Three-dimensional evaluation of the mandibular condyle in adults with various skeletal patterns / 대한치과교정학회지

Objective@#Morphometric and morphological evaluation of the mandibular condyle in adults and to identify its correlation with skeletal malocclusion patterns. @*Methods@#Cone-beam computed tomography scans of 135 adult patients were used in this study and classified into groups according to four criteria: (1) sex (male and female); (2) sagittal skeletal discrepancy (Class I, Class II, and Class III); (3) vertical skeletal discrepancy (hyperdivergent, normodivergent, and hypodivergent); and age (group 1 ≤ 20 years, 21 ≤ group 2 < 30, and group 3 ≥ 30 years). The morphometrical variables were mandibular condyle height and width, and the morphological variable was the mandibular condyle shape in coronal and sagittal sections. Three-dimensional standard tessellation language files were created using itk-snap (open-source software), and measurements were performed using Meshmixer (open-source software). @*Results@#The mandibular condyle height was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in patients with class III malocclusion than in those with class I or II malocclusion;the mandibular condyle width was not significantly different among different sexes, age groups, and sagittal and vertical malocclusions. There were no statistical associations between various mandibular condyle shapes and the sexes, age groups, and skeletal malocclusions. @*Conclusions@#The condylar height was greatest in patients with class III malocclusion. The condylar height and width were greater among males than in females. The mandibular condyle shapes observed in sagittal and coronal sections did not affect the skeletal malocclusion patterns.

Ghrelin gene polymorphism as a genetic biomarker for prediction of therapy induced clearance in Egyptian chronic HCV patients.

Ghrelin (GHRL) has important implications for liver disease. It has anti-inflammatory effects, regulates cell proliferation, modulates the fibrogenic response and protects liver tissue. Genetic variations in the GHRL gene may play a crucial role in the development of chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, we examined the association of GHRL gene polymorphisms (rs26312 and rs27647), and its serum level to virologic responses to combined sofosbuvir and Simeprevir therapy for a course of 12 successive weeks in Egyptian chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. METHODS: Human genomic and clinical data were collected from 100 Egyptian participants in this study, 90 HCV patients who received sofosbuvir and Simeprevir and 10 non-HCV healthy subjects. Genotyping of GHRL rs26312 and rs27647, were determined with the TaqMan qRT-PCR allele detection assay. The serum GHRL concentrations were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: GHRL polymorphisms (rs26312 and rs27647) genotype distributions and allele frequencies did not differ between HCV patients and normal healthy subjects or between patient groups when compared according to the therapeutic response. In addition, we found significant lower serum GHRL levels in CHC patients compared with the healthy controls. However, there was no significant association of the GHRL rs26312 and rs27647 polymorphisms with GHRL levels in CHC patients. We conclude that GHRL SNPs (rs26312 and rs27647) do not affect response to combined sofosbuvir and Simeprevir treatment in chronic Egyptian HCV patients.

Efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir plus simeprevir therapy in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C: a real-world experience.

BACKGROUND: Simeprevir plus sofosbuvir (SIM/SOF) regimen was recommended by professional guidelines for certain patients with HCV genotype 1 infection and there is lack of data about this regimen in patients with genotype 4 infection. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of this regimen in Egyptian patients with chronic HCV genotype 4 infection in the real world. METHODS: Multicentre observational study included 583 patients with HCV genotype 4 infection who began 12 weeks of treatment with SIM plus SOF. Demographic, clinical and virological data as well as adverse outcomes were collected. Treatment naïve patients were 342 (59%) of all included patients, 45% of patients had severe fibrosis (F3 and F4) while 55% had mild fibrosis (F1 and F2) and the primary outcome was sustained virological response (SVR). RESULTS: The overall SVR rate was 95.7% (558 out of 583 patients). In total, SVR12 in naïve patients with mild fibrosis score (F1 and F2) was achieved in 98.9% (94/95) for F1 and 98.1% (105/107) for F2, while naïve patients with severe fibrosis (F3 and F4) achieved SVR of 97.7% (86/88) for F3 and (42/52) 80.8% for F4. SVR in patients with previous interferon treatment achieved in 100% (45/45) for patients with F1 and 98.7% (74/75) for F2. While 94.7% (72/76) in experienced patients with F3; and 88.9% (40/45) for F4 achieved SVR12. Notable side effects included rash in 21 patients, photosensitivity in 18 patients, pruritus in 44 patients and hyperbilirubinemia in 42 patients. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week regimen of simeprevir/sofosbuvir was efficacious and well tolerated by treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients with chronic HCV genotype 4.