Acromegaly is associated with a distinct oral and gut microbiota

Pituitary - Our aim was to investigate the changes in the composition of oral and gut microbiota in patients with newly diagnosed acromegaly and their relationship with IGF-1 levels. Oral and fecal...     

Assessment of health-related quality of life among hypertensive patients: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

Aim

The ability to identify indicators of poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is crucial for both improving clinical care and determining targets of intervention for the prevention and treatment of disease. The main objectives of this study were to assess the HRQoL profile of the hypertensive population from Palestine, and to determine the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with poor HRQoL.

Subject and methods

A cross sectional study was conducted, adopting the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions scale (EQ-5D-5 L) for the assessment of HRQoL. Hypertensive patients attending outpatients’ clinics at Al-Makhfyah primary health care clinic and from Alwatani Hospital, Nablus, Palestine were approached for study.

Results

Four hundred and ten hypertensive patients were enrolled in the study. Of these, 213 patients (52 %) were female. The average age of the study population was 58.38?±?10.65 years. HRQoL was good, with a mean EQ-5D-5 L index value and EQ visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) score of 0.80?±?0.16 and 74.1?±?15.6 respectively. There was a significant positive correlation (r?=?0.56; p?<?0.001) between the EQ-5D-5 L index values and the reported EQ-VAS scores. A significant difference in EQ-5D-5 L index values was found among participants when grouped according to age, occupation, marital status, income, educational level, duration of disease, total number of chronic diseases, and total number of medications (Kruskal–Wallis test; p-value?<?0.05), as well as gender and therapy type (Mann–Whitney test, p-value?<?0.05).

Conclusions

This study highlighted that specific socio-demographic and disease-related characteristics of hypertensive patients as well as treatment factors were strongly associated with HRQoL. The study findings could be helpful in clinical practice, mainly in the early treatment of hypertensive patients, at a point where improving HRQoL is still possible.     

Evaluating the biomechanical effects of implant diameter in case of facial trauma to an edentulous atrophic mandible: a 3D finite element analysis

Background

Rehabilitation using an implant supported overdenture with two implants inserted in the interforaminal region is the easiest and currently accepted treatment modality to increase prosthetic stabilization and patient satisfaction in edentulous patients. The insertion of implants to the weakend mandibular bone decreases the strength of the bone and may lead to fractures either during or after implant placement. The aim of this three dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA) study was to evaluate the biomechanical effects of implant diameter in case of facial trauma (2000 N) to an edentulous atrophic mandible with two implant supported overdenture.

Methods

Three 3D FEA models were simulated; Model 1 (M1) is edentulous atrophic mandible, Model 2 (M2), 3.5x11.5 mm implants were inserted into lateral incisors area of same edentulous atrophic mandible, Model 3 (M3), 4.3x11.5 mm implants were inserted into lateral incisors area of same edentulous atrophic mandible.

Results

In M1 and M2 highest stress levels were observed in condylar neck, whereas highest stress values in M3 were calculated in symphyseal area.

Conclusions

To reduce the risk of bone fracture and to preserve biomechanical behavior of the atrophic mandible from frontal traumatic loads, implants should be inserted monocortically into spongious bone of lateral incisors area.

     

Gastroprotective effect of sumatriptan against indomethacin-, stress- and ethanol-induced gastric damage in male rats: Possible modulatory role of 5-hydroxytryptamine 1B/1D receptors and pro-inflammatory cytokines

The current study was aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of sumatriptan, a 5-hydroxytryptamine 1B/1D (5HT_1B/1D) receptor agonist, on gastric ulcer in rats via stimulating 5HT_1B/1D receptors and suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Rats were allocated into three models of gastric ulcer: indomethacin (30 mg/kg, PO), water immersion restraint stress (WRS) and ethanol (5 ml/kg PO). Animals were administered with sumatriptan (0.01, 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg, i.p) 30 min before gastric ulcer induction. GR-127935 (0.01 mg/kg, i.p, a selective 5HT_1B/1D antagonist) was administered 30 min before sumatriptan (0.1 mg/kg) injection. Macroscopic assessments (J-score), ELISA analysis of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and histopathological changes were performed on the rat's stomach tissues. Gastric ulcer induction in three models caused an increase in J-score, TNF-α, IL-1β and microscopic features. Sumatriptan (0.1 mg/kg) significantly improved gastric injury induced by indomethacin, WRS and ethanol through the reduction in the J-score, TNF-α, IL-1β and microscopic lesions. Concurrent administration of GR-127935 (0.01 mg/kg) with sumatriptan (0.1 mg/kg) reversed the gastroprotective effect of sumatriptan in three models. Sumatriptan possessed gastroprotective effects on indomethacin-, WRS- and ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats via the possible involvement of the 5HT_1B/1D receptors.     

Assessment of health-related quality of life among patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

Background

The ability to identify indicators of poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is crucial for both improving clinical care and determining targets of intervention for the prevention and treatment of disease. The main objectives of this study were to assess the HRQoL profile of individuals with hypertension in Palestine, and to determine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with poor HRQoL.

Periorbital emphysema during dental treatment: a case report

Periorbital emphysema is a rare complication of dental treatment. To date, there is only 1 case of periorbital emphysema during dental treatment reported in the literature. Etiologies and guidelines for the prevention of this complication during dental treatment were outlined and a rare case was presented.     

Nutritional risk in patients with systemic sclerosis

Clinical Rheumatology -     

Neuroendocrine changes after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

Pituitary - The prevalence of pituitary dysfunction is high following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and when occurs it may contribute to residual symptoms of aSAH such as decreased...     

Pituitary dysfunction due to sports-related traumatic brain injury

Pituitary - After traumatic brain injury was accepted as an important etiologic factor of pituitary dysfunction (PD), awareness of risk of developing PD following sports-related traumatic brain...