Role of Intralesional Bleomycin in the Treatment of Complicated Hemangiomas: Prospective Clinical Study

BACKGROUND: Hemangioma is the most common tumor of infancy. Although it has a basically benign nature and usually spontaneously regresses, a small percentage (5%) have complications that need treatment. Many different therapeutic modalities can be used in this tumor. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a new method of treatment (intralesional bleomycin injection) in complicated hemangiomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the Department of Radiation Oncology at Nemazee Hospital in Shiraz, Iran, from April 1992 to October 1998, 32 patients with complicated hemangioma were treated with four to six courses of direct injection of bleomycin into the lesion. RESULTS: After a minimum follow-up of 6 years, there was 70 to 100% regression in 18 patients, 50 to 70% in 7 cases, and less than 50% reduction in 7 patients. CONCLUSION: Intralesional injection of bleomycin is an easy, safe, and effective therapeutic modality in complicated cutaneous hemangiomas.     

GJB2 mutations: passage through Iran

Hereditary hearing loss (HHL) is a very common disorder. When inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, it typically presents as an isolated finding. Interestingly and unexpectedly, in spite of extreme heterogeneity, mutations in one gene, GJB2, are the most common cause of congenital severe-to-profound deafness in many different populations. In this study, we assessed the contributions made by GJB2 mutations and chromosome 13 g.1777179_2085947del (the deletion more commonly known as del (GJB6-D13S1830) that includes a portion of GJB6 and is hereafter called Delta(GJB6-D13S1830)) to the autosomal recessive non-syndromic deafness (ARNSD) genetic load in Iran. Probands from 664 different nuclear families were investigated. GJB2-related deafness was found in 111 families (16.7%). The carrier frequency of the 35delG mutation showed a geographic variation that is supported by studies in neighboring countries. Delta(GJB6-D13S1830) was not found. Our prevalence data for GJB2-related deafness reveal a geographic pattern that mirrors the south-to-north European gradient and supports a founder effect in southeastern Europe.     

Correction: The β-cyclodextrin-modified nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite as a carrier for curcumin

Correction for ‘The β-cyclodextrin-modified nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite as a carrier for curcumin’ by Shahin Amani et al., RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 32348–32356, DOI: 10.1039/C9RA04739E.

The authors regret that the names of the authors were listed incorrectly in the original article. The corrected author list is as shown above.The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers.     

The β-cyclodextrin-modified nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite as a carrier for curcumin

Herein, the nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite was synthesized based on a fractional factorial experimental design by a hydrothermal method to study the optimum conditions for the synthesis and formation of the ZSM-5 zeolite by employing different conditions. The samples were synthesized without any organic template, and different conditions, such as the molar composition of the synthesis gel and reaction time, were applied in a wide range. Then, the samples were analysed by X-ray diffraction to investigate the formation of the zeolite ZSM-5, and the results were compared to obtain the optimum conditions for its synthesis. The obtained samples were characterized by SEM, FTIR spectroscopy and TGA. Then, the functionalization of nano zeolite ZSM-5 crystals with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was investigated. The zeolite surface was first functionalized with amino groups using an amino alkoxysilane. Then, toluene diisocyanate was reacted with the amino-terminated ZSM-5 zeolite crystals and used for the incorporation of β-CD via its remaining isocyanate groups. After this, a drug delivery system (DDS) was prepared based on the cyclodextrin-modified zeolite with the curcumin anticancer drug, and its formation was studied under experimental conditions. The results of in vitro studies show that this drug delivery system has better characteristics than free curcumin in terms of stability and anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects.

Herein, the nanosized ZSM-5 zeolite was synthesized based on a fractional factorial experimental design by a hydrothermal method to study the optimum conditions for the synthesis and formation of the ZSM-5 zeolite by employing different conditions.     

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.     

Clinical and radiographic evaluation of Bio-Gen with biocollagen compared with Bio-Gen with connective tissue in the treatment of class II furcation defects: a randomized clinical trial

Objective

Treatment of furcation defects are thought to be challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic parameters of Bio-Gen with Biocollagen compared with Bio-Gen with connective tissue in the treatment of Class II furcation defects.

Material and Methods

In this clinical trial, 24 patients with Class II furcation defect on a buccal or lingual mandibular molar were recruited. After oral hygiene instruction, scaling and root planing and achievement of acceptable plaque control, the patients were randomly chosen to receive either connective tissue and Bio-Gen (case group) or Biocollagen and Bio-Gen (control group). The following parameters were recorded before the first and re-entry surgery (six months later): vertical clinical attachment level (VCAL), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), horizontal probing depth (HPD), vertical probing depth (VPD), gingival recession (GR), furcation vertical component (FVC), furcation to alveolar crest (FAC), fornix to base of defect (FBD), and furcation horizontal component (FHC) were calculated at the time of first surgery and during re-entry. A digital periapical radiograph was taken in parallel before first surgery and re-entry. The radiographs were then analyzed by digital subtraction. The differences with p value <0.05 were considered significant.

Results

Only the mean changes of FAC, FHC, mean of FHC, FBD in re-entry revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups. HPD, VPD, FBD, FAC, and FHC showed statistically significant differences after 6 months in the case group. However, in the control group, statistically significant differences were found in GR and HPD. We did not observe any significant difference in radiographic changes among the two groups.

Conclusion

The results of this trial indicate that better clinical outcomes can be obtained with connective tissue grafts in combination with bone material compared with a resorbable barrier with bone material. The differences in radiographic changes between the two groups, however, were not statistically significant.