Evaluation of condylar structures on panoramic radiographs in adolescent patients with coeliac disease.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease (CD) is a common disorder that usually originates from calcium malabsorption. Thus, it is accepted that patients with CD have lo- wer bone mineral density than that of healthy individuals. The aim of this study was to assess condylar height, width, area, and perimeter on digital panoramic radiographs in patients with CD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Panoramic radiographs obtained from 44 patients with CD were age- and sex-matched with 44 Class 1 (ANB: 2 ± 2°) patients, and out- comes were analysed. Radiographs were digitised using Image J software, and condylar height, width, area, and perimeter were compared. RESULTS: Condylar area (3.66 ± 1.02 cm2), perimeter (9.29 ± 1.38 cm), and height (2.69 ± 0.46 cm) values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the control group than those in the patient group (area: 2.52 ± 0.63 cm2, perimeter: 8.47 ± 1.42 cm, height: 2.51 ± 0.37 cm), whereas width (coeliac: 2.83 ± 0.63 cm, control: 3.00 ± 0.59 cm) did not differ between the groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These outcomes may be due to the low bone density of patients with CD. A controlled trial conducted using a larger sample is needed to support and extend these data.

Effect of chemotherapy exposure prior to pregnancy on fetal brain tissue and the potential protective role of quercetin.

Cyclophosphamide (CYC) and doxorubicin (DOX) are among the most effective and widely used anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs. Potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic functions have recently been attributed to flavonoids. We hypothesized that Quercetin (QR) would protect against the toxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents applied prior to pregnancy. Rats were treated with the chemotherapeutic drugs CYC (27 mg/kg) and DOX (1.8 mg/kg) applied in a single intraperitoneal dose once every 3 weeks for 10 weeks. QR was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day by oral gavage. 48 h following the experimental chemotherapy exposure, female rats were transferred to cages containing male rat for mating. Fetal brain tissues were removed from fetuses extracted by cesarean section on the 20th day of gestation for evaluation of antioxidant parameters. A significant increase in superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde activity was observed in CYC and DOX treatment groups relative to the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, carnitine acylcarnitine translocase and Glutathione activity was significantly reduced in the CYC and DOX groups relative to the control group (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that the use of chemotherapeutic drugs before pregnancy can result in oxidative damage to fetal brain tissue. Therefore, women who have been exposed to chemotherapy and may become pregnant should be treated with antioxidant compounds such as QR to reduce the risk of damage to fetal brain tissues.