Salivary biomarkers: Relationship between oxidative stress and alveolar bone loss in chronic periodontitis

Objectives. Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of many systemic and oral diseases such as periodontal disease. The main aim of this study is to explore a possible association between salivary markers of OS and alveolar bone loss. Materials and methods. The study included 20 patients with chronic periodontitis and 20 controls. Salivary OS biomarkers 8-hidroxy-desoxguanosine (8-HOdG), malondialdehyde (MDA), uric acid, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were evaluated. Bone loss markers such as C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX I), matrix metalloproteinases-8 (MMP-8), osteocalcin and 25-hydroxy vitamin D₃ (25- OH D) were detected in this study. The methods included general biochemical tests and ELISA. Results. Salivary 8-OHdG, MDA levels were significantly higher in the chronic periodontitis group compared with controls (p < 0.05). Salivary activities for uric acid, TAC and GPx were significantly decreased in patients with chronic periodontitis vs controls (p < 0.05). Salivary levels for CTX I, MMP-8, 25-OH D and Osteocalcin were significantly higher in the chronic periodontitis group compared to the controls (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between salivary levels of MDA and CTX I. Significant negative correlations between uric acid and CTX I and between MMP-8 and uric acid have been found. Significant positive correlations were observed between CTX I, MMP-8, 25-OH D, osteocalcin and clinical parameters of periodontal disease. Conclusions. Important oxidative stress associated with alveolar bone loss biomarkers can be detected in saliva of patients with periodontal disease.     

Comparative Study on Nutrition and Lifestyle of Information Technology Workers from Romania before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

The study aimed to evaluate lifestyle factors among Information Technology (IT) workers from Romania before and during the pandemic. We used an online applied questionnaire, filled in by 1638 respondents, that assessed nutrition status-Body Mass Index (BMI), weight and diet change, physical activity, alcohol consumption, number of hours working in front of the computer, stress, and sleep. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the lifestyle factors that lead to weight gain. Although the level of physical activity (PA) was low before the pandemic, the results of our study showed a further decrease in physical activity. In total, 61.1% of men and 71.1% of women performed PA for less than 30 min per day. Weight gain was reported in 50.5% of men and 45.3% of women (mean weight gain was 5.11 ± 3.52 kg) as a result of increased screen time (with a mean of 3.52 ± 4.29 for females and 3.05 ± 2.09 for males, p > 0.05 h per day) and the reported changes in diet. Despite the popularity of home-cooked foods, the intake of vegetables and fruit remained low. The quality of sleep was poor for 55.7% of the respondents. Public health and corporation policies are required to encourage a healthy lifestyle and avoid chronic diseases.     

Risk associated with perioperative red blood cell transfusion in cranial surgery

We assessed the impact of intra- and postoperative RBC transfusion on postoperative morbidity and mortality in cranial surgery. A total of 8924 adult patients who underwent cranial surgery were identified in the 2006–2011 American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Patients undergoing a biopsy, radiosurgery, or outpatient surgery were excluded. Propensity scores were calculated according to demographic variables, comorbidities, and preoperative laboratory values. Patients who had received RBC transfusion were matched to those who did not, by propensity score, preoperative hematocrit level, and by length of surgery, as an indirect measure of potential intraoperative blood loss. Logistic regression was used to predict adverse postoperative outcomes. A total of 625 (7%) patients were transfused with one or more units of packed RBCs. Upon matching, preoperative hematocrit, length of surgery, and emergency status were no longer different between transfused and non-transfused patients. RBC transfusion was associated with prolonged length of hospitalization (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.2), postoperative complications (OR 2.8, 95% CI 2.0–3.8), 30-day return to operation room (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3–3.2), and 30-day mortality (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.4–7.6). RBC transfusion is associated with substantive postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing both elective and emergency cranial surgery. These results suggest judicious use of transfusion in cranial surgery, consideration of alternative means of blood conservation, or pre-operative restorative strategies in patients undergoing elective surgery, when possible.     

Botulinum toxin improves lid opening delays in blepharospasm-associated apraxia of lid opening

Lid movement and EMG of the orbicularis oculi (OOc) were analyzed in 10 patients with apraxia of lid opening associated with blepharospasm before and after botulinum toxin treatment. The latencies to onset and to complete the eye opening and the time during which eye opening was sustained were studied in relation to OOc activity and compared with control values obtained in 12 healthy subjects. Following treatment there was an improvement of all lid opening measurements, a decrease of the abnormally prolonged OOc activity, and a reduction of the functional disability.     

RPE-rip after intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) treatment for vascularised PED secondary to AMD

Background Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)-rips in age-related macular degeneration (AMD)-associated pigment epithelial detachment (PED) occur in the natural course of the disease but also after therapy (e.g. laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy), possibly triggered by the specific therapy. We report here on four patients that received intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) for AMD-associated vascularised PED and developed RPE-rips during the follow-up. Methods The case reports of four consecutive patients that developed RPE-rips after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab at 1 mg/0.1 ml were reviewed. Results The RPE-rips occurred in all patients between 1 week and 1 month following intravitreal injection. Two of the four patients improved in vision despite the rip, but 3 months after the initial intervention, three patients suffered deterioration in visual acuity and had to be re-injected. Conclusion Improvement in visual acuity may occur following intravitreal bevacizumab despite RPE-rips, but the patients need close follow-up and eventual re-treatment in the case of deterioration. None of the authors has a propietary interest in the presented cases.     

Pediatric short bowel syndrome: redefining predictors of success

OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of survival and of weaning off parenteral nutrition (PN) in pediatric short bowel syndrome (SBS) patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Pediatric SBS carries extensive morbidity and high mortality, but factors believed to predict survival or weaning from PN have been based on limited studies. This study reviews outcomes of a large number of SBS infants and identifies predictors of success. METHODS: Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted on 80 pediatric SBS patients. Primary outcome was survival; secondary outcome was ability to wean off PN. Nonsignificant covariates were eliminated. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Over a mean of 5.1 years of follow-up, survival was 58 of 80 (72.5%) and 51 weaned off PN (63.8%). Cholestasis (conjugated bilirubin > or =2.5 mg/dL) was the strongest predictor of mortality (relative risk [RR] 22.7, P = 0.005). Although absolute small bowel length was only slightly predictive, percentage of normal bowel length (for a given infant's gestational age) was strongly predictive of mortality (if <10% of normal length, RR of death was 5.7, P = 0.003) and of weaning PN (if > or =10% of normal, RR of weaning PN was 11.8, P = 0.001). Presence of the ileocecal valve (ICV) also strongly predicted weaning PN (RR 3.9, P < 0.0005); however, ICV was not predictive of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Cholestasis and age-adjusted small bowel length are the major predictors of mortality in pediatric SBS. Age-adjusted small bowel length and ICV are the major predictors of weaning from PN. These data permit better prediction of outcomes of pediatric SBS, which may help to direct future management of these challenging patients.     

Meropenem activity against staphylococci

Meropenem is a new carbapenem with excellent activity against different Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Its good antibacterial activity is closely related to high hydrolysis resistance by bacterial beta-lactamases. The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial activity of meropenem by comparison that of oxacillin, gentamicin, clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin against 458 staphylococci collected during 2004 period from healthy individuals. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by agar dilution technique. Meropenem has an activity clearly superior to the other tested agents. Resistance rate is zero for all investigated strains.