Don't lose sight of the importance of the individual in effective falls prevention interventions

Falls remain a major public health problem, despite strong growth in the research evidence of effective single and multifactorial interventions, particularly in the community setting. A number of aspects of falls prevention require individual tailoring, despite limitations being reported regarding some of these, including questions being raised regarding the role of falls risk screening and falls risk assessment. Being able to personalise an individual's specific risk and risk factors, increase their understanding of what interventions are likely to be effective, and exploring options of choice and preference, can all impact upon whether or not an individual undertakes and sustains participation in one or more recommendations, which will ultimately influence outcomes. On all of these fronts, the individual patient receiving appropriate and targeted interventions that are meaningful, feasible and that they are motivated to implement, remains central to effective translation of falls prevention research evidence into practice.     

The use of a malleable blade retractor in surgery of deeply impacted upper wisdom teeth

The use of a soft tissue retractor during surgery of the superior impacted wisdom tooth is described. The right placement of the soft tissue retractor prevents the displacement of the avulsed tooth within the soft tissue of the cheek and of the pterygo-maxillary fossa. An additional advantage is in creating a good visual surgical field.     

Alopecia areata and homolateral headache due to an impacted superior wisdom tooth

A case of alopecia areata and homolateral headache due to an impacted superior wisdom tooth is reported. After the extraction, the headache disappeared, hair regrew in the alopecic area and in 4 months completely covered the whole area.     

Role and clinical importance of Helicobacter pylori infection in hemodialysis patients

Dyspepsia is an extrarenal symptom frequently found in hemodialysed patients; it is due to chronic renal failure, and uremic gastritis is a specific associated condition in chronic renal failure (CRF). On the other hand, in the general population, Helicobacter pylori infection is an important dyspepsia-related risk factor; its close connections with gastro-duodenal pathology are already known, above all the peptic disease in a really exclusive way. By observation of a dyalitic group of patients, opportunely matched with a no CRF group, we evaluated CRF-associated uremia and Helicobacter pylori infection which could eventually interact causing symptoms and lesions. A statistical analysis of obtained data allowed us to conclude that, although there is not, from an epidemiological view-point, a larger diffusion of Helicobacter pylori among dyalitic patients compared to general population, moreover the infection is uremia-synergic in causing gastro-duodenal symptoms and lesions. These findings, therefore, suggest systematically investigation a possible Helicobacter pylori infection in CRF patients and its relation to gastritis grading, and searching for probable active peptic lesions.     

A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Objective

To review and synthesize findings across qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Methods

Articles were systematically reviewed and analyzed within a meta-analytic framework. Analyses included a multi-perspective examination of ME/CFS, as well as a comparative analysis of ME/CFS versus other chronic conditions.

Results

Thirty-four qualitative studies on ME/CFS were included. Findings include three substantive thematic areas that focus on: (1) experiences of people with ME/CFS, (2) experiences of physicians, and (3) themes that intersect both of these groups. For patients, illness development influenced identity, reductions in functioning, and coping. Physician-specific themes described lack of awareness about ME/CFS and recommended improvement in educational resources. Intersecting themes expressed issues with diagnosis creating tensions and fueling the stigmatization of ME/CFS.

Conclusions

Findings indicate multilayered, context-specific experiences and ways in which both people with ME/CFS, as well as those involved in their lives (e.g., family or the medical community), interpret this illness. Future qualitative studies should recognize the various facets of the ME/CFS experience, the network members of people with ME/CFS, and the sociocultural environment through which the illness is understood.

Practice implications

Health care professionals can gain unique insight from patient experiences, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations.     

Benign cementoblastoma. A case report

Cementoblastoma is a benign odontogenic tumor of mesenchymal origin. It usually presents as a distinct lesion with characteristic radiographic and histopathologic appearances. The tumor is intimately associated with the roots of teeth which are usually located in the posterior mandible. The purpose of this report is to describe a case of cementoblastoma and discuss the clinical, histopathological and therapeutic aspects of this tumor.