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Journal of Public Health Dentistry Jun 2024This systematic review aimed to review the safety and effectiveness of professionally applied fluorides for preventing and arresting dental caries in low- and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
This systematic review aimed to review the safety and effectiveness of professionally applied fluorides for preventing and arresting dental caries in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
METHODS
Randomized controlled trials conducted in LMICs, in which professionally applied fluorides were compared with placebo/no treatment/health education only or usual care with a minimum one-year follow-up period, were included. Any topically applied fluoride agents such as sodium fluoride (NaF), acidulated phosphate fluoride, silver diamine fluoride (SDF), and nano silver fluoride (NSF) were included. Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched in May 2022. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random effect model.
RESULTS
This review included 33 studies for qualitative synthesis, encompassing 16,375 children aged between 1.5 and 14 years. Nevertheless, the meta-analysis focused on only 17 studies, involving 4067 children. Fourteen papers assessed potential adverse events, none of which was reported as major adverse events. SDF and NSF were identified as effective in arresting caries on primary teeth (p < 0.05) compared with a placebo or no treatment. Fluoride varnish and gel were identified as effective in reducing new caries development on primary teeth (p < 0.05) but not on permanent teeth (p > 0.05). The certainty of the generated evidence obtained is low.
CONCLUSION
The review provides valuable insights into the use of professionally applied fluorides in LMICs and contributes to recommendations for their use. However, the limited rigorous evidence suggests the need for further research to strengthen these findings and draw more robust conclusions.
Topics: Humans; Dental Caries; Developing Countries; Fluorides, Topical; Child; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Cariostatic Agents; Infant; Fluorides; Silver Compounds; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
PubMed: 38623701
DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12617 -
Translational Cancer Research Nov 2023Bone scintigraphy, the standard tool for detecting bone metastases has some insufficiencies; thus, supplementary imaging techniques are needed. This study is a... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Bone scintigraphy, the standard tool for detecting bone metastases has some insufficiencies; thus, supplementary imaging techniques are needed. This study is a comprehensive meta-analysis of studies reporting and comparing the diagnostic efficacy of 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and Tc-MDP single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for bone metastases.
METHODS
Literature related to the diagnosis of bone metastases using 18F-NaF PET/CT and Tc-MDP SPECT was searched on PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang databases, and VIP. Evaluation of study quality was performed according to Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). Pooled sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE) were assessed along with heterogeneity. The subject operating characteristic curve was plotted, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated, and the pre- and post-test probabilities were compared.
RESULTS
Finally, 11 articles, consisting of 1,085 patients and 1,782 lesions, were included. At the patient level (11 articles), the results were pooled SEN =0.92 and SPE =0.96 for PET/CT, SEN =0.80 and SPE =0.90 for SPECT. The AUC of PET/CT [0.98 (0.96-0.99)] was higher than that of SPECT [0.92 (0.89-0.94), P<0.05]. At the lesion level (6 articles), the results were pooled SEN =0.96 and SPE =0.98 for PET/CT, SEN =0.76 and SPE =0.94 for SPECT. The AUC of PET/CT [0.99 (0.98-1.00)] was higher than that of SPECT [0.94 (0.92-0.96); P<0.05]. Statistical heterogeneity existed, and meta-regression showed that, at patient-based level, the study design type, tumor character, and the selection blinding method were the main sources of heterogeneity. Furthermore, both PET/CT and SPECT had superior SEN for osteogenic metastases than non-osteogenic metastases (P=0.01). At the lesion level, tumor character was a source of heterogeneity accompanied by an increased SEN for osteogenic metastases, and the SEN for SPECT combined with CT was improved [SEN =0.87 (0.68-1.00), P=0.03].
CONCLUSIONS
18F-NaF PET/CT has a higher SEN and SPE than Tc-MDP SPECT in diagnosing bone metastases, nevertheless, it is necessary to fully understand the primary tumor and the characteristics of the imaging protocol to choose suitable modality for individuals. Combining SPECT with CT improves the diagnostic efficacy than having SPECT alone and can be a powerful supplement to PET/CT for suspected osteogenic bone metastases.
PubMed: 38130318
DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-817 -
Journal of Environmental Management Feb 2024Meta-analysis of red mud-related literature in English published from 1976 to 2022 and in Chinese from 1990 to 2022 was performed to support critical analysis and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Meta-analysis of red mud-related literature in English published from 1976 to 2022 and in Chinese from 1990 to 2022 was performed to support critical analysis and evaluation of the available literature based on the following aspects of red mud research: (a) characterization, (b) treatment for harmfulness minimization, (c) recovery of valuable metals, (d) environmental applications, and (e) uses as construction materials. It was found that (a) sinter red mud tended to contain more silica and calcium, and less iron, sodium and aluminium compared to Bayer red mud; (b) gypsum was the most frequently used agent for harmfulness reduction treatment of red mud, followed by flue gas/CO; (c) the mean optimal pH for adsorption of major anionic pollutants was 8.42 ± 1.13 (arsenite), 3.73 ± 0.68 (arsenate), 3.50 ± 2.38 (phosphate), 4.43 ± 1.04 (fluoride) and 3.80 ± 1.54 (chromate); (d) wastewater treatment has attracted more attention compared to contaminated soils and waste gases; (e) recovery of iron and scandium has attracted more attention compared to other metals; (f) cement making has been the focus in construction uses. Most of the research findings were based on laboratory-scale experiments that focused on efficacy rather than efficiency. There was a lack of integrated approaches for research in red mud valorization.
Topics: Aluminum Oxide; Environmental Pollution; Metals; Iron; Aluminum
PubMed: 38043310
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119660 -
European Review For Medical and... Nov 2023Early childhood caries is a common condition that poses a serious risk to children's health because it can progress quickly, resulting in pain, abscesses, and a general...
OBJECTIVE
Early childhood caries is a common condition that poses a serious risk to children's health because it can progress quickly, resulting in pain, abscesses, and a general decline in health. As a result, invasive therapies are needed, which call for highly skilled personnel. This systematic review of the literature aims to identify the most recent and widely applied early childhood caries (ECC) prevention and treatment approaches. Only substances that act topically and minimally invasive interventions were considered.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The database search was restricted to randomized clinical trials completed within the last five years, specifically those that examined the following procedures: sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish, alternative restorative technique (ART), nano-silver fluoride, silver diamine fluoride, and silver modified atraumatic restorative treatment sealants (SMART).
RESULTS
A total of 815 articles were found. After removing duplicates, 584 articles were included, and 567 of them were excluded due to not meeting the predefined inclusion criteria.
CONCLUSIONS
Every method considered has been proven to be successful in halting the progression of ECC and is well-liked by patients, even those who are unwilling to cooperate, as well as by parents. The most common unfavorable effect of SDF is irreversible black discoloration in treated tooth surfaces, but this is typically not a problem. They are all low-cost, minimally invasive techniques that might also be widely used in large communities and low socioeconomic settings.
Topics: Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Cariostatic Agents; Dental Atraumatic Restorative Treatment; Dental Caries Susceptibility; Sodium Fluoride
PubMed: 38039039
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202311_34477 -
World Neurosurgery Feb 2024The differential diagnosis for postoperative back pain is broad, and conventional imaging modalities are not always conclusive. Therefore, we performed a systematic...
OBJECTIVE
The differential diagnosis for postoperative back pain is broad, and conventional imaging modalities are not always conclusive. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of the literature and present case studies describing the use of single-photon emission CT (SPECT)/CT or positron emission tomography (PET)/CT in the diagnosis of back pain following spine surgery.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines across 5 databases. Relevant keywords included PET/CT, bone SPECT/CT, and pseudarthrosis. The studies were assessed for diagnostic accuracy of the imaging technologies.
RESULTS
A total of 2,444 studies were screened, 91 were selected for full-text review, and 21 were ultimately included. Six retrospective studies investigated the use of SPECT/CT with a total sample size of 309 patients. Two of these studies used SPECT/CT to predict screw loosening in over 50% of patients. Eight studies examined the use of 18-fluoride sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) PET/CT. Among these studies, measures of diagnostic accuracy varied but overall demonstrated the ability of 18F-NaF PET/CT to detect screw loosening and pseudarthrosis. Seven studies examined 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT and supported its utility in the diagnosis of postoperative infections in the spine.
CONCLUSIONS
PET/CT and SPECT/CT are useful in the evaluation of postoperative pain of the spine, especially in patients for whom conventional imaging modalities yield inconclusive results. More diagnostic accuracy studies with strong reference standards are needed to compare hybrid imaging to conventional imaging.
Topics: Humans; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Retrospective Studies; Pseudarthrosis; Positron-Emission Tomography; Pain, Postoperative; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; Back Pain; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 38013108
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.11.108 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Sep 2023Oxidative stress is involved in the alterations at the level of salivary glands, being the cause of oral pathologies like xerostomia, periodontitis, gingivitis,... (Review)
Review
Oxidative stress is involved in the alterations at the level of salivary glands, being the cause of oral pathologies like xerostomia, periodontitis, gingivitis, leucoplakia, and cancer. It is known that antioxidants can reverse changes induced by drugs or other chemicals in some organs, but the question is whether these substances can reduce or revert the effects of oxidative stress at the salivary gland level. Our aim was to find histopathological data at the level of salivary glands supporting the hypothesis of the reversal of oxidative stress-induced changes after the treatment with substances with antioxidant effect. : A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Science Direct, and Springer databases, including research articles on oxidative stress histological aspects and oxidative stress biomarkers induced by drugs or other chemicals on salivary glands. : Out of 1756 articles, 25 articles were selected with data on tissue homogenate used for biochemical analysis of oxidative and antioxidative markers, along with routine hematoxylin eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical analysis used for histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis. Drugs (antineoplastic drugs, antibiotics, and analgesics), alcohol, heavy metals, and fluoride can cause oxidative stress, resulting in morphological changes in different tissues, including in salivary glands. There are many antioxidants but only a few were evaluated regarding the effects on salivary glands in animal studies, such as hesperidin and selenium, which can reverse the damage induced by cyclophosphamide; 10-dehydrogingerdione (10-DHGD), a compound extracted from ginger, which has a protective effect against the oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by tramadol; and glycyrrhizic acid, which may repair the injuries incurred after the administration of sodium nitrite. : Substances such as hesperidin, selenium, 10-dehydrogingerdione, and glycyrrhizic acid are antioxidants with proven restorative effects on salivary glands for the damage induced by oxidative stress after exposure to drugs and other chemical substances; however, demonstrating their similar effects in human salivary glands is challenging.
PubMed: 37763811
DOI: 10.3390/medicina59091692 -
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine... Dec 2023Transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is a progressive protein misfolding disease with frequent cardiac involvement. This review aims to determine the value of PET in... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is a progressive protein misfolding disease with frequent cardiac involvement. This review aims to determine the value of PET in diagnosis, assessment of disease progression or treatment response and its relation to clinical outcome in follow-up of ATTR amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) patients.
METHODS
Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched, from the earliest date available until December 2022, for studies investigating the use of PET in ATTR-CM patients. Studies containing original data were included, except for case reports. Risk of bias was assessed by QUADAS-2.
RESULTS
Twenty-one studies were included in this systematic review, investigating five different tracers: carbon-11 Pittsburgh compound B ([C]PIB), fluorine-18 Florbetaben ([F]FBB), fluorine-18 Florbetapir ([F]FBP), fluorine-18 Flutemetamol ([F]FMM) and fluorine-18 Sodium Fluoride (Na[F]F). In total 211 ATTR amyloidosis patients were included. A majority of studies concluded that [C]PIB, [F]FBP and Na[F]F can distinguish ATTR amyloidosis patients from controls, and that [C]PIB and Na[F]F, but not [F]FBP, can distinguish ATTR-CM patients from patients with cardiac light chain amyloidosis. Evidence on the performance of [F]FBB and [F]FMM was contradictory. No studies on the use of PET in follow-up were found.
CONCLUSION
[C]PIB, Na[F]F and [F]FBP can be used to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis, although [F]FBP may not be suitable for the distinction of different types of amyloid cardiomyopathy. No studies on PET in the follow-up of ATTR amyloidosis patients were found. Future research should focus on the use of these PET tracers in the follow-up of ATTR amyloidosis patients.
Topics: Humans; Prealbumin; Follow-Up Studies; Amyloidosis; Positron-Emission Tomography; Cardiomyopathies
PubMed: 37561144
DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06381-3 -
BMC Oral Health Aug 2023External factors such as the daily use of antimicrobial mouthwashes to maintain oral hygiene and to reduce the microbial activity can contribute to alter the mechanical... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
External factors such as the daily use of antimicrobial mouthwashes to maintain oral hygiene and to reduce the microbial activity can contribute to alter the mechanical properties of the elastomeric chains used during orthodontic treatments, causing loss of effectiveness. This systematic review and a meta-analysis assessed the rate of force decay and degradation of the polymeric chains depending on the type of mouthwash.
METHODS
A systematic search of the literature were there was an exposure of orthodontic elastomeric chains to certain mouthwashes was conducted in the electronic databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), Scopus, EMBASE and Web of Science, as well as grey literature (Opengrey). No limit was placed on publication year and research was done up to June 2022. Based on inclusion/ exclusion criteria, data were extracted by two independent reviewers. For the quantitative analysis, studies were analysed with a mixed-effect (random effect) meta-regression model, with beta coefficients and R [2] values. I [2] index and Q and Egger tests were used to find heterogeneity among studies.
RESULTS
A total of 178 potentially eligible studies were identified, of which 14 were eventually included in the qualitative analysis and 14 in the quantitative meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that all the mouthwashes were associated with a greater force decay than the control groups. After 7 days (p = 0.005) significant differences were found among the different mouthwashes, with those containing alcohol having significantly higher impact on the force decay than those containing chlorhexidine 0.2%, sodium fluoride or Persica. However, at 24 h (p = 0.200), 14 days (p = 0.076), 21 days (p = 0.120) and 28 days (p = 0.778) no statistically significant differences among the different mouthwashes were found, although those containing alcohol presented a strong tendency.
CONCLUSION
Although mouthwashes tend to increase the speed of force decay of elastomeric chains, especially those containing alcohol, clorhexidine 0.2% can be a good alternative due to its low impact on the force decay and its ability to maintain low microbial activity. More in vitro and in vivo studies comparing different manufacturers and other agents should be performed.
Topics: Humans; Mouthwashes; Chlorhexidine; Sodium Fluoride; Anti-Infective Agents; Elasticity; Ethanol; Polymers
PubMed: 37542215
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-023-03240-3 -
Odontology Jan 2024Trace- and macro-chemical elements are crucial for cellular physiological functioning, and their alterations in biological fluids might be associated with an underlying... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Trace- and macro-chemical elements are crucial for cellular physiological functioning, and their alterations in biological fluids might be associated with an underlying pathological state. Hence, this study aimed to examine and summarize the published literature concerning the application of salivary ionomics for caries diagnosis. An extensive search of studies was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus, without any language and year restriction for answering the following PECO question: "In subjects (i.e., children, adolescents, or adults) with good systematic health, are there any variations in the salivary concentrations of trace- or macro-elements between caries-free (CF) individuals and caries-active (CA) subjects?" A modified version of the QUADOMICS tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. The Review Manager Version 5.4.1. was used for data analyses. The analysis of salivary chemical elements that significantly differed between CF and CA subjects was also performed. Thirty-four studies were included, involving 2299 CA and 1669 CF subjects, having an age range from 3 to 64 years in over 16 countries. The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the salivary levels of calcium, phosphorus, chloride, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and zinc between CA and CF subjects, suggesting higher levels of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium in CF subjects while higher levels of chloride, magnesium, and zinc in CA patients. Half of the included studies (17/34) were considered high quality, while the remaining half were considered medium quality. Only zinc and chloride ions were found to be higher significantly and consistent in CF and CA subjects, respectively. Conflicting outcomes were observed for all other salivary chemical elements including aluminum, bromine, calcium, copper, fluoride, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphorus, lead, selenium, and sulfate ions.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Calcium; Dental Caries; Ions; Magnesium; Magnesium Chloride; Phosphorus; Potassium; Sodium; Zinc; Saliva
PubMed: 37526792
DOI: 10.1007/s10266-023-00839-4