Comparison of passive versus active transcutaneous bone anchored hearing devices in the pediatric population

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Comparison of passive versus active transcutaneous bone anchored hearing devices in the pediatric population via Most Recent Articles: Journal of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery Transcutaneous bone anchored hearing devices (BAHDs) were introduced in an effort to avoid potential complications associated with the abutment of percutaneous BAHDs. Transcutaneous BAHDs can be active or pass... View on Web

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Exhaled Mycobacterium tuberculosis Predicts Incident Infection in Household Contacts

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Exhaled Mycobacterium tuberculosis Predicts Incident Infection in Household Contacts via Clinical Infectious Diseases Advance Access Abstract BackgroundHalting transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) by identifying infectious individuals early is key to eradicating tuberculosis (TB). Here we evaluate face mask sampling as a tool for stratifying the infection risk of individuals with pulmonary TB (PTB) to their household contacts. Methods Forty-six sputum-positive PTB patients in The Gambia (August 2016–November 2017) consented to mask sampling prior to commencing treatment. Incident Mtb infection was defined in 181 of their 217 household contacts as QuantiFERON conversion or an increase in interferon-γ of ≥1 IU/mL, 6 months after index diagnosis. Multilevel mixed-effects logistical regression analysis with cluster adjustment by household was used to identify predictors of incident infection. Results Mtb was detected in 91% of PTB mask samp les with high variation in IS6110 copies (5.3 × 102 to 1.2 × 107). A high mask Mtb level (≥20 000 IS6110 copies) was observed in 45% of cases and was independently associated with increased likelihood of incident Mtb infection in contacts (adjusted odds ratio, 3.20 [95% confidence interval, 1.26–8.12]; P = .01), compared with cases having low-positive/negative mask Mtb levels. Mask Mtb level was a better predictor of incident Mtb infection than sputum bacillary load, chest radiographic characteristics, or sleeping proximity. Conclusions Mask sampling offers a sensitive and noninvasive tool to support the stratification of individuals who are most infectious in high-TB-burden settings. Our approach can provide b etter insight into community transmission in complex environments. View on Web

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Ultrasonographic Features of Salivary Glands after Radioiodine Therapy in Patients with Thyroid Cancer

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Ultrasonographic Features of Salivary Glands after Radioiodine Therapy in Patients with Thyroid Cancer via The Laryngoscope Chronic sialadenitis is the most common radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment complication. We explored the sonographic features of the major salivary glands in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) treated with RAI. RAI treatment following thyroidectomy is associated with a dose-response effect and adverse changes in the major salivary glands and should be prescribed carefully. Objective Chronic sialadenitis is the most common complication of radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment. The aim of the study was to ascertain sonographic features of the major salivary glands in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) treated with RAI. Methods The database of a tertiary medical center was retrospectively searched for consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC in 2011–2020 with ultrasound follow-up after 1 year. Changes in ultrasound features of the major salivary glands were compared between patients treated or not treated with RAI postoperatively. Results The cohort included 158 patients, of whom 109 (69%) were treated postoperatively with RAI (mean dose, 131 mCi) and 49 were not (control group). Sonographic changes were observed in the major salivary glands in 43% of the study group and 18% of the control group (p = 0.002), including coarse echotexture, decreased echogenicity, fibrosis, and atrophy. Higher RAI doses were significantly correlated with the prevalence and severity of glandular changes (p < 0.0001). Conclusion RAI treatment following thyroidectomy is associated with a dose–response effect and adverse changes in the major salivary glands and should be prescribed carefully. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 2022 View on Web

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Sensory neuromuscular electrical stimulation for dysphagia rehabilitation: A literature review

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Sensory neuromuscular electrical stimulation for dysphagia rehabilitation: A literature review via Journal of Oral Rehabilitation Abstract Background Dysphagia is a common disorder following a cerebrovascular accident. It can cause detrimental effects on patient's quality of life and nutrition intake, especially in older adults. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation has been one of the management strategies for acceleration of the recovery. This review summarizes the current evidence on sensory threshold stimulation of the procedure. Method This review compiled data from the Internet database PubMed, Cochrane Library and Scopus using combination of MeSH thesaurus: "Sensory threshold", "electrical stimulation", "neuromuscular stimulation", "Deglutition", "Dysphagia". 11 studies were intergraded into the review. Results Most of the studies show significant improvement to the outcomes of sensory neuromuscular electrical stimulation treatment. In many cases, the results of the treatment are comparable or superior to motor threshold stimulation and conventional therapy. However, the study design and parameters of the procedure varied greatly without conclusive standardized guidelines. Conclusion The sensory neuromuscular electrical stimulation (SNMES) is a viable treatment option for treating oropharyngeal dysphagia. The most suggested application parameters are an intensity at sensory threshold, a frequency of 80 Hz, an impulse time of 700 μs, a combined total duration of 20 hours of stimulation in a 2-week period, placing the electrodes in the submental area of the neck. However, further research is necessary to construct a definitive guideline for clinicians. View on Web

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Evaluating the role of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes: a Mendelian randomization study in Europeans and East Asians

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Evaluating the role of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes: a Mendelian randomization study in Europeans and East Asians via International Journal of Epidemiology - Advance Access Abstract BackgroundWhether non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) causes cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is unclear and possible differences between ethnicities have not been thoroughly explored. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the role of NAFLD in CVD and T2D risk in Europeans and East Asians. Methods We conducted a MR study using genetic predictors of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), liability to NAFLD, aspartate transaminase (AST), liver magnetic resonance imaging corrected T1 and proton density fat fraction and combined them with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics of CVD, T2D and glycaemic traits (sample size ranging from 14 400 to 977 320). Inverse-variance weighted analysis was used to assess the effect of NAFLD in these outcomes, with sensitivity analyses and replication in FinnGen. We conducted analyses in East Asians using ethnicity-specific genetic predictors of ALT and AST, and the respective outcome GWAS summary statistics. Results In Europeans, higher ALT was associated with higher T2D risk (odds ratio: 1.77 per standard deviation, 95% CI 1.5 to 2.08), with similar results for other exposures, across sensitivity analyses and in FinnGen. Although NAFLD proxies were related to higher coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke risk, sensitivity analyses suggested possible bias by horizontal pleiotropy. In East Asians, higher ALT was possibly associated with higher T2D risk, and ALT and AST were inversely associated with CAD. Conclusions NAFLD likely increases the risk of T2D in Europeans and East Asians. Potential differential effects on CAD between Europeans and East Asians require further investigation. View on Web

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Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte and hypopharyngeal cancer prognosis: System review and meta‐analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte and hypopharyngeal cancer prognosis: System review and meta‐analysis via Head & Neck Abstract Several studies have reported the value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for the prognosis of hypopharyngeal cancer. However, contradictory findings have also been published. We aimed to clarify the effect of NLR on the prognosis of hypopharyngeal cancer through meta-analysis. Systematic search of PubMed and other database with study selection and data extraction. The combined hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using STATA, applying either a fixed-effects or random-effects model. Meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were used to analyze sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias were also assessed. This meta-analysis included 2232 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer from seven studies. The combined HR (OS, HR = 1.80, 95CI%, 1.14–2.82; PFS, HR = 1.88, 95CI%, 1.26–2.79) suggested that high NLR was associated with poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Pretreatment NLR can be used as an effective serological indicator to assess the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer. View on Web

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The association between serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D and the prevalence of herpes simplex virus

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader The association between serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D and the prevalence of herpes simplex virus via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Objective Previous studies have reported a potential anti-infection effect for vitamin D. However, the relationship between vitamin D status and herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection has not yet been evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and infection with HSV types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). Methods Data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007-2016. The association between 25(OH)D and HSV prevalence was evaluated using propensity score matching (PSM) and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results Overall, 14174 participants were included in the final analysis. Before PSM, 8639 (60.9%) had positive HSV-1 and 2636 (18.6%) had HSV-2. The HSV-1 and HSV-2 positive groups had more females and older individuals (P<0.05). The HSV-2 patients had lower 25(OH)D levels than those with HSV-1. Age and g ender did not differ in the groups after PSM (P>0.05). The 25(OH)D level was significantly lower in the HSV-1 and HSV-2 groups than in the non-HSV infection groups. Multivariate logistic regression showed that serum 25(OH)D level was negatively associated with HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection (OR=0.730 and 0.691, P<0.001, respectively). Vitamin D deficiency was an independent risk factor for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 (adjusted OR=2.205 and 2.704, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusion Lower serum 25(OH)D levels correlated significantly with increased HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection risk This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Transplacental transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 immunoglobulin G antibody to infants from maternal COVID‐19 vaccine immunization before pregnancy

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Transplacental transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 immunoglobulin G antibody to infants from maternal COVID‐19 vaccine immunization before pregnancy via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Background & aim Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine generates functional antibodies in maternal circulation that are detectable in infants, while the information is restricted to the usage of COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of maternal COVID-19 vaccines before pregnancy. Method Infants were included from mothers with no inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, 1-dose, 2-dose and 3-dose before pregnancy, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies were tested. Comparative analysis was done between the groups. Results A total of 130 infants were enrolled in the study. Significantly higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in infants born to mothers with 3-dose COVID-19 vaccine before pregnancy compared with 1-dose and 2-dose groups (p<0.0001). The levels of antibodies decreased significantly with age in infants born to mothers with the 3-dose COVID-19 vaccine before pregnancy (r=-0.338, p=0.035), and it w as still higher than that 2-dose COVID-19 vaccine group. Conclusion The maternal SARS-CoV-2 antibodies produced from the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine before pregnancy can be transferred to newborns via the placenta. Maternal immunization with 3-dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before pregnancy could be more beneficial for both mothers and infants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Drilling‐ and withdrawing‐related thermal effects of implant site preparation for ceramic and stainless steel twist drills in standardized bovine bone

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Drilling‐ and withdrawing‐related thermal effects of implant site preparation for ceramic and stainless steel twist drills in standardized bovine bone via Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research Abstract Introduction Excessive surgical trauma is believed to be among the most important causes for early implant losses. As thermal injury to the bone is not only dependent on the amount of generated heat but also on the tissue exposure time, and the greatest temperature increase was found within the withdrawing period, the entire osteotomy procedure with the parameters contributing to thermal damage is of particular clinical relevance. The aim of this study was to investigate the thermal performance of metal-based and ceramic implant drills regarding the temperature exposure time during the whole osteotomy process. Materials and Methods This investigation consisted of 240 individual preparations in total, comprising two different drilling depths (10 and 16 mm), two irrigation methods (external and without irrigation), two implant drill materials (stainless steel and zirconia), and three consecutive drill diameters per material (2.0/2.2, 2.8, and 3.5 mm) with 10 identical repetitions. Real-time multichannel temperature measurement was conducted during automated drilling procedures in standardized bovine bone specimens. Results The maximum temperature changes were highly associated with the time period of passive drill withdrawing (p ≤ 0.05), irrespective of drill material, drilling depth, or drill diameter. Statistically significant differences in temperature generation between stainless steel and ceramic drills were observed in irrigated testing sites at both drilling depths with smaller drill diameters (2.0/2.2 and 2.8 mm, p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion Results of this in vitro study could demonstrate a strong association between the highest temperature increase and the passive withdrawing time period in both investigated drill materials. Considering these findings and the resulting thermal bone damage due to the whole surgical procedure, high overall temperatures in combination with a prolonged heat exposure time may impact the future osseointegration process. View on Web

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The use of electrodermal activity in pulpal diagnosis and dental pain assessment

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader The use of electrodermal activity in pulpal diagnosis and dental pain assessment via International Endodontic Journal Abstract Abstract Aims To explore whether electrodermal activity (EDA) can serve as a complementary tool for pulpal diagnosis (Aim 1) and an objective metric to assess dental pain before and after local anaesthesia (Aim 2). Methodology A total of 53 subjects (189 teeth) and 14 subjects (14 teeth) were recruited for Aim 1 and Aim 2, respectively. We recorded EDA using commercially available devices, PowerLab and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) Amplifier, in conjunction with cold and electric pulp testing (EPT). Participants rated their level of sensation on a 0-10 visual analogue scale (VAS) after each test. We recorded EPT-stimulated EDA activity before and after the administration of local anaesthesia for participants who required root canal treatment (RCT) due to painful pulpitis. The raw data were converted to the time-varying index of sympathetic activity (TVSymp), a sensitive and specific parameter of EDA. Statistical analysis was performed using Python 3.6 and its Scikit-post hoc library. Results EDA activity was upregulated by the stimuli of cold and EPT testing in normal pulp. TVSymp signals were significantly increased in vital pulp compared to necrotic pulp by both, cold test and EPT. Teeth that exhibited intensive sensitivity to cold with or without lingering pain had increased peak numbers of TVSymp than teeth with mild sensation to cold. Pre- and post-anaesthesia EDA activity and VAS scores were recorded in patients with painful pulpitis. Post-anaesthesia EDA signals were significantly lower compared to pre-anaesthesia levels. Approximately 71 % of patients (10 out of 14 patients) experienced no pain during treatment and reported VAS score zero or 1. Majority of patients (10 out of 14) showed the reduction of TVSymp after the administration of anaesthesia. Two out of three patients who experienced increased pain during root canal treatment (post-treatment VAS > pre-treatment VAS) exhibited increased post-anaesthesia TVSymp. Conclusions Our data show promising results for using EDA in pulpal diagnosis and for assessing dental pain. While our testing was limited to subjects who had adequate communication skills, our future goal is to be able to use this technology to aid in the endodontic diagnosis of patients who have limited communication ability. View on Web

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