Heart and Aorta Anomalies in Turner Syndrome and Relation with Karyotype.

OBJECTIVES: Turner Syndrome (TS) is associated with a high risk of cardiac anomalies and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to evaluate patients with TS (n=33) for cardiac and aortic pathology using thorax magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Clinical findings, karyotypes, echocardiogram (ECHO) findings and thorax MRA results were evaluated. Aortic dimensions were measured and standard Z scores of aortic diameters along with aortic size index (ASI) were calculated. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 13.7±3.4 years. MRA revealed cardiovascular pathology in 10 patients (30%). CoA (n=4), aberrant right subclavian artery (n=3), dilatation of the ascending aorta (n=1), tortuosity of the descending aorta (n=1) and fusiform dilatation of the left subclavian artery (n=1) were found. Two of the four patients with CoA found on MRA were detected with ECHO. Mean diameter of the sinotubular junction was found to be elevated [mean±SD: 2.4±1.5]. Z scores for the diameters of the isthmus, ascending aorta and descending aorta were in normal ranges. 45,X patients were found to have significantly higher ASI values than non 45,X patients (p=0.036). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that patients with TS should be evaluated with MR imaging studies in addition to ECHO to reveal additional subtle cardiac and vascular anomalies. CoA which is very distally located or which has mild nature may not be seen by ECHO. The increase in ASI observed in 45,X patients may herald the development of life-threatening complications. Therefore, frequent follow-up is warranted in these patients.

Salivary ß-galactosidase, halitosis parameters in periodontal health and disease, and their changes after periodontal treatment.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the salivary ß-galactosidase and Halimeter values (HMV), organoleptic scores (OLS) and Winkel tongue coating index (WTCI) in periodontal health and periodontitis (P), and also their changes after phase I periodontal therapy and tongue cleaning. METHODS: The participants were separated as follows: 25 P with halitosis (Group 1), 25 P without halitosis (Group 2) and 25 healthy controls (Group 3). Periodontal recordings, HMV, OLS and WTCI scores were recorded, and whole saliva ß-galactosidase levels were measured colorimetrically in the samples at baseline and 1 month after the therapy. RESULTS: The baseline values of HMV, OLS, WTCI and salivary ß-galactosidase levels were significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant decrease in periodontal recordings, HMV, OLS, WTCI and salivary ß-galactosidase levels in all P patients by the therapy (P < 0.05). However, major reductions in halitosis measurements and saliva enzyme levels were observed in Group 1 after the treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that salivary ß-galactosidase was associated with halitosis parameters and phase I periodontal therapy played an important role to reduce this enzyme level and halitosis parameters in P.

Selection of an optimal treatment method for acute periodontitis disease.

The present paper is devoted to selection of an optimal treatment method for acute periodontitis by using fuzzy Choquet integral-based approach. We consider application of different treatment methods depending on development stages and symptoms of the disease. The effectiveness of application of different treatment methods in each stage of the disease is linguistically evaluated by a dentist. The stages of the disease are also linguistically described by a dentist. Dentist's linguistic evaluations are represented by fuzzy sets. The total effectiveness of the each considered treatment method is calculated by using fuzzy Choquet integral with fuzzy number-valued integrand and fuzzy number-valued fuzzy measure. The most effective treatment method is determined by using fuzzy ranking method.