Apixaban in Patients With Post-Myocardial Infarction Left Ventricular Thrombus: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants are frequently used to treat post-myocardial infarction (MI) left ventricular thrombus (LVT). This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of use of apixaban, compared to the standard warfarin therapy, in post-MI LVT. Methods: This open-label, randomized controlled trial included patients with post-acute or recent anterior wall MI with transthoracic echocardiography-confirmed LVT. Patients were randomized to receive either apixaban 5 mg twice daily or warfarin to achieve an international normalized ratio of 2-3, in addition to dual antiplatelet therapy. The primary endpoint was LVT resolution at 3 months, with a noninferiority margin of 95% for apixaban compared to warfarin. The secondary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) or any relevant bleeding according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) classification. Results: Fifty patients were enrolled from 3 centres. The use of dual or single antiplatelet agents was similar in the 2 groups. The number of 1-, 3-, and 6-month LVT resolutions were 10 (40.0%), 19 (76.0%), and 23 (92.0%) in the apixaban group, and 14 (56%), 20 (80.0%), and 24 (96.0%) in the warfarin group, respectively, without significant differences (P < 0.036 for noninferiority at 3 months). Patients taking warfarin required longer hospital stays and more outpatient visits. Multivariate adjustment analysis revealed left ventricular aneurysm, larger baseline LVT area and lower left ventricular ejection fraction to be independent predictors of LVT persistence at 3 months. No MACE occurred in either group; 1 BARC-2 bleeding event occurred with warfarin. Conclusions: Apixaban was not inferior to warfarin in the resolution of post-MI LVT.

Contexte: Les anticoagulants oraux directs sont souvent utilisés pour traiter un thrombus du ventricule gauche (TVG) après un infarctus du myocarde (IM). Cette étude a été réalisée afin d'évaluer l'efficacité et l'innocuité de l'apixaban, comparativement au traitement de référence par la warfarine dans les cas de TVG consécutif à un IM. Méthodologie: Cette étude en mode ouvert, contrôlée et à répartition aléatoire portait sur des patients ayant subi un IM aigu ou un IM récent de la paroi antérieure et présentant un TVG confirmé par échocardiographie transthoracique. Les patients ont été répartis aléatoirement pour recevoir l'apixaban à 5 mg deux fois par jour ou la warfarine en vue d'obtenir un ratio international normalisé de 2-3, en plus d'une bithérapie antiplaquettaire. Le critère d'évaluation principal était la résolution du TVG à trois mois, avec une marge de non-infériorité de 95 % pour l'apixaban comparativement à la warfarine. Le critère d'évaluation secondaire était la survenue d'événements cardiovasculaires indésirables majeurs ou de tout saignement associé, selon la classification du Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC). Résultats: Cinquante patients provenant de trois centres ont été sélectionnés. L'utilisation d'un seul ou de deux agents antiplaquettaires était similaire dans les deux groupes. Le nombre de résolutions du TVG à 1 mois, à 3 mois et à 6 mois était de 10 (40,0 %), 19 (76,0 %) et 23 (92,0 %) respectivement dans le groupe apixaban, et de 14 (56,0 %), 20 (80,0 %) et 24 (96,0 %) respectivement dans le groupe warfarine, sans différence significative (p < 0,036 pour la non-infériorité à 3 mois). Les patients qui prenaient de la warfarine ont dû être hospitalisés plus longtemps et consulter plus souvent en externe. L'analyse multivariée sur les ajustements a révélé que l'anévrisme du ventricule gauche, plus grande zone TVG de base et une faible fraction d'éjection du ventricule gauche étaient des facteurs prédictifs indépendants de la persistance du TVG à trois mois. Aucun événement cardiovasculaire indésirable majeur ne s'est produit dans les deux groupes; un saignement de classe 2 selon le BARC s'est produit dans le groupe prenant de la warfarine. Conclusions: L'apixaban n'était pas inférieur à la warfarine dans la résolution du TVG après un IM.

Validation of the Swedish National Inpatient Register for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in 2005.

The Swedish National Inpatient Register (NPR) has near-complete coverage of in-hospital admissions and ICD codes in Sweden. Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a serious condition presenting challenges regarding diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Here we aimed to validate the accuracy of acute PE diagnosis in the NPR, investigational findings, antithrombotic treatment, and follow-up of PE patients in Sweden. From a nation-wide cohort of all patients with in-hospital diagnoses of acute PE (ICD-10-SE codes I26.0-I26.9) in 2005 (n = 5793), we selected those from two Swedish regions for thorough manual review of hospital records. We identified 599 patients with PE diagnoses according to the ICD-10 coding system. We excluded 58 patients with admissions related to previous PE (47; 8%) or incorrect ICD codes (11; 2%), leaving 501 patients with probable PE diagnoses. We confirmed the diagnosis in 441 (79%) cases, which was based on imaging (435 patients; 73%) or autopsy (6; 1%). In the remaining 60 (11%) cases, the PE diagnosis was based on clinical findings and can therefore not be confirmed. Of the surviving patients with PE, 231 (47%) were offered follow-up within 6 months after the acute event. At follow-up, 67 patients (29%) had symptoms requiring clinical attention (dyspnoea or reduced general condition). The Swedish NPR showed acceptable accuracy for PE diagnosis, and could be reliably used for register-based research regarding acute PE.

Awareness and Utilization of ROME Criteria for Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome among Primary Care Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) accounts for a reasonable number of medical encounters in primary care, yet a large proportion of cases remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to non-application of systematic approach in such cases. AIM: We aimed to assess the awareness, attitude and self-reported utilization of ROME criteria among primary care physicians. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among primary care physicians under ministry of health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (N=216). A pre-designed, structured, closed ended, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: A great majority of physicians (about 86%) were aware about ROME criteria; about 57% were having detailed knowledge, while about 53% considered themselves skilled enough to use it confidently. Only 29% physicians reported to use it frequently in their day to day practice. Knowledge, attitude and practice were found to be significantly higher among family medicine specialty as compared to others (p<0.05), whereas knowledge and attitude were noted to be significantly higher among residents as compared to specialist (p<0.05). No association was noted with age, gender, nationality and duration of clinical experience (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We found a low utilization of ROME criteria among physicians with remarkable gap between awareness and practice.

Time to endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Results from a prospective multicentre trainee-led audit.

Background: Endoscopy within 24 h of admission (early endoscopy) is a quality standard in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB). We aimed to audit time to endoscopy outcomes and identify factors affecting delayed endoscopy (>24 h of admission). Methods: This prospective multicentre audit enrolled patients admitted with AUGIB who underwent inpatient endoscopy between November and December 2017. Analyses were performed to identify factors associated with delayed endoscopy, and to compare patient outcomes, including length of stay and mortality rates, between early and delayed endoscopy groups. Results: Across 348 patients from 20 centres, the median time to endoscopy was 21.2 h (IQR 12.0-35.7), comprising median admission to referral and referral to endoscopy times of 8.1 h (IQR 3.7-18.1) and 6.7 h (IQR 3.0-23.1), respectively. Early endoscopy was achieved in 58.9%, although this varied by centre (range: 31.0-87.5%, p = 0.002). On multivariable analysis, lower Glasgow-Blatchford score, delayed referral, admissions between 7:00 and 19:00 hours or via the emergency department were independent predictors of delayed endoscopy. Early endoscopy was associated with reduced length of stay (median difference 1 d; p = 0.004), but not 30-d mortality (p = 0.344). Conclusions: The majority of centres did not meet national standards for time to endoscopy. Strategic initiatives involving acute care services may be necessary to improve this outcome.

Assessment of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness using optical coherence tomography in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common ocular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and considered one of the leading causes of blindness in developed countries. Diabetic retinopathy is predominantly amicroangiopathy in which high glucose levels can make small blood vessels particularly, vulnerable to damage. Objective: The aim of this work was to assess the thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measured by Swept Source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Patients and Methods: The study was an observational cross-sectional study. The study was conducted on 40 eyes of diabetic patients from the outpatient clinic in ophthalmology department of Al-Azhar University Hospitals. All patients were subjected to a complete ophthalmic examination including OCT. Results: The current study showed a negative correlation between parameters related to DM (duration of DM, and state of glycemic control measured by HbA1C) and all the parameters related to RNFL, and RGCL thickness but this correlation was statistically insignificant, and there was statistically significant decrease in superior RNFL thickness in patients with mild DR than patients with no DR, however, this difference was statistically insignificant in all parameters related to RGCL thickness in the two groups. Conclusion: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides non-invasive, quantitative and objective measurement of RNFL thickness, optic nerve head, and RGCL thickness with high resolution and accuracy. This could be the method of choice for monitoring the neurodegenerative changes in DR

Oil pulling and importance of traditional medicine in oral health maintenance.

Dental diseases have detrimental effects on the functionality and quality of life of individuals. In addition, a strong relationship has been established between various oral and systemic diseases. In fact, the prevention and treatment of dental caries and periodontal disease have been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease significantly. This goes beyond the role of oral health as a means to identify early manifestations of systemic diseases in the oral cavity. It highlights the necessity of maintaining an optimal oral hygiene to significantly modify the risk factors for serious systemic diseases. The use of oil pulling can be frequently found in ancient medical text and is supported by recent studies for its efficacy and long-term use for maintaining and improving oral health. This article provides an overview on the concept of oil pulling or oil swishing, its mechanism of action and a summary of the evidence available, which highlights the role of oil pulling in specific oral diseases. The goal of this review is to highlight the ancient procedure that has the potential to be used as an adjunct to conventional chemical means of dental plaque control, such as mouth rinses. Incorporating oil swishing as a component of daily oral hygiene can significantly improve oral and general health, specifically in lower socioeconomic groups and rural communities that may have interrupted access to health-care services and dental products such as dentifrices and mouth washes due to various factors; availability and affordability being the most important.

Antibacterial Activity of Two Chemomechanical Caries Removal Gels on Carious Dentin of Primary Teeth: An in vitro Study.

INTRODUCTION: Chemomechanical caries removal (CMCR) is an effective method of caries removal especially for primary teeth as they cause less discomfort when compared with conventional caries removal. The most significant thing about caries removal is the elimination of cariogenic bacteria. This study compares the antibacterial activity of two CMCR gels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 primary molar teeth with carious dentin were split along the long axis in a laboratory. Total viable count (TVC) was taken for the teeth before splitting as a measure of colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL). Each half was treated with either Carisolv or Carie-Care CMCR gels. Clean dentin samples were evaluated for Streptococcus mutans (SM) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (LB) after removal of carious tissue using the caries removal gels using serial dilutions and incubating on specific agar plates. RESULTS: The results showed significant reduction in mean TVC after use of both the CMCR gels. Both gels reduced the CFU/mL of SM and LB to a significant level (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the antibacterial activities of the two CMCR gels. CONCLUSION: The CMCR gels (Carisolv and Carie-Care) significantly reduced the residual TVC as well as SM and LB in carious primary dentin. Both CMCR gels had a similar antibacterial activity on the carious dentin of primary teeth. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The CMCR gels tested have a significant antibacterial activity and can be effectively used for elimination of caries-causing bacteria in primary teeth.

Knowledge and Attitude among General Dental Practitioners towards Minimally Invasive Dentistry in Riyadh and AlKharj.

INTRODUCTION: Minimally Invasive Dentistry (MID) emphasizes conservative caries management strategies resulting in less destruction of tooth structure, a deviation of the traditional GV Black's restorative principles. However, there seems to be either deficiency in knowledge or little intention by general dental practitioners to adopt these principles. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude among general dental practitioners towards minimally invasive dentistry in Riyadh and AlKharj cities of Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Self-administered structured questionnaires were handed to general dental practitioners (GDPs) in the cities of Riyadh and AlKharj in Saudi Arabia. Several questions, including Likert-type scale response categories (1-5), were used. The questions assessed the respondents' levels of agreement regarding diagnostic, preventive and restorative techniques such as use of caries risk assessment, use of high fluoride tooth paste, Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and tunnel preparations. RESULTS: Out of 200 respondents, 161 GDPs with overall response rate of 80.5% completed the questionnaires. The GDPs showed significantly different approach with regards to the use of sharp explorer for caries detection (p = 0.014). Almost 60% of the participants had received no special education regarding minimally invasive procedures. Moreover, GDPs who had received MID training showed significantly better knowledge and attitude in adopting minimally invasive techniques for both diagnosis and treatment of dental caries. CONCLUSION: Although GDPs possess knowledge about the benefits of MID; however, study showed deficiencies in their attitudes towards caries detection methods and application of minimally invasive dentistry procedures.

Eosinophilic ascites: a diagnostic challenge.

Eosinophilic ascites is a rare feature of eosinophilic gastroenteritis. We would like to highlight this increasingly recognised diagnosis in a case of unexplained ascites. We present a challenging case of a woman aged 25 years who presented with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, generalised abdominal pain and swelling 8-week following delivery of her first baby. Her symptoms were primarily aggravated by eating, and she had also noticed postprandial itching and self-limiting generalised rash. She had a strong history of atopy. Physical examination revealed abdominal tenderness and distension with shifting dullness. Urticarial skin rash was noted on the face, neck, chest and abdomen. Routine biochemistry was normal apart from peripheral eosinophilia. Imaging confirmed moderate ascites. Diagnostic paracentesis showed exudative ascites with numerous eosinophils. Histology of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract showed infiltration of the oesophageogastroduodenal and rectosigmoid mucosa with eosinophils. The patient significantly improved following a course of steroids and six-food elimination diet.

Mutations in MSX1, PAX9 and MMP20 genes in Saudi Arabian patients with tooth agenesis.

Tooth agenesis in human being is the most common congenital anomaly associated with dental development. Mutations in many genes such as MSH homeobox 1 (MSX1), paired box gene 9 (PAX9), ectodysplasin A (EDA) and EDA receptor (EDAR) have been associated with familial form of this condition. However, in large majority of patients, genetic cause could not be identified. The primary aim of present study was to identify the causative mutation(s) in these genes in Saudi Arabian families diagnosed with non-syndromic form of disease. Direct sequencing of coding regions, including exon-intron boundaries of these genes was carried out. All identified nucleotide variations were also tested to exclude possibility of being rare polymorphisms. The sequence analysis of exons and exon-intronic regions of these genes revealed five new mutations that include four in MSX1, one in PAX9 and one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in majority of the patients in MMP20. One novel mutation in exon 1 of MSX1 gene (5354C > G; A40G) was found in three patients. In addition, another novel mutation was detected in two patients in exon 3 (PAX9) as g.10672A > T which changes asparagine to isoleucine at position 40. These mutations were not found in any of the control subjects. A single SNP in MMP20 genes (g.5066A > C) that changes lysine to threonine at position 18 was found in 10% controls as well. Our results for the first time demonstrates that mutations in MSX1 gene might play an important role in hypodontia cases involving pre-molars and is a risk factor for this ethnic population mainly of Arabs and is first report linking these mutations with tooth agenesis.

Access to oral health care services among adults with learning disabilities: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of oral diseases including dental caries and periodontal conditions is remarkably higher in people with disabilities. The provision of accessible oral health services for people with learning disabilities may be challenging. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the review were to identify barriers in accessing oral health care that persists within society, enabling or disabling people with learning disabilities. METHODS: Using the Arksey O'Malley framework, a scoping review was conducted on PubMed/Medline, OVIDSP, and EMBASE. Studies were evaluated and short-listed based on the inclusion criteria, which consisted of: (1) study participants or population with learning disabilities, (2) aged 16 years or over, (3) reporting on access to oral health services, (4) published in the English language. Those that justified the inclusion criteria were carefully chosen after a blind peer-reviewed process when relevance and quality were debated. RESULTS: Nine studies were eventually included from searches. Tabulation of data was done under the heading of study type, outcomes, the year of publication and patient selection. The majority of studies provided a biomedical overview of access for adults with learning disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of access for people with disability is still ill-defined and obscure. Access to oral health care and needs of people with learning disabilities are complex and multi-facet.

Dental management of a patient fitted with subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator device and concomitant warfarin treatment.

Automated Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (AICD), simply known as an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), has been used in patients for more than 30 years. An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is a small battery-powered electrical impulse generator that is implanted in patients who are at a risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia or any such related event. Typically, patients with these types of occurrences are on anticoagulant therapy. The desired International Normalized Ratio (INR) for these patients is in the range of 2-3 to prevent any subsequent cardiac event. These patients possess a challenge to the dentist in many ways, especially during oral surgical procedures, and these challenges include risk of sudden death, control of post-operative bleeding and pain. This article presents the dental management of a 60 year-old person with an ICD and concomitant anticoagulant therapy. The patient was on multiple medications and was treated for a grossly neglected mouth with multiple carious root stumps. This case report outlines the important issues in managing patients fitted with an ICD device and at a risk of sudden cardiac death.

A Retrospective Radiographic Survey of Pathology Associated with Impacted Third Molars among Patients Seen in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic of College of Dentistry, Riyadh.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to determine the type and frequency of pathological conditions around third molar teeth among randomly selected patient's records in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Totally, 281 patient panoramic radiographs were selected with detectable pathology among 570 files of patients seen in oral and maxillofacial surgery clinics 2 years retrospectively. Almost 17-55 years age (mean age 25.43) was selected. The following radiographs were analyzed for all pathology associated impacted teeth; dental caries, bone resorption, periodontitis, and apical pathology. RESULTS: The study found caries, external bone resorption and periodontitis are highly frequent to mesioangular and horizontal in mandibular impacted third molar compared to maxillary impacted third molar. Overall result evaluated that tooth #28 related periodontitis is significant (P = 0.021), and tooth #38 related bone resorption, tooth #48 related root caries, bone resorption and apical pathology are highly significant (P = 0.000) comparing to others. This study also concluded the high frequency of root caries, bone resorption and apical pathology reported in relation to mandibular impacted third teeth. Significant results were also achieved with periodontitis in relation to mesiangular and vertical angulation of left impacted maxillary third molars. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic removal of impacted third molars is recommended in many studies to avoid future risk of associated pathology. Retained asymptomatic impacted third molars imply pathology that could be difficult in later ages as less morbidity in younger ages.

Surgical templates for dental implant positioning; current knowledge and clinical perspectives.

Dental implants have been used in a variety of different forms for many years. Since the mid-20(th) century, there has been an increase in interest in the implant process for the replacement of missing teeth. Branemark was one of the initial pioneers who applied scientifically based research techniques to develop an endosseous implant that forms an immobile connection with bone. The need for a dental implant to completely address multiple physical and biological factors imposes tremendous constraints on the surgical and handling protocol. Metallic dental implants have been successfully used for decades, but they have serious shortcomings related to their bony union and the fact that their mechanical properties do not match those of bone. However, anatomic limitation and restorative demands encourage the surgeon to gain precision in planning and surgical positioning of dental implants. Ideal placement of the implant facilitates the establishment of favorable forces on the implants and the prosthetic component as well as ensures an aesthetic outcome. Therefore, it is advisable to establish a logical continuity between the planned restoration and the surgical phases, it is essential to use a transfer device that for sure increases the predictability of success. The surgical guide template is fabricated by a dental technician after the presurgical restorative appointments that primarily include determination of occlusal scheme and implant angulations. Here, authors genuinely attempted to review the evolution and clinical applicability of surgical templates used in the placement of dental implants.

Dental extraction in patients on warfarin treatment.

BACKGROUND: Warfarin is one of the most common oral anticoagulants used to prevent thromboembolic episodes. The benefits of discontinuation of this drug before simple surgical procedures are not clear and this approach could be associated with complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of bleeding in a series of 35 patients (in cases where the international normalized ratio [INR] is less than 4) following simple tooth extraction without modification of the warfarin dose given to patients. METHODS: Thirty-five patients taking warfarin who had been referred to the Oral and Maxillofacial Department, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, for dental extractions were included in the study. Exclusion criteria included patients with an INR of ≥4 or with a history of liver disease or coagulopathies. No alteration was made in warfarin dose, and the CoaguChek System was used to identify the INR on the same day of dental extraction. Bleeding from the extraction site was evaluated and recorded immediately after extraction until the second day. RESULTS: A total of 35 patients (16 women and 19 men) aged between 38 and 57 years (mean =48.7) were included in the present study. All patients underwent simple one-tooth extraction while undergoing warfarin treatment. Oozing, considered mild bleeding and which did not need intervention was seen in 88.6% of patients. Moderate bleeding occurred in 11.4% of all cases. The INR of the patients ranged from 2.00 to 3.50, with 77.2% of patients having INR between 2.0 and 2.5 on the day of extraction. No severe bleeding which needed hospital management was encountered after any of the extractions. The patients who suffered moderate bleeding were returned to the clinic where they received local treatment measures to control bleeding. Moderate bleeding occurred only in four patients, where three had INR between 3.1 and 3.5, and one with INR less than 3. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we have shown that simple tooth extraction in patients on warfarin treatment can be performed safely without high risk of bleeding, providing that the INR is equal or less than 3.5 on the day of extraction. A close follow-up and monitoring of patients taking warfarin is mandatory after dental extraction.

An influence of adrenaline (1:80,000) containing local anesthesia (2% Xylocaine) on glycemic level of patients undergoing tooth extraction in Riyadh.

OBJECTIVE: Aim is to compare the glycemic level among patients before, and after local anesthesia containing adrenaline 1:80,000 among patients who need dental extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 patients were randomly selected including 30 healthy and 30 with a diabetes history for this study in Riyadh city. First the blood glucose level was measured before administering local anesthesia containing adrenaline after taking their history with glucocheck according to instructions, then blood Sugar level was recorded after administering local anesthesia containing adrenaline 1:80,000 concentrations. Blood sugar level was also checked 5 min after the tooth extraction procedure. RESULTS: There were no significant results found after the administration of local anesthesia containing adrenaline in both healthy and diabetic patients (p > 0.05). However, change of significance (p < 0.05) was noticed in diabetic patients who had not taken their hypoglycemic medication; there was a rise in their blood glucose level after extraction. CONCLUSION: The study concluded no significant effect on the glycemic level of patients after the administration of local anesthesia containing adrenaline 1:80,000 in healthy and diabetic patients whether hypoglycemic medication was taken or not but a rise in blood sugar level was found among diabetic patients who did not take their hypoglycemic medications undergoing tooth extraction.

Modifying gummy smile: a minimally invasive approach.

AIM: Excessive gingival display is a problem that can be managed by variety of procedures. These procedures include non-surgical and surgical methods. The underlying cause of gummy smile can affect the type of procedure to be selected. Most patients prefer minimally invasive procedures with outstanding results. The authors describe a minimally invasive lip repositioning technique for management of gummy smile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients (10 females, 2 males) with gingival display of 4 mm or more were operated under local anesthesia using a modified lip repositioning technique. Patients were followed up for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and gingival display was measured at each follow up visit. The gingival mucosa was dissected and levator labii superioris and depressor septi muscles were freed and repositioned in a lower position. The levator labii superioris muscles were pulled in a lower position using circumdental sutures for 10 days. Both surgeon's and patient's satisfaction of surgical outcome was recorded at each follow-up visit. RESULTS: At early stage of follow-up the main complaints of patients were the feeling of tension in the upper lip and circum oral area, mild pain which was managed with analgesics. One month postoperatively, the gingival display in all patients was recorded to be between 2 and 4 mm with a mean of (2.6 mm). Patient satisfaction records after 1 month showed that 10 patients were satisfied with the results. Three months postoperatively, the gingival display in all patients was recorded and found to be between 2 and 5 mm with a mean of 3 mm. Patient satisfaction records showed that 8 patients were satisfied with the results as they gave scores between. Surgeon's satisfaction at three months follow up showed that the surgeons were satisfied in 8 patients. The same results were found in the 6 and 12 months follow-up periods without any changes. Complete relapse was recorded only in one case at the third postoperative month. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the proposed lip repositioning technique is an acceptable minimally invasive procedure in managing gummy smile. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A non-invasive procedure to avoid other complicated surgical procedures.

A basic review on the inferior alveolar nerve block techniques.

The inferior alveolar nerve block is the most common injection technique used in dentistry and many modifications of the conventional nerve block have been recently described in the literature. Selecting the best technique by the dentist or surgeon depends on many factors including the success rate and complications related to the selected technique. Dentists should be aware of the available current modifications of the inferior alveolar nerve block techniques in order to effectively choose between these modifications. Some operators may encounter difficulty in identifying the anatomical landmarks which are useful in applying the inferior alveolar nerve block and rely instead on assumptions as to where the needle should be positioned. Such assumptions can lead to failure and the failure rate of inferior alveolar nerve block has been reported to be 20-25% which is considered very high. In this basic review, the anatomical details of the inferior alveolar nerve will be given together with a description of its both conventional and modified blocking techniques; in addition, an overview of the complications which may result from the application of this important technique will be mentioned.

Reasons for and patterns relating to the extraction of permanent teeth in a subset of the Saudi population.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for and patterns of extraction of permanent teeth in a subset of the Saudi population. METHODS: During a 3-month period, dentists were asked to record, using a specially designed survey form, the reasons for every extraction of a permanent tooth. The reasons for tooth extraction were assigned to different causes, ie, dental caries, periodontal disease, eruption problems, trauma, orthodontics, failed root canal treatment, and others. The data requested for each extraction were: patient age, gender, nationality, and type of tooth removed and the reason for its extraction. RESULTS: The highest percentage of extractions was observed in young females aged 10-30 years. Presence of caries was observed to be the main reason for extraction (50.2%) followed by orthodontic problems (18.2%), eruption problems (17.5%), and periodontal problems (8.2%). The most frequently extracted posterior teeth were the third mandibular molar (19.4%), the third maxillary molar (16.4%), the first maxillary premolar (13.2%), and the first mandibular molar (10.9%). CONCLUSION: Dental caries was found to be the most common reason for extraction of teeth. Molar teeth were found to be the most frequently extracted, with an increased number of extracted first premolars as a result of orthodontic treatment. The highest percentage of extractions was observed in young females aged 10-30 years.

GSTP1 methylation and polymorphism increase the risk of breast cancer and the effects of diet and lifestyle in breast cancer patients.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are an important group of isoenzymes that play an essential role in the detoxification of carcinogens. Polymorphism at exon 5 of the GST π family decreases the catalytic activity and affects the detoxification ability of the enzyme, GSTP1. GSTP1 promoter hypermethylation and loss of expression are frequently observed in various types of carcinoma. We hypothesized that somatic epigenetic modification in homozygous mutants increases the degree to which breast cancer risk is affected by lifestyle factors and dietary habits. The present study used tumor biopsies and blood samples from 215 breast cancer patients and 215 blood samples from healthy donors. GSTP1 polymorphism was studied using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, methylation using methylation-specific PCR and loss of expression using immunohistochemistry and western blotting. No significant increase was observed in the breast cancer risk of individuals with the mutant (Val) allele [odds ratio (OR), 1.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.97-2.26 for heterozygotes; OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.86-2.42 homozygous mutants]. GSTP1 promoter hypermethylation was detected in one-third of tumor biopsies (74/215) and was found to be associated with a loss of expression. Genotype and tumor methylation associations were not observed. Estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptor-positive tumors had a higher methylation frequency. GSTP1 polymorphism was not associated with increased promoter hypermethylation. The results suggest that GSTP1 methylation is a major event in breast carcinogenesis and may act as a tumor-specific biomarker.