An Observational Study on Cystic Alterations in Normal Dental Follicles Associated with Impacted Lower Third Molar for Early Intervention.

AIM: To evaluate the cystic changes in the radiographically normal dental follicle associated with impacted mandibular third molar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 80 patients. Samples were selected using a convenient sampling technique from the patients who had impacted mandibular third molars in Pell and Gregory's positions B and C, with follicular space less than 2.5 mm in diameter. After surgical removal of an impacted tooth, the dental follicle was sent for histopathologic evaluation. RESULTS: Pathologic alterations were found in 19% of cases out of 80 samples. Odontogenic keratocystic and dentigerous cystic changes were found in 7% of cases. A statistically significant cystic alteration was found in female patients and distoangular impacted teeth. CONCLUSION: This study shows a significant cystic alteration in the radiologically normal dental follicles. Clinical and radiographic features alone may not be a reliable indicator of the absence of pathology. Early intervention of impacted teeth will help to reduce morbidity due to the development of pathology. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study will help educate patients on the risks of retaining impacted teeth, based on scientific facts, in order to minimize the risks and to assess the correlation of pathologic alterations with the depth of impaction and angular position of the impacted tooth.

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Ultrasonography as a Diagnostic Screening Tool in Maxillofacial Fractures: A Prospective Study.

AIM: The aim of the study was to estimate the diagnostic efficacy of high-resolution ultrasonography (USG) in the diagnosis of maxillofacial fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive diagnostic evaluation study was carried out on 30 patients with suspected maxillofacial fractures, out of which 26 were male (86.7%) and 4 were female (13.3%). After initial management, detailed clinical examinations were carried out and significant findings were noted. Computed tomography (CT) scans were performed in fracture-suspecting patients followed by USG examination which was done in a standardized pattern on both sides of the face. The result of USG was compared with the CT scan report. RESULT: Based on CT findings, 65 sites were found to be fractured, and this was considered the gold standard. Ultrasonography detected 58 fractures at these 780 sites, of which 54 were true fractures, while 4 were false-positive results. However, USG was not able to detect eleven fractures. The overall sensitivity and specificity of USG were 83.1% and 99%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 93% and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSION: According to our study, it may be concluded that USG may be recommended as a diagnostic screening tool to detect superficial maxillofacial fractures. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Ultrasonography provides a safe, cost-effective, reliable, non-invasive, easily available, and portable imaging modality to screen for maxillofacial fractures.

Achalasia Is Associated With Atopy in Patients Younger Than 40 Years of Age.

INTRODUCTION: Case reports describe individuals with achalasia features subsequently diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (an atopic disorder). We have examined associations between achalasia and atopic and autoimmune conditions. METHODS: This is a UK cohort study of 2,593 subjects with achalasia matched to 10,402 controls. RESULTS: At diagnosis, achalasia was associated with autoimmune conditions (odds ratio 1.39; 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.90) and atopic conditions (1.40; 1.00-1.95) in those aged younger than 40 years. DISSCUSSION: Our findings support an autoimmune etiology in achalasia but also suggest a possible atopic etiology in younger subjects.

Epidemiology, morbidity and mortality in Behçet's disease: a cohort study using The Health Improvement Network (THIN).

OBJECTIVES: The epidemiology of Behçet's disease (BD) has not been well characterized in the UK. Evidence on the risk of cardiovascular disease, thromboembolic disease and mortality in patients with BD compared with the general population is scarce. METHODS: We used a large UK primary care database to investigate the epidemiology of BD. A retrospective matched cohort study was used to assess the following outcomes: risk of cardiovascular, thromboembolic disease and mortality. Controls were selected at a 1:4 ratio (age and gender matched). Cox proportional hazard models were used to derive adjusted hazard ratios (aHR). RESULTS: The prevalence of BD was 14.61 (95% CI 13.35-15.88) per 100 000 population in 2017. A total of 1281 patients with BD were compared with 5124 age- and gender-matched controls. There was significantly increased risk of ischaemic heart disease [aHR 3.09 (1.28-7.44)], venous thrombosis [aHR 4.80 (2.42-9.54)] and mortality [aHR 1.40 (1.07-1.84)] in patients with BD compared with corresponding controls. Patients with BD were at higher risk of pulmonary embolism compared with corresponding controls at baseline [adjusted odds ratio 4.64 (2.66-8.09), P < 0.0001]. The majority of patients with pulmonary embolism and a diagnosis of BD had pulmonary embolism preceding the diagnosis of BD, not after (87.5%; n = 28/32). CONCLUSION: BD has a higher prevalence than previously thought. Physicians should be aware of the increased risk of developing ischaemic heart disease, stroke/transient ischaemic attack and deep venous thrombosis in patients with BD at an earlier age compared with the general population. Risk of embolism in patients with BD might vary across the disease course.

Female survivors of intimate partner violence and risk of depression, anxiety and serious mental illness.

BACKGROUND: Internationally, intimate partner violence (IPV) cohorts have demonstrated associations with depression and anxiety. However, this association has not yet been described in a UK population, nor has the association with serious mental illness (SMI). AIMS: To explore the relationship between IPV exposure and mental illness in a UK population. METHOD: We designed a retrospective cohort study whereby we matched 18 547 women exposed to IPV to 74 188 unexposed women. Outcomes of interest (anxiety, depression and SMI) were identified through clinical codes. RESULTS: At baseline, 9174 (49.5%) women in the exposed group had some form of mental illness compared with 17 768 (24.0%) in the unexposed group, described as an adjusted odds ratio of 2.62 (95% CI 2.52-2.72). Excluding those with mental illness at baseline, 1254 exposed women (incidence rate 46.62 per 1000 person-years) went on to present with any type of mental illness compared with 3119 unexposed women (incidence rate 14.93 per 1000 person-years), with an aIRR of 2.77 (95% CI 2.58-2.97). Anxiety (aIRR 1.99, 95% CI 1.80-2.20), depression (aIRR 3.05, 95% CI 2.81-3.31) and SMI (aIRR 3.08, 95% CI 2.19-4.32) were all associated with exposure to IPV. CONCLUSIONS: IPV remains a significant public health issue in the UK. We have demonstrated the significant recorded mental health burden associated with IPV in primary care, at both baseline and following exposure. Clinicians must be aware of this association to reduce mental illness diagnostic delay and improve management of psychological outcomes in this group of patients.

Incidence, morbidity and mortality of patients with achalasia in England: findings from a study of nationwide hospital and primary care data.

BACKGROUND: Achalasia is an uncommon condition characterised by failed lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation. Data regarding its incidence, prevalence, disease associations and long-term outcomes are very limited. METHODS: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) include demographic and diagnostic data for all English hospital attendances. The Health Improvement Network (THIN) includes the primary care records of 4.5 million UK subjects, representative of national demographics. Both were searched for incident cases between 2006 and 2016 and THIN for prevalent cases. Subjects with achalasia in THIN were compared with age, sex, deprivation tand smoking status matched controls for important comorbidities and mortality. RESULTS: There were 10 509 and 711 new achalasia diagnoses identified in HES and THIN, respectively. The mean incidence per 100 000 people in HES was 1.99 (95% CI 1.87 to 2.11) and 1.53 (1.42 to 1.64) per 100 000 person-years in THIN. The prevalence in THIN was 27.1 (25.4 to 28.9) per 100 000 population. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were significantly higher in subjects with achalasia (n=2369) compared with controls (n=3865) for: oesophageal cancer (IRR 5.22 (95% CI: 1.88 to 14.45), p<0.001), aspiration pneumonia (13.38 (1.66 to 107.79), p=0.015), lower respiratory tract infection (1.33 (1.05 to 1.70), p=0.02) and mortality (1.33 (1.17 to 1.51), p<0.001). The median time from achalasia diagnosis to oesophageal cancer diagnosis was 15.5 (IQR 20.4) years. CONCLUSION: The incidence of achalasia is 1.99 per 100 000 population in secondary care data and 1.53 per 100 000 person-years in primary care data. Subjects with achalasia have an increased incidence of oesophageal cancer, aspiration pneumonia, lower respiratory tract infections and higher mortality. Clinicians treating patients with achalasia should be made aware of these associated morbidities and its increased mortality.

Transversus abdominis plane block supplementation during iliac crest bone graft harvesting - Effect on postoperative pain.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a technique proposed to minimise pain after anterior iliac crest bone harvesting. This study aims to evaluate the postoperative pain in patients who receive ultrasound-guided TAP block to supplement routine wound infiltration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 143 patients aged between 6 and 22 years were randomised into two groups. Patients in group A received supplemental TAP block on the same side. Patients in group B received local anesthetic wound infiltration alone. Pain scores were compared at the first and 24th postoperative hours. RESULTS: TAP block significantly reduced pain and delirium in the immediate postoperative period. The mean FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability) score after 10 min was 0.8 in group A versus 1.8 in group B (P = 0.001). The mean Watcha scale at 10 min was 1.0 in group A versus 1.2 in group B (P = 0.001). After 24 h, 81.7% of patients in group A had no pain versus 59.7% in group B (P = 0.004). The incidence of intolerable pain at 24 h was 5.6% in group B versus 0% in group A (P = 0.04). Cumulative ambulation scores were significantly better in group A (P < 0.05). There was a strong and positive correlation between the analgesia and ability to ambulate comfortably at 24 h postop (Pearson's coefficient 0.95). CONCLUSION: Supplemental ultrasound-guided TAP block given intraoperatively reduces the postoperative pain. The incidence of emergence delirium was low. These patients were also able to ambulate earlier.

The Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen for the Prevention and Management of Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw: A Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center Multidisciplinary Guideline.

BACKGROUND: Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORN) is an infrequent yet potentially devastating complication of radiation therapy to the head and neck region. Treatment options include antimicrobial therapy, local sequestrectomy, resection, and the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). Published data on ORN are difficult to compare because of the lack of a universally accepted classification and staging system, and the literature on the use of HBO to either prevent or successfully manage ORN is controversial and inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to establish a standard approach for using HBO at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was conducted of articles published in the English language between January 1980 and January 2016. Retrieved articles were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Isolated case reports, abstracts, case series, review articles, and cohort studies without a control group were excluded; summary data were extracted from the remaining studies. A panel of experts from Head and Neck Oncology and Oral Medicine from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital reviewed the summary data and established multidisciplinary guidelines on the use of HBO for the prevention and management of ORN. RESULTS: Seven studies were evaluated and reviewed by the multidisciplinary panel. There was no consistent evidence in support of HBO for either the prevention or management of ORN. CONCLUSION: Based on the available evidence and expert opinion, routine use of HBO for the prevention or management of ORN is not recommended and is rarely used at our institution. The Oncologist 2017;22:343-350 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The Division of Head and Neck Oncology of Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center does not recommend the routine use of HBO for the prevention or management of ORN. Adjunctive HBO may be considered for use on a case-by-case basis in patients considered to be at exceptionally high risk who have failed conservative therapy and subsequent surgical resection.

Preventing Post-ERCP Pancreatitis: The Role of Prophylactic Pancreatic Duct Stenting in the Rectal NSAID Era.

BACKGROUND: Rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is now the standard of care to reduce the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis. Pancreatic duct stenting also reduces the risk of post- ERCP pancreatitis in high-risk patients, but failed pancreatic duct stenting carries an increased PEP rate (up to 35%). STUDY AIM: To assess the impact on post-ERCP pancreatitis of successful and unsuccessful pancreatic duct stent placement in the setting of universal rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. METHODS: Between 2013-2015, all patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographys in our tertiary referral centre (where rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used routinely) were included. The electronic patient's records were reviewed and the following parameters were analysed: indication for pancreatic duct stenting; deployment success; and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 1633 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographys were performed, and pancreatic duct stenting was attempted in 324 cases (20%), with successful placement in 307 patients (95%). Contra-indications to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were found in 106 (6.5%) patients. Prophylactic stenting failed in 12 of 213 patients; of whom one patient developed post-ERCP pancreatitis (8%). Eighteen (9%) patients with prophylactic pancreatic duct stents developed post-ERCP pancreatitis compared to 1.4% without prophylactic stents (RR 8.4, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: A lack of difference in post-ERCP pancreatitis in those who underwent successful, and unsuccessful, pancreatic duct stent placement may reflect the protective effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This data adds to evidence suggesting that pancreatic duct stenting may be less important, even in high-risk patients, with the widespread use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Immunobiology and immunotherapeutic targeting of glioma stem cells.

For decades human brain tumors have confounded our efforts to effectively manage and treat patients. In adults, glioblastoma multiforme is the most common malignant brain tumor with a patient survival of just over 14 months. In children, brain tumors are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer death and gliomas account for one-fifth of all childhood cancers. Despite advances in conventional treatments such as surgical resection, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy, the incidence and mortality rates for gliomas have essentially stayed the same. Furthermore, research efforts into novel therapeutics that initially appeared promising have yet to show a marked benefit. A shocking and somewhat disturbing view is that investigators and clinicians may have been targeting the wrong cells, resulting in the appearance of the removal or eradication of patient gliomas only to have brain cancer recurrence. Here we review research progress in immunotherapy as it pertains to glioma treatment and how it can and is being adapted to target glioma stem cells (GSCs) as a means of dealing with this potential paradigm.

Evaluating the Clinical Efficacy of Maxillary Labial Frenectomy Procedure Using Diode Laser (980 nm) and Conventional Scalpel: An Observational Study.

Aim: This is an era of minimally invasive and least traumatic surgical interventions being focused on. The traditional scalpel frenectomy technique offers an increase in post-operative sequelae. To unravel this scenario a comparative evaluation is carried out to find out the clinical outcomes and quality of life after maxillary labial frenectomy using a conventional scalpel and diode laser frenectomy of 980 nm. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six subjects age ranging between 18 and 45 years reported to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, MES Dental College, Perinthalmanna with an aberrant frenal attachment of maxillary labial frenum were randomly assigned into two groups. Group A underwent the conventional scalpel technique and group B for the diode laser-assisted (980 nm) frenectomy technique. The post-operative parameters of ooze from the surgical site, pain, wound healing, and discomfort or acceptance of the procedure were assessed on day 1, day 7, and day 14, respectively. Results: The diode laser group exhibited statistically significant clinical and healing outcomes. Less pain, minimal or absent ooze, increased healing, and better acceptance of the procedure with diode laser at 1, 7, and 14 days recall visit. Conclusion: Surgical interventions involving needle puncture and the associated post-operative sequelae are the most dreaded experiences that make patients indifferent toward surgical treatments. Thus in terms of better clinical outcomes and improved quality of life diode laser frenectomy is an excellent alternative wherein a needleless anesthetic success followed by minimal surgical intervention and less post-operative sequelae with fast recovery is possible.

Inflammation across tissues: can shared cell biology help design smarter trials?

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are responsible for substantial global disease burden and associated health-care costs. Traditional models of research and service delivery silo their management within organ-based medical disciplines. Very often patients with disease in one organ have comorbid involvement in another, suggesting shared pathogenic pathways. Moreover, different IMIDs are often treated with the same drugs (including glucocorticoids, immunoregulators and biologics). Unlocking the cellular basis of these diseases remains a major challenge, leading us to ask why, if these diseases have so much in common, they are not investigated in a common manner. A tissue-based, cellular understanding of inflammation might pave the way for cross-disease, cross-discipline basket trials (testing one drug across two or more diseases) to reduce the risk of failure of early-phase drug development in IMIDs. This new approach will enable rapid assessment of the efficacy of new therapeutic agents in cross-disease translational research in humans.

ZEB1 loss increases glioma stem cell tumorigenicity and resistance to chemoradiation.

OBJECTIVE: Glioblastoma has been known to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiation, whereas the underlying mechanisms of resistance have not been fully elucidated. The authors studied the role of the transcription factor ZEB1 (zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 protein), which is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and is central to the stemness of glioblastoma, to determine its role in therapeutic resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. The authors previously demonstrated that ZEB1 is deleted in a majority of glioblastomas. METHODS: The authors explored resistance to therapy in the context of ZEB1 loss and overexpression in glioma stem cells (GSCs) and in patient data. RESULTS: Patients with ZEB1 loss had a shorter survival time than patients with wild-type ZEB1 in both the high- and low-MGMT groups. Consistent with the clinical data, mice implanted with ZEB1 knockdown GSCs showed shortened survival compared with mice inoculated with nonsilencing control (NS) short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) GSC glioblastoma. ZEB1-deleted GSCs demonstrated increased tumorigenicity with regard to proliferation and invasion. Importantly, GSCs that lose ZEB1 expression develop enhanced resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combined chemoradiation. ZEB1 loss may lead to increased HER3 expression through the HER3/Akt pathway associated with this chemoresistance. Conversely, overexpression of ZEB1 in GSCs that are ZEB1 null leads to increased sensitivity to chemoradiation. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that ZEB1 loss in cancer stem cells confers resistance to chemoradiation and uncovers a potentially targetable cell surface receptor in these resistant cells.

Comparison of different methods for isolating CD8+ T lymphocyte-derived extracellular vesicles and supramolecular attack particles.

CD8+ T lymphocytes play vital roles in killing infected or deranged host cells, recruiting innate immune cells, and regulating other aspects of immune responses. Like any other cell, CD8+ T cells also produce extracellular particles. These include extracellular vesicles (EVs) and non-vesicular extracellular particles (NVEPs). T cell-derived EVs are proposed to mediate cell-to-cell signalling, especially in the context of inflammatory responses, autoimmunity, and infectious diseases. CD8+ T cells also produce supramolecular attack particles (SMAPs), which are in the same size range as EVs and mediate a component of T cell mediated killing. The isolation technique selected will have a profound effect on yield, purity, biochemical properties and function of T cell-derived particles; making it important to directly compare different approaches. In this study, we compared commonly used techniques (membrane spin filtration, ultracentrifugation, or size exclusion liquid chromatography) to isolate particles from activated human CD8+ T cells and validated our results by single-particle methods, including nanoparticle tracking analysis, flow cytometry, electron microscopy and super-resolution microscopy of the purified sample as well as bulk proteomics and lipidomics analyses to evaluate the quality and nature of enriched T cell-derived particles. Our results show that there is a trade-off between the yield and the quality of T cell-derived particles. Furthermore, the protein and lipid composition of the particles is dramatically impacted by the isolation technique applied. We conclude that from the techniques evaluated, size exclusion liquid chromatography offers the highest quality of T cell derived EVs and SMAPs with acceptable yields for compositional and functional studies.

Paramassetric Subcutaneous Dirofilariasis: A Rare Entity.

Dirofilariasis is an uncommon zoonotic parasitic infection affecting humans due to the bite of a mosquito vector. It is an endemic caused by Dirofilaria which is characterized in humans as nodules in lungs, subcutaneous tissue, peritoneal cavity, eyes. We present a case of Dirofilariasis with subcutaneous presentation in paramassetric region.

Risk of a subsequent diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease in subjects with ophthalmic disorders associated with inflammatory bowel disease: a retrospective cohort analysis of UK primary care data.

OBJECTIVES: Ophthalmic conditions including anterior uveitis (AU), episcleritis and scleritis may occur in association with the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) as ophthalmic extraintestinal manifestations. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of a later IBD diagnosis in those presenting with IBD associated ocular inflammation (IAOI). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Primary care UK database. PARTICIPANTS: 38 805 subjects with an IAOI were identified (median age 51 (38-65), 57% women) and matched to 153 018 subjects without IAOI. MEASURES: The risk of a subsequent diagnosis of IBD in subjects with IAOIs compared with age/sex matched subjects without IAOI. HRs were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, deprivation, comorbidity, smoking, baseline axial arthropathy, diarrhoea, loperamide prescription, anaemia, lower gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal pain.Logistic regression was used to produce a prediction model for a diagnosis of IBD within 3 years of an AU diagnosis. RESULTS: 213 (0.6%) subsequent IBD diagnoses (102 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 111 Crohn's disease (CD)) were recorded in those with IAOIs and 329 (0.2%) (215 UC and 114 CD) in those without. Median time to IBD diagnosis was 882 (IQR 365-2043) days in those with IAOI and 1403 (IQR 623-2516) in those without. The adjusted HR for a subsequent diagnosis of IBD was 2.25 (95% CI 1.89 to 2.68), p<0.001; for UC 1.65 (95% CI 1.30 to 2.09), p<0.001; and for CD 3.37 (95% CI 2.59 to 4.40), p<0.001 in subjects with IAOI compared with those without.Within 3 years of an AU diagnosis, 84 (0.5%) subjects had a recorded diagnosis of IBD. The prediction model performed well with a C-statistic of 0.75 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with IAOI have a twofold increased risk of a subsequent IBD diagnosis. Healthcare professionals should be alert for potential signs and symptoms of IBD in those presenting with ophthalmic conditions associated with IBD.

Study of Patterns of Maxillofacial Injuries: An Institution-based Observational Study.

Maxillofacial fractures are one of the common presentations in an emergency department. They are considered to be one of the significant and dominant conditions that requires treatment as the fractures can result in morbidity, mortality, psychological, functional disability, and facial mutilation. The incidence, patterns, and etiology of maxillofacial fractures vary from one country to another due to the geographical, cultural, social, and economic differences. The present study included 176 patients from January 2019 to September 2020 that aimed to evaluate the pattern of maxillofacial fractures and to learn the etiology for the same.

A longitudinal study to evaluate the bleeding pattern of patients on low dose aspirin therapy following dental extraction.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antiplatelet dugs are often interrupted preceding invasive dental extraction because of concern of bleeding complications. The fear of uncontrolled bleeding often prompts medical and dental practitioners to stop aspirin intake for 7 to 10 days before any surgical procedure, which puts the patient at risk from adverse thrombotic events. The aim of the study conducted was to evaluate the bleeding pattern after routine dental extraction among patients on low dose long term aspirin therapy. METHODS: A total of 104 subjects in the age group of 30-65 years, who continued to have aspirin intake during extraction were included in the study. Dental extraction was performed without stopping aspirin therapy under local anesthesia. The post-operative blood loss was quantified by weighing the gauze pre and post operatively and adding total volume of fluid in the suction jar. RESULTS: Of these 104 patients treated, 87% of patients had mild bleeding (<20 ml) and 13% of patients had moderate bleeding (20-30 ml). The total study population showed a mean blood loss of 16.15 ± 3.5 ml. CONCLUSION: Within in the limitations, our study concluded that the routine dental extraction in patients under low dose aspirin therapy did not cause clinically significant post extraction hemorrhage. Aspirin intake can be continued during routine dental extraction as post extraction bleeding encountered will be negligible.