Analysis of the humoral and cellular response after the third COVID-19 vaccination in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To explore the humoral and T-cell response to the third COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). METHODS: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers were prospectively determined in 81 AIH patients and 53 healthy age- and sex-matched controls >7 days (median 35) after the first COVID-19 booster vaccination. The spike-specific T-cell response was assessed using an activation-induced marker assay (AIM) in a subset of patients. RESULTS: Median antibody levels were significantly lower in AIH compared to controls (10 908 vs. 25 000 AU/ml, p < .001), especially in AIH patients treated with MMF (N = 14, 4542 AU/ml, p = .004) or steroids (N = 27, 7326 AU/ml, p = .020). Also, 48% of AIH patients had antibody titers below the 10% percentile of the healthy controls (9194 AU/ml, p < .001). AIH patients had a high risk of failing to develop a spike-specific T-cell response (15/34 (44%) vs. 2/16 (12%), p = .05) and showed overall lower frequencies of spike-specific CD4 + T cells (median: 0.074% vs 0.283; p = .01) after the booster vaccination compared to healthy individuals. In 34/81 patients, antibody titers before and after booster vaccination were available. In this subgroup, all patients but especially those without detectable/low antibodies titers (<100 AU/ml) after the second vaccination (N = 11/34) showed a strong, 148-fold increase. CONCLUSION: A third COVID-19 vaccination efficiently boosts antibody levels and T-cell responses in AIH patients and even seroconversion in patients with the absent immune response after two vaccinations, but to a lower level compared to controls. Therefore, we suggest routinely assessing antibody levels in AIH patients and offering additional booster vaccinations to those with suboptimal responses.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination-Induced Immunogenicity in Heart Transplant Recipients.

Among heart transplant (HT) recipients, a reduced immunological response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has been reported. We aimed to assess the humoral and T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in HT recipients to understand determinants of immunogenicity. HT recipients were prospectively enrolled from January 2021 until March 2022. Anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike IgG levels were quantified after two and three doses of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BNT162b2, mRNA1273, or AZD1222). Spike-specific T-cell responses were assessed using flow cytometry. Ninety-one patients were included in the study (69% male, median age 55 years, median time from HT to first vaccination 6.1 years). Seroconversion rates were 34% after two and 63% after three doses. Older patient age (p = 0.003) and shorter time since HT (p = 0.001) were associated with lower antibody concentrations after three vaccinations. There were no associations between vaccine types or immunosuppressive regimens and humoral response, except for prednisolone, which was predictive of a reduced response after two (p = 0.001), but not after three doses (p = 0.434). A T-cell response was observed in 50% after two and in 74% after three doses. Despite three vaccine doses, a large proportion of HT recipients exhibits a reduced immune response. Additional strategies are desirable to improve vaccine immunogenicity in this vulnerable group of patients.

Clinical and neuroimaging features of a familial pathogenic ACTA2 variant as a model of a vascular neurocristopathy.

The clinical and neuroimaging findings of a family with a variant ACTA2 gene (c351C > G), presenting with smooth muscle dysfunction in structures of neural crest derivation, are discussed. The combination of aortic abnormalities, patent ductus arteriosus, congenital mydriasis and distinctive cerebrovascular and brain morphological abnormalities characterise this disorder. Two sisters, heterozygous for the variant, and their mother, a mosaic, are presented. Brain parenchymal changes are detailed for the first time in a non-Arg179His variant. Radiological features of the petrous canal and external carotid are highlighted. We explore the potential underlying biological and embryological mechanisms.

A learning robot for cognitive camera control in minimally invasive surgery.

BACKGROUND: We demonstrate the first self-learning, context-sensitive, autonomous camera-guiding robot applicable to minimally invasive surgery. The majority of surgical robots nowadays are telemanipulators without autonomous capabilities. Autonomous systems have been developed for laparoscopic camera guidance, however following simple rules and not adapting their behavior to specific tasks, procedures, or surgeons. METHODS: The herein presented methodology allows different robot kinematics to perceive their environment, interpret it according to a knowledge base and perform context-aware actions. For training, twenty operations were conducted with human camera guidance by a single surgeon. Subsequently, we experimentally evaluated the cognitive robotic camera control. A VIKY EP system and a KUKA LWR 4 robot were trained on data from manual camera guidance after completion of the surgeon's learning curve. Second, only data from VIKY EP were used to train the LWR and finally data from training with the LWR were used to re-train the LWR. RESULTS: The duration of each operation decreased with the robot's increasing experience from 1704 s ± 244 s to 1406 s ± 112 s, and 1197 s. Camera guidance quality (good/neutral/poor) improved from 38.6/53.4/7.9 to 49.4/46.3/4.1% and 56.2/41.0/2.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The cognitive camera robot improved its performance with experience, laying the foundation for a new generation of cognitive surgical robots that adapt to a surgeon's needs.

Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Alcaligenes faecalis Related to Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media, Angola.

We found that 20 (10.6%) of 188 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media in Angola were co-colonized with fluoroquinolone-resistant Alcaligenes faecalis, commonly found in birds. A likely explanation for our findings was the use of bird feces by residents as a traditional remedy to prevent ear secretions caused by primary ear infection.

Value Assessment Frameworks for HTA Agencies: The Organization of Evidence-Informed Deliberative Processes.

Priority setting in health care has been long recognized as an intrinsically complex and value-laden process. Yet, health technology assessment agencies (HTAs) presently employ value assessment frameworks that are ill fitted to capture the range and diversity of stakeholder values and thereby risk compromising the legitimacy of their recommendations. We propose "evidence-informed deliberative processes" as an alternative framework with the aim to enhance this legitimacy. This framework integrates two increasingly popular and complementary frameworks for priority setting: multicriteria decision analysis and accountability for reasonableness. Evidence-informed deliberative processes are, on one hand, based on early, continued stakeholder deliberation to learn about the importance of relevant social values. On the other hand, they are based on rational decision-making through evidence-informed evaluation of the identified values. The framework has important implications for how HTA agencies should ideally organize their processes. First, HTA agencies should take the responsibility of organizing stakeholder involvement. Second, agencies are advised to integrate their assessment and appraisal phases, allowing for the timely collection of evidence on values that are considered relevant. Third, HTA agencies should subject their decision-making criteria to public scrutiny. Fourth, agencies are advised to use a checklist of potentially relevant criteria and to provide argumentation for how each criterion affected the recommendation. Fifth, HTA agencies must publish their argumentation and install options for appeal. The framework should not be considered a blueprint for HTA agencies but rather an aspirational goal-agencies can take incremental steps toward achieving this goal.

[High frequency of dyslipidemia in children and adolescents with Down Syndrome]. / Alta frecuencia de dislipidemias en niños y adolescentes con Síndrome de Down.

Down Syndrome (DS) shows an increased risk of chronic diseases, associated to higher morbidity and mortality for cardiovascular disease. Some studies have shown a worse lipid profile in children with DS, however, until now there is no recommendation for screening for dyslipidemia in these subjects. OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency of dyslipidemia in a population of Chilean children and adolescents with DS. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective study, including patients with DS, aged 2 to 18 years, who participated in a special health care program for people with DS in Health Net UC CHRISTUS, between 2007 and 2015. Patients who had a lipid profile between their routine laboratory tests were included. Clinical characteristics, relevant comorbidities, malformations, medications, nutritional status and pubertal development were obtained from medical records. Diagnosis of dyslipidemia was considered according to the criteria of the NHLBI 2011. RESULTS: The medical records of 218 children with DS were revised, 58,3% had some type of dyslipidemia. The most frequent single dyslipidemias were low HDL Chol (15,1%) and hypertriglyceridemia (12,8%). Atherogenic dyslipidemia (low HDL plus hypertriglyceridemia) was the most frequent combined dyslipidemia (13,3%). The occurrence of atherogenic dyslipidemia was not associated with overnutrition and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: A high frequency of dyslipidemia was found in Chilean children and adolescents with DS. Our results make us suggest that lipid profile should be performed early in all patients with DS, independent of the presence of risk factors for dyslipidemia.

[Morbidity profile among adolescents with Down syndrome]. / Perfil de morbilidad en adolescentes chilenos con síndrome de Down.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of information about morbidity and mortality of adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). AIM: To describe morbidity and mortality of a cohort of Chilean adolescents with DS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of electronic clinical records of 67 ambulatory patients with DS aged 10 to 20 years (37 women), seen between the years 2007 and 2014 in outpatient clinics of a University hospital. RESULTS: The mean age at the last consultation was 13 ± 3 years. Ninety-eight percent of patients had a chronic condition: 37.1% where overweight or obese, 58.2% had a congenital heart disease, 11.9% where being evaluated or had the diagnosis of autism and 44.8% had hypothyroidism. Pubertal development was consistent with chronologic age in 93.7% of patients. In three patients puberty had been suppressed. In women, average age of menarche was 12.2 ± 1.1 years. There were no deaths reported. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high rate of comorbidities in this group of adolescents with DS, most of them with frequencies comparable to those reported in literature.

Clinical practice guideline recommendations for the management of challenging behaviours after traumatic brain injury in acute hospital and inpatient rehabilitation settings: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommendations for the management of challenging behaviours after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in hospital and inpatient rehabilitation settings are sparse. This systematic review aims to identify and appraise CPGs, and report high-quality recommendations for challenging behaviours after TBI in hospital and rehabilitation settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A three-step search strategy was conducted to identify CPGs that met inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently scored the AGREE II domains. Guideline quality was assessed based on CPGs adequately addressing four out of the six AGREE II domains. Data extraction was performed with a compilation of high-quality CPG recommendations. RESULTS: Seven CPGs out of 408 identified records met the inclusion criteria. Two CPGs were deemed high-quality. High-quality CPG recommendations with the strongest supporting evidence include behaviour management plans; beta-blockers for the treatment of aggression; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for moderate agitation; adamantanes for impaired arousal/attention in agitation; specialised, multi-disciplinary TBI behaviour management services. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review identified and appraised the quality of CPGs relating to the management of challenging behaviours after TBI in acute hospital and rehabilitation settings. Further research to rigorously evaluate TBI behaviour management programs, investigation of evidence-practice gaps, and implementation strategies for adopting CPG recommendations into practice is needed.Implications for rehabilitationTwo clinical practice guidelines appraised as high-quality outline recommendations for the management of challenging behaviours after traumatic brain injury in hospital and inpatient rehabilitation settings.High-quality guideline recommendations with the strongest supporting evidence for non-pharmacological treatment include behaviour management plans considering precipitating factors, antecedents, and reinforcing events.High-quality guideline recommendations with the strongest supporting evidence for pharmacological management include beta blockers for aggression in traumatic brain injury.Few guidelines provide comprehensive detail on the implementation of recommendations into clinical care which may limit adoption.

"There aren't a lot of things that are made for Latinos": A qualitative investigation of factors that contribute to Latine women's positive and negative body image.

Although there has been an increased focus on ethnic diversity in eating-disorder and body-image research, a gap exists in body image programs specifically designed for Latine women. To create programs that are culturally sensitive and relevant, it is important to first understand factors that contribute to Latine women's conceptualizations of body image. Drawing upon open-ended semi-structured interviews with Latine women (N=19, Mage=20, SDage=1.74), the objective of the current study was to explore Latine women's perceptions of the factors contributing to positive and negative body image. Employing a constructivist grounded theoretical approach, verbatim interview transcripts were analyzed using an iterative, multi-phased inductive process. The results are organized around two themes: Latine women's experiences with negative body image and their experiences with positive body image. Three subthemes were identified reflecting participants' experiences with negative body image: appearance standards imposed on Latine women, complex relationship with food, and communication challenges. Five subthemes emerged from the interviews to capture Latine women's experiences with positive body image: reframing body ideals, reframing relationships with food, community support, seeking out representation, and focus on body functionality. These findings may inform future body image program cultural adaptation efforts by integrating cultural aspects of negative and positive body image.

Exploring Important Attributes, the Potential Use Cases and Feasibility of Introduction of Measles and Rubella Microarray Patches (MR-MAPs): Insights from Nine Countries.

Background: Microarray patches (MAPs) are innovative, needle-free vaccine delivery systems, suitable for administration by minimally trained health care workers or trained community health workers. Their introduction may transform immunization programmes, particularly for vaccines where high coverage is required for population immunity, such as measles, and where vaccine delivery is challenging, such as in low- and middle-income countries. Recognizing the need to understand how best to tailor these products to reflect country priorities, workshops on measles and rubella MAPs (MR-MAPs) were conducted in multiple regions to collect insights on needs and preferences from relevant stakeholders at country level. Methods: The CAPACITI Innovation Framework was used to structure stakeholder discussions in nine countries in the period from August 2022 to July 2023. The discussions, building on the findings from a situation analysis on the barriers related to measles and rubella vaccine delivery, followed the four-step process outlined in the framework. Results: Key barriers hindering delivery of measles and rubella vaccines across the countries were in the categories of human resource management, service delivery, and demand generation. MR-MAP attributes that stakeholders believed would reduce or eliminate these barriers included ease of preparation and administration, improved thermostability, fewer (ancillary) components, and single-dose presentation. Some attributes such as the site of administration, wear time, and storage volume could exacerbate certain barriers. Based on an understanding of key barriers, product attributes, and underserved populations, stakeholders identified several potential use cases for MR-MAPs: (i) delivery at a fixed health post, (ii) delivery through outreach sessions conducted by health workers, and (iii) administration by community health workers. To enable robust national decision making about the introduction of MR-MAPs and successful implementation, global and national evidence on feasibility and acceptability of MR-MAPs should be generated. To prepare for the potential introduction of MR-MAPs, immunization programmes should evaluate their immunization policies based on their preferred use cases and modify them if needed, for example, to enable community health workers to administer vaccines, along with making programmatic adjustments to waste management and training. Conclusions: MR-MAPs have the potential to reduce key barriers to MR delivery. Yet, their future impact depends on the ability of global stakeholders to steer the development of MR-MAPs to be responsive to country needs and preferences. The generation of evidence to enable robust decision making, timely modification of vaccine policies, and addressing programmatic considerations will be key to successful uptake.

[Receiving the diagnosis of Down syndrome: what do the parents think?]. / ¿Cómo reciben los padres la noticia del diagnóstico de su hijo con síndrome de Down?

BACKGROUND: Having a child with Down syndrome (DS) is usually unexpected and stressful. AIM: To describe the experiences of parents of children with DS at the time of diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-administered survey was answered by 345 parents (62% women) with an offspring with DS. RESULTS: Eighty four percent of parents received a postnatal diagnosis of DS, 32.3% were informed of the diagnosis in the presence of his or her partner and 19.3%o received some form of printed material regarding DS. Fifty six percent of respondents considered that the delivery of the diagnosis was inadequate. Factors associated with an overall positive experience were prenatal diagnosis (Odds Ratio (OR) 3.91 (95% Confidence Intervals (CI) 2.06-7.44)) and the presence of both parents at the time of the delivery of the diagnosis (OR 1.84 (95%> CI 1.16-2.91)). Fifty three percent of respondents believe that prenatal diagnosis of DS is preferable. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of parents are unsatisfied with the way the diagnosis of DS is delivered. Efforts should be made to educate health personnel regarding the delivery of the diagnosis of SD, to foster opportunities for prenatal diagnosis and to improve the delivery of printed material.

Comparing Opioid with Opioid-free Anesthesia Technique in Neonates Undergoing Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair.

Objectives: Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a congenital disorder that presents as a surgical emergency in neonates. In regions where neonatal intensive care unit facilities and resources are inadequate and skilled personnel are scarce, not extubating neonates on table, contributes to mortality. Our aim was to assess and compare the on-table extubation rate, extubation time, and postoperative pain scores between opioid and opioid-free anesthesia techniques in neonates undergoing surgical repair of TEF. Methods: We conducted a prospective, single-blind, randomized trial over 18 months between January 2021 and June 2022 in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi on 60 full-term neonates scheduled for TEF surgeries randomly allocated to two groups according to the mode of analgesia administered. Group O were given fentanyl injection 1 µg/kg intravenous (IV) loading dose with IV injection. acetaminophen at 7.5 mg/kg and top-up of 0.25 µg/kg fentanyl IV si opus sit. Group NO were given pre-surgical local infiltration and intercostal block with 0.25% and 0.5% bupivacaine, respectively, with IV acetaminophen at 7.5 mg/kg. Results: Mean age in days, gender distribution, and weight in both groups were statistically comparable. The difference in the number of neonates extubated on table was statistically significant (p =0.002) in group NO compared to group O. Lower mean extubation time was seen in group NO (9.0 min 40.0 secs±3.0 min 3.0 secs) compared to group O (16.0 min 45.0 secs±8.0 min 5.0 secs) (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant (p =0.010) lower Neonatal Infant Pain Scale score in group NO with mean and SD as 1.8±0.8 compared with group O, 2.5±1.1 at 90 min. Conclusions: In neonates undergoing TEF repair, opioid-free anesthesia is a safe and effective method, providing a better extubation rate, faster time to extubation, and better postoperative pain control.

Environmental and topographic drivers of amphibian phylogenetic diversity and endemism in the Iberian Peninsula.

Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes driving biodiversity patterns and allowing their persistence is of utmost importance. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain spatial diversity patterns, including water-energy availability, habitat heterogeneity, and historical climatic refugia. The main goal of this study is to identify if general spatial drivers of species diversity patterns of phylogenetic diversity (PD) and phylogenetic endemism (PE) at the global scale are also predictive of PD and PE at regional scales, using Iberian amphibians as a case study. Our main hypothesis assumes that topography along with contemporary and historical climate are drivers of phylogenetic diversity and endemism, but that the strength of these predictors may be weaker at the regional scale than it tends to be at the global scale. We mapped spatial patterns of Iberian amphibians' phylogenetic diversity and endemism, using previously published phylogenetic and distribution data. Furthermore, we compiled spatial data on topographic and climatic variables related to the water-energy availability, topography, and historical climatic instability hypotheses. To test our hypotheses, we used Spatial Autoregressive Models and selected the best model to explain diversity patterns based on Akaike Information Criterion. Our results show that, out of the variables tested in our study, water-energy availability and historical climate instability are the most important drivers of amphibian diversity in Iberia. However, as predicted, the strength of these predictors in our case study is weaker than it tends to be at global scales. Thus, additional drivers should also be investigated and we suggest caution when interpreting these predictors as surrogates for different components of diversity.

A Systematic Review on Psychological Interventions for Sexual Health in Older Age.

Objectives: The present review aims to identify the existing evidence on outcome-treatment studies of psychological sexual health interventions in older age. Methods: A systematic search was conducted for studies published until October 2022. Data search was conducted on EBSCO, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Results: From 30,840 screened records, 12 reports were selected. Results were grouped into four categories according to the intervention that was implemented. Conclusions: Despite results presenting some bias concerns, this review suggests that educational and cognitive-behavioral approaches seem to be effective for promoting sexual health in older age.

Standardizing Cranioplasty Outcomes Following Stroke or Traumatic Brain Injury: Protocol for the Development of a Core Outcome Set.

BACKGROUND: Core outcome sets (COSs) are important and necessary as they help standardize reporting in research studies. Cranioplasty following traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke is becoming increasingly common, leading to an ever-growing clinical and research interest, especially regarding the optimal material, cost-effectiveness, and timing of cranioplasty concerning neurological recovery and complications. Consequently, heterogeneous reporting of outcomes from such diverse studies has led to limited meta-analysis ability and an ongoing risk of outcome reporting bias. This study aims to define a standardized COS for reporting in all future TBI and stroke cranioplasty studies. OBJECTIVE: This study has four aims: (1) undertake a systematic review to collate the most current outcome measures used within the cranioplasty literature; (2) undertake a qualitative study to understand better the views of clinicians, patients' relatives, and allied health professionals regarding clinical outcomes following cranioplasty; (3) undertake a Delphi survey as part of the process of gaining consensus for the COS; and (4) finalize consensus through a consensus meeting resulting in the COS. METHODS: An international steering committee has been formed to guide the development of the COS. In addition, recommendations from other clinical initiatives such as COMET (Core Outcomes and Effectiveness Trials) and OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology) have been adhered to. Phase 1 is data collection through a systematic review and qualitative study. Phase 2 is the COS development through a Delphi survey and consensus meetings with consensus definitions decided and agreed upon before the Delphi survey begins to avoid bias. RESULTS: Phase 1 started at the end of 2019, following ethical approval in December 2019, and the project completion date is planned for the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023. CONCLUSIONS: This study should result in a consensus on a COS for cranioplasty, following TBI or stroke, to help standardize outcome reporting for future studies, which can be applied to future research and clinical services, help align future studies, build an increased understanding of cranioplasty and its impact on a patient's function and recovery, and help standardize the evidence base. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/37442.

A Boy Who Knows No Pain: Anaesthetic Management of Congenital Insensitivity to Pain With Anhidrosis.

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is a rare disorder with an absence of pain perception, anhidrosis, heat intolerance, and varying degrees of mental retardation. Though cases of CIPA have innate analgesia, they have been known to have tactile hyperesthesia, thus making anesthesia necessary in case of any surgery. Perioperative complications due to abnormal autonomic functions like bradycardia, hypotension, and hyperthermia are major challenges in the anesthetic management of these cases. Here, we report a case on the anesthetic management of CIPA.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception Among Endodontists Toward Regenerative Endodontics: A Cross-sectional Survey of Four Indian Universities.

BACKGROUND: Regenerative endodontics is a rapidly developing field in dentistry. However, the regenerative endodontic procedures are not familiar to many clinicians in India. AIM: This survey aimed at assessing the level of knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) among endodontists toward regenerative endodontics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the year 2019 to collect data. A questionnaire to collect data on KAP toward regenerative endodontics was administered to 49 faculty and 69 postgraduate students of endodontics from four universities. The Chi-Square test and logistic regression were applied to study the association between KAP and demographic variables. Spearman's rho was computed to study the correlation between KAP scale scores of the participants. The data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software program (SPSS), version 15.0 (South Asia, Bangalore). RESULTS: The survey yielded an overall response rate of 81%. Less than 50% of the participants had sound knowledge, 65% had a positive attitude, and only 21% had a positive perception about Regenerative Endodontic Procedures (REPs). Most of the participants (86.5%) were of the opinion that regenerative therapies should be a part of dentistry. Majority of the participants (89.6%) were inclined to receive training in REPs. About 80% of the participants felt that the higher cost of treatment is a significant hurdle for patients to accept REPs. Less than half the participants (41.7%) were using REPs in their clinical practice, such as the use of membranes, scaffolds, and revascularization. CONCLUSION: Endodontists have a positive attitude toward the use of regenerative therapies. However, there is a deficiency of training in REPs in dental colleges.

Fracture Resistance of Endodontically Treated Maxillary Premolars with a Longer Single Post and Shorter Double Posts of Different Sizes: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine if there is any difference in fracture resistance between different post sizes and lengths when more than one post is involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty extracted maxillary first premolars were endodontically treated and divided into three groups: In Group 1 (control group), no post space preparation was conducted and access cavities were restored with composite; in Group 2 (single post), post space preparation of 10 mm was carried out only in one of the canals; and in Group 3 (double post), post space preparation of 5 mm was conducted in both the canals. Appropriately sized glass fiber posts were cemented in Groups 2 and 3 followed by core buildup. The fracture resistance of the specimen was measured using a universal testing machine and the data analyzed. The mean fracture resistance values of the three groups were compared applying one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc Tukey's test. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software program, version 15.0. South Asia, Bangalore. RESULTS: The control group had a significantly lower fracture resistance value as compared to Groups 2 and 3. No statistically significant difference was observed in the fracture resistance between Groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was observed between the fracture resistance of endodontically treated maxillary first premolars restored with size 3 single post of longer length and size 1 double posts of shorter lengths.