ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate whether the oral administration of lactobacilli could change the bacterial population in subgingival plaque. Subjects and Methods: Forty‑two healthy volunteers with chronic generalized mild to moderate periodontitis were given a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei for 1 month. Subgingival plaque samples were collected at baseline, after which the patients were asked to consume the probiotic drink once daily for 1 month. At the 1 month interval, plaque samples were collected, and the drink discontinued. The patients were recalled at 2 months interval for collection of the final samples. The bacterial amounts in the plaque samples were analyzed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction procedure. Results: Of the three periodontopathic bacteria selected, Porphyromonas gingivalis showed highly significant reductions in the bacterial levels at 1‑month and 2 months intervals. In comparison, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, when present higher than 10 × 103 at baseline, and Prevotella intermedia present higher than 2 × 103 at baseline, showed moderately significant reduction in their numbers. Interpretation and Conclusion: Oral administration of the probiotic lactobacilli reduced the numerical sum of the three selected periodontopathic bacteria and could contribute to the beneficial effects on periodontal conditions.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Very few studies have specifically addressed surgical treatment and outcome of patients with tumor-related temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). AIM: To define the postoperative seizure outcome and the factors that influenced the outcome of patients with tumor-related TLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected patients whose surgical pathology revealed a temporal lobe neoplasm and who had completed > 1 year of postoperative follow-up. We reviewed the clinical, EEG, radiological and pathological data, and the seizure outcome of these patients and assessed the factors that influenced the outcome. RESULTS: Out of the 409 patients who underwent surgery for refractory TLE during the 8-year study period, there were 34 (8.3%) patients with temporal lobe neoplasms. The median age at surgery was 20 years and the median duration of epilepsy prior to surgery was 9.0 years. MRI revealed tumor in the mesial location in 21 (61.8%) patients. Interictal and ictal epileptiform EEG abnormalities were localized to the side of th lesion in the majority. Mesial temporal lobe structures were included in the resection, if they were involved by the tumor; otherwise, lesionectomy alone was performed. During a median follow-up of 4 years, 27 (79%) patients were completely seizure-free. The only factor that predicted long-term seizure-free outcome was being seizure-free during the first two postoperative years. CONCLUSIONS: Our results emphasize the fact that in patients with tumoral TLE, when the seizures are medically refractory, surgery offers potential for cure of epilepsy in the majority.