Incidence of psychiatric side effects during pegylated interferon- alpha retreatment in nonresponder hepatitis C virus-infected patients.

Objective: Evaluate the incidence of mental disorders using pegylated interferon plus ribavirin retreatment in nonresponder hepatitis C virus‐infected patients. Method: The Mini‐International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to evaluate 30 hepatitis C virus‐infected interferon‐nonresponder patients at baseline and following 4, 12 and 24 weeks of pegylated interferon retreatment. Results: During the pegylated interferon/ribavirin retreatment, 5(16.6%) patients developed psychiatric side effects: 3(10%) were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 1(3.3%) had a brief psychotic disorder and 1(3.3%) presented with panic attacks. Conclusion: This is the first prospective study evaluating the incidence of neuropsychiatric side effects during interferon retreatment of hepatitis C virus‐infected patients, suggesting that the risk of acquiring serious psychiatric symptoms during retreatment with interferon‐α (IFN‐α) may not be higher than during the first antiviral therapy. This finding challenges the hypothesis that during a second treatment with IFN‐α, patients with hepatitis C may be at greater risk for neuropsychiatric side effects than naïve patients.     

Periapical Microsurgery: Do Root Canal–retreated Teeth Have More Dentinal Defects?

Introduction

This microsurgical clinical study evaluated if teeth that have undergone endodontic retreatment are associated with more dentinal defects than primary root canal–treated teeth.

Survival study on teeth after successful endodontic surgical retreatment: influence of crown height,root length,crown-to-root ratio and tooth type

Aim

To assess the influence of the crown height, root length, crown-to-root ratio, and tooth type on the survival of teeth subjected to surgical endodontic retreatment and classified as periapically healed.

Evaluation of 3 Different Retreatment Techniques in Maxillary Molar Teeth by Using Micro–computed Tomography

Introduction

Nonsurgical retreatment procedure involves the complete removal of the previous filling material to allow thorough instrumentation, disinfection, and refilling of root canal system. We aimed to determine the residuals of the root-filling material by using 3 different retreatment techniques with the aid of micro–computed tomography.

Evaluation of Related Factors in the Failure of Endodontically Treated Teeth: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction

The aim of this study was to review the factors related to the failure and extraction of unsuccessful endodontically treated teeth.

Gamma-glutamyltransferase and rapid virological response as predictors of successful treatment with experimental or standard peginterferon-alpha-2b in chronic hepatitis C non-responders.

BACKGROUND: High-dose peginterferon-alpha (PegIFN-alpha) induction and prolongation of therapy may be an option to improve sustained virological response (SVR) rates among hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-responders, although a higher and a longer dosing of PegIFN-alpha may intensify side effects. METHODS: We randomized 53 patients, who previously failed with standard IFN-alpha+/-ribavirin, to a high-dose induction and an extended regimen with PegIFN-alpha-2b [3.0 microg/kg once weekly (q.w.) 12 weeks-->2.0 microg/kg q.w. 12 weeks-->1.5 microg/kg q.w. 48 weeks] or a standard regimen (1.5 microg/kg q.w. 48 weeks). All patients received daily weight-based ribavirin (800-1200 mg/day). The short-form 36 health survey was used to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQL). RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis showed no significant difference in SVR rate (44% vs. 37%, P=0.62) and relapse rate (9% vs. 31%, P=0.17) between experimental and standard treatment. Overall, 80% of the [positive predictive value (PPV)] patients with rapid virological response (RVR, HCV-RNA negativity at week 4) achieved SVR. No significant dose-related differences in HRQL were seen between both groups. At baseline, genotype 2 or 3 [odds ratio (OR): 7.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4-33.3, P=0.01] and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels <2 x ULN (upper limit of normal) (OR: 6.76, 95% CI: 1.5-31.3, P=0.009) were significantly associated with SVR. Multivariate logistic regression at week 4 showed that only baseline GGT <2 x ULN (OR: 7.3, 95% CI: 1.4-38.5, P=0.01) and RVR (OR: 15.6, 95% CI: 3.2-76.9, P<0.001) were independently predictive for SVR. CONCLUSION: Retreatment with PegIFN-alpha-2b and ribavirin for a minimum of 48 weeks should be considered in all patients unresponsive to previous IFN-based therapies. Baseline GGT values and RVR are highly predictive for retreatment outcome.     

The effect of chloroform,orange oil and eucalyptol on root canal transportation in endodontic retreatment

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of solvents on root canal transportation in endodontic retreatment. Sixty extracted human permanent mandibular first molars with curved root canals were selected. All of the root canals were prepared using Twisted File Adaptive instruments (SybronEndo, Orange, CA, USA) and filled with gutta‐percha and AH Plus sealer (Dentsply DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany) using the cold lateral compaction technique. The teeth were assigned to four retreatment groups as follows (n = 15): eucalyptol, chloroform, orange oil and control. The canals were scanned using cone‐beam computed tomography scanning before and after instrumentation. The chloroform group showed a significantly higher mean transportation value than the orange oil and control groups at the 3 and 5 mm levels (P = 0.011 and P = 0.003, respectively). There was no significant difference among the orange oil, eucalyptol and control groups in terms of canal transportation (P > 0.61). The chloroform led to more canal transportation than the eucalyptol and orange oil during endodontic retreatment.