Utility of screening tools to differentiate beta thalassemia trait and iron-deficiency anemia - do they serve a purpose in blood donors?

Background@#The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of the beta thalassemia trait (BTT) and differentiate it from iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) among blood donors. @*Methods@#A total of 1,000 samples from blood donors were subjected to complete hemogram with red blood cell indices. Further, Mentzer index (MI) was calculated for samples with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) below 80 fL and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) below 27 pg. Samples with Mentzer index ＜12 were subjected to naked-eye single-tube red cell osmotic fragility test (NESTROFT) followed by hemoglobin electrophoresis in positive cases. Serum ferritin was assessed in NESTROFT-negative cases. @*Results@#The prevalence of BTT among blood donors was 3.7% and that of microcytosis among donors was 8.6%. The prevalence of BTT among microcytic donors was 41.8% while that among those with IDA was 11.6%. A value of MI ＜13 was highly sensitive in the diagnosis of BTT. MI ＞13 was found to have both high specificity and high sensitivity for diagnosing IDA. @*Conclusion@#A moderately high prevalence of BTT was observed among blood donors. Presently, no screening program is mandatory for screening of BTT among blood donors. Indices like MCV, MCH, and Mentzer Index were thus found to be effective to screen for BTT and IDA among blood donors, and NESTROFT was a cost-effective mass screening method to differentiate BTT and IDA.

Osteoporosis and periodontitis: a bidirectional relationship / Osteoporose e periodontite: uma relação bidirecional

Osteoporosis is a condition of compromised bone strength that predisposes an individual to increased risk of fracture and is a major cause of morbidity in older susceptible individuals. Osteoporosis is related to various endocrinal abnormalities, metabolic and nutritional factors, postmenopausal hormonal changes and consumption of certain drugs such as cortisone. Emerging clinical and molecular evidence suggests that inflammation also exerts significant influence on osteoporotic bone changes. Numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines have been shown to be associated with regulation of osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation. Chronic inflammatory conditions causing immune system remodeling may serve as pathological risk factors for osteoporosis. The present article reviews the current perspective on the interaction between bone morphology and immune system in the inflammatory condition (periodontitis), unleashing the link between two chronic conditions. (AU)

A osteoporose é uma condição de resistência óssea comprometida que predispõe um indivíduo ao risco aumentado de fratura e é uma das principais causas de morbidade em indivíduos susceptíveis mais velhos. A osteoporose está relacionada a várias anomalias endócrinas, fatores metabólicos e nutricionais, alterações hormonais pós-menopausa e consumo de certos medicamentos como a cortisona. Evidências clínicas e moleculares emergentes sugerem que a inflamação também exerce uma influência significativa sobre as alterações ósseas osteoporóticas. Numerosas citoquinas pró-inflamatórias demonstraram estar associadas à regulação da osteoblastos e da diferenciação osteoclástica. As condições inflamatórias crónicas, que provocam a remodelação do sistema imunitário, podem servir como factores de risco patológicos para a osteoporose. O presente artigo apresenta uma revisão da perspectiva atual sobre a interação entre a morfologia óssea e o sistema imunológico na condição inflamatória (periodontite), desencadeando a ligação entre duas condições crônicas (AU)

Guided Tissue Regeneration Based Treatment of Root Coverage using Placental Membrane Allograft: A Case Report.

Gingival recession is defi ned as the apical migration of gingival margin to the cementoenamel junction. It results in root exposure which leads to clinical problems such as root surface hypersensitivity, root caries, cervical root abrasions, diffi cult plaque control, and diminished aesthetic/cosmetic appeal. Guided tissue regeneration based root coverage has emerged as a promising treatment modality. A variety of non-resorbable and bioresorbable membranes have been successfully used. Among resorbable membranes, collagen has been extensively studied. Recently, amnion membrane, the third generation membrane which is a placental derived tissue has been introduced. On the basis of the fi ndings of the present case report, it can be concluded that recently introduced amnion membrane (third generation membrane) are equally effi cacious in the treatment of gingival recession and use of this resorbable membranes with coronally advanced fl ap is a versatile treatment modality for root coverage of isolated buccal gingival recessions. Th e more gingival tissue thickness (gingival biotype) enhancement was observed with this membrane. Amnion membrane has certain additive advantages over the collagen membrane such as better handling properties and a thin diameter enabling it to mold according to the defect anatomy and root surfaces easily.