Comparison of Accuracy in Determining the Root Canal Working Length by Using Two Generations of Apex Locators – An In Vitro Study

AIM: The present in-vitro study aims to compare the accuracy of root canal working length determination between the third generation and fourth generation electronic apex locators. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty extracted single-rooted single canal teeth were selected for the study, and a definite coronal plane was prepared. Actual working length (AL) was measured using a stereomicroscope under 8X magnification. Electronic working length measurements were recorded using Root ZX (EL1) and Elements Diagnostic Unit (EL2) apex locators. One-way ANOVA test was carried out to analyse the data among the experimental groups. RESULTS: The results of the one-way ANOVA test showed that difference in the working length determined by either apex locators (EL1 and EL2) and actual length determined under a stereomicroscope (AL) was statistically not significant. The independent ‘t’ test comparing between groups EL1 and AL; and EL2 and AL showed that working length determined by either of the apex locators (EL1 and EL2) and actual length determined under a stereomicroscope (AL) was statistically not significant. CONCLUSION: In this in vitro study, the Root ZX and Elements Diagnostic Unit apex locators are equally accurate for determination of working length when compared to actual working length

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication