The prognostic significance of 13q14 deletions in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Although chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in adults, little is known about the molecular abnormalities underlying it and their prognostic significance. Using a battery of six microsatellite markers from 13q12.3-14.3 between BRACA2 gene and the Rb gene, we assayed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 78 CLL patients. We found deletion in 13q14 in 29 patients (37%) between D13S153 and the AFMa 301wb5. Classical cytogenetics was less sensitive, as it detected the 13q14 deletion in only one out of 69 patients (1%) in whom adequate metaphases were obtained. We found no significant difference in survival between patients with and patients without 13q14 LOH. In subset of patients with low beta2-microglobulin levels, those with 13q14 LOH had significantly shorter survival than did patients with low beta2-microglobulin levels but no 13q14 LOH. Also patients in early Rai stages (0-II) with 13q14 LOH had shorter survival period (P = 0.05) than did patients without LOH. These data confirm the prevalence of 13q14 deletion in CLL and suggest that this deletion may help identify more aggressive disease in patients presenting with early stage disease.     

Mandibular fractures: do we overtreat them?

An unusual case of mandibular fracture is presented. Against the wishes of the oral surgeons, the patient refused to have the prescribed treatment. A year later healing was complete, with no residual complications.     

The incidence of impacted wisdom teeth in a Saudi community

The wisdom tooth is the last permanent tooth to erupt into the oral cavity. Its eruption, however, can be impeded and the tooth may become impacted. The incidence of such a condition may be influenced by local as well as racial factors. In this article, an attempt was made to establish the incidence of impacted wisdom teeth in a small sample of the Saudi population.     

The prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity of oral Viridans streptococci in healthy children and children with disabilities in Kuwait

The purpose of this study was to compare the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of Viridans streptococci (VS) isolated from the oral cavity of healthy children and children with disabilities in Kuwait. Plaque samples were collected from the tooth and tongue surfaces of 102 healthy children and 102 children who were intellectually disabled and institutionalized. The resistance to seven antibiotics (amoxicillin, cephalothin, clindamycin, erythromycin, penicillin G, tetracycline, and vancomycin) was tested.
A total of 330 (44.5%) VS were isolated from the children who were healthy and 411 (55.5%) from children with disabilities. The most common isolates were S. salivarias (27.3%) in healthy children; S. sanguis (22.6%) was predominant among children who were disabled. S. mutans was found in 12.1% of the healthy children and in 16.5% of the children who were disabled. The combined percentage of resistant strains (healthy and disabled) was found to be highest with amoxicillin (43%) and lowest with vancomycin (12%). S. sanguis, S. mitis and S. oralis were more resistant in healthy children (45%, 56%, and 55% respectively) than in children with disabilities (40%, 47% and 47% respectively). S. mutans was the least resistant species to all antibiotics in both groups of children. About 56% of ali streptococci isolated from both groups were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested.
The data showed that there was a diference in the level of resistance of oral VS isolated from healthy children and children with disabilities to some antibiotics commonly used in dentistry.     

An adverse reaction to a topical antiseptic (cetrimide).

A case of contact dermatitis due to the pre-operative preparation of the skin with 'Savlon'1 is described. Testing suggested that this was due to cetrimide. The nature of this reaction, its investigation and treatment, are discussed.     

Recurrent hemolytic uremic syndrome in a renal transplant recipient

This case report presents clinical, scintigraphic, duplex sonographic, and biopsy findings in a 23-year-old female renal allograft (RAG) recipient, who had transplantation for chronic renal failure secondary to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). She demonstrated acute and rapidly progressing RAG failure at 7 weeks after transplantation.     

Focal fatty liver lesions in alcoholic liver disease: a broadened spectrum of CT appearances

The CT examinations of 26 consecutive alcoholic patients with focal fatty infiltration of the liver were analyzed. Five different patterns of focal fatty infiltration were noted. In most alcoholic patients these appearances present no diagnostic problem and further confirmation can be obtained by repeating the CT scan within 1-2 weeks to see if interval resolution occurs following enforced abstinence. In select instances, more invasive and definitive procedures such as superselective angiography or liver biopsy may be necessary to differentiate these findings from other more serious diseases they may closely resemble, such as primary or secondary liver neoplasms.