Improved function and strength in patients with knee osteoarthritis as a result of adding a two-day educational program to usual care. Prospective randomized trial.

Objective: The primary aim was to quantify the improvements on function and pain of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), short education and low income by a two-day self-management program. Secondary aims were verifying if the program improves clinically relevant measures of weight and strength. Design: A prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Brazil with 191 patients with Kellgren & Lawrence grades II and III KOA who were allocated to two groups: control (usual care- CG) and intervention (usual care and two days of an OA self-management program with a multiprofessional team - IG). Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Index (WOMAC), weight, body mass index (BMI), Timed up and go (TUG) and five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST) were assessed at baseline, six, 12 and 24 months. Results: Groups were similar at baseline (p â€‹> â€‹0.05). Both groups exhibited improved WOMAC total and subsets scores throughout the study (p â€‹< â€‹0.001). However, only IG improved WOMAC total and subsets in all follow-ups above 20% (minimally clinically important difference), with differences in WOMAC pain, function and total scores (p â€‹= â€‹0.001, p â€‹< â€‹0.001, and p â€‹< â€‹0.001, respectively) and best effect sizes at 1 year (0.355, 0.651 and 0.770, respectively). IG group lost weight (p â€‹< â€‹0.001) and BMI (p â€‹< â€‹0.01). Both groups exhibited improvements in TUG and FTSST (p â€‹< â€‹0.001) that remained in all evaluations. FTSST results favored the IG, p â€‹= â€‹0.032. Conclusions: An educational program to patients with KOA, short schooling and low income improves clinically important measures of pain and function.

The influence of gender and bruxism on human minimum interdental threshold ability

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of gender and bruxism on the ability to discriminate minimum interdental threshold. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and fifteen individuals, representing both genders, bruxers and non-bruxers, with a mean age of 23.64 years, were selected for this study. For group allocation, every individual was subjected to a specific physical examination to detect bruxism (performed by three different examiners). Evaluation of the ability to discriminate minimum interdental threshold was performed using industrialized 0.010 mm-, 0.024 mm-, 0.030 mm-, 0.050 mm-, 0.080 mm- and 0.094 mm-thick aluminum foils that were placed between upper and lower premolars. Data were analyzed statistically by multiple linear regression analysis at 5% significance level. RESULTS: Neither gender nor bruxism influenced the ability to discriminate minimum interdental threshold (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Gender and the presence of bruxism do not play a role in the minimum interdental threshold.

Avaliação espectrofotométrica das alterações cromáticas de bráquetes estéticos armazenados em soluções potencialmente corantes / Spectrophotomeric evaluation of chromatic changes of the esthetic brackets stored in potentially staining solutions

Objetivos. O presente estudo avaliou o comportamento cromático de bráquetes estéticos de diferentes materiais armazenados em soluções potencialmente corantes (água destilada, refrigerante, café e enxaguatório contendo álcool). Métodos. As amostras foram divididas em quatro grupos de acordo com a marca comercial e armazenadas em quatro tipos de soluções (água destilada, refrigerante, café e enxaguatório contendo álcool) a 37°C durante 14 dias. As possíveis alterações de cor foram mensuradas por meio de um espectrofotômetro de reflectância em cinco intervalos de tempo após o armazenamento. As alterações de cor foram registradas de acordo com o sistema CIE L*a*b* e a análise estatística foi conduzida empregando-se ANOVA a 1%, aplicação dos testes de Tukey e decomposição das interações com nível de significância a 5%. Resultados. As alterações de cor foram dependentes da solução, tempo de armazenamento e marca dos bráquetes. As maiores alterações de cor foram observadas nos bráquetes Invu™, seguido pelo Silkon Plus™, Composite® e Transcend™, com diferenças estatisticamente significantes. Significância. As soluções potencialmente corantes podem interferir na aparência dos bráquetes estéticos. Portanto, quando estes acessórios são utilizados, os pacientes devem ser informados sobre a possibilidade das alterações de cor ao longo do tempo e da necessidade de redução do consumo de produtos com potencial corante

Objectives. The aim of this study was evaluated the chromatic behavior of the esthetic brackets of different materials exposure at the immersion in potentially staining solutions (distilled water, soda, coffe and mouthrinse with alcohol). Methods. The sample were divided in four groups of agreement with the commercial brand and stored in four types of the solutions (distilled water, soda to the base of cola, cofee and mouthrinse containing alcohol) at 37°C for 14 days. Color changes were measured by a reflection spectrophotometer in five time intervals after storage. The color changes were recorded according to the CIE L*a*b* system and the statistical analysis were carried out using ANOVA to 1%, application of the tests of Tukey and the decomposition of interactions with a significance level of 5%. Results.The color changes were dependent on the solution, storage time and the brand of brackets. The largest color changes were observed in the Invu™, followed by Silkon Plus™, Composite® and Transcend™ brackets, with statistic significance. Significance. The potentially staining solutions can interfere in the desirable appearance of esthetic brackets. Thus, when these attachments are used, the patient should be informed about possible color changes in the long-therm, and should reduce the consumption of potentially staining produtos