Bone resorptive activity in symptomatic and asymptomatic apical lesions of endodontic origin.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the levels and diagnostic accuracy of a set of bone resorption biomarkers, including TRAP-5, RANKL, and OPG in symptomatic and asymptomatic apical lesions and controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Apical tissues from symptomatic and asymptomatic apical periodontitis patients and periodontal ligaments from healthy teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons were processed for tissue homogenization and the levels of TRAP-5, RANKL, and OPG were determined by multiplex assay. Marker levels were analyzed by Kruskal Wallis test, and diagnostic accuracy was analyzed with ROC curves. RESULTS: Higher levels of RANKL, OPG, and RANKL/OPG ratio were determined in both types of apical lesions compared to healthy periodontal ligament, whereas higher TRAP-5 levels were found only in symptomatic apical lesions (p < 0.05). OPG, RANKL, and RANKL/OPG ratio showed diagnostic potential to identify apical lesions versus healthy controls (AUC = 0.69, p < 0.05); while TRAP-5 showed a potential to discriminate symptomatic versus asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AUC = 0.71, p < 0.05) and healthy controls (AUC = 0.83, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Apical lesions showed higher RANKL and OPG levels than healthy tissues. TRAP-5 levels were the highest in symptomatic apical lesions, suggesting that these represent a progressive state, and showed diagnostic potential. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinically symptomatic apical periodontitis might represent biologically progressive apical lesions based on TRAP5 levels. TRAP5 has diagnostic potential to identify these lesions, representing a candidate prognostic biomarker.

Aproximación epidemiológica de la utilización de hipolipemiantes en una farmacia comunitaria / An epidemiological approach to the use of lipid-Iowering drugs in a community pharmacy

Objetivos: valorar la dispensación y utilización de medicamentos hipolipemiantes en pacientes de una farmacia comunitario, como primer paso para iniciar un programa de seguimiento de la medicación en pacientes hiperlipémicos. Métodos: Estudio observacional prospectivo sobre los medicamentos hipolipemiantes dispensados durante 2 meses en una farmacia comunitaria en Benalmádena (Málaga). A los que acceden participar en el estudio se les hace una encuesta, que recoge: datos del paciente, datos del medicamento y del médico prescriptor, datos referentes a la información que tiene el paciente sobre el medicamento y datos del cuidador si no era el paciente quien acudía a la farmacia. Resultados: Los fármacos más dispensados fueron atorvastotina (27,7%), seguido de cerivastatina (20,5%) y simvastatina (20,5%). Al considerar lo información que tienen los pacientes sobre el medicamento, un 53,2% afirmó haber sido informada sobre la duración del tratamiento, mientras que un 32,3% contestaron no haber sido informados y un 14,5% no supieran contestar. Conclusiones: Con los datos recogidos podemos iniciar un programa de seguimiento de la medicación en pacientes hiperlipémicos atendiendo criterios de sus necesidades (AU)

Objectives: To evaluate the use and dispensing of lipid-Iowering drugs in patients of a community pharmacy, as o first step to begin o follow-up program in hyper-lipid patients. Methods: Prospective observational study on lipid-lowering drugs dispensed during two months in o community pharmacy at Benalmádena (Malaga). A questionnaire was mode on those agreeing to participate in the study which collected: patient's data, drug and prescribing physicians data, data referring to information that the patient had on the drug and caregiver's data if it was not the patient who had visited the pharmacy. Results: Atorvastotin (27,7%) was the drug most dispensed, followed by cerivastatin (20,5%) and simvastatin (20,5%). On considering the patients' information on the drug, 53,2% said they had been informed on the treatment length, while 32,3% said they had not been informed and 14,5%did not know how to reply. Conclusions: With the collected data we could initiate o follow-up program of hyper-lipid patient medication attending to their criteria of needs (AU)