The COVID-19 pandemic and its global effects on dental practice. An international survey

Objectives A multicentre survey was designed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on dental practice worldwide, estimate the COVID-19 related symptoms/signs, work attitudes and behaviour and the routine use of protective measures and personal protective equipment (PPE). Methods A global survey using a standardized questionnaire with research groups from 36 countries was designed. The questionnaire was developed and pretested during April 2020 and contained three domains: 1) personal data; 2) COVID-19 positive rate and symptoms/signs presumably related to the coronavirus; 3) working conditions and PPE adopted after the outbreak. Countries’ data were grouped by the country positive rate (CPR) during the survey period and by Gross-National-Income per capita. An ordinal multinomial logistic regression model was carried out with COVID-19 self-reported rate referred by dental professionals as dependent variable to assess the association with questionnaire items. Results A total of 52,491 questionnaires were returned with a male/female ratio of 0.63. Out of the total respondents, 7,859 dental professionals (15%) reported symptoms/signs compatible with COVID-19. More than half of the sample (n=27,818; 53%) stated to use FFP2/N95 masks, while 21,558 (41.07%) used eye protection. In the bivariate analysis, CPR and N95/FFP2 were significantly associated (OR=1.80 95%CI=1.60/2.82 and OR=5.20 95%CI=1.44/18.80, respectively), while Gross-National-Income was not statistically associated with CPR (OR=1.09 95%CI=0.97/1.60). The same significant associations were observed in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions Oral health service provision has not been significantly affected by COVID-19, although access to routine dental care was reduced due to country-specific temporary lockdown periods. While the dental profession has been identified at high-risk, the reported rates of COVID-19 for dental professionals were not significantly different to those reported for the general population in each country. These findings may help to better plan oral health care for future pandemic events

Role of endothelial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes

The reason for the progressive vision reduction at diabetes mellitus (DM) is diabetic retinopathy (DR). When type 2 diabetes combined with hypertension (Ht), it increases the risk of vision loss by 25 times. In the pathogenesis of DR is important to endothelial dysfunction and a variety of biochemical processes (an excess of intracellular sorbitol, non-enzymatic glycation of proteins, oxidative stress). there is a decrease in generation vasodilating factors, nitric oxide, with a simultaneous increase of endothelin, which causes vasoconstriction. Key processes underlying the development of DR, such as increased vascular permeability, edema, neovasculariza- tion, inflammation and associated with the effects of kallikrein-kinin system. In the pathogenesis of DR can be involved independent intraocular renin-angiotensin system, which is an important mediator of angiogenesis and increased vascular permeability. Damage to the endothelium of retinal vessels leads to ischemia of the retina. there is growth and development of newly formed blood vessels, which may provoke recurrent bleeding

The results of correction of endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with diabetic retinopathy and associated hypertension

<strong>Purpose:</strong>Studying the dynamics of clinical functional and morphological status of the retina against the metabolic and antiischemic therapy of retinopathy in type 2 diabetes associated with hypertension based on indicators in the tear fluid and serum nitric oxide metabolites.<p><strong>Methods:</strong> Following a standard ophthalmologic examination of 50 patients, among which are the two groups are similar in age and<br />sex. The main group (n = 37) with Cd 2, DR and DR I and II hypertension II, III stage, the average age was 62,2±1,2 years, antihypertensive therapy — an ACE inhibitor Prestarium (5 mg). Patients of the group were divided into two subgroups: the first subgroup (n = 19)<br />who underwent parabulbarnom Mildronate (10 injections), the second subgroup (n = 18), which the drug was administered intranasally Semaks (20 days). The control group (n = 13) healthy (n = 6), and patients with type 2 diabetes without DR and GB (n = 7). Quantitative determination of the stable NO metabolites was determined in biochemical method samples of serum and lacrimal fluid.</p><p><br /><strong>Results:</strong> After completing a course of therapy for patients of the first subgroup marked decrease in retinal thickness (p ≤ 0,05) in f.centralis, temporal lobe, the upper and lower bands parafovea and temporal area perifovea, while in the second group — in 9 areas of the macular area (p ≤ 0.05). It is also noted a significant increase in sensitivity to light in the macular area in patients of both subgroups (MAIA). On the background of the treatment observed reduction of NOx in the lacrimal fluid and serum of patients in both clinical groups. Thus, reduction of NOx in the lacrimal fluid was statistically significant in the subgroup of patients receiving anti-ischemic therapy semaks (p &lt;0,05). In both clinical subgroups after treatment revealed correlation between systolic blood pressure and the level of NOx in the serum (r = 0,4; p &lt;0,05).</p><p><br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The positive effect (p &lt;0,05) antioxidant (Mildronat) and ischemic (Semaks) therapy on clinical and functional and morphological parameters of the retina in patients with retinopathy in type 2 diabetes in combination with GB. NOx reduction in the tear fluid and serum was associated with decreased severity of clinical symptoms DR I and II, the resulting vascular endothelial dysfunction. This allows us to consider this as an effective therapeutic intervention aimed at preventing the onset and progression of retinopathy in the combined course of type 2 diabetes and hypertension.</p

Marital status in patients with functional (psychogenic nonepileptic) seizures: An international study

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the marital status in a cohort of patients with functional seizures from seven countries in four continents. Factors associated with marital status were also explored. Methods: Adult patients with functional seizures who were admitted to the epilepsy monitoring units at centers in Iran, Qatar, USA, France, Georgia, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) were retrospectively identified. Marital status was assessed in the whole cohort. Results: Four hundred thirty-two patients were included (241 from Iran, 52 from France, 48 from Qatar, 41 from the USA, 19 from UAE, 18 from Egypt, and 13 from Georgia); 302 were women and 130 were men. One hundred fifty (35%) subjects were single, 245 (57%) were married, and 37 (8%) were separated (31 divorced, 7%; 6 widowed, 1%). Auras with functional seizures were less frequently reported by single people in comparison with that by married patients (54% vs. 61%) [odds ratio (OR) = 0.58]. Separated people compared with those who were married less often had auras with their functional seizures (27% vs. 61%; OR = 0.26) and more often reported a history of sexual abuse (49% vs. 12%; OR = 6.14). Conclusion: The marital status has significant associations with the semiology of functional seizures. A history of sexual abuse is significantly associated with being separated and should be inquired and tackled appropriately during the management process of patients with functional seizures