Malignant transformation of oral epithelial dysplasia in Southwest Finland

Oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) is considered a risk for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A meta-analysis estimated a mean malignant transformation rate of 12.1% (95% CI 8.1-17.9). The main target of this study was to define how many OED patients develop OSCC in the hospital district of Southwest Finland. A total of 571 patients diagnosed with OED were identified. Their potential subsequent diagnosis of OSCC was derived from the Finnish Cancer Registry. The risk of OSCC development in OED patients was compared with that of the general population without OED. During a mean follow-up of 5.5 (range 0.1-29.0) years 10.9% of OED patients developed OSCC. OED patients had a 44.7-fold higher risk (95% CI 34.4-56.7) of developing OSCC than the general population. The risk was at its highest within two years of OED diagnosis. OED patients in Southwest Finland have a significantly increased risk of developing OSCC relative to the general population, especially within the first two years of dysplasia diagnosis.Peer reviewe

Gingival cell growth with antiresorptive treatment combined with corticosteroids or antiestrogen

Objectives: Antiresorptive treatment has been shown to impair mucosal cell proliferation, migration, and viability. However, in the clinic, antiresorptives are often used in combination with other drugs. We studied the effect of antiresorptives combined with a corticosteroid or antiestrogen on oral mucosal keratinocytes and fibroblasts.Material and methods: Human gingival keratinocyte and fibroblast cell lines were exposed to bisphosphonates (BPs) and denosumab in different concentrations and durations together with an antiestrogen or corticosteroid. Changes in cell viability, proliferation and migration after exposures were measured. Data were evaluated with hierarchical linear mixed model for repeated measurements.Results: Bisphosphonate exposure suppressed keratinocyte and fibroblast cell viability, proliferation, and migration in a time-dependent manner. Combining a corticosteroid or antiestrogen with BPs further increased this negative effect. Denosumab alone had a mild positive effect on keratinocyte and fibroblast growth. When denosumab was combined with a corticosteroid or antiestrogen, cell growth was suppressed.Conclusions: Our results show that coexisting medications may increase the negative impact of BPs or denosumab on oral mucosal cells

Late preterm birth has direct and indirect effects on infant gut microbiota development during the first six months of life

Aim: Preterm infants display aberrant gut microbial colonisation. We investigated whether the differences in gut microbiota between late preterm and full-term infants results from prematurity or external exposures.Methods: This study comprised 43 late preterm infants (34(0/7)-36(6/7)) and 75 full-term infants based on faecal samples collected following birth and at two to four weeks and six months of age. We assessed clinically relevant bacteria using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether the observed differences in gut microbiota were attributable to prematurity or perinatal exposure.Results: The prevalence of bifidobacteria differed in the intestinal microbiota of the fullterm and late preterm neonates. Differences in the presence of specific species were detected at the age of six months, although the microbiota alterations were most prominent following delivery. As well as prematurity, the mode of birth, intrapartum and neonatal antibiotic exposure, and the duration of breastfeeding had an additional impact on gut microbiota development.Conclusion: The gut microbiota composition was significantly different between late preterm and full-term infants at least six months after birth. Antibiotic exposure was common in late preterm infants and modulated gut colonisation, but preterm birth also affected gut microbiota development independently

Healthy and Unhealthy Food Consumption in Relation to Quality of Life among Finnish Female Municipal Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aspects of good quality of life (QoL) have been found to motivate people to make lifestyle changes. There is also evidence that certain dietary patterns are associated with QoL. The aim of this work was to examine whether consumption frequencies of healthy and unhealthy food items are associated with QoL in female employees. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 631 Finnish female employees (mean age 49 years, SD = 10) from 10 municipal work units in 2015. Information about the participants was collected by physical examination, laboratory tests, self-administered questionnaires, including the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and from medical history. QoL was assessed with the EUROHIS-Quality of Life 8-item index. A significant positive association was seen between consumption frequency of healthy foods and the EUROHIS-QOL mean score (p = 0.002). The association was small but comprehensive, also involving most dimensions of QoL. The consumption frequency of unhealthy foods was not associated with QoL. These findings are relevant when designing diet counselling, since QoL is an outcome that has been found to motivate people to change their health habits. Recommending abundant use of healthy foods could be a simple and convenient way of diet counselling at many health care appointments, where time consuming approaches are difficult to conduct

Malignant transformation of oral epithelial dysplasia in Southwest Finland

Oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) is considered a risk for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A meta-analysis estimated a mean malignant transformation rate of 12.1% (95% CI 8.1-17.9). The main target of this study was to define how many OED patients develop OSCC in the hospital district of Southwest Finland. A total of 571 patients diagnosed with OED were identified. Their potential subsequent diagnosis of OSCC was derived from the Finnish Cancer Registry. The risk of OSCC development in OED patients was compared with that of the general population without OED. During a mean follow-up of 5.5 (range 0.1-29.0) years 10.9% of OED patients developed OSCC. OED patients had a 44.7-fold higher risk (95% CI 34.4-56.7) of developing OSCC than the general population. The risk was at its highest within two years of OED diagnosis. OED patients in Southwest Finland have a significantly increased risk of developing OSCC relative to the general population, especially within the first two years of dysplasia diagnosis

Temporal changes in self-reported sleep quality, sleep duration and sleep medication use in relation to temporal changes in quality of life and work ability over a 1-year period among Finnish municipal employees

In this prospective follow-up study, we aimed to examine whether changes in self-reported sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep medication use are temporally associated with changes in quality of life and work ability in municipal employees when several confounding factors are considered. The study was conducted in Finland among 637 municipal employees (88% women, mean [SD] age 48 [10] years) in 2014 and 2015. Information about the participants was collected by self-administered questionnaire and from medical history. Predicting variables were changes in self-reported sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep medication use. Outcome variables were changes in the EUROHIS-QOL eight-item index and the Work Ability Score. Improved or unchanged sleep quality compared to worse sleep quality were associated with a preferable change in quality of life (both p < 0.001). No change in sleep duration compared to a decrease and no change in sleep medication use compared to increased use were also associated with favourable changes in quality of life. Increased use of sleep medication was associated with a decline in work ability, and the change in Work Ability Score also differed significantly between improved and worsened sleep quality. In this study, changes in sleep were widely associated with changes in quality of life and work ability of municipal employees. Programmes aiming for better sleep health would probably be beneficial both from a health-oriented and an economical point of view. Special attention should be paid to employees with a need for sleep medication

Yield of elective coronary angiography; gender differences, patient history, risk factors and angiographic findings in a primary care population

ObjectiveTo assess yield of elective coronary angiography and gender differences in primary care patients suspected to have stable coronary artery disease (SCAD).DesignInformation was gathered from an angiography registry, referral texts of the general practitioners and medical records made by the cardiologists in secondary care.SettingAngiography registry data analyses of the Turku University Hospital, Finland, in the year 2011.SubjectsTwo hundred forty-six patients who were referred from primary care to secondary care and underwent coronary angiography for suspected SCAD symptoms.Main outcome measuresGender differences and diagnostic yield of coronary angiography for obstructive CAD.ResultsObstructive CAD was identified in 73%, more often in males than in females (51% vs. 84%, p < 0.001). Thirteen per cent of the patients were over 80 years of age, and 94% of them had obstructive CAD. The prevalence of hypertension was 60%, treatment goal was achieved by 25%.ConclusionThe diagnostic yield of elective coronary angiography was low in women compared to men although there were no substantial differences in evidence-based medication, risk factors or anticipated angina symptoms between genders

Ideal cardiovascular health and quality of life among Finnish municipal employees

Ideal cardiovascular health has been defined by the American Heart Association as the absence of clinically manifest cardiovascular disease together with the presence of favorable levels of cardiovascular health metrics. The ideal metrics are hard to achieve and the aim of this study was to assess the association between favorable cardiovascular health and perceived overall quality of life (QoL).A cross-sectional study was conducted in Finland among 836 employees in 2014 (732 women, 104 men, mean age 48 (SD 10) years) from ten municipal work units. The ideal metrics were evaluated with a physical examination, laboratory tests, medical history and self-administered questionnaires. The cardiovascular health was categorized into three groups by achievement of the ideal metrics. QoL was assessed with the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index.The prevalence of having 5–7 of the ideal metrics was 25.1% (210), of having 3–4 it was 53.6% (448) and for 0–2 it was 21.3% (178). The EUROHIS-QOL mean score among all participants was 3.92 (SD 0.54). The EUROHIS-QOL mean score had a positive association with the sum of ideal metrics, and was 3.72, 3.91 and 4.10 among subjects with 0–2, 3–4 and 5–7 ideal metrics, respectively. Furthermore, poor sleep quality and disease burden had a significant negative association with QoL.A favorable cardiovascular health status together with good sleep quality seems to have a clear association with overall quality of life among employees in municipal work units.</p

Staircase-pattern neonatal line in human deciduous teeth is associated with tooth type

ObjectiveThe staircase (Sc) pattern enamel microstructure is an expression of an impaired ameloblast function. It has been reported to appear in the neonatal line (NNL), the accentuated stria evincing live birth in deciduous tooth enamel. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of Sc NNL in deciduous tooth types and its possible association with perinatal circumstances.DesignSc in the NNL of 88 teeth, a collection derived from a long-term, prospectively followed population cohort, was recorded with linear polarised transmitted light and analysed for tooth type, duration and mode of delivery, and pain medication used during labour.ResultsSc prevalence in the NNL differed highly significantly between tooth types (p ConclusionThis research indicates that the NNL location within tooth crown enamel has a strong impact on microstructural changes along the NNL. Considering our results of Sc prevalence, deciduous canines, having the least Sc appearance, could be used in studies that aim to investigate factors associated with NNL width. In addition, Sc prevalence variation in first deciduous molars might enable to investigation of physiological stressors strong enough to cause ameloblast impairment, such as Sc.</p