Gingival fluid cytokine expression and subgingival bacterial counts during pregnancy and postpartum: a case series

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess gingival fluid (GCF) cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, subgingival bacteria, and clinical periodontal conditions during a normal pregnancy to postpartum.

Materials and methods

Subgingival bacterial samples were analyzed with the checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization method. GCF samples were assessed with real-time PCR including five proinflammatory cytokines and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor.

Results

Nineteen pregnant women with a mean age of 32 years (S.D. ± 4 years, range 26–42) participated in the study. Full-mouth bleeding scores (BOP) decreased from an average of 41.2% (S.D. ± 18.6%) at the 12th week of pregnancy to 26.6% (S.D. ± 14.4%) at the 4–6 weeks postpartum (p?<?0.001). Between week 12 and 4–6 weeks postpartum, the mean probing pocket depth changed from 2.4 mm (S.D. ± 0.4) to 2.3 mm (S.D. ± 0.3) (p?=?0.34). Higher counts of Eubacterium saburreum, Parvimonas micra, Selenomonas noxia, and Staphylococcus aureus were found at week 12 of pregnancy than at the 4–6 weeks postpartum examinations (p?<?0.001). During and after pregnancy, statistically significant correlations between BOP scores and bacterial counts were observed. BOP scores and GCF levels of selected cytokines were not related to each other and no differences in GCF levels of the cytokines were observed between samples from the 12th week of pregnancy to 4–6 weeks postpartum. Decreasing postpartum counts of Porphyromonas endodontalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were associated with decreasing levels of Il-8 and Il-1β.

Conclusions

BOP decreased after pregnancy without any active periodontal therapy. Associations between bacterial counts and cytokine levels varied greatly in pregnant women with gingivitis and a normal pregnancy outcome. Postpartum associations between GCF cytokines and bacterial counts were more consistent.

Clinical relevance

Combined assessments of gingival fluid cytokines and subgingival bacteria may provide important information on host response.     

Radiation exposure from CT in early childhood: a French large-scale multicentre study

Objectives

The increasing use of CT scans in the paediatric population raises the question of a possible health impact of ionising radiation exposure associated with CT scans. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of CT use in early childhood.

Methods

In 14 major French paediatric radiology departments, children undergoing at least 1 CT scan before age 5, between 2000 and 2006, were included. For each examination, absorbed organ doses were calculated.

Results

43% of the 27 362 children in the cohort were aged less than 1 year during their first exposure, with 9% being aged less than 1 month. The mean number of examinations per child was 1.6 (range 1–43). The examinations included: head in 63% of the cases, chest in 21%, abdomen and pelvis in 8% and others in 8%. Brain and eye lenses received the highest cumulative doses from head examinations, with mean organ dose values of 22 mGy (maximum 1107 mGy) and 26 mGy (maximum 1392 mGy), respectively. The mean cumulative effective dose was 3.2 mSv (range 0.1–189 mSv).

Conclusion

CT scan exposure in childhood is responsible for relatively high doses to radiosensitive organs. The rather large dose range according to the protocols used requires their optimisation. The cohort follow-up will study the risk of long-term radiation-induced cancer.Exposure for medical purposes is the main source of artificial radiation. In France, it represents 40% of the annual exposure of the whole population [1]. These exposures are mostly in relation to radiodiagnosis, which is associated with low levels of ionising radiation (IR). Previously, it has been observed that pre-natal and childhood exposure to X-rays was associated with an increased risk of cancer [2-4]; however, this was not confirmed by a review based on more recent studies published since 1990 [5]. The doses that used to be involved in pre-natal and post-natal diagnostic exposures in the past were much higher than those reported nowadays, and no evidence of an increased risk of leukaemia has been observed. However, some specific procedures, such as CT, are associated with much higher radiation doses than conventional radiodiagnosis: CT accounts for only 5% of all X-ray examinations but represents between 40% and 67% of the total medical dose received by the population [6]. Over the last 20 years the ease and speed of image acquisition linked to technological developments has encouraged the proliferation of procedures and has led to increased doses to patients. These trends are also observed in paediatric diagnostic imaging, leading to an increase in the use of CT and, therefore, an increase in the level of exposure to IR in children. About 11% of CT scans are carried out in the paediatric population [7]. Assessment of cancer risk after childhood radiation exposure remains a concern regardless of the radioprotection used for children. Children actually present an increased radiosensitivity of certain tissues compared with that of adults, which, combined with a long life expectancy, could allow cancer to develop. A lack of adjustment of specific technical parameters during imaging has also been noted.The objective of this study was to build a cohort of children who attended the major French radiology departments very early in life, in order to describe the pattern of CT scan use in early childhood and to estimate doses associated with these examinations.     

Vaccine prevention in perinatal health care: parents, children and professionals

Recent legislative texts have changed vaccinal policy and reinforced the role of midwives in vaccine prevention in perinatal healthcare. Quite as paediatricians and obstetricians-gynecologists, midwives can now prescribe and carry out, for the mothers, vaccines against rubella, tetanus, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, hepatitis B, influenza and whooping-cough and for the newborns vaccines against hepatitis B and tuberculosis. Concerning vaccinations, practitioners have to respect the vaccination calendar and a collaborative action is useful and necessary. These national guidelines are regularly updated when new vaccines and new recommendations come to light, for example for children (papillomavirus, tuberculosis, pneumococcus...), young adults (varicella, whooping-cough) and health professions in contact with very young children (varicella, measles, influenza and whooping-cough). The recent changes in tuberculosis prevention from routine vaccination of all newborn infants to selective vaccination lead to reinforce measures to detect the infants at higher risk, for them to be vaccinated before discharge at home. Midwives and nurses occupy a central place in family policy and become, with obstetricians-gynecologists and pediatricians, key actors for the effectiveness and the success of vaccine strategies in perinatal health.     

Dysplasie épithéliale ovarienne : mythe ou réalité ? Revue de la littérature

Ovarian epithelial dysplasia has been described in the ovarian surface epithelium by histologic, morphometric and nuclear profile studies. It could represent a potential precursor of ovarian malignancy in patients with genetic risk of ovarian cancer, although its natural history and progression to carcinoma are unpredictable. Diagnosis and identification of ovarian dysplasia would certainly be useful to understand the early steps of ovarian carcinogenesis. However, dysplasia in relation with ovulation induction seems to have a different pattern. We report dysplasia definitions and the current clinical management.     

Acute superior mesenteric vein thrombosis. A retrospective study of 9 patients

AIM OF THE STUDY: To determine diagnostic modalities and both immediate and long-term treatment of superior mesenteric venous thrombosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study from 1997 to 2004 in two institutions concerning patients with superior mesenteric vein thrombosis. RESULTS: Nine patients (all males, mean age=55 years), were included. Abdominal pain (100%), vomiting (44%), and bowel activity disorders (44%) were the most common symptoms. A personal or familial thrombosis history was present in 67% of patients. A genetic predisposing factor of thrombosis was present in 78% of patients. The diagnosis was established with CT-scan in 8 cases with a mean delay of 8 days. Treatment was exclusively medical in 33% of patients and included surgery in 67%. All operated patients underwent resection for bowel infarction and only one had immediate anastomosis. All enterostomies were subsequently closed. No patient died. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of superior mesenteric vein thrombosis is frequently delayed and relies on CT-scan with intravenous contrast. Prognosis is globally favourable but depends on early application of anticoagulation therapy. In case of surgery, bowel-sparing resection is indicated and enterostomies are often needed. Genetic disorders predisposing to thrombosis are very frequent, that may indicate prolonged even definitive anticoagulation therapy.     

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents: therapeutic strategy according to clinic presentation

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this retrospective study was to propose a therapeutic strategy according to clinic and pathologic presentations, in differentiated thyroid carcinoma in patients less than 20 years of age. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1995 to 2002, 74 patients less than 20 years of age were operated on for a differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Patients were divided in two groups according to the presence of lymph node (LN) detected before operation (19 "with LN" and 55 "without LN"). RESULTS: Surgery consisted of total thyroidectomy and lymph node dissection in the group "with LN". In the second group "without LN", total thyroidectomy was performed in 19 patients (associated with lymph node dissection in seven) and loboisthmectomy in 29 patients. Post operative radio iodine ablation was performed in 25 patients (16 "with LN" and nine "without LN"). During the follow up (median 71 months), 9/19 patients "with LN" underwent surgery for lymph node recurrence. Four patients of the "without LN" group were reoperated for recurrence in the controlateral thyroid lobe after initial loboisthmectomy. Initial presence of lymph nodes was a risk factor for reoperation. Survival without reoperation at 5 and 10 years was 58% and 38% for the "with LN" group and 96% and 91% for the "without LN" group respectively (P < 0.001). At the time of analysis, all patients were alive. Ninety percent of patients were in remission (68% of "with LN" and 98% of "without LN" patients). CONCLUSION: The risk of reoperation for lymph node recurrence during first post operative year is important in the "with LN" group. Therapeutic strategy consists of total thyroidectomy, complete lymph node dissection, radio iodine administration and l-thyroxine treatment. In "without LN" patients risk of lymph node recurrence is low. Treatment consist of total thyroidectomy, lymph node dissection and radio iodine administration are not systematic.     

Initial Experience with Laparoscopic Crural Closure in the Management of Hiatal Hernia in Obese Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy

Background  

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and/or hiatal hernia (HH) is significantly increased in morbidly obese patients. Laparoscopic bariatric procedures such as gastric banding (LGB) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass have been shown to improve both obesity and reflux symptoms. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and hiatal hernia repair (HHR) for the treatment of obesity complicated by HH.     

Autism spectrum disorders and epilepsy: Moving towards a comprehensive approach to treatment

The biological and phenotypic heterogeneity of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and epilepsy presents a significant challenge to the development of effective treatment protocols. There is no single treatment or treatment protocol for children with ASD or epilepsy. Children with co-occurring ASD and epilepsy should undergo a comprehensive assessment that includes investigation of underlying biological etiologies as well assessment of cognitive, language, affective, social and behavioral function prior to initiating treatment. The comprehensive treatment of children with ASD is based on a combination of therapeutic psychosocial interventions in combination with pharmacological agents. A process-oriented approach to assessment and intervention allows careful analysis of the child’s response to treatment such that treatment protocols may be revised secondary to any changes in developmental trajectory of the child with ASD and epilepsy. The possibility of developing pharmacological interventions that target both ASD and epilepsy awaits definitive evidence. The best hope for good developmental outcomes in children with ASD and epilepsy is early recognition and comprehensive treatment of both the ASD and epilepsy.