Enhancing contrast distribution with the far lateral approach in lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Herniated intervertebral disc (HIVD) with radiculopathy is a common degenerative spine disorder. Transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is one of the pain relief treatments for lumbar radiculopathy recommended by evidence-based guidelines. Adequate contrast distribution is correlated with better pain control, but the best approach has not been confirmed yet. AIM: To confirm the distribution of contrast medium injected with a new approach of TFESI, that is, far lateral lateral recess approach (FLLR-TFESI). METHODS: Patients receiving TFESI due to HIVD with radiculopathy between 2010 January and 2020 August were retrospectively enrolled. While the FLLR-TFESI was taken as the experimental group, the conventional approach was viewed as the control group. The baseline characteristics, the pattern of contrast enhancement under fluoroscopic guidance, and the complications of these patients were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 380 patients were analyzed (143 in control group and 237 in experimental group). The two groups were balanced in most baseline characteristics, except disc extrusion (p = 0.01) and scoliosis (p = 0.04). The FLLR-TFESI have a better contrast distribution (p < 0.01), even after adjustment (p < 0.001). No intrathecal injection was noted, but higher rate of intra-disc injection was noted in FLLR-TFESI group (10% vs. 3%, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: The FLLR-TFESI has a superior contrast enhancement and distribution in comparison to conventional approach. Prospective study to confirm the study result as well as the clinical benefits is suggested in the future.

Interaction of Colorectal Neoplasm Risk Factors and Association with Metabolic Health Status Focusing on Normal Waist-to-Hip Ratio in Adults.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the interaction between colorectal adenoma risks among asymptomatic individuals in terms of metabolic health status and obesity, and examine the normal waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in adults with colorectal adenoma risk. METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted at MacKay Memorial Hospital involving 16,996 participants who underwent bidirectional gastrointestinal endoscopy between 2013 and 2023. The study recorded important clinicopathological characteristics, including age, body mass index and WHR, Framingham Risk Score (FRS), blood glucose level, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that elevated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), increased FRS, positive H. pylori infection, and WHR ≥ 0.9 are independent risk factors for colorectal adenoma. In examining the interaction between FRS and WHR using multivariate logistic regression to evaluate adenoma risk, the OR for the interaction term was 0.95, indicating a decline in adenoma risk when considering the interaction between these two factors. Incorporating HbA1c into the analysis, evaluating the interaction between FRS and WHR still demonstrated a statistically significant impact on adenoma risk (OR 0.96, p < 0.001). Participants with WHR < 0.9, elevated FRS, positive H. pylori infection, and increased HbA1c levels were associated with a higher risk of colorectal adenoma formation. Remarkably, the increased risk of adenoma due to rising HbA1c levels was statistically significant only for those with a WHR < 0.9. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in FRS and HbA1c or a positive H. pylori infection still warrants vigilance for colorectal adenoma risk when WHR is 0.9. These factors interacted with each other and were found to have a minimal decline in adenoma risk when considering the interaction between WHR and FRS.

Efficacy of Definitive Radiotherapy for Patients with Clinical Stage IIIB or IIIC Lung Adenocarcinoma and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutations Treated Using First- or Second-Generation EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.

Background: The effectiveness of definitive radiotherapy (RT) for patients with clinical stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations who received first- or second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is unclear. Methods: Taiwan Cancer Registry data were used in this retrospective cohort study to identify adult patients diagnosed with EGFR-mutated stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma between 2011 and 2020. Patients treated with first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs were classified into RT and non-RT groups. Propensity score (PS) weighting was applied to balance covariates between groups. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the incidence of lung cancer mortality (ILCM) was considered as a supplementary outcome. Additional supplementary analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the findings. Results: Among 270 eligible patients, 41 received RT and 229 did not. After a median follow-up of 46 months, PS-weighted analysis showed the PS-weighted hazard ratio of death for the RT group compared to the non-RT group was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.61-1.45, p = 0.78). ILCM rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. Supplementary analyses yielded consistent results. Conclusion: The addition of definitive RT to first- or second-generation EGFR TKI treatment does not significantly improve OS of patients with EGFR-mutated stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma. NCT03521154NCT05167851.

Radiation-induced Bystander Effects on Glioblastoma Tumor Cells via NMDA Receptor Signaling.

Proton therapy has been widely applied on treating inaccessible and inoperable tumors, such as tumors deep within the brain or close to the critical brain stem. Nevertheless, the damaging effect of radiation for central nervous system (CNS) tumors is difficult to be confined within the irradiated region and has led to decline of neurological function in especially children with congenital CNS tumors. Currently, the involvement of n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors or secretary cytokines and chemokines in proton-induced bystander effects remains unclear. To understand the modulatory effects of NMDA receptor inhibition on the survival and proliferation of glioblastoma-derived cells, mesenchymal-like U373 cells were applied along with U87 neural glioblastoma cells for single doses of proton radiation at different LET in the presence or absence of pretreatment with memantine and/or collimation. Under collimation, neuronal tumor cells that are not directly irradiated (i.e., bystander cells) encounter similar biological effects potentially through cell coupling and synaptic transmission. Furthermore, whether proton LET plays a role in the mediation of bystander effect awaits to be elucidated. From this study, synaptic transmission was found to play differential roles in the proliferation of U373 and U87 cells after exposure to collimated radiation. Also, radiation-induced cell proliferation at the late stage was more correlated with bystander cell survival than early manifested γH2AX foci, suggesting that proton-induced glutamatergic synapse may act as a more important contributor than proton-induced direct effect on DNA double-stranded breaks to the late-stage responses of glioblastoma cells.

Evaluating the performance of four assays for carrier screening of spinal muscular atrophy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive inherited neuromuscular condition caused by biallelic mutations in the survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. A homozygous deletion of the SMN1 gene accounts for approximately 95-98% of SMA patients. A highly homologous gene survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2) can partially compensate for SMN1 deletion, and its copy number is associated with disease severity. Population-based carrier screening by simultaneous quantification of SMN1 and SMN2 copy numbers is the best method to prevent SMA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a total of 516 samples were re-tested for the SMN1 copy number by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), multiplex ligation probe amplification (MLPA), droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis, and PCR-based capillary electrophoresis (PCR/CE) simultaneously. Then, the performance of these methods was compared by using MLPA results as the reference. RESULTS: The results of qPCR, ddPCR, HRM, and PCR/CE in detecting heterozygous deletion of SMN1 exon 7 and the results of ddPCR, HRM, and PCR/CE in detecting ≥2 copies of SMN1 exon7 are totally consistent with those of MLPA. The sensitivity and specificity of qPCR for detection of 2 copies of SMN1 exon 7 were 99.7% and 98.8%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of qPCR for detection of >2 copies of SMN1 exon 7 were 96.3% and 99.8%, respectively. Compared with the MLPA results, the sensitivity and specificity of qPCR and HRM for detection of heterozygous deletion of SMN1 exon 8 were 100% and 100%, respectively. They were 99.4% and 100%, respectively for detection of 2 copies, and 100% and 100%, respectively for detection of >2 copies. The results of PCR/CE in detecting SMN1 exon 8 were consistent with those of MLPA. CONCLUSION: All these four methods show excellent performance in detecting heterozygous deletion of SMN1 exon 7. All PCR/CE results are totally concordant with those of MLPA. As the most cost-effective method, qPCR also shows high sensitivity and specificity in detecting SMN1. Taken together, our study provides useful information to select appropriate methods for SMA carrier screening.

Comparing individual-, family-, and community-level effects on the oral health of preschool children: a multilevel analysis of national survey data.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood is a critical stage for the prevention of dental caries. The prevalence of caries in preschool children is still high in Taiwan, where National Health Insurance covers 99% of the population. The effort to improve the oral health of preschool children should be based on conceptual model that encompasses more than individual-level factors. This study input nationwide survey data in a conceptual model to evaluate the effects of comprehensive factors related to the high prevalence of caries in preschool children. METHODS: This observation study examined factors related to the oral health of preschool children by employing a comprehensive multilevel model to analyse nationally representative data from the Taiwan Oral Health Survey of Preschool Children (TOHPC) 2017-2018. Individual-level, family-level and community-level contextual effects were evaluated through multilevel analysis in this study. The proportional change in variance (PCV) was used to compare the multilevel model with the null model and individual-level, family-level, and community-level context effects. RESULTS: The estimated deft index for preschool children was 1.34 (1.22-1.47) at age 3, 2.20 (2.08-2.32) at age 4, and 3.05 (2.93-3.18) at age 5. The overall prevalence of caries in preschool children in Taiwan was 34.27% (30.76%, 37.78%) at age 3, 51.67% (48.99%, 54.35%) at age 4, and 62.05% (59.66%, 64.44%) at age 5. The model that included the individual-, family-, and community-context levels exhibited the highest reduction of variance (PCV = 53.98%). The PCV was further reduced to 35.61% when only the level of accessibility to dental services for individuals, families, and the community was considered. For the model in which no community-context cofactors were considered and the model considering only the individual level, the PCVs were 20.37% and 5.52%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the key components that affect oral health in preschool children and can serve as a reference for policy makers. The most notable finding of this study is that to improve the oral health of preschool children, community-level factors should be targeted. To rely solely on dentists for leading oral health education programs for children is impractical and inefficient. Training more professional oral health educators to provide additional community-based oral health promotion campaigns is critical. We suggest training more professional oral health educators to provide more community-based oral health promotion campaigns.

Efficacy and safety of intravenous dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to general anesthesia in gynecological surgeries: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This study investigated the efficacy and safety of intravenous dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to general anesthesia in patients undergoing gynecological surgery. We systemically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and performed a meta-analysis on studies that met the inclusion criteria. The primary outcomes were postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), bradycardia, hypotension, and 24 h opioid consumption. The secondary outcomes include postoperative shivering, postoperative pain score, intraoperative anesthetic consumption, extubation time, postoperative sedation, and the time to first flatus. Twenty-five RCTs were included in this study. Meta-analysis showed that intravenous dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the risk of PONV (RR, 0.57 [0.47, 0.68]) and postoperative shivering (RR: 0.31 [0.22, 0.42]), 24 h opioid consumption (Mean Difference: - 4.85 mg [-8.60, -1.11]) and postoperative pain score within 24 h. However, these benefits were at the cost of increased bradycardia (RR, 3.21 [2.41, 4.28]) and hypotension (RR, 2.17 [1.50, 3.14]). Notably, no serious adverse effects were reported in any of the included studies. Thus, our study showed that intravenous dexmedetomidine provided significant antiemetic and anti-shivering effects and moderate analgesic effects in patients that underwent gynecological surgery. However, its benefits should be weighed against the significantly increased risk of bradycardia and hypotension.

Health Economic Evaluation of Proton Therapy for Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, there have been no systematic reviews of health economic evaluations of proton therapy specific to lung cancer. METHODS: We conducted this systematic review according to the predefined protocol [PROSPERO CRD42022365869]. We summarized the results of the included studies via structured narrative synthesis. RESULTS: We identified four studies (all used passively scattered proton therapy) from 787 searches. Two cost analyses reported that proton therapy was more costly than photon therapy for early- or locally advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer, one cost-utility analysis reported that proton therapy was dominated by nonproton therapy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, and one cost-utility analysis reported that proton therapy was not cost-effective (vs. photon) in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Passively scattered proton therapy was more costly and not cost-effective than photon therapy for early- and locally advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Further health economic evaluations regarding modern proton therapy (such as scanning beam) for common radiotherapy indications of lung cancer are eagerly awaited.

Analgesic Effects of Regional Analgesic Techniques in Pediatric Inguinal Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Various regional analgesic techniques have been used in pediatric inguinal surgery to facilitate postoperative recovery. However, each technique's relative performance was undetermined owing to the lack of quantitative analysis. METHODS: We systematically searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials that compared regional analgesia in pediatric inguinal surgeries. After critical study screening and selection, a random-effects network meta-analysis was performed. The primary outcome was the time to the first rescue analgesic after surgery, and the secondary outcomes were the number of patients requiring rescue analgesics after surgery, postoperative pain scores, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and other adverse events. RESULTS: This network meta-analysis included 69 randomized controlled trials (4636 patients) that compared 10 regional analgesic techniques. Our study revealed that the quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis plane blocks had the longest time to the first rescue analgesic after pediatric inguinal surgeries, by 7.7 hours (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.0-10.3) and 6.0 hours (95% CI, 3.9-8.2) when compared with the control group, respectively. In the subgroup involving only inguinal hernia repair, the quadratus lumborum block significantly prolonged the time to the first rescue analgesic than all other regional analgesics. In contrast, in the subgroup involving orchidopexies, only the caudal block significantly prolonged the time to the first rescue analgesic when compared with the control group (4.1 hours; 95% CI, 0.7-7.5). Wound infiltration and landmark-based ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric block had relatively poor analgesic effects than other regional analgesics. No serious adverse effects related to the regional analgesic techniques were reported in any of the included studies. CONCLUSIONS: The quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis plane blocks had the longest time to the first rescue analgesic and the least rescue analgesic requirement for pediatric inguinal surgeries. Specifically, the quadratus lumborum block had the longest analgesic duration in inguinal hernia repair, and the caudal block was found to be the only regional analgesia that extended the time to the first rescue analgesic in pediatric orchidopexy. Most included randomized controlled trials had some concern or a high risk of bias, and future studies should focus on providing high-quality evidence to further clarify the analgesic effects of regional analgesia for pediatric inguinal surgeries.

High vs. low radiotherapy dose in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy: an endemic area population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal radiotherapy dose for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in endemic areas treated with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy is unclear. METHODS: Eligible patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2019 were identified via the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We used propensity score (PS) weighting to balance observable potential confounders. The hazard ratio (HR) of death was compared between high dose (50-50.4 Gy) and low dose (40-41.4 Gy) radiotherapy. We also evaluated other outcomes and performed supplementary analyses via an alternative approach. RESULTS: Our study population consisted of 644 patients. The PS weight-adjusted HR of death was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-1.19, p = 0.51). There were no statistically significant differences for other outcomes or supplementary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based study from an endemic area, we found no significant difference in overall survival between high vs. low radiotherapy doses.

Chinese expert consensus on the nursing management of the totally implantable venous access device.

The totally implantable venous access device (TIVAD) has been widely used in clinical nursing work in China. The use of TIVAD has significantly improved the safety of venous access and reduced the pain caused by a repeated puncture; however, it may also bring with it varying degrees of complications associated with the long-term insertion of TIVAD and the maintenance quality of the venous access. Standard maintenance of the venous access for TIVAD is very important for reducing complications and improving the efficacy and patient's quality of life. This consensus briefly describes the fundamental knowledge and operating procedures of TIVAD while focusing on the evaluation and management of perioperative nursing, the observation and treatment of complications, the operation methods, and precautions for maintenance of venous access, as well as health education. This agreement seeks to standardize the nursing care of TIVAD patients in China.

Modified Albumin-Bilirubin Model for Stratifying Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Anticancer Therapy.

Albumin−bilirubin (ALBI) grade is an objective and reproducible model for evaluating overall survival (OS) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the original ALBI grade was established for patients with Child−Pugh classes A−C. HCC patients with Child−Pugh class C or poor performance status (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage D) usually receive hospice care. Thus, optimized cutoffs for the ALBI grade for stratifying OS in HCC patients receiving anticancer therapy are pertinent for accurate prognostication. This study retrospectively enrolled 2116 patients with BCLC stages A−C HCC after the exclusion of those ineligible for receiving anticancer therapy. The modified ALBI (mALBI) grades were: an ALBI score ≤−3.02 for mALBI grade 1, an ALBI score >−3.02 to ≤−2.08 for mALBI grade 2, and an ALBI score >−2.08 for mALBI grade 3. The original ALBI and mALBI grades were independent predictors of OS in all the enrolled patients and those receiving transarterial chemoembolization. In patients receiving curative therapy (radiofrequency ablation and surgical resection), the mALBI grade (grade 2 vs. 1 and grade 3 vs. 2) was an independent predictor of OS. Original ALBI grade 2 vs. 1 was an independent predictor of OS but not ALBI grade 3 vs. 2. The mALBI model can differentiate between patients with early, intermediate, or advanced HCC who received anticancer therapy into three prognostic groups. External validation of the proposed mALBI grade is warranted.

Aging Combined with High Waist-to-Hip Ratio Is Associated with a Higher Risk of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease.

Background and Objective: To assess whether the combination of high waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and elderly age is associated with higher risk of GERD. Material and Methods: A total of 16,996 subjects aged ≥20 years who received esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) between January 2010 and December 2019. We evaluated the risk of GERD in different age groups and WHR groups in unadjusted analysis and multivariate logistic regression models for predictors of GERD. Results: There was a trend towards more participants with both age ≥65 years and WHR ≥ 1 (n = 129) (n = 66, 51%) than participants with age < 65 and WHR < 0.9 (n = 10,422) (n = 2814, 27%) presenting with GERD. Participants who had both age ≥ 65 years and high WHR ≥ 1 had the highest risk of any type of GERD (adjusted OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.44−2.96, p value < 0.05) based on multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: The combination of having a high WHR and being elderly was associated with a higher risk of GERD, and preventing central obesity in the elderly population reduced the risk of GERD and the requirement for medical resources.

The Anesthetic Strategy for Patients with Mucopolysaccharidoses: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Anesthesia for patients with mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) is quite challenging due to vital systemic dysfunction following progressive accumulation of lysosomal glycosaminoglycans. Previous studies focused on perioperative difficult airway management under general anesthesia but rarely depicted the concern of choosing the size of the endotracheal tube (ETT) as well as neuraxial anesthesia. This study aimed to analyze the overall anesthetic management and related complications for a thorough anesthetic strategy. Within the study period from 2002 to 2021, each record of the anesthetic and perioperative quality assurance/improvement system for patients with a diagnosis of MPS at MacKay Memorial Hospital was retrospectively reviewed. A total of 51 individuals with 151 anesthesia for 163 interventions were cohort studied, and there were 136 general anesthesia and 15 neuraxial anesthesia. We found that the most common interventions for MPS patients were otolaryngological surgeries (49.6%). Additionally, a secured airway played a marked preference for the most general anesthesia (87.1%). The incidence of difficult intubation was 12.5%. In view of ETT size, a smaller than estimated size was used in MPS type II, III, IV, and VI patients and also in patients who received intubation with multiple attempts. However, a larger than estimated size of ETT was adopted whilst choosing cuffed ones. For neuraxial anesthesia, two failed spinal anesthesia procedures were converted to general anesthesia and 73 percent of the patients received perioperative sedation. In conclusion, through the individualized anesthetic strategy and build-up of an experienced team for airway management, high-quality anesthesia can be ensured in each patient.

Efficacy of Er:YAG laser for the peri-implantitis treatment and microbiological changes: a randomized controlled trial.

The aims of this study were to identify the microbiological changes in the periodontal pockets following an Er:YAG laser (ERL) irradiation and mechanical debridement to compare the effectiveness of ERL irradiation to mechanical debridement for peri-implantitis treatment through randomized controlled trials. Twenty-three patients with peri-implantitis lesions were treated in either a test group, ERL set at energy level of 100 mJ/pulse, frequency of 10 Hz, pulse duration was 100 µs, and irradiated by three passages, or a control group, with mechanical debridement using an ultrasonic scaler. An examiner measured the following clinical parameters at different stages (a baseline and at 3- and 6-month post-treatment): probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), marginal bone loss (MBL), and anaerobic bacteria counts. Linear regression, with generalized estimation equations, was used to compare the clinical parameters and anaerobic bacterial counts at different stages and between groups. The anaerobic bacterial counts significantly decreased within the control group during the follow-ups. At the 6-month follow-up, both groups showed a significant reduction in PD (test group: mean difference of 0.84 mm; control group: mean difference of 0.41 mm), and the test group showed a significantly higher PD reduction on the buccal site (1.31 mm) compared to that of the control group (0.25 mm). Both ERL and mechanical debridement treatments led to significant improvements in PD. When mechanical debridement therapy was used, significant anaerobic bacterial count reductions were observed. Future treatment of peri-implantitis should involve a combination of both of these therapies.

Analysis of adult dental emergencies at a medical center in southern Taiwan.

Background/purpose: The need for dental emergency (DE) services has increased in recent years. This study therefore investigated the characteristics of patients presenting with DEs in a medical center in southern Taiwan. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study of 1964 adult patients who presented with a DE at the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in 2018. Medical records providing age, sex, time, day, past visit history, chief complaint, diagnosis, and treatment were collected and analyzed. Results: The results revealed that men constituted 52.4% of the patients with DEs, the average age was 45.6 years, and the age distribution peak was 20-29 years (26.5%). The peak period for the DE visit was between 17:00 and 24:00 (42.1%), and the peak day of the week was Sunday (27.4%), followed by Saturday (18.0%). The most common chief complaint was pain (49.8%), and the diagnoses were as follows: pulp-related problems (36.7%), periodontal-related problems (22.9%), trauma (22.2%), odontogenic infection (15.3%), postoperative complications (9.2%), and temporomandibular disorders (3.7%). Dental treatment and medication were prescribed for 51.9% of the patients with DE. The rate of patients recommended for further dental treatment was 86.8%, and the actual return rate was 40.1%. Conclusion: This study revealed that the top three reasons for adult DE visits were pulp-related problems, periodontal-related problems, and trauma. These results may be used as a reference for dentists who provide DE services.

Effects of artificial intelligence-assisted dental monitoring intervention in patients with periodontitis: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of an at-home artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted dental monitoring application on treatment outcomes in patients with periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants with periodontitis were recruited and randomly assigned to an AI (n = 16), AI and human counselling (AIHC; n = 17), or control (CG; n = 20) group. All participants received non-surgical periodontal treatment. We employed an AI-assisted tool called DENTAL MONITORING® (DM) intervention, a new technological AI monitoring product that utilizes smartphone cameras for intra-oral scanning and assessment. Patients in the AI and AIHC groups received additional (a) DM or (b) DM, respectively, with real-person counselling over 3 months. Periodontal parameters were collected at baseline and follow-ups. A mixed-design model analysed the follow-up effects over time. RESULTS: The AI and AIHC groups, respectively, exhibited greater improvement in probing pocket depth (PPD) (mean diff = -0.9 ± 0.4 and -1.4 ± 0.3, effect size [ES] = 0.76 and 1.98), clinical attachment level (mean diff = -0.8 ± 0.3 and -1.4 ± 0.3, ES = 0.84 and 1.77), and plaque index (mean diff = -0.5 ± 0.2 and - 0.7 ± 0.2, ES = 0.93 and 1.81) at 3-month follow-up than the CG did. The AIHC group had a greater reduction in PPD (ES = 0.46) and clinical attachment level (ES = 0.64) at the 3-month follow-up compared with the AI group. CONCLUSIONS: Using AI monitoring at home had a positive effect on treatment outcomes for patients with periodontitis. Patients who received AI-assisted health counselling exhibited better treatment outcomes than did patients who received AI monitoring alone.

Tumor Volume Reduction Rate to Induction Chemotherapy is a Prognostic Factor for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Aim of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate the prognostic value of tumor volume reduction rate status post-induction chemotherapy in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Patients newly diagnosed from year 2007 to 2016 at a single center were included in this retrospective study. All patients had received induction Taxotere, Platinum, Fluorouracil followed by daily definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy for 70 Gy in 35 fractions concurrent with or without cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Tumor volume reduction rate was measured and calculated by contrast-enhanced computed tomography images at diagnosis, and after at least 1 cycle of induction chemotherapy, and analyzed though a univariate and multivariate Cox regression model. Results: Ninety patients of the primary cancer sites at hypopharynx (31/90, 34.4%), oropharynx (29/90, 32.2%), oral cavity (19/90, 21.1%), and larynx (11/90, 12.2%) were included in this study, with a median follow-up time interval of 3.9 years. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, the tumor volume reduction rate of the primary tumor (TVRR-T) was also an independently significant prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS) (hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.62-0.97; P-value = .02). Other factors including patient's age at diagnosis, the primary cancer site, and RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors), were not significantly related. At a cutoff value using 50% in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the DFS was higher with TVRR-T ≥ 50% group (log-rank test, P = .024), and a trend of improved overall survival. (log-rank test, P = .069). Conclusion: TVRR-T is a probable prognostic factor for DFS. With a cut-off point of 50%, TVRR-T may indicate better DFS.