Postoperative pain in root canal treatment with ultrasonic versus conventional irrigation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Clinical Oral Investigations - The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis (SRM) was to answer the question whether the use of ultrasonic irrigation (UI) results in less postoperative...     

Locomotive Syndrome is associated with chronic pain and poor quality of life in Brazilian oldest old: LOCOMOV Project

BackgroundIn 2007, the Japanese Orthopedic Association established the term “Locomotive Syndrome” (LS) for the concept of locomotor organ dysfunction with potential loss of independence. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of LS and establish a diagnostic cut-off for the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS 25-p) for the Brazilian population.MethodsA cross-sectional observational study of the LOCOMOV Project cohort of independent outpatients aged ≥80 years was conducted. Questionnaires on functional status in Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (Katz and Lawton, respectively) and quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref) were applied, together with the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS 25-p) to identify individuals with LS. Mobility was assessed using the five-times sit-to-stand test, 4-m gait speed, two-step test, one-leg standing time with eyes open and hand-grip test. The data were analyzed using Student's t-test, the Chi–Square test, and multiple logistic regression (stepwise). The significance level was set at 0.05 (5%).ResultsA sample of 102 individuals with mean age of 87.3 (±4.2) years and predominantly female (73.5%) was assessed. We determined a cut-off score of 19 (sensitivity of 0.86 and specificity of 0.67) for diagnosis of LS, as assessed by the GLFS 25-p, and a high prevalence (55%) of the syndrome was found in the sample. In the multiple regression analysis, LS was directly associated with chronic pain (OR 22.24, 95%CI 3.13–157.87), use of a walking device (OR 17.121, 95%CI 1.94–150.49), and inversely associated with gait speed ≥0.8 m/s (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.006–0.278), perception of good health (OR 0.153, 95%CI 0.029–0.799) and male gender (OR 0.086, 95%CI 0.0105–0.714).ConclusionThe LS in the oldest old proved a very common condition in this survey, especially in women, and was strongly associated with chronic pain, worse performance on physical tests and poor quality of life.     

Maternal depression trajectories and offspring positive attributes and social aptitudes at early adolescence: 2004 Pelotas birth cohort

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - There is growing evidence that adolescent positive attributes and social aptitudes are associated with beneficial outcomes, including higher educational...     

Emerging and Traditional Organic Markers in Areas with Multiple Anthropogenic Activities: Development of an Analytical Protocol and Its Application in Environmental Assessment Studies

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - This work describes the development of an analytical protocol combining cleanup by liquid–solid extraction and GC–MS for the...     

Is cannabidiol the ideal drug to treat non-motor Parkinson’s disease symptoms?

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience - Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, rest tremor,...     

Allosensitization after transplant failure: the role of graft nephrectomy and immunosuppression – a retrospective study

There are conflicting data about the role of transplant nephrectomy and immunosuppression withdrawal on the development of allosensitization and the impact on re‐transplantation. We divided 109 first graft recipients into two groups according to whether they underwent nephrectomy (NX+, n = 61) or their graft was left in situ (NX?, n = 48). Sera were assessed for HLA‐A/B/Cw/DR/DQ antibodies at the time of NX/transplant failure and after 3, 6, 12, 24 months. The NX+ group showed a higher rate of donor specific antibody (DSA) and non‐DSA human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody production at all the time points. Multivariable analysis showed that nephrectomy was a strong, independent risk factor for the development of DSAs after 12 and 24 months (P = 0.005 and 0.008). In the NX? group, low tacrolimus levels correlated with DSA formation (AUC 0.817, P = 0.002; best cut‐off level 2.9 ng/ml). Analysis with a standardized pool of UK donors showed a more difficult grade of HLA matchability following nephrectomy compared with the NX? group. Nephrectomy is followed by the long‐term production of DSA and non‐DSA HLA antibodies and negatively impacts on the chances of finding a HLA‐compatible kidney. Tacrolimus levels ≥3 ng/ml are protective against the development of allosensitization and could facilitate re‐transplantation in the NX? group.     

Associations between anthropometric indicators in early life and low-grade inflammation,insulin resistance and lipid profile in adolescence

Background and aimsThe long-term relations between excessive adiposity in early childhood and unfavourable cardiometabolic profiles in later ages are not yet completely understood. We aimed to assess the associations between birth weight (BW) and BMI from 6 months to 6 years of age, with biomarkers indicative of low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance and lipid profiles in adolescence.Methods and resultsRetrospective school-based study with 415 Portuguese adolescents (220 girls), mean age of 14.08 ± 1.6 years old. Anthropometric data from birth to 6 years old was extracted from individual child health book records. Actual weight and height were measured and BMI calculated. Participants were classified at each time point as normal weight or overweight according to WHO reference values. Biomarkers were obtained from venous blood samples. Linear regressions were used to explore the associations between the biomarkers and early life anthropometric indicators. From 2 years onwards, BMI associated positively with the inflammatory score and HOMA-IR in adolescence. Children who were overweight/obese from 2 to 6 years of age presented significantly higher inflammatory score and HOMA-IR later in adolescence. TC/HDL ratio was also positively associated with BMI from the age of 5 years onwards. The associations between BMI and cardiometabolic outcomes remained positive in adolescence, with overweight adolescents presenting a higher inflammatory score, HOMA-IR and TC/HDL than normal weight adolescents.ConclusionA high BMI from an early age was consistently associated with worse inflammatory and lipid profiles and insulin resistance in adolescence. No associations were found between BW and the same studied outcomes.     

Treatment completion,treatment compliance and outcomes of old and very old patients treated by dose adapted stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for T1-T3N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer

AimThis is a retrospective single-institution review of the treatment completion and clinical outcomes of patients aged 75 and older, treated with stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for T1-T3 N0 M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Material. MethodsFrom April 2008 to September 2015, 200 patients, aged 75–93, received respiratory–managed, intensity-modulated-based SABR. Dose fractionation was risk-adapted and delivered in 2–3 weekly treatments. Treatment completion, local control, overall survival and treatment-related toxicities were evaluated.ResultsAll patients completed the prescribed SABR course. However, 29 patients required interruption of at least one fraction of SABR and optimization of pain control before continuation of the fraction. Median follow-up was 20.9 months. The median OS was 31.6 months with 1-,3-year survival rates of 80.7%, and 44.4% respectively. Local control at 1- and 3- years were 97.6%, 83.5% respectively.Treatment was well-tolerated. However, there were two (1%) G5 (fatal) toxicities: one acute sudden dyspnoea of unknown cause and one late SABR-related haemoptysis. No statistically significant differences in outcomes/toxicities were observed between old (75–84 years old) and very old patients (>85 years old).ConclusionsOld and very old patients can successfully complete SABR for NSCLC, with good local control, survival and acceptable toxicity. Old patients might require increased supportive care for successful treatment delivery.