Accuracy at radiography and probing for the diagnosis of proximal caries

In 63 teenagers the proximal surfaces of premolars to be extracted for orthodontic reasons and the adjacent surfaces of neighboring teeth, 598 surfaces in all, were examined radiographically and by probing. Direct inspection after extraction revealed that 51% of the surfaces had incipient carious lesions and 5% lesions with cavities. Of the surfaces with cavities 82.1% were correctly diagnosed radiographically if any radiolucency, regardless of its extent, was used as a diagnostic criterion. However, this yielded a false positive rate of 19.6%. If only radioluccncies extending at least into the inner third of the enamel were called positive the true positive rate was 36.7% and the associated false positive rate 1.6%. At a 5% cavity frequency the predictive positive values were 17% and 53%, respectively. Probing yielded a true positive rate of about 29% and a false positive rate of 1.1% with a predictive positive value of 50-57%. All radiolucencies extending into the dentin were associated with cavities. When the most liberal radiographic criterion was used 37.5% of all carious lesions, whether associated with a cavity or not, were detected and 3.8% of sound surfaces were falsely called carious. The corresponding predictive positive value at the actual rate of incipient lesions and lesions with cavities was 92.6%.     

Cutaneous Polyarteritis Nodosa in a Child

Abstract: Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (CPAN) is a benign form of vasculitis of small and medium-size arteries with a recurrent but benign course without systemic involvement. This entity is very rare in children, with about 45 cases described in the literature we reviewed. Herein we report a 10-year-old girl with typical CPAN. Trigger factors such as streptococcal infection were not detected. Of four episodes over the last 2 years, only one required treatment with a moderate-sized oral dose of prednisone. In diagnosing CPAN, it is necessary to rule out systemic polyarteritis nodosa, which is also rare in children, as well as other panniculitides and vasculitides.     

Determinants of response to a parent questionnaire about development and behaviour in 3 year olds: European multicentre study of congenital toxoplasmosis

Background  

We aimed to determine how response to a parent-completed postal questionnaire measuring development, behaviour, impairment, and parental concerns and anxiety, varies in different European centres.