Placebo effect in burning mouth syndrome: a systematic review

Placebo controls play a critical role in the evaluation of any pharmacotherapy. This review surveys the placebo arm in 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and documents a positive placebo response in 6 of them. On average, treatment with placebos produced a response that was 72% as large as the response to active drugs. The lack of homogeneity in the use of placebos adds to the difficulty in comparing results and aggregating data. Future RCTs investigating BMS would benefit from larger sample sizes, adequate follow‐up periods, and use of a standard placebo.     

One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Versus Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass as Revisional Surgery After Sleeve Gastrectomy: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The demand for revisional bariatric surgery after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has increased, but the ideal procedure remains unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to compare the outcomes of weight loss and safety of one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) as revisional procedures for failed SG. Four retrospective comparative studies were included, comprising 499 individuals. Patients submitted to OAGB had a more significant total weight loss (TWL) (MD =  − 5.89%; 95% CI − 6.80 to − 4.97) after revisional surgery. Overall early complication rate was similar between procedures (RD = 0.04; 95% CI: − 0.05 to 0.12). Limited and heterogeneous data prevent meaningful conclusions, but the present analysis suggests that OAGB has a better TWL after revisional surgery.

Graphical abstract

     

Osteoporosis/osteopenia as an independent factor associated with periodontitis in postmenopausal women: a case–control study

Summary

This study investigated whether osteoporosis/osteopenia has an influence on the progression of periodontitis in postmenopausal women. The findings highlight that postmenopausal women with osteoporosis/osteopenia had a greater chance of presenting periodontitis than those with normal bone mineral density, particularly among nonusers of osteoporosis medications and women with a greater number of remaining teeth, showing that osteoporosis/osteopenia has had an influence on the progression of periodontitis.

Introduction

This study investigated whether osteoporosis/osteopenia has an influence on the progression of periodontitis in postmenopausal women and explored the effects of use of osteoporosis medication and tooth loss on this association.

Methods

This case–control study involved 521 postmenopausal women, with minimum age of 50 years, in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. Sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions/medications, and lifestyle habits were recorded. A complete periodontal examination was performed and periodontitis was diagnosed. Bone mineral density was evaluated through lumbar spine and femoral bone densitometry, obtained using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Logistic regression was used to calculate the strength of association between the occurrences of osteoporosis/osteopenia and periodontitis.

Results

Women with osteoporosis/osteopenia were twice as likely to present periodontitis, as were those with normal bone mineral density, even after adjusting for smoking, age, family income, and last visit to dentist (odds ratios (OR)_adjusted?=?2.24, 95 % CI [1.24–4.06], p?=?0.008). Among nonusers of osteoporosis medication (OR_adjusted?=?2.51, 95 % CI [1.33–4.73], p?=?0.004) and women with at least 10 remaining teeth (OR_adjusted?=?2.50 95 % CI [1.18–5.27], p?=?0.02), the odds ratio was higher and statistically significant.

Conclusions

These findings highlight that postmenopausal women with osteoporosis/osteopenia had a greater chance of presenting periodontitis than those with normal bone mineral density, particularly among nonusers of osteoporosis medications and women with a greater number of remaining teeth.     

Endothelial-Derived miR-17∼92 Promotes Angiogenesis to Protect against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

BackgroundDamage to the renal microvasculature is a hallmark of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)–mediated AKI. The miR-17∼92 miRNA cluster (encoding miR-17, -18a, -19a, -20a, -19b-1, and -92a-1) regulates angiogenesis in multiple settings, but no definitive role in renal endothelium during AKI pathogenesis has been established.MethodsAntibodies bound to magnetic beads were utilized to selectively enrich for renal endothelial cells from mice. Endothelial-specific miR-17∼92 knockout (miR-17∼92^endo−/−) mice were generated and given renal IRI. Mice were monitored for the development of AKI using serum chemistries and histology and for renal blood flow using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and laser Doppler imaging. Mice were treated with miRNA mimics during renal IRI, and therapeutic efficacies were evaluated.ResultsmiR-17, -18a, -20a, -19b, and pri–miR-17∼92 are dynamically regulated in renal endothelial cells after renal IRI. miR-17∼92^endo−/− exacerbates renal IRI in male and female mice. Specifically, miR-17∼92^endo−/− promotes renal tubular injury, reduces renal blood flow, promotes microvascular rarefaction, increases renal oxidative stress, and promotes macrophage infiltration to injured kidneys. The potent antiangiogenic factor thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) is highly expressed in renal endothelium in miR-17∼92^endo−/− after renal IRI and is a target of miR-18a and miR-19a/b. miR-17∼92 is critical in the angiogenic response after renal IRI, which treatment with miR-18a and miR-19b mimics can mitigate.ConclusionsThese data suggest that endothelial-derived miR-17∼92 stimulates a reparative response in damaged renal vasculature during renal IRI by regulating angiogenic pathways.     

American society of nuclear cardiology position statement on electrocardiographic gating of myocardial perfusion SPECT scintigrams

Conclusion  In heart transplant recipients with isolated focal CAD involving the proximal or mid portion of a vessel, revascularization options exist. However, because of the increased risk of the procedure and uncertain impact on outcome, it probably is important to document evidence of provokable ischemia, especially if the patient is symptom free. Stress myocardial perfusion imaging can document ischemia related to specific coronary artery lesions and may be an important adjunct to decision making in this difficult patient population. One of the most important recent developments in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging is the ability to acquire these studies in conjunction with electrocardiogrpahic (ECG) gating. A recommendation for incorporating ECG gating as a routine during SPECT cardiac perfusion scintigraphy is appropriate for at least four reasons: there is extensive peer-reviewed literature attesting to its value; the practice is now widespread; practitioners in diverse settings (academia dn private practive) regularly use it; and the hardware and software requirements are widely available. In addition, ASNC-sponsored continuing medical education programs for the past several years have emphasized the added information provided by ECG gating. The purpose of this position statemetn therefore is to formally encourage routine ECG gating along with SPECT myocardial perusion studies, unless technical reasons preclude this. p ]Although the principleis clear-cut, there will need to be more investigations and, ultimately, procedural guidelines to assist in optimizing acquisition and processing parametes in relation to different hardware and radiopharmaceuticals. This is a first step in a new and expanding direction for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. Timothy M. Bateman, MD President American Society of Nuclear Cardiology     

Genetic diversity of the Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) genes in pathogenic Leptospira spp.

Recent serologic, immunoprotection, and pathogenesis studies identified the Lig proteins as key virulence determinants in interactions of leptospiral pathogens with the mammalian host. We examined the sequence variation and recombination patterns of ligA, ligB, and ligC among 10 pathogenic strains from five Leptospira species. All strains were found to have intact ligB genes and genetic drift accounting for most of the ligB genetic diversity observed. The ligA gene was found exclusively in L. interrogans and L. kirschneri strains, and was created from ligB by a two-step partial gene duplication process. The aminoterminal domain of LigB and the LigA paralog were essentially identical (98.5 ± 0.8% mean identity) in strains with both genes. Like ligB, ligC gene variation also followed phylogenetic patterns, suggesting an early gene duplication event. However, ligC is a pseudogene in several strains, suggesting that LigC is not essential for virulence. Two ligB genes and one ligC gene had mosaic compositions and evidence for recombination events between related Leptospira species was also found for some ligA genes. In conclusion, the results presented here indicate that Lig diversity has important ramifications for the selection of Lig polypeptides for use in diagnosis and as vaccine candidates. This sequence information will aid the identification of highly conserved regions within the Lig proteins and improve upon the performance characteristics of the Lig proteins in diagnostic assays and in subunit vaccine formulations with the potential to confer heterologous protection.