The levels of plasma and salivary antioxidants in the patient with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

BACKGROUND: Despite plenty of research, the cause of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) remains obscure. It has been proposed that, the aetiological factors such as local trauma, smoking, vitamin deficiencies and viral infections lead to aphthae formation via final common pathway based on increased oxidative stress. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) alterations in plasma and saliva, and in addition uric acid (UA) in saliva, in patients with RAS and healthy controls. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with RAS and 30 healthy controls were included into the study. The SOD, CAT, GSHPx and UA levels were measured in plasma and saliva in study and control groups. RESULTS: In the RAS group, although the mean SOD (P<0.001) and CAT (P<0.05) levels of plasma were lower, GSHPx (P<0.001) levels were higher than control group. The salivary concentrations of the SOD (P<0.001), CAT (P<0.05) and GSHPx (P<0.001) in RAS group were entirely opposite to plasma concentrations. UA were not significant between RAS group and controls. CONCLUSION: Since we found salivary SOD and CAT levels were high whereas plasma levels were low, it has been thought that, salivary defence mechanisms via antioxidant agents may be stimulated against to the ulcerous lesion. We consider that the organism might mobilize the antioxidant potential to the sites where they were needed. At this point, decrease of SOD and CAT levels in the plasma may be related to this shift. It is also thought that GSHPx secretion in the saliva may also be increased but the increase in its turnover may be responsible for the diminished activity.     

Deep spatial profiling of human COVID-19 brains reveals neuroinflammation with distinct microanatomical microglia-T-cell interactions

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Effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on orthodontic tooth movement

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on (1) the velocity of orthodontic tooth movement and (2) the nitric oxide levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) during orthodontic treatment. The sample consisted of 20 patients (14 girls, six boys) whose maxillary first premolars were extracted and canines distalized. A gallium-aluminum-arsenide (Ga-Al-As) diode laser was applied on the day 0, and the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days when the retraction of the maxillary lateral incisors was initiated. The right maxillary lateral incisors composed the study group (the laser group), whereas the left maxillary lateral incisors served as the control. The teeth in the laser group received a total of ten doses of laser application: five doses from the buccal and five doses from the palatal side (two cervical, one middle, two apical) with an output power of 20 mW and a dose of 0.71 J /cm². Gingival crevicular fluid samples were obtained on the above-mentioned days, and the nitric oxide levels were analyzed. Bonferroni and repeated measures variant analysis tests were used for statistical analysis with the significance level set at p ≤ 0.05. The application of low-level laser therapy accelerated orthodontic tooth movement significantly; there were no statistically significant changes in the nitric oxide levels of the gingival crevicular fluid during orthodontic treatment.     

A late onset carotido-jugular fistula following shotgun injury

The incidence of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) is quite rare in the head and neck region comprising less than 4% of all the traumatic AVF encountered elsewhere in the body. A 42-year-old man presented with a palpable thrill in the cervical region and headache. He had a shotgun injury 10 years ago and had no problem until the previous three months. Diagnosis of a high output traumatic AVF between right common carotid artery and internal jugular vein was made arteriographically. Presence of a neighbouring traumatic aneurysm on the common carotid artery and 9 mm diameter of the fistula tractus suggested open surgery. At the operation ligation of the tractus and aneurysmorraphy was performed and the patient was discharged in the third postoperative day. He has still no problem. This case documented that a shotgun injury even 10 years later may result with an AVF.     

Diagnostic value of screening tests in subgroups of women with recurrent pregnancy loss

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of screening laboratory tests in women who had recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

Methods: A total of 252 women with RPL managed in our tertiary referral research and education hospital were included in the study. Risk factors recorded involved age, gravidity, parity, number of prior live births, number of pregnancy losses, and thrombophlia tests. The cases were divided into three different groups and each group was analyzed separately.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the first and second groups in terms of clinical and laboratory parameters (p?>?0.05). In the third group, there was a statistically significant difference among cases in terms of parity, gravidity, number of pregnancy losses, serum AT III levels, APCR, and age of the women. According to the logistic regression model, odds ratios (95% CI) were 6.116 (3.797–9.852), 5.665 (2.657–12.079), 4.763 (3.099–7.321), 4.729 (3.080–7.260), 2.820 (1.836–4.333), and 1.911 (1.232–2.965), respectively.

Conclusions: We do not recommend the screening of all women with RPL, but in women with high parity and those who had prior live birth pregnancies, increased AT III, and APCR may be diagnostic markers for subsequent pregnancy loss.     

Late hemodynamic changes in percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty

Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) was performed in 57 patients with mitral stenosis. Twenty-three women and 34 men (mean age 28 +/- 10 mean +/- SD) were included in the study. A single-balloon (trefoil or bifoil) technique was used in 49 patients and a double-balloon (trefoil + monofoil) technique in eight. After a 3-month follow-up period, right- and left-sided cardiac catheterization was repeated. In the single-balloon group there was improvement in the mitral valve gradient (16.10 +/- 5.99 to 4.41 +/- 2.03 mm Hg), mean left atrial pressure (22.65 +/- 6.13 to 9.76 +/- 3.01 mm Hg), and mitral valve area (0.89 +/- 0.22 to 1.95 +/- 0.46 cm2/m2). Mean pulmonary artery pressure and mean pulmonary wedge pressure decreased to 19.33 +/- 4.19 mm Hg and 10.73 +/- 2.60 mm Hg from 32.94 +/- 7.90 mm Hg and 21.49 +/- 5.98 mm Hg. Cardiac output increased to 6.86 +/- 0.56 L/min from 5.57 +/- 0.66. All improvements were statistically significant (p less than 0.001). In the double-balloon study group, mitral valve gradient (23.75 +/- 2.77 to 4.50 +/- 1.94 mm Hg), mean left atrial pressure (31.63 +/- 3.57 to 9.50 +/- 1.94 mm Hg), mean pulmonary artery pressure (44.00 +/- 6.36 to 18.88 +/- 7.10), and mean pulmonary wedge pressure (29.25 +/- 3.73 to 10.25 +/- 1.85 mm Hg) all improved significantly (p less than 0.001). Mitral valve area and cardiac output increased from 0.89 +/- 0.15 to 2.44 +/- 0.44 cm2/m2 (p less than 0.001) and from 5.46 +/- 0.76 to 7.15 +/- 0.52 L/min (p less than 0.002), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)