Evaluation of salivary matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) level in patients with oral lichen planus before and after treatment with 0.2% triamcinolone mouthwash

Objectives Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic mucocutaneous disease, involving the skin and mucous membranes. Although the pathogenesis of OLP is not fully understood, the immune system, genetic and environmental factors, medications, and infections may play an important role in OLP. The level of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is known to increase in pathological conditions, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as inflammatory conditions, such as OLP. If pain and soreness are present, topical corticosteroids (CSs) are the first-line treatment for these patients. This study aimed to evaluate the level of MMP-9 in individuals with OLP before and after treatment with triamcinolone 0.2% mouthwash. Method This study was conducted on 18 patients with erosive-atrophic OLP. First, 5 mL of unstimulated saliva was collected, and then, triamcinolone 0.2% mouthwash was prescribed to all the patients. After treatment and healing of the lesions, a sample was collected again from the participants. The MMP-9 concentration was quantified in all the samples using an ELISA kit. Results The mean age of the participants, including five males and 13 females, was 45.7 years in this study. Before treatment, the mean MMP-9 concentration was 1.599 ng/mL, with a standard deviation (SD) of 1.074, while the mean (±SD) level of MMP-9 was 0.933 ng/mL (0.649) after treatment. The mean reduction was estimated at 0.666, with SD of 1.056 (P=0.016). Conclusion The MMP-9 level was significantly lower after treatment compared to the pretreatment stage. Based on the results, topical CSs, such as triamcinolone, can decrease the level of MMP-9, as a reliable biomarker of OLP severity; therefore, they can diminish inflammation and prevent the dysplastic progression of the disease

Evaluation and Comparison of the Changes of Blood Biochemical and Hematological Factors in Adults with and Without History of COVID-19

Background & objectives: There is evidence that COVID-19 may have some long-term effects on the patients' blood biochemical and hematological factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the changes in biochemical and hematological factors in adults with and without past history of COVID-19. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional study including 72 cases with a past history of COVID-19 (PCR+ test) and 52 controls without a history of COVID-19. All participants were from two prospective cohort studies, namely Yazd Health Study (YaHS) and Shahedieh Cohort Study. Biochemical parameters such as blood glucose, lipid profiles, liver, kidney and hematological factors of cases and controls were extracted from the databases and analyzed. Results: The mean red blood cell count in patients with COVID-19 was significantly higher than in non-COVID-19 patients (p0.001). However, no significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of lipid and kidney profiles and liver enzymes. Conclusion: No significant difference was found between the two groups of patients exposed to COVID-19 and patients not exposed to COVID-19 in terms of liver enzymes, lipid and kidney profiles, which probably indicate that COVID-19 has no long-term effect on these variables. However, a significant difference was observed between the two groups (p<0.05) regarding the number of red blood cells and MCV