Type I interferon pathway genetic variants in severe COVID-19.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been over 760 million reported cases and over 6 million deaths caused by this disease worldwide. The severity of COVID-19 is based on symptoms presented by the patient and is divided as asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical. The manifestations are interconnected with genetic variations. The innate immunity is the quickest response mechanism of an organism against viruses. Type I interferon pathway plays a key role in antiviral responses due to viral replication inhibition in infected cells and adaptive immunity stimulation induced by interferon molecules. Thus, variants in type I interferon pathway's genes are being studied in different COVID-19 manifestations. This review summarizes the role of variants in type I interferon pathway's genes on prognosis and severity progression of COVID-19.

The prevalence of sleep bruxism and associated factors in children: a report by parents.

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of sleep bruxism and associated factors among children aged 3-12 years as reported by parents via a questionnaire. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 148 parents/caregivers of children aged 3-12 years treated at paediatric dentistry clinics. Parents/caregivers answered a questionnaire in the waiting room. Information on the gender and age of the child, age of parent/caregiver, meaning of bruxism and child's sleep (type of sleep, if he/she slept alone, hours of sleep per night and if nocturnal bruxism could affect his/her health) were collected. Descriptive statistics were performed and Poisson regression with robust variance was employed (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The prevalence of sleep bruxism was 32.4%. Most parents (64.2%) did not know the meaning of bruxism. In the final Poisson regression model, child's gender (PR 1.32; 95% CI 1.06-1.66) and restless sleep (PR 1.39; 95% CI 1.12-1.72) were significantly associated with sleep bruxism. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of sleep bruxism was high and was associated with gender and having restless sleep. Most parents/guardians did not know the meaning of bruxism.

Association between oral conditions and functional limitations in childhood.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of oral conditions on functional limitations among preschoolers. A preschool-based, cross-sectional study was carried out with 843 preschoolers in Campina Grande, Brazil. Parents/caregivers answered a questionnaire addressing socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions regarding the general/oral health of their children as well as the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney test (α = 5%) was used to compare mean children's quality-of-life scores for each independent variable. Poisson regression analysis was used to test associations between the independent and dependent variables (difficulties eating, drinking and speaking) (α = 5%). The multivariate regression model involved a hierarchical approach with four levels (distal to proximal determinants): (i) socio-demographic aspects; (ii) health perceptions; (iii) oral conditions; and (iv) pain conditions. The prevalence of negative impact on function was 24.7% for eating/drinking and 8.0% for speaking. Significant associations were found between toothache and negative impact on eating/drinking (PR = 5.38; 95%CI: 3.20-9.02) as well as between high severity dental caries and negative impact on speaking (PR = 14.91; 95%CI: 1.98-112.32). Dental caries, traumatic dental injury and malocclusion were not significantly associated with a negative impact on eating or drinking. However, toothache was an indicator of negative impact on eating/drinking and dental caries severity was an indicator of negative impact on speaking.