Management of patients with severe asthma: results from a survey among allergists and clinical immunologists of the Central Italy Inter-Regional Section of SIAAIC.

BACKGROUND: Asthma, and severe asthma in particular, is often managed within a specialized field with allergists and clinical immunologists playing a leading role. In this respect, the National Scientific Society SIAAIC (Società Italiana di Allergologia, Asma ed Immunologia Clinica), structured in Regional and Inter-Regional sections, interviewed a large number of specialists involved in the management of this respiratory disease. METHODS: A survey entitled "Management of patients with asthma and severe asthma" based on 17 questions was conducted through the SIAAIC newsletter in 2019 thanks to the collaboration between GlaxoSmithKline S.p.A. and the Inter-Regional Section of SIAAIC of Central Italy. RESULTS: Fifty-nine allergists and clinical immunologists participated to the survey, and 40 of them completed the entire questionnaire. Almost all of the specialists (88%) reported that asthma control was achieved in above 50% of their patients, even if only one third (32%) actually used validated clinical tools such as asthma control test (ACT). Poor adherence to inhaled therapy was recognized as the main cause of asthma control failure by 60% of respondents, and 2-5 min on average is dedicated to the patient inhaler technique training by two-thirds of the experts (65%). Maintenance and as-needed therapy (SMART/MART) is considered an appropriate approach in only a minority of the patients (25%) by one half of the respondents (52%). A high number of exacerbations despite the maximum inhalation therapy were recognized as highly suspicious of severe asthma. Patients eligible for biological therapies are 3-5% of the patients, and almost all the responders (95%) agreed that patients affected by severe asthma need to be managed in specialized centers with dedicated settings. Biological drugs are generally prescribed after 3-6 months from the initial access to the center, and once started, the follow-up is initially programmed monthly, and then every 3-6 months after the first year of treatment (96% of responders). After phenotyping and severity assessment, comorbidities (urticaria, chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps, vasculitis, etc.) are the drivers of choice among the different biological drugs. In the management of severe asthma, general practitioners (GPs) should play a central role in selecting patients and referring them to specialized centers while Scientific Societies should train GPs to appropriately recognize difficult asthma and promote public disease awareness campaigns. CONCLUSIONS: This survey which collects the point of view of allergists and clinical immunologists from Central Italy highlights that asthma control is still not measured with validated instruments. There is a general consensus that severe asthma should be managed only in dedicated centers and to this aim it is essential to encourage patient selection from a primary care setting and develop disease awareness campaigns for patients.

Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in a department of oral sciences: results of a thirteen-year surveillance study.

OBJECTIVES: Aim of this analysis was to identify trends that will aid in the prevention of injury. METHODS: Our data were collected from 1999 to 2011 during a surveillance program of occupational exposures to blood or other potentially infectious materials in a Dental School by using a standard coded protocol. RESULTS: 63 exposures were reported. 56/63 (89%) percutaneous and 7/63 (11%) mucosal, involving a splash to the eye of the dental care workers (DCW). 25/63 (40%) involved students, 23/63 (36%) DCW attending masters and doctorate, 13/63 (21%) DCW attending as tutors and 2/63 (3%) staff. 45/63 (71%) and 18/63 (29%) occurred respectively during and after the use of the device; of last ones, 1/18 (0.05%) were related to instrument clean-up and 1/18 (0.05%) to laboratory activity, 12/18 (67%) occurred when a DCW collided with a sharp object during the setting, and 4/18 (22%) during other activities. The instrument and the body part most likely involved were needle and finger respectively. The overall exposure rate was 4.78 per 10,000 patient visits. CONCLUSIONS: Our results may serve as benchmark that Dental Schools can employ to assess their frequency of injury.

Subgingival periodontal pathogens in Down syndrome children without periodontal breakdown. A case-control study on deciduous teeth.

AIM: Down syndrome is the most common form of aneuploidia compatible with a long survival. The affected subjects are more susceptible to severe early-onset periodontal disease and show a lower risk to develop dental caries than the non-affected population. This study investigated the prevalence of periodontal pathogens in the subgingival plaque of deciduous teeth in children with Down syndrome without signs of periodontal breakdown. METHODS: Thirty children suffering from Down syndrome and 46 matched healthy subjects were studied. A total of 228 subgingival plaque samples from deciduous teeth were separately collected and evaluated by polymerase chain reaction assays. CONCLUSION: In absence of periodontal impairment, Down syndrome children display a clear presence of periodontal pathogens already in the deciduous dentition. The hypothesis of an intrinsic predisposing condition is here supported.

Periodontal healing after 'orthodontic extraction' of mandibular third molars: a retrospective cohort study.

In this study we investigated periodontal healing of mandibular second molars following 'orthodontic extraction' of adjacent impacted third molars, under the null hypothesis that there would be no difference in probing pocket depths (PPD) and clinical attachment levels (CAL) at the distal aspect of second molars before and after treatment. A retrospective survey was conducted of 64 patients who consecutively underwent 'orthodontic extraction' of mandibular third molars in close anatomical relationship with the mandibular canal from January 1997 to January 2011. Age, smoking habit, and PPD and CAL at the distal aspect of second molars before and after treatment were recorded. A statistically significant difference was found in PPD and CAL before and after treatment for the overall sample and for the sample classified by age (>25 or ≤25 years), smoking habit (smoker or non-smoker), and type of third molar impaction (horizontal, mesioangular, or vertical). Median PPD and CAL reductions amounted to 6mm and 5mm, respectively. The null hypothesis was rejected and orthodontic extraction proved to be indicated for those impacted mandibular third molars at high risk of a postoperative periodontal defect at the distal aspect of the adjacent second molar.

Clinical-radiographic and histological evaluation of two hydroxyapatites in human extraction sockets: a pilot study.

After tooth extraction the healing process involves bone resorption and soft tissue contraction, events that can compromise the ideal implant placement with functional and aesthetic limitations. Following tooth extraction, a socket preservation technique can limit bone resorption. This study evaluated two different types of hydroxyapatite (HA) grafting materials placed into fresh extraction sockets, 6 months after tooth extraction, histologically, clinically and radiographically. Ten extraction sockets from 10 patients were divided in two groups: 5 sockets received a biomimetic HA and 5 received nanocrystalline HA. After 6 months, before implant placement, samples from the grafted area were harvested and evaluated clinically, radiographically and histologically. The percentages of bone, osteoid areas and residual material in the two groups were not statistically different. All samples showed great variability with extensive bone formation and total material resorption or amounts of osteoid tissue that filled the spaces between the residual material particles. The authors did not find any differences between biomimetic and nanocrystalline HA and assume that, within the limits of this study, both these materials could be applied into fresh extraction sockets to limit bone resorption. A control material and a much larger sample size are needed to confirm these findings.

The electric toothbrush: analysis of filaments under stereomicroscope.

BACKGROUND: The use of manual and electric toothbrushes has a fundamental role in primary prevention in oral hygiene. However, aggressive use of the toothbrush, especially those with non-rounded filaments, can result in lesions in both soft and hard oral tissue. Without doubt, the electric toothbrush is a useful aid for the patient, and it is therefore interesting to evaluate not only its effectiveness in plaque removal, but also the relationship between morphology of filaments and incidence of muco-gingival pathologies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research was to evaluate various forms of bristles of electric toothbrushes under a stereomicroscope vision. DATA SOURCES: Brushes tested included two samples of toothbrushes from six different types. Tufts from the same position on the toothbrush head were removed and examined under stereomicroscope. In this study the percentage of rounded filaments that is considered acceptable and non-traumatic was evaluated according to the Silverstone and Featherstone classification. CONCLUSIONS: Morphological analysis of electric toothbrush filaments revealed a low percentage of rounded filaments. In only four of 12 electric toothbrushes tested there were more than 50% of the filaments rounded in appearance.

Update on burning mouth syndrome: overview and patient management.

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is a chronic pain syndrome that mainly affects middle-aged/old women with hormonal changes or psychological disorders. This condition is probably of multifactorial origin, often idiopathic, and its etiopathogenesis remains largely enigmatic. The present paper discusses several aspects of BMS, updates current knowledge, and provides guidelines for patient management. There is no consensus on the diagnosis and classification of BMS. The etiopathogenesis seems to be complex and in a large number of patients probably involves interactions among local, systemic, and/or psychogenic factors. In the remaining cases, new interesting associations have recently emerged between BMS and either peripheral nerve damage or dopaminergic system disorders, emphasizing the neuropathic background in BMS. Based on these recent data, we have introduced the concepts of "primary" (idiopathic) and "secondary" (resulting from identified precipitating factors) BMS, since this allows for a more systematic approach to patient management. The latter starts with a differential diagnosis based on the exclusion of both other orofacial chronic pain conditions and painful oral diseases exhibiting muco-sal lesions. However, the occurrence of overlapping/overwhelming oral mucosal pathologies, such as infections, may cause difficulties in the diagnosis ("complicated BMS"). BMS treatment is still unsatisfactory, and there is no definitive cure. As a result, a multidisciplinary approach is required to bring the condition under better control. Importantly, BMS patients should be offered regular follow-up during the symptomatic periods and psychological support for alleviating the psychogenic component of the pain. More research is necessary to confirm the association between BMS and systemic disorders, as well as to investigate possible pathogenic mechanisms involving potential nerve damage. If this goal is to be achieved, a uniform definition of BMS and strict criteria for its classification are mandatory.

Porous phosphate-gelatine composite as bone graft with drug delivery function.

The design and synthesis of porous phosphate-gelatine composite implant which mimicks the structure of natural bone and has drug delivery function is proposed. Gelatine reproducing the proteinaceous part of bone was cross-linked in order to modulate its solubility in the physiologic fluids. The kinetic of gelatine release from ceramic matrix was also evaluated as model of the release of any therapeutic compound which can be loaded into gelatine.