Objective assessment of obstructive sleep apnea in normal pregnant and preeclamptic women.

OBJECTIVE: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between OSA and preeclampsia. METHODS: Between 30 and 39 weeks gestation, objective sleep apnea were evaluated in 38 normal pregnant and 40 preeclamptic women. Preeclampsia was defined by having a blood pressure (BP) > 140/90 mmHg on two occasions after the 20th week of pregnancy with excess protein in the urine (> 300 mg in 24 h) or 30 mg persistent proteinuria (+ 1 in dipsticks) in random samples. Objective sleep apnea was evaluated using an overnight in-hospital sleep evaluation using the SOMNOwatch plus Respiratory Screener. OSA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5, and further grouped into severity categories: mild (5-14.9), moderate (15-29.9), and severe (≥ 30). RESULTS: Mean AHI was 33.3 ± 12.1 in preeclamptic women and was 23.8 ± 15.8 in normal pregnant women (p = 0.008). There was significant difference in prevalence of OSA severity (none, mild, moderate, or severe) between groups. Out of 33 preeclamptic women, 11 women had moderate and 22 women had severe OSA. Whereas, among 33 normal pregnant women, 8, 13, and10 women had mild, moderate, and severe OSA, respectively. Two normal pregnant women had no OSA (AHI< 5). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests women are susceptible to developing OSA during pregnancy that is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia.

The evaluation of oral health-related factors on the quality of life of the elderly in Babol.

BACKGROUND: Considering an increase in elderly population in recent years, it has become necessary to pay attention to this group so that they can have a higher quality of life (QoL). Oral health is one of the factors affecting the QoL of the elderly. AIMS: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of oral health on the QoL of the elderly population in Babol, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we used the multi-stage cluster sampling technique to select 300 elderly subjects, over 65 years of age, living in Babol. Oral health-related QoL was evaluated by the Persian version of oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Data were collected on gender, age, occupation, education, the date of the last dental visit, use of prosthetic appliances, and dental treatment needs, including the periodontal, prosthetic, and surgical needs, by interview and examination. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed with SPSS software program using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 71.4 ± 5.6 years, with 183 males (61%) and 117 females (39%). The mean score of OHIP-14 questionnaire was 22.4 ± 8.2, with a range of 5‒50. The highest score was achieved on the psychological discomfort domain. There was no significant difference in OHIP-14 scores according to gender, with significantly lower scores in subjects with academic education. The subjects wearing prosthetic appliances had lower OHIP-14 scores compared to those who did not wear prosthetic appliances. OHIP-14 scores were lower in the dentate individuals compared to the edentulous individuals. There was no correlation between the age and the OHIP-14 score. CONCLUSION: In general, the results of the present study showed a moderate oral health-related QoL in the elderly living in Babol, who have orodental problems.

Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the oral health impact profile (OHIP)-14.

BACKGROUND: The need for assessment of oral health related quality of life has been increased over the last decades. The aim of this study was to develop a Persian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 and to evaluate its reliability and validity for its use in Persian-speaking communities. METHODS: The original version of the OHIP-14 was translated into the Persian language using the back-translation technique. To establish the reliability of the translated instrument, internal consistency and test-retest reliability trials were performed on 20 subjects (at 4-week intervals); Cronbach's alpha was used. One hundred sixty adults over 50 years of age who attended Health Care Centers in Sari and Babol were recruited to fill out the questionnaires and received a clinical examination by a single dentist. The socio-demographic and oral health information was also collected. RESULTS: The test-retest reliability was excellent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.095). In the main study, Cronbach's reliability coefficient for all 14 questions in each dimension was more than 70%. The individuals in need of dental treatment showed significantly higher OHIP scores than the individuals not requiring treatment. The individuals with hopeless teeth, negative self-perceived oral had significantly higher OHIP scores. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the OHIP-14 is a comprehensive and accurate instrument with acceptable reliability and validity for measuring oral health-related quality of life.