ABSTRACT
Objective@#Morphometric and morphological evaluation of the mandibular condyle in adults and to identify its correlation with skeletal malocclusion patterns. @*Methods@#Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 135 adult patients were used in this study and classified into groups according to four criteria: (1) sex (male and female); (2) sagittal skeletal discrepancy (Class I, Class II, and Class III); (3) vertical skeletal discrepancy (hyperdivergent, normodivergent, and hypodivergent); and age (group 1 ≤ 20 years, 21 ≤ group 2 < 30, and group 3 ≥ 30 years). The morphometrical variables were mandibular condyle height and width, and the morphological variable was the mandibular condyle shape in coronal and sagittal sections. Three-dimensional standard tessellation language files were created using itk-snap (open-source software), and measurements were performed using Meshmixer (open-source software). @*Results@#The mandibular condyle height was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in patients with class III malocclusion than in those with class I or II malocclusion;the mandibular condyle width was not significantly different among different sexes, age groups, and sagittal and vertical malocclusions. There were no statistical associations between various mandibular condyle shapes and the sexes, age groups, and skeletal malocclusions. @*Conclusions@#The condylar height was greatest in patients with class III malocclusion. The condylar height and width were greater among males than in females. The mandibular condyle shapes observed in sagittal and coronal sections did not affect the skeletal malocclusion patterns.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of omalizumab in asthma in a real-life setting
Subjects and Methods: This 4-year observational study included 65 patients treated with omalizumab during clinic visits; treatment response was rated as excellent, good, and partial based on a modified physician's Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness [mGETE] scale of emergency room visits [ERV], hospitalization, use of oral corticosteroids, inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]/long-acting Beta-agonist [LABA] dose, and short-acting Beta-agonist rescue. The following tests were done: forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1] and the asthma control test [ACT]. Measurements were performed 1 month before therapy and at 16 weeks, 1 year, and 4 years of treatment. Statistical analyses were done using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman rank correlation, and McNemar X[2] test
Results: The dropout rate was 15 [18.5%]: 8 nonresponders [10.0%]; 2 patients died [2.5%], and 5 were lost to follow-up [6.25%]. Treatment response was excellent in 35 [53.8%]; good in 23 [35.4%], and partial in 7 patients [10.8%]. The number of excellent responders increased from 35 [53.8%] at 16 weeks to 48 [73.8%] at the 4-year follow-up. The number of patients who did not require ERV improved from 0 to 59 [90.8%], and the lowest rate of hospitalization was 1 in year 4 [p < 0.001]; patients who did not require courses of oral corticosteroids improved from 0 to 54 [83%]. ICS/LABA dose significantly reduced from 65 [100%] to 25 [38.5%] after 4 years of treatment [p < 0.001]; ACT scores significantly increased from 15 +/- 3 at baseline to 23 +/- 3 [p < 0.001] and FEV[1] level from 55.6 +/- 10.6 to 76.63 +/- 10.34 at year 4
Conclusion: In this study, omalizumab therapy resulted in better asthma control, and was effective and well tolerated as an add-on therapy for patients with moderate-to-severe asthma
ABSTRACT
In AF, cardiogenic emboli are the sources of transient ischemic attack [TIA] and stroke in 20-40% of patients, and the left atrial appendage [LAA] is almost always the site of thrombus formation [Hart and Halperin, et al., 2001]. To evaluate the value of transesophageal echocardiography [TEE] in assessment of left atrial appendage function The study will include sixty consecutive patients with indication for TEE assessment to detection of left atrial appendage [LAA] thrombi at BAB AL-SHE>RYIA University Hospital - Al-Azhar University, between December, 2009 to April, 2010 ,30 patientswith history of ischemic stroke, 30 patients with dilated left atrium ,A11 subjects will be subjected to the followings:-Full history- Clinical examination -12 leads resting ECG- TranSoesophageal echocardiography used to to visualize the LA, LAA and RAA. LAA area [LAA a] and volume [LAA v] was obtained by area length method [Pollick and Taylor, 1991]. will show highly statistically significant values between patients groups in the following LAA emptying velocity [LAA vel] ,LA appendage AM wave [LAA AM] and with no significant values in LAA area [LAA a], LAA volume [LAA v] LA appendage EM wave [LAA EM], LA appendage SM wave[LAASM] The LAA end diastolic tissue Doppler velocity [LAA AM] is a parameter that allows evaluate the LAA myocardial function with stress on TTE as non invasive test