Effect of fentanyl on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block for teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a randomized clinical trial

Aim: The purpose of this prospective, randomized, double-blind study was to evaluate the effect of adding fentanyl to lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:80,000 on the success of the inferior alveolar nerve block in mandibular molar teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Methodology: 100 healthy adult patients with diagnosis of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis in one of the mandibular molar tooth were selected and randomly divided in two groups of 50 patients each. In the first group (fentanyl group), 0.25 ml of a cartridge of 1.8 ml of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine solution was drained and the same amount from 50μg/ ml fentanyl solution was added to the cartridge. In the second group (non-fentanyl group) 0.25 ml of a cartridge of 1.8 ml of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine solution was drained and the same amount from saline solution was added to the cartridge. Each group received two cartridges of prepared soloution with inferior alveolar nerve block injection technique. Access cavity preparation started 15 minautes after injection and after confirming the lip numbness. Success defined as no pain or mild pain on the basis of Heft-Parker visual analog scale during access cavity preparation or initial instrumentation. Data were analyzed by T-test and Chi-square Results: The success rate of inferior alveolar nerve block injection was 58% for Fentanyl group and 46% for Non-Fentanyl group. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.23). Conclusions: The addition of fentanyl to lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:80,000 did not increase the success rate of the inferior alveolar nerve block in mandibular molar teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

Electromyographic Study of Masticatory Muscle Function in Children with Down Syndrome

This study assessed the electrical activity of the masticatory muscles in both children with down syndrome (DS) and healthy children. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 patients aged between 7.9 and 11.8 years participated in the study. They were divided into two groups of 15: DS and non-DS. A DAB-Bluetooth device (Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany) was used to record the electromyographical (EMG) activity of the right and left temporal and of the right and left masseter muscles at rest and during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC). The asymmetry index between right and left masticatory muscle EMG activity was calculated for each position. The Mann–Whitney U test was applied to analyze the study results. There were no differences in the electrical activity of the temporal and masseter muscles at rest between the groups. During MVC, the asymmetry index for the masseter muscles was significantly higher in subjects with DS. The electrical potentials of the temporal and masseter muscles in children with DS were significantly lower compared to the corresponding parameters for healthy children when clenching

Nandrolone decanoate: Use, abuse and side effects

Background and Objectives: Androgens play a significant role in the development of male reproductive organs. The clinical use of synthetic testosterone derivatives, such as nandrolone, is focused on maximizing the anabolic effects and minimizing the androgenic ones. Class II anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), including nandrolone, are rapidly becoming a widespread group of drugs used both clinically and illicitly. The illicit use of AAS is diffused among adolescent and bodybuilders because of their anabolic proprieties and their capacity to increase tolerance to exercise. This systematic review aims to focus on side effects related to illicit AAS abuse, evaluating the scientific literature in order to underline the most frequent side effects on AAS abusers’ bodies. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of the scientific literature was performed using the PubMed database and the keywords “nandrolone decanoate”. The inclusion criteria for articles or abstracts were English language and the presence of the following words: “abuse” or “adverse effects”. After applying the exclusion and inclusion criteria, from a total of 766 articles, only 148 were considered eligible for the study. Results: The most reported adverse effects (found in more than 5% of the studies) were endocrine effects (18 studies, 42%), such as virilization, gynecomastia, hormonal disorders, dyslipidemia, genital alterations, and infertility; cardiovascular dysfunctions (six studies, 14%) such as vascular damage, coagulation disorders, and arteriosus hypertension; skin disorders (five studies, 12%) such as pricking, acne, and skin spots; psychiatric and mood disorders (four studies, 9%) such as aggressiveness, sleep disorders and anxiety; musculoskeletal disorders (two studies, 5%), excretory disorders (two studies, 5%), and gastrointestinal disorders (two studies, 5%). Conclusions: Based on the result of our study, the most common adverse effects secondary to the abuse of nandrolone decanoate (ND) involve the endocrine, cardiovascular, skin, and psychiatric systems. These data could prove useful to healthcare professionals in both sports and clinical settings

Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome: Relationship with obesity and management in obese patients

SUMMARY Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) is a disease characterised by upper airway obstruction during sleep, quite frequent in the general population, even if underestimated. Snoring, sleep apnoea and diurnal hypersomnia are common in these patients. Central obesity plays a key role: it reduces the size and changes the conformation of the upper airways, besides preventing lung expansion, with consequent reduction of lung volumes. Furthermore, obese people are also resistant to leptin, which physiologically stimulates ventilation; as a result, this causes scarce awakening during apnoea. OSAHS diagnosis is based on the combination of clinical parameters, such as apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI), medical history, physical examination and Mallampati score. The first objective reference method to identify OSAHS is polysomnography followed by sleep endoscopy. Therapy provides in the first instance reduction of body weight, followed by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which still remains the treatment of choice in most patients, mandibular advancement devices (MAD) and finally otolaryngology or maxillofacial surgery. Among surgical techniques, central is barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (BRP), used in the field of multilevel surgery