The effect of desiccation on water sorption,solubility and hygroscopic volumetric expansion of dentine replacement materials

Objective

To evaluate water sorption, solubility and hygroscopic expansion and the effect of desiccation for a calcium silicate-based material, a conventional glass ionomer, and a resin-modified glass ionomer.

A clinical investigation of the relationship between the quality of conventional complete dentures and the patients’ quality of life

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between the clinical quality of conventional complete dentures and patient quality of life.

Materials and methods

This study included a random sample of 32 completely edentulous patients (15 males and 17 females) who were treated with conventional complete dentures. Using a validated questionnaire, three investigators evaluated the dentures independently on the basis of seven clinical parameters: esthetics (lip support and lower lip line), retention and stability of the maxillary and the mandibular dentures, and occlusion. Patients completed the validated Oral Health Impact Profile-20 (OHIP-20) questionnaire. Correlations were determined by using the point-biserial correlation coefficient.

Results

Clinicians rated the overall clinical quality of the dentures satisfactory in 80.3% of patients. The mean (±standard deviation) total OHIP-20 score was 56.3 ± 15.9 out of a possible 120 maximum. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the stability of the maxillary and mandibular dentures and the total OHIP-20 score (p = 0.009 and 0.0023, respectively). A negative correlation between the total OHIP-20 score and the retention of the mandibular denture approached significance (p = 0.092). Esthetics, retention of the maxillary denture, and occlusion were not correlated with patient quality of life (p > 0.169).

Conclusion

Stability of the maxillary and mandibular dentures is the denture quality parameter that can most significantly affect patient quality of life.     

Assessment of Dietary Intake and Trace Element Status in Patients with Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis

Purpose Panproctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the operation of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis. The long-term nutritional consequences after pouch surgery are unknown. We have assessed the nutritional status of the essential trace elements—zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium—in patients several years (median, 10 (range, 2–15) years) after surgery. Methods Fifty-five patients with uncomplicated ileal pouch-anal anastomosis and 46 healthy control subjects were studied. A dietary assessment of trace element intake was undertaken by using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The patients’ trace elements status for zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium was assessed by measuring their concentrations in blood. Results The dietary intake of individual trace elements was similar in both groups (all P values > 0.4). There was no significant difference in the concentrations of plasma copper, zinc, and selenium between patients and healthy control subjects (all P values > 0.07). The concentration of whole blood manganese was significantly higher (P = 0.004) in patients (median, 178.5 nmol/l; range, 59–478 nmol/l) compared with healthy control subjects (median, 140 nmol/l; range, 53–267 nmol/l). Four (7 percent) patients had manganese concentrations more than three standard deviations of the mean of control group (>255 nmol/l). Conclusions This study shows that patients who have had uncomplicated pouch surgery have a normal dietary intake of trace elements and do not develop deficiencies in copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium. However, these patients may be at increased risk of manganese toxicity. Supported by the Endowment Fund of the Department of Coloproctology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, United Kingdom. Presented at the meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, Harrogate, United Kingdom, April 28 to 30, 2004.     

Sexual dysfunction in Jordanian diabetic women

OBJECTIVE—To estimate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in diabetic and nondiabetic Jordanian women.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Data were collected from 1,137 married women using the Arabic translation of the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire.RESULTS—Prevalence of sexual dysfunction in diabetic women 50 years of age or older was 59.6 vs. 45.6% in nondiabetic women (P = 0.003). Diabetic women had more dysfunction of desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm than nondiabetic women. Glycemic control, smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, autonomic neuropathy, and peripheral neuropathy did not have a significant effect on FSD. Age, BMI, duration of diabetes, and the presence of coronary artery disease, nephropathy, and retinopathy had negative effects on FSD.CONCLUSIONS—Prevalence of FSD among Jordanian women was found to be significantly higher in diabetic compared with nondiabetic women.Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a common problem, affecting 30–78% of women (1). The prevalence in diabetic women is estimated to be 20–80% (2). In Arab countries, there has only been one report that addresses this issue (1). Islam, the religion of the vast majority of Arab countries, is a very open religion regarding sexual relations, but tribal and social attitudes toward sex are widely different and sometimes reach the level of taboo. In Jordan, talking about sex openly is not easy. However, when talking about sex in a professional setting, women are very self-aware (3).FSD is defined as disorders of libido, arousal, orgasm, and sexual pain that lead to personal distress or interpersonal difficulties. It is multifactorial in etiology with physiological and psychological roots (4). In the 1950s, sexual dysfunction in diabetic men caught attention, but sexual dysfunction in women remained entirely neglected until Kolodny''s article in 1971 (5).Diabetic women are prone to experience decreased sexual desire, dyspareunia, decreased sexual arousal, and inadequate lubrication (8). There are few studies of sexual dysfunction in normal and diabetic women in Arab countries, and Jordan is no exception. The purpose of this study was to address this issue in Jordan.     

A pneumonia that will not go away

Given the number of similar-appearing conditions among a widely heterogeneous group of pulmonary diseases, pneumonia is a commonly overdiagnosed entity, which makes establishing a diagnosis for a specific disease particularly challenging. This article describes the presentation, history, work-up and eventual diagnosis of a 28-year-old woman who was diagnosed with a variety conditions over a span of five months.Pneumonia is a common diagnosis with significant morbidity and mortality. However, pneumonia is a commonly overdiagnosed entity, with many similar-appearing conditions. A young, previously healthy woman was misdiagnosed with a variety of respiratory tract infections over the course of five months before establishing the correct diagnosis – chronic eosinophilic pneumonia.     

Catheter outcomes in the short-term inpatient setting: a controlled quality improvement study comparing citrate and heparin lock

Heparin and citrate are used as catheter lock solutions to reduce risk of catheter dysfunction and infection in hemodialysis. There is a paucity of data comparing these two locks in the short-term, inpatient setting. We compared the efficacy of 2.2% acid citrate dextrose (ACD) versus 5000 U/ml heparin as catheter lock in the inpatient setting. The study was conducted at two sites within our system, with ACD locks used at site 1 and heparin locks at site 2. We assessed catheters for catheter dysfunction and infection. Both nontunneled dialysis catheters (NTDC) and tunneled dialysis catheters (TDC) were evaluated. We studied 250 catheters and 139 met inclusion criteria: 90 catheters in the ACD group and 49 in the heparin group. ACD had superior outcomes for NTDC; event rate was 0.052 for NTDC/ACD and 0.125 for NTDC/heparin (p = 0.032). There was no difference for TDC. Univariate (odds ratio [OR]: 1.88, confidence interval [CI]: 0.931, 3.82) and multivariate (OR: 1.35, CI: 0.64, 2.87) analyses demonstrated a trend toward increased odds of event with heparin. Catheter lock with 2.2% ACD has lower risk of catheter dysfunction as compared with that of 5000 U/ml heparin in the short-term inpatient setting in NTDC and similar risk in TDC.