Clinicopathologic and imaging features of odontogenic myxomas: a multi-institutional study.

PURPOSE: This study aims to report clinicopathologic and imaging features of odontogenic myxomas (OM), highlighting uncommon findings. METHODS: Clinicopathologic and imaging data of OMs diagnosed in the five Brazilian diagnostic pathology centers were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The series comprised 42 females (68.9%) and 19 males (31.1%), with a 2.2:1 female-to-male ratio and a mean age of 34.5±15.4 years (range: 4-80). Clinically, most OMs presented as painless intraoral swelling (n = 36; 70.6%) in the mandible (n=37; 59.7%). Multilocular lesions (n=30; 83.3%) were more common than unilocular lesions (n=6; 16.7%). There was no statistically significant difference between the average size of unilocular and multilocular OMs (p=0.2431). The borders of OMs were mainly well-defined (n=24; 66.7%) with different degrees of cortication. Only seven tumors caused tooth resorption (15.9%), while 24 (54.5%) caused tooth displacement. Cortical bone perforation was observed in 12 (38.7%) cases. Morphologically, OMs were characterized mainly by stellate or spindle-shaped cells in a myxoid background (n=53; 85.5%). Surgical resection was the most common treatment modality (n=15; 65.2%), followed by conservative surgery (n=8; 34.8%). Outcomes were available in 20 cases (32.3%). Seven of these patients had local recurrence (35%). Enucleation was the treatment with the highest recurrence rate (4/7; 57.1%). CONCLUSIONS: OM has a predilection for the posterior region of the jaws of female adults. Despite their bland morphological appearance, they displayed diverse imaging features. Clinicians must include the OM in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic lesions of the jaws. A long follow-up is needed to monitor possible recurrences.

Risk of bleeding in anticoagulated patients undergoing dental extraction treated with topical tranexamic acid compared to collagen-gelatin sponge: Randomized clinical trial.

This two-arm, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized clinical trial design evaluated the risk of postoperative bleeding in anticoagulated patients undergoing dental extraction treated with topical TXA in comparison to collagen-gelatin sponge. Forty patients were randomly included in one of the study groups: (1) topical use of 4.8% TXA solution; and (2) resorbable hydrolyzed collagen-gelatin sponge applied to the surgical alveolus. Primary outcomes were postoperative bleeding episodes and secondary outcomes were thromboembolic events and postoperative INR values. The relative risk (RR), the absolute risk reduction (RAR) and the number needed to treat (NNT) were used as effect estimates and calculated from the counting of bleeding episodes observed during the first postoperative week. The bleeding rate under the TXA treatment was 22.2%, while in the collagen-gelatin sponge group it was 45.7%, resulting in a RR of 0.49 (95% CI 0.24-099; p = 0.046), RAR 23.5% and NNT 4.3. TXA was more effective in reducing bleeding in surgical sites located in the mandible (RR = 0.10; 95% CI 0.01-0.71; p = 0.021) and the posterior region (RR = 0.39; 95% CI 0.18-0.84; p = 0.016). Within the limitations of the study it seems that topical TXA is more effective in controlling bleeding after tooth extractions in anticoagulated patients than collagen-gelatin sponge. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: RBR-83qw93.

Association between chemosensory dysfunctions and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that chemosensory dysfunctions, including smell and taste disorders, are common findings in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the underlying biological mechanisms and the role of inflammatory markers are still poorly understood. AIM: To investigate the inflammatory biomarkers levels in patients with COVID-19 presenting chemosensory dysfunctions. METHODS: This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A systematic literature search was performed from January 1, 2020, to May 12, 2022. Observational studies that provided data on hematological, biochemical, infection-related indices and cellular immunity, and coagulation function in patients with COVID-19 experiencing smell and/or taste disorders were considered eligible. Effect sizes were reported as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A negative effect size indicated that the inflammatory biomarker levels were lower among patients with chemosensory dysfunctions. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included. Patients with chemosensory disturbances had lower levels of leukocytes (SMD - 0.18, 95% CI - 0.35 to - 0.01, p = 0.04), lactate dehydrogenase (SMD - 0.45, 95% CI - 0.82 to - 0.09, p = 0.01), IL-6 (SMD - 0.25, 95% CI - 0.44 to - 0.06, p < 0.01), and C-reactive protein (SMD - 0.33, 95% CI - 0.58 to - 0.08, p < 0.01) than patients without chemosensory disturbances. CONCLUSION: Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who have olfactory and gustatory disorders have a lower inflammatory response than patients who do not have chemosensory alterations. The presence of these symptoms may indicate a more favorable clinical course for COVID-19.

Resilience in Mothers of Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Resilience is a dynamic process influenced by life circumstances. This study evaluated the association between resilience and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) of mothers of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study including 31 mothers of children with CZS assisted in rehabilitation centers in Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil, an endemic area for Zika virus (ZIKV). RESULTS: Mothers' age ranged from 18 to 42 years and all of them had low income. There were high levels of anxiety (scores > 40) in 80.6% of mothers and 19.3% had moderate (scores 19-29) to severe (scores 30-63) depressive symptoms. We found a relationship between increased levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and lower levels of personal competence (p = 0.007) and acceptance of self and life (p = 0.003), respectively. We also found a positive relationship between social QoL and personal competence (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This study showed that lower personal competence is significantly associated to psychological distress and poorer social QoL in mothers of children with CZS.