Nonsurgical endodontic management using MTA for perforative defect of internal root resorption: report of a long term follow-up

Internal root resorption is an uncommon lesion following a dental injury. The use of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a conservative approach to repair lesions with periodontal communication. This case report presents a long-term follow-up of a nonsurgical endodontic management using MTA for perforative defect of internal root resorption. During the endodontic treatment, the granulation tissue was removed and the root canal prepared. Calcium hydroxide was placed as a temporary dressing for 30 days. After this period, the root canal space and the perforation defect were filled with MTA. The clinical findings and periapical radiographs indicated success of treatment until 2 years of follow-up. However, the radiograph after 8 years showed an extensive radiolucent area in the middle third of the root with separation of the apical and coronal root segments. These findings were observed more accurately by using cone-beam computerized tomography.     

Cushing’s syndrome as a cause of secondary obesity and metabolic syndrome: a case report

We describe the case of a woman affected by morbid obesity associated to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hyperlipidaemia and hypertension, configuring a picture of metabolic syndrome (MS). Hormonal investigations revealed that her MS was secondary to the presence of a cortisol-producing left adrenal adenoma. After monolateral adrenalectomy, the MS subsided. Excessive and sustained hypercortisolism gives rise to the entire spectrum of MS. As some clinical manifestations of MS and Cushing’s syndrome (CS) overlap, it is important to consider CS as a possible cause of secondary MS, in order to avoid a delay in diagnosis and proper treatment, which exposes the patient to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality.     

Biological therapies for inflammatory bowel disease: controversies and future options

Over the last few years, advances in understanding the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, together with progress in biotechnology, have led to the availability of several biological drugs that have dramatically changed the therapeutic approach to these disorders. Indeed, several molecules targeting crucial inflammatory cytokines, blocking T-cell activation/proliferation or the recruitment of inflammatory cells into the inflamed bowel, have been discovered and commercialized. However, the increasing use of biological agents has raised some concerns regarding their short- and long-term safety. This review offers a critical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of biological agents in the management of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In addition, promising therapeutic options are discussed.     

The hospital admission risk profile: the HARP helps to determine a patient's risk of functional decline

Older adults are at risk for losing functional ability during and after a hospitalization. It's often difficult to determine which patients are at highest risk and which might benefit from targeted interventions. The Hospital Admission Risk Profile, a simple screening tool, can be used to classify hospitalized older adults as being at low, intermediate, or high risk for losing the ability to perform activities of daily living, based on assessments of age, cognitive function, and the ability to perform independent activities of daily living. It's one of many tools profiled in Try This: Best Practices in Nursing Care to Older Adults, a series provided by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing. For a free online video demonstrating the use of this tool, go to http://links.lww.com/A286.     

Use of glargine in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Insulin glargine is a once-daily basal insulin analog with prolonged duration of action and absence of an evident peak. Glargine is associated with reduced frequency of hypoglycemic episodes (mostly nocturnal) as well as effective glycemic control. Maintenance of good metabolic control before conception and throughout pregnancy is essential to lower the risk of fetal malformations. Glargine might be a valuable alternative in the management of pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus. However, because its clinical utility has not been established, the use of glargine is not currently recommended during pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate (years 2004-2007) the effectiveness and safety of insulin glargine compared with neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) in women affected by type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) during pregnancy. METHODS: The study comprised pregnant women affected by T1DM who were followed up in the Diabetes and Pregnancy Outpatient Clinic at the University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy, within 8 +/- 3.4 weeks subsequent to a positive pregnancy test. All patients with T1DM were treated with conventional basal-bolus insulin therapy (aspart or lispro analogs at the 3 main meals plus glargine or NPH at bedtime). Healthy pregnant women were used as controls for fetal and neonatal parameters. Patients were consecutively enrolled. In all women, metabolic status was determined daily by mean glycemic values (2-hour postprandial blood glucose) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values (at 3-month intervals). Fetal measurements (<50th and >90th centiles of the head circumference, abdomen circumference, and femoral length) were evaluated by ultrasound at second and third trimesters. Weight and femoral length were assessed at birth, and neonates were classified according to the fetal growth curve for the Italian population (<10th centile = small for gestational age; and >90th centile = large for gestational age (LGA). RESULTS: A total of 73 pregnant women (30 with T1DM and 43 healthy [control]) were included in the study. Of the 30 diabetic pregnant women included in the study, 15 (mean [SD] age, 27.4 [5.2] years; mean pregravidic weight, 59.7 [11.7] kg) maintained their preconception therapy with glargine, and 15 (mean age, 30.1 [2.4] years; mean pregravidic weight, 60.7 [8.7] kg) with NPH. No significant difference was observed between the glargine-treated group and the NPH-treated group with regard to pregravidic hypertension, third-trimester preeclampsia, maternal complications and/or their progression during pregnancy (diabetic retinopathy, micro- or macroalbuminuria) and episodes of mild hypoglycemia, severe hypoglycemia, and ketosis. There were no significant between group differences in insulin requirements (IU/kg of body weight) and glycemic profile, with the exception of better fasting and 2 hours after breakfast glycemic values in the glargine group during the first (P = 0.008 and P < 0.001, respectively) and the second (P = 0.015 and P = 0.016) trimesters, confirmed by the lower HbA1c levels in the first trimester (P = 0.037). The frequency of femoral length <50th centile at both second and third trimesters was 4/15 (26.7%) in the glargine-treated group (P = 0.033 and P = 0.013, respectively, vs control), 3/15 (20.0%) and 1/15 (6.7%), respectively, in the NPH-treated group (both, P = NS vs control), and 2/43 (4.7%) and 1/43 (2.3%), respectively, in the control group. The prevalence of LGA was 7/15 (46.7%) in the glargine group (P < 0.001 vs control), 4/15 (27.6%) in the NPH group (P = 0.033 vs control), and 2/43 (4.7%) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Although our retrospective study involved only a small number of participants, no significant difference was found in glycemic control between glargine and NPH treatments. Use of glargine was associated with a significantly higher frequency of femoral length <50th centile. Further larger prospective studies are necessary to assess the safety profile of glargine in T1DM during pregnancy.     

Understanding how clinician-patient relationships and relational continuity of care affect recovery from serious mental illness: STARS study results

OBJECTIVE: Recommendations for improving care include increased patient-clinician collaboration, patient empowerment, and greater relational continuity of care. All rely upon good clinician-patient relationships, yet little is known about how relational continuity and clinician-patient relationships interact, or their effects on recovery from mental illness. METHODS: Individuals (92 women, 85 men) with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, affective psychosis, or bipolar disorder participated in this observational study. Participants completed in-depth interviews detailing personal and mental health histories. Questionnaires included quality of life and recovery assessments and were linked to records of services used. Qualitative analyses yielded a hypothesized model of the effects of relational continuity and clinician-patient relationships on recovery and quality of life, tested using covariance structure modeling. RESULTS: Qualitative data showed that positive, trusting relationships with clinicians, developed over time, aid recovery. When "fit" with clinicians was good, long-term relational continuity of care allowed development of close, collaborative relationships, fostered good illness and medication management, and supported patient-directed decisions. Most valued were competent, caring, trustworthy, and trusting clinicians who treated clinical encounters "like friendships," increasing willingness to seek help and continue care when treatments were not effective and supporting "normal" rather than "mentally ill" identities. Statistical models showed positive relationships between recovery-oriented patient-driven care and satisfaction with clinicians, medication satisfaction, and recovery. Relational continuity indirectly affected quality of life via satisfaction with clinicians; medication satisfaction was associated with fewer symptoms; fewer symptoms were associated with recovery and better quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Strong clinician-patient relationships, relational continuity, and a caring, collaborative approach facilitate recovery from mental illness and improved quality of life.