and poor prognosis in cancers. This research aimed at comparing salivary and serum levels of soluble E-cadherin in cases with esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers. METHODS: This case-control research was performed on 68 patients with gastrointestinal cancers and 57 healthy volunteers as a control group to measure salivary and serum levels of soluble E-cadherin using ELISA kits. RESULTS: The results showed a statistically significant difference between salivary and serum levels of soluble E-cadherin in the case group, as opposed to the control group (P = 0.031). The salivary level of soluble E-cadherin in the control group was 2.138 ng/mL on average lower than that that in the case group. The median salivary level of soluble E-cadherin among cases with lymph node involvement was significantly higher compared with its median level in the control group (P = 0.049). Soluble E-cadherin salivary level and other variables, such as metastasis and cancer stage, were directly correlated, but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: According to the findings, the salivary level of soluble E-cadherin among cases with gastric cancer could be considered as a prognostic marker, but the diagnostic value of saliva could not be judged in esophageal and colorectal cancers because of small sample size, and more investigations are required for a definite conclusion.

A Randomized Triple-Blind Clinical Trial of the Effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Infiltration Injection Pain in the Anterior Maxilla

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the level of pain experienced during infiltration anesthesia of the anterior maxilla following low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with 810-980 nm wavelengths. Material and Methods: In the current triple-blind clinical trial, 84 patients received a total of 168 infiltration anesthesia injections (1.8 mL of 2% lidocaine plus 1:100,000 epinephrine) in the anterior maxilla. Each patient received two injections into the buccal mucosa of the right and left central incisors with a two-week interval. One injection was performed after LLLT, while the other injection was administered conventionally without laser. The pain level was measured immediately after injection using a visual analog scale (VAS). Results: There was a significant difference in the pain level experienced with and without LLLT, such that the mean pain score following LLLT was significantly lower than that without LLLT (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in the pain level between laser and no laser groups in males, but the difference in this regard was significant in females (p<0.05) and female patients experienced a significantly lower level of pain following LLLT. Conclusion: The low-level laser therapy can be successfully used to decrease the level of pain experienced during infiltration anesthesia of the anterior maxilla (AU).

Association between IL-8 (-251T/A) and IL-6 (-174G/C) Polymorphisms and Oral Cancer Susceptibility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Inflammation and cell-mediated immunity can have significant roles in different stages of carcinogenesis. The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between the polymorphisms of IL-8 (-251T/A) and IL-6 (-174G/C) and the risk of oral cancer (OC). METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were searched until December 18, 2020 without any restrictions. RevMan 5.3 software was used to calculate the results of forest plots (odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)); CMA 2.0 software was used to calculate funnel plots (Begg's and Egger's tests), and SPSS 22.0 was used for the meta-regression analysis. Moreover, trial sequential analysis was conducted to estimate the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Eleven articles including twelve studies were selected for the meta-analysis. The pooled ORs for the association between IL-8 (-251T/A) polymorphism and the risk of OC in the models of A vs. T, AA vs. TT, TA vs. TT, AA + TA vs. TT, and AA vs. TT + TA were 0.97 (p = 0.78), 0.86 (p = 0.55), 0.78 (p = 0.37), 0.83 (p = 0.45), and 1.10 (p = 0.34), respectively. The pooled ORs IL-6 (-174G/C) polymorphism and the risk of OC in the models of C vs. G, CC vs. GG, GC vs. GG, CC + GC vs. GG, and CC vs. GG + GC were 1.07 (p = 0.87), 1.17 (p = 0.82), 1.44 (p = 0.38), 1.28 (p = 0.61), and 0.96 (p = 0.93), respectively. There was no association between IL-8 (-251T/A) polymorphism and OC susceptibility, but the C allele and GC and CC genotypes of IL-6 (-174G/C) polymorphism were associated with the risk of OC based on subgroup analyses, that is to say, the source of control and the genotyping method might bias the pattern of association. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis confirmed that there was no association between the polymorphisms of IL-6 (-174G/C) and IL-8 (-251T/A) and the susceptibility of OC. However, the source of control and the genotyping method could unfavorably impact on the association between the polymorphisms of IL-6 (-174G/C) and the risk OC.

A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis on association between X-ray repair cross complementing (XRCC1, XRCC2, and XRCC3) polymorphisms and oral cancer susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: Oral Cancer (OC) is one of the leading causes of death and the disease mainly occurs over 50 years of age. Herein, a meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between X-ray repair cross complementing (XRCC) polymorphisms and OC risk. METHODS: Four databases were searched extensively until June 5, 2020. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and funnel plots, as well as the quality assessment were estimated. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were entered to the analysis. With regards to allele, homozygote, heterozygote, recessive, and dominant models, the pooled ORs for XRCC1 rs1799782 polymorphism were 1.51 (P = 0.01), 1.45 (P = 0.11), 1.45 (P = 0.0003), 1.44 (P = 0.0002), and 1.29 (P = 0.26); for XRCC1 rs1799782 polymorphism were 1.65 (P = 0.11), 1.50 (P = 0.33), 1.06 (P = 0.83), 1.57 (P = 0.12), and 1.32 (P = 0.45); for XRCC1 rs25489 polymorphism were 0.01 (P = 0.19), 1.44 (P = 0.48), 1.21 (P = 0.72), 1.17 (P = 0.19), and 1.38 (P = 0.54); for XRCC2 rs2040639 polymorphism were 0.68 (P = 0.0002), 0.63 (P = 0.02), 0.95 (P = 0.92), 0.79 (P = 0.49), and 0.61 (P = 0.005); and for XRCC3 rs861539 polymorphism were 1.24 (P = 0.20), 1.28 (P = 0.48), 0.99 (P = 0.95), 1.15 (P = 0.46), and 1.52 (P = 0.15), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The T allele and CT genotype of XRCC1 rs1799782 polymorphism had an elevated risk, whereas the G allele and GG genotype of XRCC2 rs2040639 polymorphism had a protective role in OC.

Fabrication of a novel hydroxyapatite/polyether ether ketone surface nanocomposite via friction stir processing for orthopedic and dental applications.

There is increasing interest in the use of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) for orthopedic and dental implant applications due to its elastic modulus (close to that of bone), biocompatibility and radiolucent properties. However, PEEK is still categorized as bioinert owing to its low integration with surrounding tissues. Methods such as depositing hydroxyapatite (HA) onto the PEEK surface could increase its bioactivity. However, depositing HA without damaging the PEEK substrate is still required further investigation. Friction stir processing is a solid-state processing method that is widely used for composite substrate fabrication. In this study, a pinless tool was used to fabricate a HA/PEEK surface nanocomposite for orthopedic and dental applications. Microscopical images of the modified substrate confirmed homogenous distribution of the HA on the surface of the PEEK. The resultant HA/PEEK surface nanocomposites demonstrated improved surface hydrophilicity coupled with better apatite formation capacity (as shown in the simulated body fluid) in comparison to the pristine PEEK, making the newly developed material more suitable for biomedical application. This surface deposition method that is carried out at low temperature would not damage the PEEK substrate and thus could be a good alternative for existing commercial methods for PEEK surface modification.

Evaluation of Serum and Salivary Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8 Levels in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the salivary and serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients compared to the controls. Four electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched up to January 2019. The study quality was checked according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The mean difference (MD) plus 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated using RevMan 5.3 software. The publication bias and sensitivity analysis were done using CMA 2.0 software. Out of 309 studies retrieved from the 4 databases, 26 studies were analyzed in the present meta-analysis. In this meta-analysis, the pooled MD in the OSCC patients compared to the controls was 19.06 pg/mL (95%CI: 14.78-23.33) for the serum IL-6 level, 199.14 pg/mL (95%CI: 47.39-350.89) for the serum IL-8 level, 122 pg/mL (95%CI: 64-179) for the salivary IL-6 level, and 958 pg/dL (95%CI: 718-1197) for the salivary IL-8 level. All values in this meta-analysis were statistically significant. In conclusion, according to the meta-analysis results, the serum and salivary IL-6 and IL-8 levels in OSCC patients were significantly elevated compared to the controls, and both cytokines can be useful as potential biomarkers in early OSCC diagnosis.

Serum and salivary interleukin-4 levels in patients with oral lichen planus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Cytokines have an important role in keratinocyte immune damage and can act in the pathogenesis of different cutaneous diseases. Accordingly, in the literature, interleukin 4 (IL-4) concentration has been previously investigated in patients affected by oral lichen planus (OLP). STUDY DESIGN: The present meta-analysis evaluated the serum and salivary levels of IL-4 in connection with several OLP variants. The search was performed from 1995 in Cochrane Library and 1983 in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science to September 2018. The quality of the studies included in the meta-analysis was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessment. The analyses were done by Review Manager 5.3 using mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Out of 108 studies retrieved in the databases, only 10 were included and analyzed in quantitative synthesis. The pooled MD of the serum and salivary IL-4 levels in OLP patients compared with the controls was 6.36 picograms/milliliter (pg/mL) (95% CI: 1.47, 11.24; P = .01) and 2.67 pg/mL (95% CI: 2.66, 2.68; P < .00001), respectively. In addition, the pooled MD of serum and salivary IL-4 level was 1.30 pg/mL (95% CI: -0.35, 2.95; P = .12) and 1.83 pg/mL (95% CI: 0.26, 3.40; P = .02), respectively, in patients with erosive, erythematous, bullous, and ulcerative variants of OLP compared with patients with reticular OLP. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis found that OLP patients present elevated serum and salivary IL-4 levels, thus indicating that IL-4 may represent a potential salivary biomarker for the disease. By contrast, clinicians must be aware that even other factors (e.g., secondary infection) may influence its concentration.

Effect of Fixed Orthodontic Treatment on Salivary Nickel and Chromium Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Nickel and chromium ions released from fixed orthodontic appliances may act as allergens. This study aimed to systematically review the effect of fixed orthodontic treatment on salivary levels of these ions by doing a meta-analysis on cross-sectional and cohort studies. The Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases were searched for articles on salivary profile of nickel or chromium in patients under fixed orthodontic treatment published from January 1983 to October 2017. A random-effect meta-analysis was done using Review Manager 5.3 to calculate mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI), and the quality of questionnaire was evaluated by the Newcastle⁻Ottawa scale. Fourteen studies were included and analyzed in this meta-analysis. Salivary nickel level was higher in periods of 10 min or less (MD = -11.5 µg/L, 95% CI = -16.92 to -6.07; P < 0.0001) and one day (MD = -1.38 µg/L, 95% CI = -1.97 to -0.80; P < 0.00001) after initiation of treatment compared to baseline (before the insertion of appliance). Salivary chromium level was higher in periods of one day (MD = -6.25 µg/L, 95% CI = -12.00 to -0.49; P = 0.03) and one week (MD = -2.07 µg/L, 95% CI = -3.88 to -0.26; P = 0.03) after the initiation of treatment compared to baseline. Corrosion of fixed orthodontic appliances leads to elevated salivary nickel and chromium concentrations early after initiation of orthodontic treatment. Randomized clinical trials controlling for factors affecting the saliva composition are recommended on a higher number of patients and among different ethnicities.

Applying the Taguchi Method to the Optimization of Anticancer Activity of Bacterial Alginate-CuO Bionanocomposite.

AIM: In recent decades, despite various types of cancer inflicting many people worldwide, the existing therapies are not satisfactory and have many side effects. The present study was conducted to optimise the synthesis of novel alginate-CuO nanocomposite with utmost anticancer activity. METHODS: In this study, 9 nanocomposites were designed using Taguchi method and three factors including copper oxide nanoparticles, alginate biopolymer and stirring times were assessed at three different levels. The anticancer activity of the synthesised nanocomposites was evaluated on the MCF-7 cell line using the MTT method. Using the Qulitek-4 software, we determined the optimum conditions for the synthesis of alginate-CuO nanocomposite with the highest anticancer activity. RESULTS: The results indicated that all three factors (copper oxide, alginate and stirring time) were effective on the anticancer activity of the alginate-CuO nanocomposite. Also, the nanocomposite produced under the conditions of experiment 9 (8 mg/ml of copper oxide, 2 mg/ml of alginate and 60 min of stirring time) provided the highest growth inhibition rate as 75.63% against cancer cells. CONCLUSION: The synthesised alginate-copper oxide nanocomposites in this study showed a significant anticancer effect. Therefore, the synthesised nanocomposite under optimal conditions can be used in the design of new anticancer drugs.

Evaluation of serum and salivary interferon-γ levels in patients with oral lichen planus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

OBJECTIVE: Cytokines have regulatory and leading roles in the immunopathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP). Here, we present the findings of a meta-analysis that evaluated serum and salivary interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels in patients with OLP compared with those in controls and the correlation of this cytokine with the progression of OLP. STUDY DESIGN: Four databases-PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library-were searched, from their start dates to November 2017, for reports in all languages on the effect of OLP on salivary and serum IFN-γ. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included and analyzed in this meta-analysis. The pooled mean difference (MD) values were estimated to be 3.60 pg/mL (P = .23) and -0.02 pg/mL (P = 1.00) for serum and salivary levels of IFN-γ, respectively, in the patients with OLP compared with controls. The pooled MD values were -2.52 pg/mL (P = .03) and -2.01 pg/mL (P = .20) for serum and salivary IFN-γ levels in the erosive type, respectively, compared with the nonerosive type. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of meta-analysis, there was no statistically significant differences in IFN-γ levels between the OLP group and the control group both in serum and salivary levels and also between erosive and nonerosive types of OLP at the salivary level; so this cytokine is not considered to have an important role in the pathogenesis or severity of OLP.

Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Hydroxyapatite/Sulphonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone Treated Layer for Orthopaedic and Dental Implant Application.

The mechanical properties of coated layers are one of the important factors for the long-term success of orthopeadic and dental implants. In this study, the mechanical properties of the porous coated layer were examined via scratch and nanoindentation tests. The effect of compression load on the porous coated layer of sulphonated poly ether ether ketone/Hydroxyapatite was studied to determine whether it changes its mechanical properties. The water contact angle and surface roughness of the compressed coated layer were also measured. The results showed a significant increase in elastic modulus, with mean values ranging from 0.464 GPa to 1.199 GPa (p<0.05). The average scratch hardness also increased significantly from 69.9 MPa to 95.7 MPa after compression, but the surface roughness and wettability decreased significantly (p<0.05). Simple compression enhanced the mechanical properties of the sulphonated poly ether ether ketone/hydroxyapatite coated layer, and the desired mechanical properties for orthopaedic and dental implant application can be achieved.

Salivary and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in oral lichen planus: a systematic review and meta-analysis study.

OBJECTIVE: Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) has a role in the progression of the oral lichen planus (OLP). The aim of this meta-analysis study was to evaluate the salivary and serum TNF-α levels in patients with OLP. STUDY DESIGN: We searched in the databases of PubMed/Medline, Science direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for studies reported from 1983 to 2016. All studies were checked for evaluation of salivary and serum levels of TNF-α in patients with OLP compared with healthy controls. RESULTS: Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. The mean difference of 7 studies reporting salivary TNF-α levels in patients with OLP versus healthy controls was 25.90 pg/mL (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.31-36.49; P < .00001) and 7 studies reporting serum TNF-α levels was 1.65 pg/mL (95% CI -0.82 to 4.11; P = .19). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with OLP, the higher levels of TNF-α in saliva compared with serum suggest that measurement of this marker in saliva may be more useful than in serum for determining diagnostic and therapeutic aims.

Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Salivary gland tumors are rare head and neck tumors with lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) as a particularly infrequent variant. This study was an evaluation of the incidence of EBV infection in malignant salivary gland tumors with the emphasis on tumor type and geographical area. Methods: Five databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane library) were searched for data on the prevalence of EBV in malignant salivary gland tumors. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted with Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 2.0 (CMA 2.0) using the event rate (ER) for estimation of the incidence of EBV in the salivary gland tumor patients. Publication bias was lacking as assessed through funnel plot analysis with the Begg's and Egger's tests (P>0.05). Results: Out of 618 studies searched in databases, 19 reported the prevalence of EBV in malignant salivary gland tumors and were included in the present meta-analysis. The pooled ER of all studies was 44% [95%CI=21.5-69.2%] with extreme heterogeneity that for the studies in America was 44.2% [95%CI=4.1-93.6%], in Asia (249 patients) was 70% [95%CI= 33.4-91.6%] and in Europe was 11.8% [95%CI=7.4-85.5%] with extreme heterogeneity for three subgroups. The pooled ER for patients with undifferentiated carcinoma was 86.7% [95%CI=71.5-94.4%] compared with 6.6% [95%CI=2.5-16.5%] for other carcinomas. Conclusions: The incidence of EBV infection in malignant salivary gland tumors in Asia was greater than in Europe and America and the higher presence of EBV infection in LEC cases implies that EBV may be a major factor in its etiology or pathogenesis. Genetic, environmental and other geographic factors may also be involved.

Efficacy of palifermin on oral mucositis and acute GVHD after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in hematology malignancy patients: a meta-analysis of trials.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Herein, this meta-analysis study evaluated the efficacy of palifermin after HSCT on the incidence and severity of OM or aGVHD in hematologic malignancy patients in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To compare the efficacy of palifermin on adverse events, OM and aGVHD compared with placebo, we searched databases of PubMed/Medline, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for RCTs based on a number of criteria. RESULTS: There was no difference observed in the incidence of OM and aGVHD between two groups. The subgroup analysis didn't show significant differences in two groups for aGVHD grade 2-4 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70-3.39, p = 0.28), aGVHD grade 3-4 (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.48-1.94, p = 0.92), OM grade 2-4 (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.42-1.38, p = 0.37) and OM grade 3-4 (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.25-1.15, p = 0.11], but erythema as an adverse effect in palifermin group was higher than placebo group (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.10-3.15, p = 0.02]. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis of six clinical trials found no statistically significant difference in OM and aGVHD grades in patients receiving 60 µg/kg/day dose of palifermin compared with those receiving a placebo. However, oral mucosal erythema was more prevalent among patients receiving palifermin than patients receiving a placebo.

Seven-Year Follow-Up of Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome.

One of the clinicopathological criteria for diagnosing Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is mucocutaneous pigmentation. We present a 57-year-old Iranian female patient with diffuse pigmentation in buccal and labial mucosa. The first colonoscopy revealed one 0.5 cm rectal polyp. However surveillance colonoscopies over a 7-year polyp showed over 100 colorectal polyps.