Obesity and overweight as risk factors for low back pain in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity and overweight are associated with musculoskeletal pain, but the association between low back pain (LBP) and overweight/obesity in this population needs clarification. The objective of this meta-analysis is to ascertain the relationship between LBP and obesity/overweight in children and adolescents. METHODS: Various databases and specialized journals were queried from inception to October 2022. Encompassed were all studies examining the association between overweight or obesity and LBP among participants aged 6 to 18 years. The ROBINS-E tool was employed to assess bias. Random-effects models were used to pool results across studies, with location-scale models used to search for moderator variables where evidence of heterogeneity was found. RESULTS: In total, 34 studies were incorporated. Four studies had a low risk of bias, while the remaining studies had some concerns. Nine studies evinced an association between overweight and LBP, in contrast to normal weight, yielding an OR of 1.13 (95% CI 1.10-1.16) and no heterogeneity. Eight studies demonstrated a similar association between obesity and LBP compared to normal weight, with an OR of 1.27 (95% CI 1.20-1.34) and no heterogeneity. Ten studies established an association between overweight/obesity and LBP compared to normal weight, yielding an OR of 1.18 (95% CI 1.14-1.23) and no heterogeneity. Finally, nineteen studies showcased an association between body mass index (BMI) and LBP, with an OR of 1.19 (95% CI 1.03-1.39) with evidence of heterogeneity. For this last analysis, we compared the mean BMI in groups and transformed results to log OR, and then retransformed to OR. CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity may be risk factors for LBP in children and adolescents. The association between LBP and obesity appears to be stronger than with overweight. However, the analysis revealed considerable heterogeneity and risk of bias across studies.

Transparency in Cognitive Training Meta-analyses: A Meta-review.

Meta-analyses often present flexibility regarding their inclusion criteria, outcomes of interest, statistical analyses, and assessments of the primary studies. For this reason, it is necessary to transparently report all the information that could impact the results. In this meta-review, we aimed to assess the transparency of meta-analyses that examined the benefits of cognitive training, given the ongoing controversy that exists in this field. Ninety-seven meta-analytic reviews were included, which examined a wide range of populations with different clinical conditions and ages. Regarding the reporting, information about the search of the studies, screening procedure, or data collection was detailed by most reviews. However, authors usually failed to report other aspects such as the specific meta-analytic parameters, the formula used to compute the effect sizes, or the data from primary studies that were used to compute the effect sizes. Although some of these practices have improved over the years, others remained the same. Moreover, examining the eligibility criteria of the reviews revealed a great heterogeneity in aspects such as the training duration, age cut-offs, or study designs that were considered. Preregistered meta-analyses often specified poorly how they would deal with the multiplicity of data or assess publication bias in their protocols, and some contained non-disclosed deviations in their eligibility criteria or outcomes of interests. The findings shown here, although they do not question the benefits of cognitive training, illustrate important aspects that future reviews must consider.

Depressive symptoms in adolescence and adult educational and employment outcomes: a structured life course analysis.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental health disorder that often starts during adolescence, with potentially important future consequences including 'Not in Education, Employment or Training' (NEET) status. METHODS: We took a structured life course modeling approach to examine how depressive symptoms during adolescence might be associated with later NEET status, using a high-quality longitudinal data resource. We considered four plausible life course models: (1) an early adolescent sensitive period model where depressive symptoms in early adolescence are more associated with later NEET status relative to exposure at other stages; (2) a mid adolescent sensitive period model where depressive symptoms during the transition from compulsory education to adult life might be more deleterious regarding NEET status; (3) a late adolescent sensitive period model, meaning that depressive symptoms around the time when most adults have completed their education and started their careers are the most strongly associated with NEET status; and (4) an accumulation of risk model which highlights the importance of chronicity of symptoms. RESULTS: Our analysis sample included participants with full information on NEET status (N = 3951), and the results supported the accumulation of risk model, showing that the odds of NEET increase by 1.015 (95% CI 1.012-1.019) for an increase of 1 unit in depression at any age between 11 and 24 years. CONCLUSIONS: Given the adverse implications of NEET status, our results emphasize the importance of supporting mental health during adolescence and early adulthood, as well as considering specific needs of young people with re-occurring depressed mood.

Calculating Within-Pair Difference Scores in the Co-twin Control Design. Effects of Alternative Strategies.

Co-twin studies are an elegant and powerful design that allows controlling for the effect of confounding variables, including genetic and a range of environmental factors. There are several approaches to carry out this design. One of the methods commonly used, when contrasting continuous variables, is to calculate difference scores between members of a twin pair on two associated variables, in order to analyse the covariation of such differences. However, information regarding whether and how the different ways of estimating within-pair difference scores may impact the results is scant. This study aimed to compare the results obtained by different methods of data transformation when performing a co-twin study and test how the magnitude of the association changes using each of those approaches. Data was simulated using a direction of causation model and by fixing the effect size of causal path to low, medium, and high values. Within-pair difference scores were calculated as relative scores for diverse within-pair ordering conditions or absolute scores. Pearson's correlations using relative difference scores vary across the established scenarios (how twins were ordered within pairs) and these discrepancies become larger as the within-twin correlation increases. Absolute difference scores tended to produce the lowest correlation in every condition. Our results show that both using absolute difference scores or ordering twins within pairs, may produce an artificial decrease in the magnitude of the studied association, obscuring the ability to detect patterns compatible with causation, which could lead to discrepancies across studies and erroneous conclusions.

Characterization of endogenous Kv1.3 channel isoforms in T cells.

Voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv1.3 plays a key role on T-cell activation; however, lack of reliable antibodies has prevented its accurate detection under endogenous circumstances. To overcome this limitation, we created a Jurkat T-cell line with endogenous Kv1.3 channel tagged, to determine the expression, location, and changes upon activation of the native Kv1.3 channels. CRISPR-Cas9 technique was used to insert a Flag-Myc peptide at the C terminus of the KCNA3 gene. Basal or activated channel expression was studied using western blot analysis and imaging techniques. We identified two isoforms of Kv1.3 other than the canonical channel (54 KDa) differing on their N terminus: a longer isoform (70 KDa) and a truncated isoform (43 KDa). All three isoforms were upregulated after T-cell activation. We focused on the functional characterization of the truncated isoform (short form, SF), because it has not been previously described and could be present in the available Kv1.3-/- mice models. Overexpression of SF in HEK cells elicited small amplitude Kv1.3-like currents, which, contrary to canonical Kv1.3, did not induce HEK proliferation. To explore the role of endogenous SF isoform in a native system, we generated both a knockout Jurkat clone and a clone expressing only the SF isoform. Although the canonical isoform (long form) localizes mainly at the plasma membrane, SF remains intracellular, accumulating perinuclearly. Accordingly, SF Jurkat cells did not show Kv1.3 currents and exhibited depolarized resting membrane potential (VM ), decreased Ca2+ influx, and a reduction in the [Ca2+ ]i increase upon stimulation. Functional characterization of these Kv1.3 channel isoforms showed their differential contribution to signaling pathways involved in formation of the immunological synapse. We conclude that alternative translation initiation generates at least three endogenous Kv1.3 channel isoforms in T cells that exhibit different functional roles. For some of these functions, Kv1.3 proteins do not need to form functional plasma membrane channels.

Prevalence of oral infections in chronic kidney disease patients: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and periodontal disease (periodontitis) (PD) in Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in relation to their treatment phase. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 188 patients with CKD were divided into two groups: patients without dialysis (WD group, n = 53) and patients on dialysis (DP group, n = 135). Panoramic radiographs were used to diagnose AP. The presence of periodontal disease was evaluated radiographically assessing alveolar bone loss. Student's t-test, chi-squared test, and logistic regression analysis were used to determine the significance of differences between groups. RESULTS: In the WD group, 55% of patients had at least one tooth with AP, whereas in the DP group 67% had at least one tooth with AP (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.09-4.08; p < 0.05). PD was more prevalent in the DP group (78%) than in the WD group (36%) (OR = 6.26; CI 95% = 3.13-12.52; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Oral infections are more prevalent in the advanced stages of CKD. The treatment of PD and AP should be incorporated in the treatment planning of patients with CKD.

Risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in South America: a PURE substudy.

AIMS: In a multinational South American cohort, we examined variations in CVD incidence and mortality rates between subpopulations stratified by country, by sex and by urban or rural location. We also examined the contributions of 12 modifiable risk factors to CVD development and to death. METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective cohort study included 24 718 participants from 51 urban and 49 rural communities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. The mean follow-up was 10.3 years. The incidence of CVD and mortality rates were calculated for the overall cohort and in subpopulations. Hazard ratios and population attributable fractions (PAFs) for CVD and for death were examined for 12 common modifiable risk factors, grouped as metabolic (hypertension, diabetes, abdominal obesity, and high non-HDL cholesterol), behavioural (tobacco, alcohol, diet quality, and physical activity), and others (education, household air pollution, strength, and depression). Leading causes of death were CVD (31.1%), cancer (30.6%), and respiratory diseases (8.6%). The incidence of CVD (per 1000 person-years) only modestly varied between countries, with the highest incidence in Brazil (3.86) and the lowest in Argentina (3.07). There was a greater variation in mortality rates (per 1000 person-years) between countries, with the highest in Argentina (5.98) and the lowest in Chile (4.07). Men had a higher incidence of CVD (4.48 vs. 2.60 per 1000 person-years) and a higher mortality rate (6.33 vs. 3.96 per 1000 person-years) compared with women. Deaths were higher in rural compared to urban areas. Approximately 72% of the PAF for CVD and 69% of the PAF for deaths were attributable to 12 modifiable risk factors. For CVD, largest PAFs were due to hypertension (18.7%), abdominal obesity (15.4%), tobacco use (13.5%), low strength (5.6%), and diabetes (5.3%). For death, the largest PAFs were from tobacco use (14.4%), hypertension (12.0%), low education (10.5%), abdominal obesity (9.7%), and diabetes (5.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases account for over two-thirds of deaths in South America. Men have consistently higher CVD and mortality rates than women. A large proportion of CVD and premature deaths could be averted by controlling metabolic risk factors and tobacco use, which are common leading risk factors for both outcomes in the region.

Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory and Children's Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory: A reliability generalization meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (FOCI) and its pediatric version, the Children's Florida Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (C-FOCI), are instruments for evaluating obsessive-compulsive symptomatology. METHOD: A reliability generalization meta-analysis was conducted to estimate an average reliability of the scores and to identify study characteristics that explained the heterogeneity among scores. Using Kuder-Richardson 20 (KR-20) and Cronbach's α, a total of 23 and 20 independent samples were included in the meta-analysis for the FOCI and C-FOCI. RESULTS: We found an average KR-20 of 0.826 for the FOCI's Symptom Checklist and an α of 0.882 FOCI's Symptom Severity. An average KR-20 of 0.740 was found for the C-FOCI's Symptom Checklist, while an average α of 0.794 was found for the C-FOCI's Symptom Severity. Moderator analyses showed that the source of the coefficients (i.e., whether they were reported by the authors of the primary study or estimated by the meta-analysts) was an important variable for the FOCI Symptom Severity, and that the focus of the study (i.e., whether it was psychometric or applied) and the sample size were relevant for the C-FOCI Symptom Checklist. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that the FOCI and C-FOCI are scales characterized by their brevity and ease of use, and the reliabilities obtained here, both scales are well suited for screening purposes.

The prevalence of elongated styloid process in the population of Barcelona: a cross-sectional study & review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Styloid process (SP) is a cylindrical bony projection that originates from the inferior part of the petrous temporal bone just anteriorly to the stylomastoid foramen. Several nerves, muscles, and ligaments are related closely to the (SP). It is considered elongated when the measurement exceeds 30 mm. The overall prevalence of the styloid process is between 3.3% to 84.4%. The elongation of the styloid process (ESP) is associated with the manifestation of Eagle's Syndrome (ES) which is characterized by various types of pain in the head and neck region such as headache, tinnitus, otalgia, and trigeminal neuralgia. Eagle's syndrome occurs in 4-10.3% of individuals with an elongated styloid process (ESP). The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of (ESP) in the patients who were treated in the Dental Hospital University of Barcelona (HOUB), to review the literature to spot the light on the different demographic data worldwide. METHODS: The archived panoramic image in the University of Barcelona dental Hospital were consecutively retrieved to investigate the prevalence of (ESP). Of all digital panoramic radiographs (OPG), 400 met the inclusion criteria and were furtherly analyzed. The results are correlated with the participant's gender, age, and occurrence. Age is subcategorized into three groups. A chi-square test is used to measure the significant differences and the P-value is set at < 0.05 for the level of significance. RESULTS: Among the included 400, we found 291 demonstrating (ESP). The prevalence of (ESP) which exceeds 30 mm is 72.75%. It is found that the most common morphological type is type 1 which is regarded as the uninterrupted (ESP) regardless of gender and age group. Concerning the calcification pattern, the most prevalent is the partial calcified (ESP) despite genders and age groups. CONCLUSION: (OPG) is a sufficient tool for the screening of the elongated styloid process. Regarding the prevalence, our results are considered higher than previously reported prevalence in different populations using (OPG) radiography tool. A study on a wider spectrum of the Spanish population is recommended to further investigate the correlation between the elongated styloid process and the occurrence of Eagle's syndrome.

Neglected Tropical Diseases and Sudden Cardiac Death: The NET-Heart Project.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is responsible for approximately 6% of global mortality and 25% of cardiovascular (CV) deaths. SCD has been traditionally linked to coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathies, and genetic arrhythmia disorders. However, advancements in care for these diseases have not translated to a proportional reduction in SCD. This suggests an important role of underrecognized contributing pathologies. Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of illnesses prevalent in tropical and sub-tropical regions which have been understudied partially due to their high prevalence in marginalized populations. The relationship between SCD and Chagas disease has been well-established, though emerging literature suggests that other NTDs with CV involvement may lead to fatal arrhythmias. Additionally, specific therapies for a subset of NTDs put patients at increased risk of malignant arrhythmias and other cardiac complications. This review aims to summarize the association between a group of selected NTDs and SCD.

Effectiveness of healthy lifestyle-based interventions in lung cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness of healthy lifestyle-based interventions in lung cancer survivors. METHODS: We performed a literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct (last search March 2022). Quality assessment and risk of bias were assessed using the Downs and Black scale and the Cochrane tool. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were performed. We included controlled trials testing the effect of healthy lifestyle-based interventions in lung cancer survivors versus a control intervention where lung cancer patients had no treatment, were receiving the usual care, or had not an active role in the intervention. The data were pooled and a meta-analysis was completed for quality of life, psychological distress, and cancer-related symptoms. RESULTS: We selected 14 studies, which included 1519 patients with lung cancer. The treatment status of these patients was heterogeneous. Healthy lifestyle programs were applied isolated or in combination with usual care in most of the studies. The components of the healthy lifestyle programs were also heterogeneous. Results showed significant differences in favor of healthy lifestyle-based interventions in comparison to the control group for quality of life (p = 0.01), psychological distress (p = 0.05), and cancer-related symptoms (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated a beneficial effect of healthy lifestyle-based interventions for improving quality of life, psychological distress, and cancer-related symptoms in lung cancer patients. However, this review could not show any conclusion about the better treatment moment to apply healthy lifestyle-based interventions. REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42021292152. REVIEW REGISTRATION DATE: 19/12/2021.

Lipin-1-derived diacylglycerol activates intracellular TRPC3 which is critical for inflammatory signaling.

Exposure to Gram-negative bacterial LPS exacerbates host immune responses and may lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition. Despite its high mortality and morbidity, no drugs specifically directed to treating sepsis are currently available. Using human cell genetic depletion, pharmacological inhibition, live-cell microscopy and organelle-targeted molecular sensors we present evidence that the channel TRPC3 is activated intracellularly during macrophage exposure to LPS and is essential for Ca2+ release from internal stores. In this manner, TRPC3 participates in cytosolic Ca2+ elevations, activation of the transcription factor NF-κB and cytokine upregulation. We also report that TRPC3 is activated by diacylglycerol generated by the phosphatidic acid phosphatase lipin-1. In accord with this, lipin-1-deficient cells exhibit reduced Ca2+ responses to LPS challenge. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of TRPC3 reduces systemic inflammation induced by LPS in mice. Collectively, our study unveils a central component of LPS-triggered Ca2+ signaling that involves intracellular sensing of lipin-1-derived DAG by TRPC3, and opens new opportunities for the development of strategies to treat LPS-driven inflammation.

Xerostomia, the perception of general and oral health and health risk behaviours in people over 65 years of age.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the association between xerostomia and health risk behaviours, general and oral health and quality of life. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 800 adults over 65 years of age residing in Spain using a computer-assisted telephone questionnaire. The severity of xerostomia was assessed through the Xerostomia Inventory (XI). Both univariate and adjusted multinomial logistic regression were used to determine the risk (OR) of xerostomia. RESULTS: The sample comprised of 492 females (61.5%) and 308 males, with a mean age of 73.7 ± 5.8 years. Some, 30.7% had xerostomia: 25.6% mild, 4.8% moderate and 0.3% severe, the majority being female (34.8% vs 24%; p = 0.003). The mean XI was 24.6 ± 6.3 (95% CI 19.2-24.8) for those with poor health, whereas it was 17.4 ± 6.3 (95%CI 16.1-18.6) in those reporting very good health (p < 0.001). This difference was also observed in terms of oral health, with the XI mean recorded as 14.7 ± 10.7 for very poor oral health and 6.4 ± 5.4 for those with very good health (p = 0.002). Logistic regression showed that the highest OR for xerostomia was observed among adults with poor general health (2.81; 95%CI 1.8-4.3; p < 0.001) and for adjusted model the OR was still significant (2.18; 95%CI 1.4-3.4; p = 0.001). Those who needed help with household chores had 2.16 higher OR (95%CI 1.4-3.4; p = 0.001) and 1.69 (95%CI 1.1-2.7; p = 0.03) in the adjusted model. Females had a higher risk of suffering from xerostomia than males. CONCLUSION: The strong association between xerostomia and the general and oral health status of older adults justifies the need for early assessment and regular follow-up.

Effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for back care and the prevention of non-specific low back pain in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Non-specific low back pain in children and adolescents has increased in recent years. The purpose of this study was to upgrade the evidence of the most effective preventive physiotherapy interventions to improve back care in children and adolescents. METHODS: The study settings were children or adolescents aged 18 years or younger. Data were obtained from the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PEDro, Web of Science, LILACS, IBECS, and PsycINFO databases and the specialized journals BMJ and Spine. The included studies were published between May 2012 and May 2020. Controlled trials on children and adolescents who received preventive physiotherapy for back care were considered. Data on all the variables gathered in each individual study were extracted by two authors separately. Two authors assessed risk of bias of included studies using the RoB2 and quality of the body of evidence using the GRADE methodology. Data were described according to PRISMA guidelines. To calculate the effect size, a standardized mean difference "d" was used and a random-effects model was applied for the following outcome variables: behaviour, knowledge, trunk flexion muscle endurance, trunk extension muscle endurance, hamstring flexibility and posture. RESULTS: Twenty studies were finally included. The most common physiotherapy interventions were exercise, postural hygiene and physical activity. The mean age of the total sample was 11.79 years. When comparing the change from baseline to end of intervention in treatment and control groups, the following overall effect estimates were obtained: behaviour d+ = 1.19 (95% CI: 0.62 and 1.76), knowledge d+ = 1.84 (0.58 and 3.09), trunk flexion endurance d+ = 0.65 (-0.02 and 1.33), trunk extension endurance d+ = 0.71 (0.38 and 1.03), posture d+ = 0.65 (0.24 and 1.07) and hamstrings flexibility d+ = 0.46 (0.36 and 0.56). At follow-up, the measurement of the behaviour variable was between 1 and 12 months, with an effect size of d+ = 1.00 (0.37 and 1.63), whereas the knowledge variable obtained an effect size of d+ = 2.08 (-0.85 and 5.02) at 3 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Recent studies provide strong support for the use of physiotherapy in the improvement of back care and prevention of non-specific low back pain in children and adolescents. Based on GRADE methodology, we found that the evidence was from very low to moderate quality and interventions involving physical exercise, postural hygiene and physical activity should be preferred.

Sildenafil prevents right ventricular hypertrophy and improves heart rate variability in rats with pulmonary hypertension secondary to experimental diabetes.

Chronic treatment with sildenafil (SILD) is an effective protector on the development of cardiovascular complications of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and diabetes. However, to date, no studies have evaluated the effect of SILD on cardiopulmonary pathophysiology during PH secondary to type 1 diabetes. AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of chronic SILD treatment on pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and cardiac autonomic dysfunction in rats with PH secondary to diabetes. METODOLOGY: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly distributed into the control group (saline), diabetic group (60 mg/kg with streptozotocin), SILD-treated control group (20 mg/kg) and SILD-treated diabetic group. RESULTS: After 8 weeks the type 1 diabetic animals presented PH, endothelial dysfunction of the pulmonary arteries, electrocardiographic alterations, RVH and overexpression of phosphodiesterase type 5 in the heart. In type 1 diabetic animals, SILD treatment prevented the development of PH, endothelial dysfunction and RVH. SILD treatment also prevented alterations in the corrected QT period and heart rate variability and prevented overexpression of phosphodiesterase type 5. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate for the first time that SILD treatment prevents pulmonary arterial endothelial dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy and improves heart rate variability in type 1 diabetic rats.

Periapical and endodontic status of patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Age- and sex-matched case-control study.

AIM: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two chronic recurrent inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract, grouped under the name inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), causing clinical episodes of intestinal inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between IBD and the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and root canal treatment. METHODOLOGY: A case-control study design matched to age and sex was used. The study group (SG) included 28 patients with IBD (13 with CD, 15 with UC). Another 28 healthy subjects, without IBD and age- and sex-matched, were included in the control group (CG). Radiographic records were analysed and AP was diagnosed as radiolucent periapical lesions (RPLs), using the periapical index score. Student's t-test, χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: In the CG, only 17 subjects (61%) had at least one tooth with AP, whilst in the SG group they were 23 patients (82%; OR = 2.98; 95% CI = 0.87-10.87; p = .08). The number of subjects with one or more root filled teeth (RFT) in the CG was 14 (50%), whilst in the SG they were 22 (79%; OR = 3.67; 95% CI = 1.14-11.79; p = .026). At least one RFT with AP was evident in three subjects (10.7%) in the CG, whilst in the SG 15 patients (53.6%) showed RFT with AP (OR = 9.60; 95% CI = 2.35-39.35; p = .001). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only endodontic status was found to be associated with IBD (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.24-2.80; p = .003). CONCLUSION: IBD, UC and Crohn's disease are associated with higher prevalence of RFT and higher percentage of RFT with periapical lesions. Dentists should consider these findings when caring for IBD patients by monitoring the evolution of periapical lesions of endodontically treated teeth.

Efficacy of photobiomodulation in reducing pain and improving the quality of life in patients with idiopathic burning mouth syndrome. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Burning mouth syndrome is a chronic condition, which is characterised by a burning sensation or pain in the mucosa of the oral cavity. Treatment options include antidepressants, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, analgesics, hormone replacement therapies and more recently photobiomodulation. This study aims to perform a systematic review with meta-analysis in order to determine the effect of photobiomodulation on pain relief and the oral health-related quality of life associated with this condition. A bibliographical search of the Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus databases was conducted. Only randomised clinical trials were included. Pain and quality of life were calculated as mean difference and pooled at different treatment points (baseline = T0 and final time point = Tf) and laser modality. From a total of 103 records, 7 articles were retrieved for inclusion. PBM group had a greater decrease in pain than control group at Tf with a mean difference = - 2.536 (IC 95% - 3.662 to - 1.410; I2 = 85.33%, p < 0.001). An improvement in oral health-related quality of life was observed in both groups, although this was more significant in the photobiomodulation group mean difference = - 5.148 (IC 95% - 8.576 to - 1.719; I2 = 84.91%, p = 0.003). For the red laser, a greater improvement than infrared was observed, in pain, mean difference = - 2.498 (IC 95% - 3.942 to - 1.053; I2 = 79.93%, p < 0.001), and in quality of life, mean difference = - 8.144 (IC 95% - 12.082 to - 4.206; I2 = 64.22%, p = 0.027). Photobiomodulation, in particular, red laser protocols, resulted in improvement in pain and in quality of life of burning mouth syndrome patients.

Fitness Changes in Adolescent Girls Following In-School Combined Aerobic and Resistance Exercise: Interaction With Birthweight.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of a supervised in-school combined resistance and aerobic training program in adolescent girls and investigate whether responses differ according to birthweight. METHODS: Participants (girls aged 13-17 y) were randomized either to an intervention replacing physical education (PE) classes with 2 × 60-minute training sessions per week (n = 58) or to a control group that continued to attend 2 × 60 minutes per week of curriculum PE (n = 41). We measured muscular fitness (handgrip, standing long jump, and sit-ups), cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run), skinfolds, and lean body mass preintervention and postintervention and determined effect size (Hedge's g) differences between changes in these measures. We also compared changes within lower (<3000 g) and normal birthweight intervention and PE control subgroups. RESULTS: The intervention group showed greater improvements in all the fitness measures and lean body mass (g = 0.22-0.48) and lower skinfold increases (g = 0.41) than PE controls. Within the intervention group, improvements in all fitness measures were larger in lower birthweight (g = 0.53-0.94) than in normal birthweight girls (g = 0.02-0.39). CONCLUSION: Replacing curriculum PE with supervised training improved muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition outcomes in adolescent females. Our findings suggest an enhanced adaptive response to training in participants with lower birthweight which warrants further investigation.

Frequency and type of digital procedures used for the intraoral prosthetic rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: In spite of a digital workflow playing an important role in the intraoral prosthetic rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer, information about how it has been implemented and its clinical implications is sparse. PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the use of a digital workflow in the intraoral prosthetic rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer by analyzing the frequency and type of the digital procedures used. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. The following terms were applied for the search conducted in the MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane, and SciELO databases: (prosthesis OR dental OR rehabilitation) AND (digital OR CAD-CAM OR intraoral scanner) AND (Cancer OR head neck). Articles that specified data on intraoral prosthetic treatment and analyzed the use of a digital workflow in the different prosthetic phases such as digital scanning and computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) in patients with head and neck cancer were included. Data from the frequency and type of digital procedures were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were included, and all had incorporated CAD-CAM techniques in at least 1 of the prosthetic treatment stages (scanning, design, and/or fabrication). Only 1 patient was rehabilitated by using a completely digital workflow. The most frequent prosthetic treatment was an obturator (82.6%). Regarding the image capture method, the most used method was cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (60.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Most reports described the partial use of a digital workflow in the intraoral prosthetic rehabilitation of patients treated for head and neck cancer. A digital workflow is used for specific stages but not for the entire process. More studies are needed to evaluate digital systems, ideally comparing parameters with the conventional method, and to determine whether this technique has more relevant clinical implications.

A meta-review of transparency and reproducibility-related reporting practices in published meta-analyses on clinical psychological interventions (2000-2020).

Meta-analysis is a powerful and important tool to synthesize the literature about a research topic. Like other kinds of research, meta-analyses must be reproducible to be compliant with the principles of the scientific method. Furthermore, reproducible meta-analyses can be easily updated with new data and reanalysed applying new and more refined analysis techniques. We attempted to empirically assess the prevalence of transparency and reproducibility-related reporting practices in published meta-analyses from clinical psychology by examining a random sample of 100 meta-analyses. Our purpose was to identify the key points that could be improved, with the aim of providing some recommendations for carrying out reproducible meta-analyses. We conducted a meta-review of meta-analyses of psychological interventions published between 2000 and 2020. We searched PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science databases. A structured coding form to assess transparency indicators was created based on previous studies and existing meta-analysis guidelines. We found major issues concerning: completely reproducible search procedures report, specification of the exact method to compute effect sizes, choice of weighting factors and estimators, lack of availability of the raw statistics used to compute the effect size and of interoperability of available data, and practically total absence of analysis script code sharing. Based on our findings, we conclude with recommendations intended to improve the transparency, openness, and reproducibility-related reporting practices of meta-analyses in clinical psychology and related areas.