Impact of dry mouth on oral symptoms and function in removable denture wearers in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the association of dry mouth with oral symptoms and function, such as denture instability, discomfort, soreness in denture-bearing tissue, and dissatisfaction with chewing, tasting, or speaking in removable denture wearers. STUDY DESIGN: The subjects were 493 removable denture wearers with a mean age of 67.3 years. Perception of oral dryness was measured by a questionnaire. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the effect of the dry mouth on oral symptoms and function after controlling for age and gender. RESULTS: Oral dryness during eating was related to dissatisfaction with chewing (odds ratio, 10.5; P < .001) and speaking (odds ratio, 3.5; P < .05) and overall dissatisfaction (odds ratio, 6.3; P < .01) in complete denture wearers. Feeling of dry mouth was likely to be associated with soreness in denture-bearing tissues in both complete and removable partial denture wearers. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association of the perception of dry mouth among a group of denture wearers with oral symptoms and function.     

Immunohistochemistry and angiography in adenomatous hyperplasia and small hepatocellular carcinomas

The sinusoidal structure and blood supply of 38 liver nodules less than 2 cm In diameter were Investigated. There were 18 cases of adenomatous hyperplasia (AH) and 20 cases of hepatocetlular carcinoma (HCC). Growth pattern, encapsulation and vascularity were examined, and Immunohistochemistry performed for factor VIII related antigen (factor VIII), type IV collagen (collagen IV), lamlnln and CD68. There were significant differences between AH and small HCC, except for the expression of CD68. There were differences In tumor size, vasculartty and the components of the basement membrane between AH and small, well differentiated HCC. The cases of AH were supplied by the portal system and maintained the sinusoidal structure, but small well-differentiated HCC were supplied by a mixture of portal and arterial vessels. In spite of their small size, moderately and poorly differentiated HCC had capillary and were supplied by branches of the hepatic artery.     

Hyperplastic foci in chronic liver disease: Their proliferative activity assessed by nucleolar organizing region

In the cirrhotic and precirrhotic liver, there may be small foci with increased cellularity and amphophilic cytoplasm. These are microscopic lesions that do not form macroscopically detectable nodules, which differ from the macroscopically apparent nodules of dysplastic nodules. In the present study, we assessed the proliferating activity of 12 hyperplastic foci in 11 patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, by staining for agyrophilic nucleolar organizing regions (AgNOR). The mean AgNOR count per nucleus in the hyperplastic foci ranged from 0.96 to 1.36 (mean, 1.13; SD 0.12), and from 0.81 to 1.06 (mean, 0.94; SD 0.08) in the controls. The AgNOR count In the hyperplastic foci was significantly higher than that In the controls (P> 30.01). Small hyperplastic foci show Increased proliferative activity. Further study on these foci is required to clarify their relation to hepatocarcinogenesis.     

Clinical effect of hypoallergenic rice (HRS-1) in atopic dermatitis. HRS-1 Research Group

The usefulness of hypoallergenic rice (HRS-1) was clinically evaluated in 43 patients with severe atopic dermatitis (AD), who were suspected of having rice allergy, in collaboration with 13 hospitals. The patients were fed with HRS-1 instead of eliminating both regular rice and wheat from their daily diet. AD area and severity index (ADASI) was calculated as an indicator of the degree of cutaneous symptoms. Significant decrease of ADASI were observed in the 2nd and 4th week and at the end of the replacement therapy (5.6 weeks on average). On final evaluation, 74% of the patients tested showed "moderate" to "remarkable" improvement, and in 53% of the patients HRS-1 resulted in a "moderate" to "remarkable" reduction in the dosage and the grade of potency of the steroid ointment concomitantly used for the treatment. Finally, HRS-1 was evaluated as "useful" to "very useful" as the elimination diet in 70% of the patients.     

Additional Hepatocellular Carcinomas Undetectable before Surgery

The presence of small additional hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) undetectable before hepatic resection is a crucial topic for hepatic surgeons. We assessed the incidence of pathologically diagnosed multiple HCCs in 267 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC. Ninety-five additional HCC nodules were detected in 72 of the patients (27%). The survival rate of these 72 patients was significant worse than for the 195 with single nodular HCC (p= 0.0013). Twenty-one (22%) were detected before surgery, 29 (31%) during surgery, and 45 (47%) on pathologic examination after surgery. The mean nodule diameters for each group were 2.1, 1.0, and 0.9 cm, respectively (p < 0.0001). None of the 21 nodules detected before surgery was well differentiated, whereas 30 of the 74 nodules in the other two groups were well-differentiated. Although the mean nodule diameter of the well-differentiated HCC group was the smallest, there was no significant difference among the three groups assigned according to tumor differentiation (p= 0.2355). Altogether, 9 of 16 patients with additional nodules detected before surgery (56%) and 49 of 59 with additional nodules detected during or after surgery (88%) had cirrhosis of the liver. The odds ratio for detecting a new HCC nodule during or after surgery in the presence of cirrhosis was 5.444 (p= 0.0087). Improvement in the detection of small additional HCC nodules before and during surgery and meticulous follow-up after surgery are necessary for patients with cirrhosis. For patients without cirrhosis, surgical treatment may be performed according to the results of preoperative imaging studies.     

Factors related to taste sensitivity in elderly: cross‐sectional findings from SONIC study

The sense of taste is important, as it allows for assessment of nutritional value, as well as safety and quality of foods, with several factors suggested to be associated with taste sensitivity. However, comprehensive variables regarding taste and related factors have not been utilised in previous studies for assessments of sensitivity. In the present study, we performed cross‐sectional analyses of taste sensitivity and related factors in geriatric individuals who participated in the SONIC Study. We analysed 2 groups divided by age, 69–71 years (young–old, n = 687) and 79–81 years (old–old, n = 621), and performed a general health assessment, an oral examination and determination of taste sensitivity. Contributing variables were selected by univariate analysis and then subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis. In both groups, females showed significantly better sensitivity for bitter and sour tastes. Additionally, higher cognitive scores for subjects with a fine taste for salty were commonly seen in both groups, while smoking, drinking, hypertension, number of teeth, stimulated salivary flow salt intake and years of education were also shown to be associated with taste sensitivity. We found gender and cognitive status to be major factors affecting taste sensitivity in geriatric individuals.     

Association of periodontal status with occlusal force and food acceptability in 70‐year‐old adults: from SONIC Study

This cross‐sectional study aimed to investigate the association of periodontal status with occlusal force and food acceptability. We hypothesised that mastication deteriorated with reduced periodontal support, even when posterior occlusal contacts with natural teeth were maintained and the patients remained clinically asymptomatic. Participants were 482 independently living 69‐71‐year‐olds, classified as Eichner's group A, having no mobile teeth and no periodontal symptoms. The periodontal probing depth (PPD) and restoration status of each tooth were examined. Occlusal force in the intercuspal position was measured with pressure‐sensitive films. Food acceptability was evaluated from the difficulty experienced in chewing apples, grilled beef, and hard rice crackers. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to investigate the association of periodontal status with occlusal force and food acceptability. A P‐value of <0·05 was considered statistically significant. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that occlusal force had significant negative associations with maximal PPD (standardised partial regression coefficient (β) = ?0·121) after controlling for gender, handgrip strength, number of teeth, and percentage of restored teeth. Approximately 15% of participants were included in the compromised food acceptability group. Logistic regression analyses showed that compromised food acceptability was significantly associated with PPD, after controlling for gender, number of teeth, and percentage of restored teeth. Periodontal probing depth (PPD) was significantly correlated with occlusal force and self‐rated food acceptability after controlling for the possible confounding factors in septuagenarians, even those with complete posterior occlusal contacts and no tooth mobility.