Effect of blood pressure on cognitive functions in elderly persons

BACKGROUND: Little is known about what specific cognitive functions are affected by elevated blood pressure (BP) and how orthostatic BP change is related to cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of BP and its postural change on cognitive functions in otherwise healthy elders. METHODS: In 70 healthy persons (mean age, 72 +/- 4 years), supine systolic BP (SBP) was assessed 3 times using a sphygmomanometer, and the average values were obtained for the analysis. After 1, 3, and 5 minutes of standing, 3 BP measurements were obtained and the orthostatic SBP changes were determined by subtracting these values from the supine average. Neuropsychological tests were administered to assess short-term and long-term verbal and visual memory, visuospatial skills, and frontal-executive functions. Participants were considered impaired in the specific cognitive performance if their scores fell below the 25th percentile of the study population. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relation of SBP and the magnitude of orthostatic SBP decline to risk for impairment in each of the cognitive tests. RESULTS: Controlling for potential confounders, each 10 mmHg increase in supine SBP was associated with a 2.31-fold increase (95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 4.66) in risk for impairment in psychomotor speed and set shifting as measured using the Trailmaking Part-B test. There was no significant association between cognitive functions and orthostatic SBP decline at 1, 3, and 5 minutes of standing. CONCLUSION: Elevation of BP is associated with a selective impairment in executive function in otherwise healthy community-dwelling elders.     

The effects of corticosteroid injection versus local anesthetic injection in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a randomized single-blinded clinical trial

Introduction

This study seeks to compare two treatment methods of lateral epicondylitis: corticosteroid injection (CSI) and a local anesthetic injection (LAI).

Materials and methods

In this single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 138 patients with the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis were assigned either into CSI group receiving methylprednisolone 1 ml (49 patients) or LAI group (51 patients) receiving procaine 1 ml 2 % in a single dose at the maximal point tenderness site. The primary outcome measure was elbow disability using Quick DASH, and secondary outcome measures were pain intensity using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and recurrence rate at pretreatment visit and at 3-, 6- and 12-week post-treatment visits.

Results

There were no significant differences between the patients in both groups for demographic factors including age, gender, dominant hand, involved hand, and work pressure. Before treatment, the patients in both groups were suffering from the same rates of elbow disability and pain as measured by Quick DASH and VAS, respectively, (p > 0.05). In general, the recovery rate (comparison between pretreatment visit and last post-treatment visit) was significantly more effective and higher in CSI than LAI. CSI was dramatically more effective at 3-week visit, but less and less effective at 6- and 12-week visits. At 12-week visit the recurrence rate was 34.7 % (17 patients) in CSI group.

Conclusion

For lateral epicondylitis, CSI has the best short-term treatment results yet the highest recurrent rates. The combination of CSI with other treatment option or with a change in injection technique from single injection to peppering injection may be promising.     

von Langenbeck procedures at 8 months or Wardill at 18 months for primary repair of cleft palate in adult Swedish patients with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate: A study of facial growth

The purpose of this study was to compare facial growth in patients with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) in whom the palate was repaired with the von Langenbeck procedure at 8 months (L-8), or the Wardill procedure at 18 months (W-18). A total of 151 unaffected subjects were used as a reference series. Sixty-one adult patients, 34 in the L-8 group and 27 in the W-18 group, were investigated clinically and with lateral skull radiography and also filled out a questionnaire about their dental condition. Multiple linear regression was used to analyse the effects of the surgical strategy, sex, and the presence of a velopharyngeal flap on several dependent variables indicating sagittal jaw relations, vertical jaw relations, and inclination of incisors. The UCLP group was characterised by a short (n-sp) and retrusive maxilla (s-n-ss) and a retrusive mandible for women (s-n-sm), larger maxillary inclination (NSL/NL), more retroclined lower incisors (IL_I/ML), shorter upper facial heights (n-sp) and normal total face height (n-gn) than the reference group. In the UCLP group there were significant differences between men and women in mandibular prognathism (s-n-sm), maxillary/mandibular relations (ss-n-sm), maxillary inclination (NSL/NL), total anterior facial height (n-gn), and upper anterior facial height (n-sp). Lateral crossbite was found in 20% of the UCLP group. The prevalence was similar in the L-8 and W-18 groups. Almost 80% of the patients in the UCLP group considered that their dental condition was good. The choice of surgical strategy had no significant influence on the variables measured on facial morphology.     

The effect of different surface treatments of demineralised enamel on microleakage under metal orthodontic brackets

Background

The aim of this investigation was to assess the effects of different treatments of demineralised enamel on microleakage under orthodontic brackets.

Methods

Seventy-five intact premolars were randomly assigned to five groups. The teeth in groups 2 through 5 were immersed in a demineralising solution for 16 weeks. In groups 1 (control) and 2 (demineralised/control), conventional acid etching was used. In group 3, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) was applied on the enamel surface for 1 min after acid etching, and in group 4, Transbond Plus (3M Unitek, Monrovia, CA, USA) self-etching primer (SEP) was used. The teeth in group 5 were treated with 2% sodium fluoride (NaF) for 4 min before etching. After bracket bonding, the specimens were thermocycled, sealed with nail varnish, immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsine solution for 24 h and sectioned. Microleakage was measured under a stereomicroscope for the enamel-adhesive and adhesive-bracket interfaces of both occlusal and gingival sides.

Results

Demineralised teeth showed more microleakage at the enamel-adhesive interface on both occlusal and gingival sides compared to sound teeth, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.005). Treating the demineralised enamel with 5% NaOCl or Transbond Plus SEP was not effective in reducing microleakage. NaF treatment followed by acid etching of demineralised enamel resulted in significantly lower microleakage in most comparisons (P < 0.005).

Conclusions

The use of 2% NaF on hypomineralised enamel before the bracket bonding procedure is an effective way to decrease microleakage.