Differences In Clinical Parameters Research Articles

Plasma lipids and inflammation in active inflammatory bowel diseases

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) can cause metabolic and inflammatory alterations. To evaluate the relationships between inflammatory parameters, plasma lipids and phospholipid fatty acid (FA) composition in patients with active UC and CD. Diet, the Harvey-Bradshaw Activity Index (HBAI), inflammatory parameters, lipoproteins and FA composition were assessed in 60 CD and 34 UC. No differences in clinical parameters were observed in the two groups. Total cholesterol correlated inversely with the number of bowel movements in both groups and directly with BMI in UC. Arachidonic acid correlated inversely with HBAI in UC and total and HDL cholesterol were inversely related to C-reactive protein (CRP) in CD while HDL correlated with CRP in UC. Docosapentaenoic acid was the only polyunsaturated n-3 FA that was correlated to CRP in both groups. Total cholesterol was independently associated in the multiple regression analysis with the number of bowel movements and systemic inflammation. Total and LDL cholesterol were lower in the active UC and CD than in the healthy subjects and were correlated with the systemic inflammatory status. Phospholipid FA composition was correlated to the systemic inflammatory status, but was unrelated to dietary intake and intestinal disease activity.

Saliva concentrations of RANKL and osteoprotegerin in smoker versus non‐smoker chronic periodontitis patients

To compare the salivary receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentrations in smokers versus non-smokers with chronic periodontitis. Whole saliva samples were obtained from 67 untreated chronic periodontitis patients, of whom 34 were smokers, and from 44 maintenance patients, of whom 22 were smokers. Full-mouth clinical periodontal measurements were recorded. Saliva cotinine, sRANKL and OPG concentrations were determined by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Bonferroni's correction for multiple comparisons and Spearman's correlations. Untreated smokers exhibited significantly higher values of clinical periodontal recordings than untreated non-smokers (all p<0.05). Salivary cotinine level correlated with clinical attachment level (p=0.023). Smoker versus non-smoker maintenance groups showed no significant differences in clinical parameters. There were significant differences in sRANKL and OPG concentrations between untreated and maintenance groups (all p<0.01). Salivary OPG concentration was significantly lower (all p<0.01) and the sRANKL/OPG ratio was higher (all p<0.01) in smokers than in non-smokers. OPG concentration correlated positively with probing depth, clinical attachment level and bleeding on probing (all p<0.005) and negatively with pack-year, and cotinine level (p<0.05). Salivary RANKL and OPG concentrations are suggested to be affected by smoking as not only the untreated but also the treated smokers exhibited higher RANKL and lower OPG concentrations than non-smokers.

Day 4 embryo transfer improves IVF outcomes compared with day 3 embryo transfer

OBJECTIVE: Even though the majority of embryos are transferred on day 3 following in vitro fertilization (IVF), the morphological assessment of day 3 embryos may not accurately predict further developmental competency and pregnancy potential. We compared the clinical outcomes of day 4 ET cycles with day 3 ET cycles in both fresh IVF-ET and frozen-thawed ET cycles (FET) to assess whether day 4 ET improves clinical outcomes.DESIGN: Retrospective study.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 759 fresh IVF-ET (660 on day 3 and 99 on day 4) cycles and 261 frozen-thawed ET (231 on day 3 and 30 on day 4) cycles were analyzed retrospectively during the period from Jan. 2006 to Aug. 2007. In this study, to avoid unbiased comparison regard to embryo quality, we selected the ET cycles which have at least one good quality 8-cell stage embryo on day 3. Clinical outcomes were evaluated in day 3 and day 4 ET cycles. Chi-square test or t-test was used for statistical analysis, and P values of < 0.05 were considered significant.RESULTS: There were no differences in clinical parameters between two groups. The mean number of transferred embryos on day 4 ET cycles was significantly lower than that of day 3 ET cycles (3.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.7, p < 0.01). In fresh IVF-ET cycles, day 4 ET cycles showed significantly higher IR (26.2% vs. 19.8%, p < 0.01) and CPR (56.6% vs. 45.5%) compared with day 3 ET cycles. In frozen-thawed ET cycles, survival rates and mean number of transferred embryos were similar between two groups. CPR and IR of frozen-thawed day 4 ET cycles were significantly higher than those of frozen-thawed day 3 ET cycles (70.0% vs. 45.5% and 31.3% vs. 19.6%, p < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Day 4 ET cycles showed higher pregnancy outcomes compared with day 3 ET cycles. These results suggest that day 4 ET more synchronized with in vivo reproductive processes than day 3 ET. OBJECTIVE: Even though the majority of embryos are transferred on day 3 following in vitro fertilization (IVF), the morphological assessment of day 3 embryos may not accurately predict further developmental competency and pregnancy potential. We compared the clinical outcomes of day 4 ET cycles with day 3 ET cycles in both fresh IVF-ET and frozen-thawed ET cycles (FET) to assess whether day 4 ET improves clinical outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 759 fresh IVF-ET (660 on day 3 and 99 on day 4) cycles and 261 frozen-thawed ET (231 on day 3 and 30 on day 4) cycles were analyzed retrospectively during the period from Jan. 2006 to Aug. 2007. In this study, to avoid unbiased comparison regard to embryo quality, we selected the ET cycles which have at least one good quality 8-cell stage embryo on day 3. Clinical outcomes were evaluated in day 3 and day 4 ET cycles. Chi-square test or t-test was used for statistical analysis, and P values of < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: There were no differences in clinical parameters between two groups. The mean number of transferred embryos on day 4 ET cycles was significantly lower than that of day 3 ET cycles (3.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.7, p < 0.01). In fresh IVF-ET cycles, day 4 ET cycles showed significantly higher IR (26.2% vs. 19.8%, p < 0.01) and CPR (56.6% vs. 45.5%) compared with day 3 ET cycles. In frozen-thawed ET cycles, survival rates and mean number of transferred embryos were similar between two groups. CPR and IR of frozen-thawed day 4 ET cycles were significantly higher than those of frozen-thawed day 3 ET cycles (70.0% vs. 45.5% and 31.3% vs. 19.6%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Day 4 ET cycles showed higher pregnancy outcomes compared with day 3 ET cycles. These results suggest that day 4 ET more synchronized with in vivo reproductive processes than day 3 ET.

The Role of Cystoscopy in the Diagnosis of Hunner's Ulcer Disease

Interstitial cystitis can be classified into Hunner's ulcer and nonulcer disease, which are easily distinguished by cystoscopic examination. Although therapeutic options may differ between these 2 groups, the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis is currently established by many clinicians in the absence of cystoscopy. We determined whether clinical parameters alone without cystoscopic evaluation could reliably distinguish the patient with Hunner's ulcer vs nonHunner's ulcer disease. Data were collected on 184 women and 39 men who met National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases criteria for interstitial cystitis and who were evaluated at our institution between 1990 and 2005. A total of 86 patients with Hunner's ulcer were consecutively identified. Of patients with nonHunner's ulcer disease seen during that period a cohort of 137 who were consecutively identified were selected as a comparison group. Clinical data on each patient were collected. The groups were compared by the 2-sample t test, the Mann-Whitney test when appropriate and the chi-square test. No significant differences in clinical parameters were found between women and men in either group. The female-to-male ratio was 6:1 and 3:1 in the nonHunner's and Hunner's ulcer groups, respectively. The mean age of patients with Hunner's ulcer was significantly higher than that of patients with nonHunner's ulcer disease (60 vs 47 years, t test p <0.001). No significant differences in symptom duration, history of gross hematuria, history of comorbid disease or visual analog pain scores were found between the 2 groups. Microscopic hematuria was present in 27 (31%) and 29 patients (21%) with Hunner's ulcer and nonHunner's ulcer disease, respectively (chi-square test p <0.086). Although there have been recently published methods and markers by which to differentiate Hunner's ulcer vs nonHunner's ulcer interstitial cystitis, our data demonstrate that standard clinical evaluation cannot reliably distinguish these groups. These findings suggest that cystoscopy is needed to accurately identify patients with Hunner's ulcer.

Effects of Age and Oral Disease on Systemic Inflammatory and Immune Parameters in Nonhuman Primates

This report evaluated systemic inflammatory and immune biomarkers in a cohort of Macaca mulatta (rhesus monkeys) maintained as a large family social unit, including an age range from <1 year to >24 years. We hypothesized that the systemic host responses would be affected by the age, gender, and clinical oral presentation of the population, each contributing to inflammatory and immune responses that would reflect chronic oral infections. The results demonstrated that the prevalence and severity of periodontitis, including missing teeth, increased significantly with age. Generally, minimal differences in clinical parameters were noted between the genders. Systemic inflammatory mediators, including acute-phase reactants, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), cytokines/chemokines, and selected matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), demonstrated significant differences among the various age groups of animals. Levels of many of these were increased with age, although PGE(2), RANTES, bactericidal permeability-inducing factor (BPI), MMP-1, and MMP-9 levels were significantly increased in the young group ( approximately 1 to 3 years old) relative to those for the older animals. We observed that in the adult and aged animals, levels of the systemic inflammatory mediators related to gingival inflammation and periodontal tissue destruction were significantly elevated. Serum antibody levels in response to a battery of periodontal pathogens were generally lower in the young animals, <50% of those in the adults, and were significantly related to aging in the cohort. The levels of antibodies, particularly those to Porphorymonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Tannerella forsythia, were most significantly elevated in animals with periodontal disease, irrespective of the age of the animal. These results provide a broad description of oral health and host responses in a large cohort of nonhuman primates from very young animals to the aged of this species. The findings afford a base of data with which to examine the ontogeny of host responses at mucosal sites, such as the gingival tissues.

Impact of Spiritual and Religious Activity on Quality of Sleep in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Sleep disorders are common in hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study examined the relationship between quality of sleep (QoS) and religious/spiritual activity in HD patients. Methods: The study subjects were 861 HD patients from 14 dialysis clinics in Taiwan. QoS and religious/spiritual activity were evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire and the Royal Free Questionnaire respectively. Results: There was no difference in clinical parameters between the good and poor sleepers. Although total scores of religious and spiritual activity did not correlate with global PSQI score, patients who held strong ‘spiritual’ beliefs reported more problems in ‘sleep disturbances’, while those who exercised religious beliefs more strongly reported less trouble in ‘daytime dysfunction’. Conclusion: There is no significant correlation between QoS and religious/spiritual activity globally. However, the spiritual and religious activity did associate with different components of QoS.

A Clinical Comparison of Cenobone (A Decalcified Freeze-dried Bone Allograft) with Autogenous Bone Graft in the Treatment of Two- and Three-wall Intrabony Periodontal Defects: A Human Study with Six-month Reentry.

Background and aims Complete and predictable regeneration of tissue lost as a result of infection or trauma is the ultimate goal of periodontal therapy. Various graft materials have been successfully used in the treatment of intrabony defects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of a decalcified freeze-dried bone allograft (Cerabone) with the autogenous bone graft as a gold standard in the treatment of human two- or three-wall intrabony periodontal defects. Materials and methods This split-mouth study was done on 10 pairs of matched two- or three-wall intrabony periodontal defects with 5 mm or more probing depth and 3 mm or more depth of intrabony component following phase I therapy. In the control sites autogenous bone graft and in the test sites decalcified freeze-dried bone allograft were used. Results At baseline, no significant differences were found in terms of oral hygiene and defect charac-teristics. At six months, analysis showed a significant improvement in soft and hard tissue parameters for both treatment groups as compared to preoperative measurements. There were no statistical differ-ences in clinically-measured parameters between treatment groups after 6 months except for crestal resorption that increased significantly in control group (P = 0.25). Defect resolution and bone fill in the test and control groups were 2.5 ± 0.46 mm versus 2.7 ± 0.73 mm and 2 ± 0.62 mm versus 2.20 ± 0.52 mm, respectively. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that both graft materials improved clinical parameters. The comparison of the two treatment groups did not show any significant differences in clinical parameters after six months. However, because of the limited amount of intra-oral donor bone, it is preferable to use decalcified freeze-dried bone allograft.

Clinical results of posterior cruciate ligament retaining TKA with alumina ceramic condylar prosthesis: comparison to Co–Cr alloy prosthesis

In a prospective study, 194 knees undergoing total knee arthroplasty (110 knees with alumina ceramic prostheses; 84 knees with Co-Cr alloy prostheses) were clinically and radiologically evaluated. Average follow-up period was 66 months (36-124 months). Average age at the time of surgery was 66 years. In the ceramic prostheses, two revision surgeries were performed because of breakage of the tibial tray and late infection, whereas two revisions of the Co-Cr alloy prostheses were carried out due to loosening and late infection. In the other patients, there were no significant differences in clinical parameters (HSS knee score and range of motion) between the two prostheses. In radiological evaluation, we could not find any radiolucent lines around the femoral ceramic component while radiolucency was present in three knees (3.6%) around the Co-Cr femoral component. Beneath the tibial tray, three knees (2.7%) showed a radiolucent line around the former prosthesis while eight knees (9.5%) demonstrated a radiolucent line around the latter prosthesis. Chi-square tests showed a significant difference in the occurrence of radiolucent line around both of the femoral and tibial prosthesis. This study demonstrated that clinical results of the alumina ceramic PCL retaining total knee prosthesis are comparable to the standard Co-Cr alloy PCL retaining total knee prosthesis. Although we could not draw any conclusions regarding the superiority of the ceramic prosthesis with respect to UHMWPE wear and long-term survivorship, this report encouraged a long-term follow-up study on ceramic prostheses.

Detection of Dialister pneumosintes in the subgingival biofilm of subjects with periodontal disease

Dialister pneumosintes has been indicated as a potentially new periodontopathic species. This study evaluated the prevalence of this microorganism in saliva and subgingival biofilm from subjects with different periodontal conditions. Subgingival biofilm and saliva samples from 48 subjects with periodontal health (PH) and 116 patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) were obtained. DNA was extracted from the samples and the presence of D. pneumosintes was determined by PCR. Differences in clinical parameters and frequency of D. pneumosintes between groups were sought by Mann–Whitney, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Overall, D. pneumosintes was detected in 47.8% of the biofilm samples, but only in 3% of saliva samples. CP patients presented a significantly greater mean prevalence of this species in sites with periodontal health and periodontal infection (43.5±7.4% and 62.1±6.4%, respectively) than PH subjects (29.4±7.9%) (Mann–Whitney; p<0.01). Moreover, significant associations between the prevalence of D. pneumosintes and pocket depth ( p=0.001), attachment loss ( p=0.001) and bleeding on probing (GLM, p=0.014) were observed after adjusting for age and gender. These findings corroborate the association of D. pneumosintes with periodontitis.

High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein in chronic low back pain with vertebral end‐plate modic signal changes

To assess high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level as a measure of low-grade inflammation in relation to Modic vertebral end-plate marrow signal change on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with chronic low back pain. All patients hospitalized for chronic low back pain in our institution were prospectively enrolled in this pilot study. Serum hsCRP concentration was measured by immunoturbidimetric assay. MR images were evaluated independently by a panel of 2 spine specialists and a radiologist. Recording of clinical parameters, MRI evaluation, and hsCRP level of each patient was blinded. Three groups of 12 consecutive patients (Modic 0, Modic I, and Modic II signal changes on MRI) were prospectively selected. Serum hsCRP level was significantly different in the 3 groups (P = 0.002) and especially high in the Modic I group (P = 0.002 compared with Modic 0 and II groups): mean +/- SD 1.33 +/- 0.77 mg/liter in the Modic 0 group, 4.64 +/- 3.09 mg/liter in the Modic I group, and 1.75 +/- 1.30 mg/liter in the Modic II group. The only difference in clinical parameters among the 3 groups (P = 0.001) was that the worst painful moment during the previous 24 hours occurred during the late night and morning for all Modic I patients (P = 0.001 compared with Modic 0 and P = 0.002 compared with Modic II). Low-grade inflammation indicated by high serum hsCRP level in patients with chronic low back pain could point to Modic I signal changes. This result could help physicians predict the patients with Modic I signals to more precisely prescribe the correct imaging procedure and local antiinflammatory treatment in such patients.

Comparison Between Full‐Mouth Scaling and Root Planing and Quadrant‐Wise Basic Therapy of Aggressive Periodontitis: 6‐Month Clinical Results

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that there are no differences in clinical parameters in generalized aggressive periodontitis patients after full-mouth scaling and root planing (FRP) or quadrant-wise basic periodontal therapy (BPT) when combined with an antibiotic regimen. Patients were allocated randomly to BPT (N = 15; mean age: 29.5 +/- 5.7 years) or FRP (N = 15; mean age: 28.4 +/- 5.7 years). All subjects received oral hygiene instructions including the use of a 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthrinse solution twice a day for 2 months. Patients also received amoxicillin, 500 mg, and metronidazole, 250 mg, three times a day for 7 days. Probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level, visible plaque, and bleeding on probing were recorded at baseline and at 2, 4, and 6 months post-therapy. Statistically significant changes within and between groups were determined using the general linear model repeated measures procedure. Both groups showed a significant improvement in all clinical parameters post-therapy, which was particularly evident at 2 months in the sites that had been deepest at baseline. For instance, the mean PD at sites with mean PD > or =7 mm at baseline had decreased 3.9 mm in the BPT group and 3.6 mm in the FRP group. At 6 months, the percentage of sites with PD > or =7 mm decreased from 13.2% +/- 3.2% to 0% in the BPT group and from 13.3% +/- 3.5% to 0.2% +/- 0.1% in the FRP group. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for most clinical parameters. Within the limits of the present investigation, FRP and BPT caused comparable clinical effects in aggressive periodontitis patients when an adjunctive combined antibiotic regimen was included.

Evaluation of NCAM and DKK1 Expression in Multiple Myeloma and MGUS by Gene and Tissue Microarrays: Expression Accompanies Progression.

Introduction: Expression NCAM1, a cell adhesion molecule involved in neuron-neuron adhesion, is also expressed by multiple myeloma (MM PC). Osteolytic bone lesions are a hallmark of MM and elevated expression of NCAM in MM PC has been correlated with this process (Ely and Knowles, 2003). We have previously reported that MM PC express DKK1 and MM blocks osteoblast differentiation in a DKK1-specific manner, suggesting that secretion of the Wnt signaling inhibitor plays a role in MM bone disease. Herein we used gene expression microarrays and tissue microarrays (TMAs) to investigate the simultaneous expression of DKK1 and NCAM in MM and MGUS.Methods: The study population consisted of 198 newly diagnosed MM and 44 MGUS. RNA from CD138-selected plasma cells was hybridized to Affymetrix U133Plus microarrays and data processed with Affymetrix Microarray Suite GCOS1.1 software. TMAs were constructed from formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded bone marrow biopsies. Serial sections of TMA were immunostained for CD138, NCAM and DKK1. TMAs were scanned using ScanScope using 20x lens, assessed using TMA lab software (Aperio Technologies) and scored as an average number of cells in the context of CD138 staining.Results: When put in context of a recently described molecular classification (Zhan et al., 2006), NCAM and DKK1 were found significantly co-over-expressed (DKK1+/NCAM+) in HYPERDIPLOID MM (P < 0.01); NCAM+/DKK1− was typical for MMSET-spike MM (P<0.001); NCAM−/DKK1+ DKK1 was characteristic of MM in MAF-spike disease (P < 0.001), CCND1 spikes with co-expression of CD20 (P<0.01), and the so-called MYELOID subgroup (P<0.001). In contrast, virtually all cases of MGUS were DKK1−/NCAM-. On TMAs, DKK1 expression varied in CD138-positive cells in MM, and in osteocytes and megakaryocytes in MM and MGUS, but was clearly negative in osteoblasts/lining cells. NCAM expression, was also variably expressed in PC of MM cases and in virtually 100% of osteoblasts/lining cells in both MM and MGUS. Osteocytes were distinctly negative for NCAM in both diseases. Of 195 analyzable MM biopsies, PC were DKK1+ in 1% to > 90% of PC in 191 (98%); of these, 94 were also NCAM+ in 5% to > 90% of PC; 1 case was positive for NCAM+/DKK− and 3 were NCAM−/DKK−. There was no significant difference in clinical parameters and survival in a comparison of NCAM+/DKK+ and NCAM−/DKK+ groups. DKK1 gene expression was higher in DKK1+/NCAM+ than in DKK1+/NCAM− MM (P=0.006); NCAM gene expression was higher in DKK1+/NCAM+ than in DKK+/NCAM− MM (P<0.0001) and NCAM was the number one SAM-defined gene over-expressed in DKK1+/NCAM+ relative to DKK1+/NCAM− disease. Consistent with GEP data, DKK1+/NCAM+ MM was over-represented in HYPERDIPLOID MM (32% v. 10%; P<0.001), while DKK1+/NCAM− disease was overrepresented in MAF-spike (15% v. 2%; P=0.003) and MYELOID subgroups (32% v. 18%; P=0.03). DKK1+/NCAM+ MM was completely absent in CCND1-spike /CD20-negative disease, with only 4% of DKK1+/NCAM− cases in this subgroup. No difference was observed for the other subtypes.Conclusion: DKK1 is expressed in all cases of MM with half also expressing NCAM. Neither gene is expressed in MGUS PC. These data suggests that expression of these genes in plasma cells accompanies disease progression.

Differences in Clinical Parameters between IBS1 with Constipation and IBS with Mixed Bowel Habits

Purpose: IBS pts are subgrouped by their predominant bowel pattern. Rome II criteria have defined subgroups for IBS with constipation (IBS-C) and IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), but 30–40% of IBS pts with a mixed bowel pattern (IBS-M) do not fit into these subgroups. Efforts to define IBS-M pts are confounded by ongoing treatment interventions during data collection. This study evaluated the clinical characteristics and natural history of symptoms in IBS-C and IBS-M pts not receiving medications for their IBS. Methods: 332 women (165 IBS-C [Rome II], 167 IBS-M [not IBS-C or IBS-D by Rome II]) randomized to placebo (P) as part of a larger study were included in this post-hoc analysis. Data were collected during a 2-wk baseline (BL) period followed by a 4-wk period where pts received P. Pt had the following features recorded; abdominal discomfort/pain, bloating, bowel movement frequency, stool consistency, straining and urgency. Results: IBS-C and IBS-M pts had clear differences in bowel habit features (stool frequency, consistency, straining, urgency) likely related to the enrollment criteria used to define the P period. IBS-M pts had a slightly lower weekly mean abdominal discomfort/pain score during BL than IBS-C pts. Abdominal discomfort/pain scores were not different during the 4-wk P period. Bloating scores were similar between groups throughout the study. Conclusions: IBS-M and IBS-C have differences in clinical characteristics that are maintained over 6 wks. Overall, IBS-M pts have greater stool frequency, softer stool consistency, less straining, and more urgency than IBS-C pts. IBS-M and IBS-C pts have similar degrees of abdominal discomfort/pain and bloating. These observations may have important implications when designing treatment trials and outcome measures in pts with IBS. This study was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals.Table

Papillary renal cell carcinoma: A clinicopathological study of 35 cases

The objective of the present study was to characterize the clinicopathological features of histologically defined papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The present study included a total of 35 patients who were treated by radical surgery and subsequently diagnosed as having papillary RCC between April 1995 and June 2004. Clinicopathological data of these patients were retrospectively reviewed according to the previously reported classification system (Mod. Pathol. 1997; 10: 537-44). Of these 35 patients, 23 (65.7%) and 12 (34.3%) were diagnosed as type 1 and type 2 papillary RCC, respectively. Despite the lack of significant differences in clinical parameters between these two groups, including age, gender, clinical stage and metastasis, the incidence of symptomatic disease in patients with type 2 papillary RCC was significantly higher than that in those with type 1 papillary RCC. Pathological examinations demonstrated that there were no significant differences between these two groups in pathological stage, tumor grade or vascular invasion. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between these two groups in overall or recurrence-free survival. Although the present study included a small number of patients with short follow-up period, the clinicopathological features including prognoses were almost similar between patients with type 1 and type 2 papillary RCC; therefore, careful postoperative follow-up should be considered for patients with papillary RCC irrespective of morphological subtype.

Optimizing Early Extubation after Coronary Surgery

Early extubation after isolated coronary artery bypass surgery was assessed retrospectively in 545 of 779 patients treated by the same surgical team over one year. All underwent extubation within 10 hr of arrival at the cardiothoracic intensive care unit: 343 in < 6 hr and 202 in 6-10 hr. Operative mortality was 2.2%. Group comparisons revealed that patients who had earlier extubation were younger (61 vs. 66 years; p < 0.001), more likely to be male (72.5% vs. 61.3%; p < 0.05), with a shorter aortic crossclamp time (49.2 +/- 15.0 vs. 53.3 +/- 14.0 min; p < 0.05), cardiopulmonary bypass time (65 +/- 18.4 vs. 72.2 +/- 19.2 min; p < 0.05), intensive care unit stay (18.8 +/- 5.6 vs. 22.4 +/- 3.2 hr; p < 0.05) and postoperative hospital stay (5.2 +/- 2.2 vs. 6.0 +/- 2.4 days; p = 0.01). Extubation < 6 hr after cardiopulmonary bypass may accelerate recovery. The finding of no significant differences in clinical parameters between the groups suggests that efforts to further reduce the time to extubation might be worthwhile.

歯科臨床検査所見からみた短縮歯列と健常歯列との比較

Recently, there have been reports in favor of avoiding prosthodontic intervention as Shortened Dental Arch (SDA) in Northern Europe. However, many of these reports were conducted through interviews and questionnaires, and so the evaluation of the results lacked objectivity. Thus, this research analyzed the clinical status of SDA. For the selection of subjects, seven patients (average age: 59.3+/-13.2 years old) who had had the free-end missing on both sides of the lower dental arches for over five years were chosen as the SDA group. As the complete dental arch (CDA) group, seven patients (average age: 61.3+/-9.6 years old) who had no clinical defects in their masticatory function, and who had no missing teeth other than the third molar, were selected. Measurement items in this study were occlusal contact areas for the mandible premolar, center of force, occlusion time, and interdentium. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis and the significance level was assumed to be 5%. The results were as follows: 1) The occlusal contact area of the mandible premolar of SDA was significantly large. 2) The center of force of SDA was significantly forward. 3) The occlusion time of SDA had a tendency of prolongation. 4) Interdentium of 3 2 | 2 3, 4 3 | 3 4 and 5 4 | 4 5 of SDA were significantly wide. There were differences of clinical parameters between SDA and CDA in this study.

BCL10 Expression in Ocular Adnexal Lymphomas

To study BCL10 expression in ocular adnexal lymphoma in the US population and its association with clinical outcomes. Institutional, retrospective study. Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibody against BCL10 on two tissue microarray blocks that were constructed with paraffin-embedded tissues from the same cohort of 48 patients with ocular adnexal lymphomas. The main outcomes that were measured include extraorbital involvement, recurrence rate, and time to recurrence. The median length of the follow-up period was 40 months. Aberrant BCL10 expression (nuclear [moderate intensity] and cytoplasmic [weak to moderate intensity] staining) was observed in 10 of 33 cases (30.3%) of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, in 4 of 10 cases (40%) of follicular lymphoma (grade 1, 9 cases; grade 2, 1 case), in 0 of 2 cases of diffused large B-cell lymphoma, in 0 of 1 case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma and in 1 of 1 case (100%) of mantle cell lymphoma. There were no differences in clinical parameters at examination (ie, average age, gender, site of occurrence, laterality, extraorbital involvement at diagnosis), recurrence rate, and time to recurrence for patients (MALT lymphoma or follicular lymphoma) with or without aberrant nuclear BCL10 expression. Aberrant BCL10 expression can occur in other types of ocular adnexal lymphomas besides MALT lymphoma. Ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma may have slightly lower frequency of aberrant BCL10 expression than gastric/pulmonary MALT lymphomas that have been reported in the literature. Furthermore, aberrant BCL10 nuclear expression in ocular adnexal lymphoma does not seem to correlate with clinical outcome. Further studies that include a larger number of cases and longer follow-up period are needed to confirm our observation.

Effects of lower third molar extraction on attachment level and alveolar bone height of the adjacent second molar

Several conflicting findings have been published in previous literature regarding the effects of impacted third molar extraction on the periodontal health of the adjacent second molar; some authors have shown improvement of periodontal health distal to the adjacent second molar, whilst others have demonstrated loss of attachment and reduction of alveolar bone height. The purpose of this controlled clinical and radiographic study is to evaluate the long-term changes in periodontal health and alveolar bone height distal to the adjacent second molar following extraction of an impacted third molar. This split-mouth design study included 25 patients who underwent extraction of one mandibular impacted third molar (test), whereas the opposite tooth remained intact (control). Pre-operative and current-state panoramic radiographs were than scanned, and alveolar bone height was digitally measured on the distal aspect of the second molar on the test and control sides. Current-state clinical measurements were performed on both sides, and consisted of plaque index, gingival index, periodontal pocket depth, gingival margin position and clinical attachment level. Student's t-test for paired observations was used in order to examine the statistical significance of the differences in clinical parameters between the test and control sides and the differences in alveolar bone height pre- and post-operatively on both sides. Extraction of an impacted third molar resulted in a significant gain of alveolar bone height on the distal aspect of the adjacent second molar on the test side, whereas slight bone loss was noted on the control side. Even though the difference in plaque index between the test and control sides approached statistical significance following extraction, all clinical parameters seem to be unchanged. Further follow-up on clinical and radiological parameters is required for a more profound understanding of the long-term effects of third molar extraction on the periodontal health of the adjacent second molar.

C-Reactive Protein and Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease

Stroke places a large burden on healthcare and social services resources in the older adult population. Because the incidence of stroke increases with advancing age, and the population is aging, the number of patients affected by stroke is increasing. See p 900 The burden of stroke goes well beyond those cases that are clinically recognized. Imaging techniques of the brain have revealed a remarkably high prevalence of white matter lesions (WML) and silent brain lacunar infarcts (SBLI). In the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored Cardiovascular Health Study, SBLI ≥3 mm were found in 31% of all subjects.1 Fewer than 15% of patients with such lesions had a clinical history of stroke. The prevalence of SBLI increased with advancing age; 22% of subjects 65 to 69 years old had SBLI, as compared with 43% in subjects ≥80 years old. WML involving in particular the centrum ovale are a subject of great interest. Partly this is because modern neuroimaging methods detect subcortical WM changes with increasing frequency in people >60 years old and also because these abnormalities may be associated with specific neurobehavioral deficits, including dementing syndromes.2 The descriptive term leukoaraiosis (LA), frequently applied to these neuroimaging abnormalities of the WM, refers to bilateral and either patchy or diffuse areas of hypodensity on CT or hyperintensity on T2-weighted MRI.3 In this issue of Circulation , van Dijk and colleagues4 explore the relationship of C-reactive protein (CRP), a well-known systemic marker of inflammation, with the severity and progression of cerebral WML/LA on MRI scans. The investigators examined the prevalence and incidence of brain WML/LA and SBLI in the prospective cohort of 1033 older adult participants of the population-based Rotterdam Scan study. They confirmed a relationship between inflammation and the severity and progression of cerebral WML/LA and SBLI independent …

Clinical consequences of bone bruise around the knee

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between bone bruise and (peri-)articular derangement and to assess the impact of bone bruise on presentation and short term course of knee complaints. We recorded MR abnormalities in 664 consecutive patients with sub-acute knee complaints. Patients were divided in four groups: patients with and without intra-articular knee pathology, subdivided in patients with and without bone bruise. We assessed function and symptoms at the time of MR and 6 months thereafter. Bone bruises were diagnosed in 124 of 664 patients (18.7%). Patients with bone bruise had significantly more complete ACL, lateral meniscal, MCL and LCL tears. Both with and without intra-articular pathology patients with bone bruise had a significantly poorer function at the time of MR (Noyes score of, respectively, 313.21 versus 344.81 and 306.98 versus 341.19). Patients with bone bruise and intra-articular pathology showed significantly more decrease in activity (decrease of Tegner score from 6.28 to 2.12 versus 5.70-2.55). At 6 months there were no significant differences in clinical parameters between the four groups. We concluded that bone bruise in combination with MCL tear is an important cause of initial clinical impairment in patients with sub-acute knee complaints. Clinical improvement within 6 months is more pronounced than in patients without bone bruise.