Discordance in Secular Trends of Bone Mineral Density Measurements in Different Ages of Postmenopausal Women.

BACKGROUND: Age-adjusted bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women decreases in developed countries whereas incidence of osteoporotic fracture decreases or remains stable. We investigated secular trends of bone density from 2008 to 2017 among different age groups of postmenopausal women. METHODS: We analyzed BMD data obtained from health check-ups of 4,905 postmenopausal women during three survey cycles from 2008 to 2017. We divided them into 3 groups by age (50-59 years, 60-69 years, and 70 years or more) and observed the transition of lumbar and femoral BMD in each group, before and after adjusting for variables that may affect BMD. RESULTS: Age-adjusted BMD, bone mineral content (BMC), and T-score demonstrated a declining trend over the survey period at lumbar spine (-2.8%), femur neck (-3.5%) and total femur (-4.3%), respectively. In the analysis for the age groups, the BMD, BMC, and T-score presented linear declining trend (-6.1%) in younger postmenopausal women while women aged over 70 or more showed linear increasing trends (+6.3%) at lumbar spine during the survey period. Femoral neck and total femur BMD demonstrated a declining linear trend only in the 50-59 and 60-69 years groups (-5.5%, -5.2%, respectively), but not in the 70 years or more group. CONCLUSION: BMD in younger postmenopausal women has decreased considerably but has increased or plateaued in elderly women. This discordance of BMD trends among different age groups may contribute to decreased incidence of osteoporotic fracture despite a recent declining BMD trend in postmenopausal women.

Correlation Between the Extent of Injectate Spread and Clinical Outcomes in Cervical Interlaminar Epidural Injection.

BACKGROUND: Cervical interlaminar epidural injection (CILEI) is commonly used to treat acute or chronic pain that affects the head, neck, and upper extremities. Thus far, studies on CILEI have focused on determining the optimal volume of contrast medium or analyzing the spread of contrast medium during a CILEI. To our knowledge, few studies have attempted to assess the correlation between epidurogram patterns and clinical outcomes of CILEI. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between contrast medium spread and pain relief after a CILEI in patients who complained of neck and/or unilateral upper extremity pain. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary university hospital. METHODS: Patient demographics, pain duration, and radiographic findings, including cervical simple radiograph and magnetic resonance imaging, were reviewed from medical records. The spread pattern of contrast medium during a CILEI was analyzed based on anteroposterior (AP) and lateral fluoroscopic views. The spread pattern in the AP view was classified into 4 categories using predetermined anatomical references, including the medial border, bisector, and lateral border of the articular pillar at the targeted vertebral level. The spread pattern in the lateral view was divided into 2 groups based on whether the contrast medium was present at the ventral epidural space. Every CILEI procedure was performed under fluoroscopic guidance by skilled experts. A responsive outcome was defined as a reduction in the numeric rating scale for pain by more than 50% at one month postoperatively compared to preoperatively. RESULTS: Among 656 patients, 526 were excluded from the analysis according to predetermined criteria. The remaining 130 patients were analyzed, and 78 (60%) patients showed responsive results one month after a CILEI. According to a multivariable logistic regression analysis, the negative predictors of a CILEI were long symptom duration (P = 0.045), high grade of central stenosis (P = 0.022), and limited spread of contrast medium solely within the central canal in the AP view (P = 0.008). LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study include its retrospective design, absence of clinical parameters other than pain intensity, and short follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: If the duration of symptoms is lengthy, central stenosis is severe, or contrast medium spread is limitedly solely within the central canal and does not reach the dorsal root ganglion any further, the outcome after a CILEI is likely to be poor. Therefore, efforts should be made to spread injectate around the dorsal root ganglion at the target level.

Effect of Pregabalin Combined with Duloxetine and Tramadol on Allodynia in Chronic Postischemic Pain and Spinal Nerve Ligation Mouse Models.

Although there are various drugs for Neuropathic pain (NP), the effects of single drugs are often not very satisfactory. The analgesic effects of different combinations of pregabalin, duloxetine, and tramadol or the combination of all three are still unclear. Mixtures of two or three drugs at low and high concentrations (7.5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg pregabalin; 7.5, 10, 15, and 30 mg/kg duloxetine; 5 and 10 mg/kg tramadol) were administered to chronic postischemic pain (CPIP) and spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model mice. The effects of these combinations of drugs on mechanical allodynia were investigated. The expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) was measured. The combination of pregabalin, duloxetine, and tramadol significantly alleviated mechanical hyperalgesia in mice with CPIP and SNL. After the administration of this drug combination, the expression of GFAP in the spinal cord and DRGs was lower in the CPIP and SNL model mice than in control mice. This result suggests that the combination of these three drugs may be advantageous for the treatment of NP because it can reduce side effects by preventing the overuse of a single drug class and exert increased analgesic effects via synergism.

The analgesic effect of lumbar sympathetic ganglion block in patients with failed back surgery syndrome.

Background: Persistent or recurrent lumbosacral pain is a common symptom after spinal surgery. Several interventions have been introduced for failed back surgery syndrome; however, their clinical efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness are insufficient. Sympathetic ganglion block has been selected for pain associated with the sympathetic nervous system. In this study, we compared pain and quality of life in patients with failed back surgery syndrome who responded and did not respond to lumbar sympathetic ganglion block. Methods: We included 84 patients diagnosed with failed back surgery syndrome who had lumbosacral pain and underwent lumbar sympathetic ganglion block between January 2020 and April 2021. The patients' data were retrospectively analyzed; clinical outcomes were assessed before (T0), 1 week after (T1), and 4 weeks after (T4) lumbar sympathetic ganglion block. Based on the pain difference from T0 to T1, we categorized patients into two groups: patients with ≥ 50% pain reduction (responder group) and patients with < 50% pain reduction (non-responder group). Demographic, clinical, surgical, and fluoroscopic data were evaluated and compared. The primary outcome was pain scores and the EuroQol-5D score from T0 to T4. Results: Among the 84 patients analyzed, 41 (48.8%) experienced ≥ 50% pain reduction at 1 week after lumbar sympathetic ganglion block. Lumbar sympathetic ganglion block significantly improved pain at T1 and T4 compared to T0 in both groups. Lumbar sympathetic ganglion block improved the EuroQol-5D score at T1 compared to T0 in the responder group. The responder group had a significant decrease in pain at T1 from T0 and T4 from T0 and a significant decrease in the EuroQol-5D score at T1 from T0 compared with the non-responder group. Coldness of the leg over time did not differ between the groups. No serious adverse events occurred in either of the groups. Conclusion: Lumbar sympathetic ganglion block may improve pain at 1 and 4 weeks in patients with failed back surgery syndrome. Patients with ≥ 50% pain reduction at 1 week showed simultaneous improvement in quality of life and pain reduction at 4 weeks. Clinical trial registration: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/index/index.do, identifier KCT0007236.

Traumatic Globe Subluxation Accompanied by Traumatic Optic Neuropathy.

A 52-year-old, alcohol-intoxicated woman suffered periorbital trauma to the left eye and presented to the emergency department with proptosis and complaints of decreased vision in the left eye. Physical examination revealed loss of light perception (LP), relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD), pupil dilatation, and corneal epithelial defect of the left eye. In addition, the fundus of the left eye was not easily visible due to severe corneal abrasion and edema, but there was no retinal detachment or vitreous hemorrhage on B-scan ultrasonography. Hertel exophthalmometric values differed by 7 mm between the eyes and measured 13 mm in the right eye and 20 mm in the left eye. In addition, she had severely limited left eye movement in all directions. Computerized tomography (CT) imaging of the orbit showed that the left optic nerve extended 15 mm further than the optic nerve of the right eye and retrobulbar hemorrhage of the left eye. The patient underwent emergency lateral canthotomy, cantholysis, and conjunctival incision to release the optic nerve extension and reduce the eyeball subluxation of the left eye. An intraoperative examination demonstrated that all extraocular muscles of the left eye were intact. The left eyeball returned to its normal position after surgery. Two days after surgery, proptosis of the left eye improved significantly, and there was no difference in Hertel exophthalmometric values between the eyes, both eyes measured 13 mm. However, the patient continued to suffer LP, RAPD, and pupil dilatation of the left eye.

Surgical Outcomes of Endoscopic Conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy Using a Castroviejo Double-Ended Lacrimal Dilator.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe the surgical method of endoscopic conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy with Jones tube insertion using a Castroviejo double-ended lacrimal dilator and to elucidate the surgical outcomes. METHODS: Under general anesthesia and preoperative epinephrine soaking, a monopolar needle cautery instrument was used to remove the nasal mucosa over the lacrimal and maxillary bone junction. After the lacrimal and maxillary bone junction was exposed, an oval osteotomy was formed. A Castroviejo double-ended lacrimal dilator was then inserted to create a direct fistula from the conjunctiva to the nasal cavity through the bony ostium. The dilator was grasped and withdrawn using smooth forceps to determine the tube length. The selected tube was then inserted into the fistula with a guide probe. Following removal of the probe, the inserted tube was fixed with 7-0 Ethilon suturing. RESULTS: Among 39 patients, a total of 49 cases were examined. The success rate was 73.4% (36/49 eyes). The average surgical time was 29.1 minutes for single-eye operations and 47.3 minutes for double-eye operations. Lateral migration (6/13; 46.2%), medial migration (3/13; 23.1%), granulation tissue obstruction (2/13; 15.4%), inflammation (1/13; 7.7%), and malpositioning (1/13; 7.7%) were the noted complications that led to reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, surgical management of endoscopic conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy using a Castroviejo double-ended lacrimal dilator has several advantages. Using this device, easier surgical procedure, shorter surgical time, and more favorable success rate can be achieved without serious complications.

Correlation Between Lacrimal Syringing Test and Dacryoscintigraphy in Patients With Epiphora.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the lacrimal syringing test (LST) and dacryoscintigraphy (DSG) in patients with epiphora. The authors retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients who underwent both LST and DSG from March 2016 to February 2018. From this, 636 eyes of 336 patients with a mean age of 61.20 ±â€Š11.93 years (range, 22-86 years) were included. The concordance rate between LST and DSG was 43.7% (278 eyes). The sensitivity of DSG was 68.78%, and specificity was 30.99%. Factors of age and sex were analyzed in terms of concordance. The authors categorized age into 2 groups of younger and older than 65 years. Only sex was found to affect the results, with a much higher concordance rate in the female group than the male group. The lack of correlation between the tests indicates that the LST and DSG methods are complementary to each other. There is no single reliable method for testing patency of the lacrimal drainage system. Therefore, physicians should refer to these tests as complementary in a clinic setting.

Small-Incision Sutureless Surgical Technique for Subconjunctival Orbital Fat Prolapse.

Surgical outcomes of 20 patients treated by one surgeon between March 2014 and August 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. The authors included 20 patients with subconjunctival orbital fat prolapse (SOFP) treated by a small-incision, sutureless surgical technique using local anesthesia. All patients were followed for at least 3 months postoperatively. Medical information such as patient's age, number of eyes involved, location of fat, surgical time and whether or not the prolapse recurred was reviewed. Twenty patients (16 men and 4 women) were included and had a mean age of 67.1 years. There were 7 bilateral and 13 unilateral SOFP cases. There were no intra-operative or postoperative complications and no cases of recurrence within a mean follow-up of 3 months. All surgeries were successful from both cosmetic and symptomatic perspectives. Our small-incision, sutureless surgical technique is an effective method to manage SOFP. This technique, performed with local anesthesia, is both cost- and time-effective.

Idiopathic Orbital Inflammation With Superior Rectus and Levator Complex may be Misdiagnosed as Involutional Ptosis.

Idiopathic orbital inflammation (IOI) is a benign inflammatory disease usually confined to the orbit. Two middle-aged patients with IOI have been reported who could have been misdiagnosed as involutional ptosis. Two patients presented to the clinic with eyelid ptosis. One patient's erythrocyte sedimentation rate was slightly increased; the other patient's immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4), IgG, and thyroid-stimulating hormone results were higher than the upper limits of normal. The computed tomographic images and orbit magnetic resonance imaging tests showed an inflammatory condition around the droopy eyelids. They were both admitted to the hospital with diagnosis of IOI, and intravenous antibiotic and steroid treatment were administered, which improved their symptoms.

Effect of intraoperative Hartmann's versus hypotonic solution administration on FLACC pain scale scores in children: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In healthy children, an isotonic solution containing no glucose or a small amount of glucose (1-2%) has been recommended as an intraoperative maintenance fluid due to the potential risk of hyponatremia associated with hypotonic solutions. However, a hypotonic solution with glucose is still widely used as a maintenance fluid for pediatric anesthesia. We speculated that the hypotonic solution may worsen postoperative discomfort and irritability in pediatric patients due to hyponatremia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the current study, we compared the post-operative Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability(FLACC) scale scores of pediatric patients aged 3-10 years who received either a 1:2 dextrose solution or Hartmann's solution during Nuss Bar removal. RESULTS: The FLACC scale score in the post-anesthesia care unit was higher in the 1:2 dextrose solution group(HYPO) (n = 20) than in the Hartmann's solution group(ISO) (n = 20) (6.30 vs 4.70, p = 0.044, mean difference and 95% Confidence Interval(CI) was 1.6 (0.04 to 3.16)). We also compared opioid consumption at the post-anesthesia care unit. Total dose of fentanyl per body weight in the post-anesthesia care unit was also higher in the HYPO (0.59 vs 0.37 mcg/kg, p = 0.042, mean difference and 95% CI was 0.22 mcg/kg (0.030 to 0.402)). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative use of the hypotonic solution in children causes increased FLACC scale scores, leading to higher opioid consumption in post-anesthesia care unit.

Effectiveness and Satisfaction Degree of Transconjunctival-Approach Lower Blepharoplasty Combined With Pinch Skin Excision Technique.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness and satisfaction of transconjunctival-approach lower blepharoplasty combined with a pinch skin excision technique between young patients (younger than 60 years of age) and elderly patients (older than 60 years of age) in Korea. The medical records of 69 patients who underwent transconjunctival-approach lower blepharoplasty combined with a pinch skin excision technique from January 2003 to February 2018 were reviewed. Success rate postoperative complications, and degree of satisfaction with the surgical technique were evaluated and statistically compared between the 2 different age groups. All 69 patients were satisfied with the final result. The average success rate of surgery was 96.7% in the young patients (group A) and 97.4% in the elderly patients (group B) during the mean follow-up period of 6 months. There were 3 cases reported as having persistent complications (2 cases in group A and 1 patient in group B). The satisfaction rating between groups A and B showed no statistically significant difference (P = 0.430). We confirmed lower-eyelid fat prolapse and dermatochalasis can be effectively corrected using transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty with a pinch skin excision technique in patients regardless of age.

A Comparison of Surgical Outcomes of Two Combination Surgeries for Involutional Entropion: Fixing 3 vs 2 Pathologic Components.

The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of two combinational surgeries for involutional entropion: Inferior retractor tightening (IRT) + lateral tarsal strip (LTS) + skin muscle excision (SME) vs LTS + SME. The authors reviewed the records of 2 groups which were made up of 80 (85 eyelids) and 58 (63 eyelids) involutional entropion patients with 71.4 and 71.8 years on average respectively. The 2 groups were categorized into Group A and Group B by different surgical techniques. The former underwent IRT + LTS + SME surgery between April 2004 and February 2014, while the latter received LTS + SME surgery between March 2014 and February 2018. The authors evaluated the surgical outcomes of 2 combinational surgeries. In Group A, 84 out of 85 (98.8%) lids were successfully corrected and 1 (1.2%) lower eyelid suffered from recurrence during the follow-up period of 26.5 ±â€Š4.6 months. Two canthal deformity cases occurred in this group. In Group B, 62 out of 63 (98.2%) lids were successfully treated and there was 1 (1.8%) case of recurrence during the follow-up period of 21.0 ±â€Š10.0 months. No cases of complications were noted. IRT + LTS + SME procedure took 26.4 ±â€Š2.4 minutes and LTS + SME procedure took 20.6 ±â€Š3.9 minutes (P < 0.001). The LTS + SME technique exhibited a comparable success rate with the IRT + LTS + SME operation. LTS + SME appeared to be significantly faster and safer compared to the IRT + LTS + SME procedure.

Remifentanil Alleviates Propofol-Induced Burst Suppression without Affecting Bispectral Index in Female Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The bispectral index is affected by various factors, such as noxious stimuli and other drugs, such as muscle relaxants. The burst suppression ratio from bispectral index monitoring is correlated with electroencephalographic burst suppression, which is associated with deep anesthesia, metabolic disorders, and brain injury. We assessed patients undergoing total intravenous anesthesia and examined the effects of remifentanil on the bispectral index, burst suppression ratio, and hemodynamic changes immediately after loss of consciousness with propofol. Seventy American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I and II Korean female patients scheduled for general anesthesia were administered propofol with an effect-site concentration of 5 µg/mL, using a target-controlled infusion (TCI). After losing consciousness, patients received either saline or remifentanil at an effect-site concentration of 5 ng/mL for 10 min. During this period, we recorded the bispectral index values, including burst suppression ratio, blood pressure, and heart rate. With remifentanil infusion, burst suppression ratios were lower (p < 0.01) but bispectral values were not different. The burst suppression ratio was significantly different at 6, 7, 8, and 10 min after remifentanil infusion (p < 0.05). In female patients with propofol-induced unconsciousness, remifentanil alleviated the burst suppression ratio without affecting the bispectral value.

Comparison between Post-Operative Analgesic Efficacy of Low-Concentration High-Volume and High-Concentration Low-Volume Combinations of Ropivacaine for Transverse Abdominis Plane Block in Pediatric Open Inguinal Hernia Repair.

Transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block can provide post-operative analgesia in children undergoing open inguinal hernia repair. However, the optimal anesthetic dose, and concentration for TAP block in the pediatric population, is not well defined. This study compared the post-operative analgesic effect of TAP block between low-concentration, with high-volume (LCHV) and high-concentration, with low-volume (HCLV) combinations of local anesthetic. Forty-four patients who underwent open inguinal hernia repair were randomly assigned to two groups. The patients in the LCHV group received 0.67 mL/kg of 0.15% ropivacaine. Whereas, those in the HCLV group received 0.4 mL/kg of 0.25% ropivacaine. Both groups received the same amount of ropivacaine (1 mg/kg). The primary outcome measure was the face, leg, activity, cry, consolability (FLACC) scale score at post-anesthetic care unit (PACU; T1). FLACC scale score at T1 was significantly lower in the HCLV group (2.91 versus 1.43; mean difference, -1.49; 95% confidence interval, -0.0245 to -2.936; p = 0.0464). FLACC scale scores one hour and six hours after the surgery were not different between the two groups. This study reports better post-operative analgesic effects after unilateral open inguinal hernia repair with 1 mg/kg of 0.25% ropivacaine than 1 mg/kg of 0.15% ropivacaine at PACU.

The Effects of Iloprost on Oxygenation During One-Lung Ventilation for Lung Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Hypoxemia can occur during one-lung ventilation (OLV) in thoracic surgery, leading to perioperative complications. Inhaled iloprost is a selective pulmonary vasodilator with efficacy in patients with pulmonary hypertension. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of off-label inhaled iloprost on oxygenation during OLV in patients undergoing lung surgery. Seventy-two patients who were scheduled for elective video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy were assigned to receive an inhaled nebulizer of distilled water (control group), 10 µg iloprost (IL10 group), or 20 µg iloprost (IL20 group). Arterial and venous blood gas and hemodynamic analyses were obtained. Changes in partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2), after the initiation of OLV and the resumption two-lung ventilation (TLV), were similar in all three groups. However, PaO2 in the IL10 group was comparable to that in the control group, whereas PaO2 in the IL20 group was significantly higher than that in the control group at 10, 20, and 30 min after administration of iloprost (275.1 ± 50.8 vs. 179.3 ± 38.9, p < 0.0001; 233.9 ± 39.7 vs. 155.1 ± 26.5, p < 0.0001; and 224.6 ± 36.4 vs. 144.0 ± 22.9, p < 0.0001, respectively). The shunt fraction in the IL20 group was significantly higher than that in the control group after administration of iloprost (26.8 ± 3.1 vs. 32.2 ± 3.4, p < 0.0001; 24.6 ± 2.2 vs. 29.9 ± 3.4, p < 0.0001; and 25.3 ± 2.0 vs. 30.8 ± 3.1, p < 0.0001, respectively). Administration of inhaled iloprost during OLV improves oxygenation and decreases intrapulmonary shunt.

Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Is Inversely Associated With the Psoas Muscle Index in Both Male and Female Patients Scheduled for Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Patients on a waiting list for liver transplantation frequently show core muscle wasting, referred to as sarcopenia, which results in poor prognosis. To date, there has been a lack of research on the association between inflammation mediators, including cytokines, and loss of core muscle mass in cirrhotic patients scheduled for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: Cytokines in serum, such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, were retrospectively investigated in 234 LDLT patients 1 day before surgery. The psoas muscle area was measured using abdominal computed tomography within 1 month before surgery and used to calculate the psoas muscle index (PMI = psoas muscle area/height2). The study population was classified into 2 groups according to the interquartile range of PMI: a non-sarcopenia group (> 25th quartile) and a sarcopenia group (≤ 25th quartile) in each sex. RESULTS: In both sexes, IL-10 and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in the sarcopenia group than the non-sarcopenia group. In a univariate analysis, male patients showed that serum IL-10 and TNF-α levels were potentially associated with sarcopenia. Serum TNF-α was independently associated with sarcopenia in a multivariate analysis. In female patients, TNF-α was significantly associated with sarcopenia in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Male patients with a PMI ≤ 25th quartile had significantly higher TNF-α levels than those in other quartile ranges, and female patients with a PMI ≤ 25th quartile had a significantly higher TNF-α level than those with a PMI > 75th quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of TNF-α are inversely associated with skeletal muscle wasting in both male and female patients scheduled for LDLT.

Granulomatous Inflammation of the Upper Eyelid After Autologous Fat Injection.

A 45-year-old female came to the clinic complaining of periorbital swelling and ptosis on the left upper eyelid that had started 6 months previously. She had received an autologous fat injection in the forehead 6 months prior, and there was no other ophthalmologic history. There were no abnormal findings, including pupil, extraocular movement, or fundus examination. There was eyebrow elevation of the left upper eyelid, and the marginal reflex distance 1 was 1 mm on the left eye compared to 4 mm on the right eye. There were a 2-cm-sized round and firm mass on the left upper eyelid that was not accompanied by tenderness. Orbital computed tomography showed heterogeneous infiltration with an ill-defined margin. Excisional biopsy and levator advancement were performed on the left upper eyelid, and histological findings showed chronic granulomatous inflammation with foreign body reaction and fat necrosis.A complete history for patient presentation with autologous fat injection is important when a periorbital mass is encountered clinically because granulomatous inflammation of the eyelid may occur after autologous fat injection in the forehead and can be related to migration of the injected fat.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Synbiotics in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Dose-Dependent Effects on Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Fatigue.

BACKGROUND: This double-blind, randomized controlled design study aimed to assess the dose-dependent effects of synbiotics on gastrointestinal symptoms of and fatigue in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: Thirty subjects with IBS were randomly assigned into the following three groups and received 2 capsules a day for 8 weeks: (1) high-dose (2 capsules of synbiotics); (2) low-dose (1 capsule of synbiotics and 1 capsule of placebo); and (3) placebo (2 capsules of placebo). At baseline and 8 weeks, they completed the study questionnaires. RESULTS: Two subjects in the high-dose group were lost to follow-up, leaving a total of 28 patients for the analysis. After 8 weeks, abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating, frequency of formed stool, fatigue Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory were significantly different among the groups (P=0.002, 0.006, 0.007, 0.028, and 0.041, respectively, by Kruskal-Wallis test). However, only abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating, frequency of formed stool, and fatigue VAS were significantly improved in the high-dose group compared with those in the placebo group (P=0.002, 0.003, 0.002, and 0.013, respectively) by Mann-Whitney test with Bonferroni correction. No adverse drug reactions were reported. CONCLUSION: High-dose synbiotics were superior to placebo in improving bowel symptoms and fatigue of IBS patients, suggesting that synbiotic dosage plays an important role in the treatment of IBS.

Acid Inhibitory Effect of a Combination of Omeprazole and Sodium Bicarbonate (CDFR0209) Compared With Delayed-Release Omeprazole 40 mg Alone in Healthy Adult Male Subjects.

CDFR0209, a combination of an immediate-release formulation of omeprazole 40 mg and sodium bicarbonate 1100 mg, has been developed to treat acid-related disorders. We compared the acid inhibitory effects of CDFR0209 and delayed-release omeprazole (omeprazole-DR, Losec 40 mg) after repeated dosing in Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy adult male subjects. In this 2-period crossover study, 30 subjects were randomized to CDFR0209 or omeprazole-DR daily for 7 days. An ambulatory continuous 24-hour intragastric pH recording was performed at baseline and on days 1 and 7 of each administration period. Integrated gastric acidity was calculated from time-weighted average hydrogen ion concentrations at each hour of the 24-hour record. An analysis of variance model was used to test the pharmacodynamic equivalence of CDFR0209 and omeprazole-DR, using the natural logarithmic transformation of the percent decrease from baseline in integrated gastric acidity for the 24-hour interval after the seventh dose of each omeprazole formulation. The geometric least-squares mean ratios (CDFR0209/omeprazole-DR) of the percent decrease from baseline in integrated gastric acidity was 0.98 (90%CI, 0.93-1.07). Both CDFR0209 and omeprazole-DR are equally effective in decreasing integrated gastric acidity at steady state.

The effect of an interfragmentary gap on the clinical outcome after mandibular angle fracture surgery.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The mandibular angle fracture occasionally widens at the lower border after surgery using a single miniplate. However, the effects of an interfragmentary gap have not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of gaps caused by mandibular angle fracture surgery using a single superior border miniplate technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective study, the interfragmentary gap was measured by panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) postoperatively. The width of the gap measured by panoramic radiography and CBCT scans was compared. The patients were divided into two groups based on the gap width (more or less than 1.5 mm). In CBCT scans, bucco-lingual displacement of the proximal segment was evaluated. Clinical results and complication rates were investigated according to the gap and displacement. The findings were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were included in the study. The mean interfragmentary gap widths were 1.56 ± 0.83 mm by panoramic radiography and 2.12 ± 0.87 mm by CBCT scans. CBCT measured a gap width of approximately 0.5 mm wider than panoramic radiography (P = 0.001). Twenty-two patients (68.8%) had an interfragmentary gap width of >1.5 mm, and ten patients (31.2%) had a gap width of <1.5 mm. All patients had favorable occlusion at the last clinical examination. There were no statistically significant differences in intermaxillary fixation periods and complication rates (P > 0.05). One patient in the wider gap group experienced pain in the temporomandibular joint when opening the mouth. Six patients (18.8%) had lingual displacement of the proximal fragment. Displacement did not significantly influence the complication rate (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The presence of an interfragmentary gap after mandibular angle fracture surgery did not affect the clinical outcome.