Sleep improvements following atopic dermatitis management in young children.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess improvements in associated sleep and caregiver mood following treatment of atopic dermatitis in young children. METHODS: Participants included children (n = 23; Mage = 22.0 months) and their caregivers. Topical management of atopic dermatitis was conducted for 2 weeks, with measures of skin, sleep (child, caregiver), and mood (caregiver) at baseline and day 14. RESULTS: Topical management resulted in significant improvements in child skin, with associated increases in sleep consolidation. There were similar improvements in caregiver nightwakings, with nighttime sleep duration improving by over an hour. Caregivers also reported more energy to engage with their family and feeling better rested. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, topical management significantly improved atopic dermatitis. There were concomitant improvements in sleep outcomes for children and their caregivers, as well as caregiver mood. Daily management of atopic dermatitis may result in improvements in not just skin health but also sleep and family well-being.

A systematic assessment of the epidemiologic literature regarding an association between acetaminophen exposure and cancer.

Introduced in the 1950s, acetaminophen is one of the most widely used antipyretics and analgesics worldwide. In 1999, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reviewed the epidemiologic studies of acetaminophen and the data were judged to be "inadequate" to conclude that it is carcinogenic. In 2019 the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment initiated a review process on the carcinogenic hazard potential of acetaminophen. To inform this review process, the authors performed a comprehensive literature search and identified 136 epidemiologic studies, which for most cancer types suggest no alteration in risk associated with acetaminophen use. For 3 cancer types, renal cell, liver, and some forms of lymphohematopoietic, some studies suggest an increased risk; however, multiple factors unique to acetaminophen need to be considered to determine if these results are real and clinically meaningful. The objective of this publication is to analyze the results of these epidemiologic studies using a framework that accounts for the inherent challenge of evaluating acetaminophen, including, broad population-wide use in multiple disease states, challenges with exposure measurement, protopathic bias, channeling bias, and recall bias. When evaluated using this framework, the data do not support a causal association between acetaminophen use and cancer.

Meta-analysis of the effect of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse on gingivitis and plaque.

BACKGROUND: Standard recommendations for oral hygiene practices have focused on mechanical methods (toothbrushing and interdental cleaning). Published evidence indicates antimicrobial mouthrinses provide oral health benefits beyond mechanical methods alone. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the combined effectiveness of mechanical methods with essential oil-containing mouthrinses (MMEO) versus mechanical methods (MM) alone in achieving site-specific, healthy gingival tissue and reducing plaque and gingivitis. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: All industry-sponsored clinical trials investigating the antigingivitis and antiplaque effects of essential oil (EO)-containing mouthrinses conducted from 1980 to 2012 were reviewed; 29 of 32 studies met the inclusion criteria of 6 months or longer duration, randomized, observer-masked, placebo-controlled, and with individual-level site-specific data. By-study treatment effects were estimated through generalized linear models for binary data and analysis of covariance for continuous data, and then combined using standard meta-analysis techniques; heterogeneity was also assessed. RESULTS: Summary odds ratios for a healthy gingival site and for a plaque-free site were, respectively, 5.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3-7.5) and 7.8 (95% CI, 5.4-11.2) for MMEO participants versus MM participants at 6 months. The summary percentage reductions in whole-mouth mean gingivitis and plaque at 6 months were 16.0 (95% CI, 11.3-20.7) and 27.7 (95% CI, 22.4-32.9), respectively. Responder analyses using aggregate individual-level data showed 44.8% of MMEO participants and 14.4% of MM participants achieved at least 50% healthy sites in their mouths at 6 months. Similarly, 36.9% of MMEO participants and 5.5% of MM participants achieved at least 50% plaque-free sites in their mouths at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This is the first meta-analysis to demonstrate the clinically significant, site-specific benefit of adjunctive EO treatment in people within a 6-month period (that is, between dental visits).

Superiority of essential oils versus 0.075% CPC-containing mouthrinse: a two-week randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this randomized, examiner-blind, parallel, controlled clinical study was to compare the antiplaque/antigingivitis efficacy of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse (EO) to a new 0.075% cetylpyridinium chloride mouthrinse (CPC) using a two-week experimental gingivitis model with a 5% hydroalcohol rinse serving as the negative control. METHODS: After signing informed consents and completing baseline examinations, 185 subjects were randomized into three groups. Subjects began supervised/recorded rinsing with 20 ml of their assigned rinse for 30 seconds twice daily for two weeks, with no mechanical oral hygiene permitted. Baseline and two-week assessments were conducted as follows: Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index (PI), Modified Gingival Index (MGI), and the Gingival Bleeding Index (BI). Analysis of efficacy variables (i.e., mean PI, mean MGI, mean BI, and proportion of bleeding sites derived from the BI) was performed using a one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS: Among the 182 subjects who completed the study, the EO rinse showed statistically significant reductions compared to the negative control within the range previously reported in this model; PI = 36.5% (p < 0.001) and MGI = 17.5% (p < 0.001). A 43.2% reduction in proportion of bleeding sites (p < 0.001) was demonstrated. Mean PI, MGI, and proportion of bleeding sites at two weeks were statistically significantly lower for the EO rinse compared to the CPC rinse (p < 0.001), showing 27.7%, 11.9%, and 30.0% reductions, respectively. CONCLUSION: An EO rinse provided superior antigingivitis/antiplaque efficacy compared to a 0.075% CPC rinse in this short-term clinical trial, and demonstrated efficacy within the range shown in previous studies using this model.