To evaluate the effectiveness of non-aromatic very rich in steranes (NAVS) naphthalan in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP) and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). Null hypothesis was that ...there would be no difference between NAVS and topical steroids in the treatment of OLP and RAS.
The study consisted of two sub-trials conducted as randomized, double-blind controlled studies: first included OLP patients and second patients with RAS. Patients received either NAVS or 0.05% betamethasone dipropionate. Primary outcomes were activity score (OLP patients), No of lesions and lesion diameter (RAS patients) and pain intensity (VAS) while secondary outcome included the impact of the disease on quality of life assessed by Oral health impact profile (OHIP 14).
No significant differences in terms of OLP clinical signs (p = 0.84, η2 = 0.001) and responses on the OHIP-14 (p = 0.81, η2 = 0.002) or on VAS (p = 0.14, η2 = 0.079) between NAVS and betamethasone groups were observed. In RAS patients, no significant differences between the groups in terms of lesion number (at days 3 and 5, p = 0.33 and p = 0.98, respectively), lesion diameter (days 3 and 5, p = 0.24 and p = 0.84, respectively) were observed. However, in NAVS group a significant reduction of lesions diameter was observed on the 3rd day, while in betamethasone group a significant reduction in lesions diameter was evident only after the 5th day. No significant differences in VAS (p > 0.05) and the OHIP-14 (p > 0.05) between groups were found.
No evidence of differences between the two compared interventions was found.
Retrospective registration of this trial was conducted in ClinicalTrials.gov on September 30, 2016; trial registration number: NCT02920658. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02920658?term=NAVS&draw=2&rank=4.
The aim of this clinical study was to compare low-level laser therapy (LLLT) switched on and switched off in the treatment of burning mouth syndrome (BMS). BMS is a debilitating condition for ...patients and highly demanding for physicians, characterized by burning symptoms in the oral cavity. Despite extensive research, so far only cognitive behavioral therapy and clonazepam have been proven successful for its treatment in randomized controlled trials. Forty-four patients with BMS were randomly assigned to the study laser group (LLLT) or the sham laser group. LLLT was performed with the GaAlAs laser (830 nm) used in non-contact mode on the site in the mouth where burning symptoms were present; study patients received 10 sessions (10 days). Each participant filled out the visual analog scale (VAS) and oral health impact on the quality of life scale (OHIP-CRO 14) before and after either therapy protocol. There were no significant differences between the groups before and after LLLT (switched on and off) in the quality of life (OHIP CRO 14 scores) (p>0.05). There was significant decrease in pain symptoms (VAS) in both LLLT switched on and LLLT switched off groups (p <0.05). Both LLLT switched on and switched off decreased pain symptoms (VAS) in patients with BMS; however, neither LLLT switched off or switched on im-proved the OHIP-CRO 14 scores.
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a disorder which is described as burning sensation of the oral mucosa without pathological changes. Most of the patients have some underlying stressful conditions. ...Stress induces an increase in secretion of different endocrine glands resulting in higher levels of glucocorticoids. One of the options for treatment of BMS includes low level laser therapy (LLLT). The aim of this research was to determine salivary cortisol levels and intensity of burning symptoms in BMS patients before and after LLLT.
Twenty-three participants were allocated by randomization in two groups: 12 patients in the study group and 11 patients in the placebo group. Cortisol levels in all patients were analyzed from the sample of saliva collected without stimulation. In both groups, the LLLT was performed once a day for ten consecutive days (excluding weekend) with Ga-Al-As light-emitting diode type of laser, with a wavelength of 685nm. In the control group, LLLT was done with inactive laser probe which was only emitting audio signal. The intensity of burning symptoms was measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS). The VAS and unstimulated saliva were measured at baseline and on the last day of the LLLT. A quantitative analysis of saliva was performed using competitive commercial ELISA-kit.
VAS scores and salivary cortisol levels were significantly lower in both groups after LLLT.
LLLT can be useful in patients with BMS for reducing burning symptoms and salivary cortisol level. Future studies on a larger number of patients should clarify whether the positive results are an outcome of laser effectiveness or of placebo effect.
The aim of this study was to compare switched on and switched off (sham) low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of drug-induced hyposalivation.
Hyposalivation is decreased salivary flow rate ...most frequently present in patients who take a lot of medication, suffer from Sjögren's syndrome, or were irradiated. Available therapies provide only short-term relief.
Forty-three participants (40 females and 3 males, average age 72.3 ± 8.9) participated in the study. Before therapy or after therapy, every participant fulfilled quality-of-life assessment scale (OHIP-CRO14). Unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates were measured before and after treatment. The LLLT was performed by the use of gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) laser (830 nm) on parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands every day except during weekends for 14 days.
Significant difference in unstimulated salivary flow rate after the treatment was found in the study group (p = 0.002) compared with the sham group. No significant difference in stimulated salivary flow rate after treatment was found in the laser group (p = 0.626) nor in the sham laser group (p = 0.233). No significant difference in patient's quality-of-life score was found after both treatments.
The results of this study showed that the LLLT increased unstimulated salivary flow rate significantly. However, stimulated salivary flow rate did not increase significantly after the LLLT. In patients who underwent sham laser therapy, neither unstimulated nor stimulated salivary flow rate increased significantly.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate smoking habits, the level of knowledge and attitudes towards smoking, as well as the role of dental professionals in prevention of smoking among ...students of the School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb and compare them to attitudes of practicing Croatian dentists. Materials and methods: The study was carried out among 1st and 6th year dental students at the School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb and dentists employed in primary practice throughout Croatia. A total of 159 subjects (51 1st and 53 6th year dental students and 55 dentists) participated in the study. Results: The prevalence of smoking was highest among 6th year dental students (39, 6%). It slightly decreased among dentists (34, 5%), while least smokers were found among first year dental students (7, 8%). The majority of dental student smokers expressed a desire to stop smoking (66, 7% of 1st year dental student smokers and 76% of 6th year dental student smokers), while less than half of dentist smokers had the desire to stop - only 45, 8% of them. Dental students of the 1st and 6th year of the study showed a statistically significantly higher level of desire for education about harmful smoking effects and patients counselling to quit smoking compared to dentists. The data gathered in this study indicate that it is necessary to increase awareness among dental professionals about harmful effects of smoking on oral and general health. Also, their awareness about the central role of healthcare workers as promoters of a healthy lifestyle among patients should be raised.
Idiopathic Exposed Bone Lesions of the Jaw Lončar Brzak, Božana; Vučićević Boras, Vanja; Kotarac Knežević, Ana ...
Dentistry journal,
06/2019, Volume:
7, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is defined as exposed bone in the oral cavity that does not heal longer than eight weeks after identification. The two most common predisposing factors for osteonecrosis of ...the jaw are medication-related and radiotherapy. Rarely, exposed bone in the maxillofacial region can occur due to other causes and represents a clinical and therapeutic challenge for the dentist because there is no universally accepted treatment protocol.
We report a case of a patient with two idiopathic lesions of exposed bone which have healed after systemic antibiotic therapy, seven weeks after the first examination.
Exposed bone lesions of the jaw are a rare entity and are poorly documented in the literature. It is necessary to exclude possible local or systemic contributing factors. Surgical and conservative therapy (antibiotics) are the treatment of choice.
- Chronic inflammation has been linked with many cancers. It seems that easily available and usual blood inflammatory markers might serve as a prognostic factor for overall survival and disease-free ...survival in patients with various cancers. Preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as well as hemoglobinemia, thrombocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein values, neutropenia and leukocytosis have been shown to affect overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), however, with controversial results. Complete blood count, NLR and PLR were determined in 71 patients with CRC (stages 3 and 4) after neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy and before surgery, treated at Hospital for Tumors in Zagreb. Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U test, Student's t-test, univariate and multivariate analysis. The results of Mann-Whitney U test and Student's t-test showed that neutrophil count (p=0.024), NLR (p=0.003) and PLR (p=0.007) correlated significantly with overall survival. However, there was no significant correlation of age, leukocyte, lymphocyte and platelet counts and hemoglobin values with overall survival of patients. Furthermore, the same tests showed that leukocyte (p=0.04), neutrophil (p=0.0014) and platelet (p=0.006) counts, NLR (p=0.0006) and PLR (p=0.0015), as well as hemoglobin values (p=0.028) correlated significantly with disease-free survival. The results of univariate analysis showed that unlike PLR, NLR correlated with overall survival and disease-free survival (p=0.0002), although the correlation of PLR and disease-free survival almost reached significance (p=0.059). Furthermore, the results of univariate analysis showed significant correlation of advanced pathological TNM stage with overall survival. There was no correlation of patient age and gender, tumor stage and neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy with overall survival and disease-free survival. The results of multivariate analysis showed that NLR (cut-off value 3.27) and advanced pathological TNM stage significantly correlated with disease-free survival but not with overall survival. It seems that NLR might be an accurate marker for overall survival and disease-free survival in CRC patients after neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy and before surgery.
A 54-year-old male patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia was referred to the Department of Oral Medicine. He had a primary refractory disease and was treated according to HOVON71 and HAM ...protocol. Sixteen days after the start of the HAM protocol the patient developed palatal dark red/brownish lesion and maxillary vestibular exophytic lesion. Biopsy specimens from oral lesions were taken and microbiologic evaluation confirmed the presence of
Aspergillus fumigatus
and
Rhizopus genus
. The treatment of the patient consisted of the inferior maxillectomy and intravenous posaconazole and amphotericine B for the following 28 days. Since the coinfection with
Aspergillus
and
Rhizopus
is extremely rarely seen in the oral cavity, a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma easily presents itself.
The high incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC), significantly associated with living environment and behaviour, can be prevented more efficiently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ...environmental and behavioural risk factors for HNC.
Using a detailed questionnaire on social status, education, living and occupational environment exposures, family cancer and lifestyle, HNC patients (103 cases, 76.7% of men) were compared with control subjects (244 subjects, 73% of men) balanced by age: mean (standard deviation) 63.8 (9.3) and 63.8 (9.0) for cases and controls, respectively.
The results of this study showed that smoking and low education were significant risk factors for HNC regardless of sex. Family HNC and breast cancer were significant predictors of HNC risk.
The study confirmed previous results that smoking and low education are significantly associated with HNC. Additionally, results pointed to significant HNC and breast cancer risk in HNC patient's families that may have originated from passive smoking or a smoking habit stemming from social environments that support it. Better dissemination programmes regarding smoking risks for children and adults are needed, targeting not only individuals but also families.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral malignancy with low survival as it is very often diagnosed at an advanced stage, which is why the accurate profiling of the tumor is ...essential. The aim of this study was to, for the first time, compare in OSCC the frequency of AR, VEGF, MMP9, HiF1beta and Ki67 between the non-metastatic and metastatic disease.
In the study, 96 non-metastatic and 91 metastatic OSCC patients were analysed for AR, VEGF, MMP9, HiF1beta and Ki67 levels by immunohistochemistry.
All of the tested biomarkers significantly differed between non-metastatic and metastatic disease. A significant association was found between >/=20% AR positive epithelium cells in cytoplasm, Ki67 and VEGF in cancer stroma. Ki67, HiF1beta, VEGF and MMP9 were significantly associated with TNM stages.
Our results show for the first time an interplay between AR, VEGF, MMP9, HiF1beta and Ki67 in OSCC which may contribute to better diagnostics and therapy selection.
PDF
