Purpose: The emergency intervention for acute malignant left-sided colonic obstruction remains controversial. Conflicting reports exist regarding the efficacy and safety of endoscopic placement of self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) vs. primary surgery. Most reports focus on SEMS insertion as a bridge to surgery. Methods: An observational nonrandomized study at a single center in Cairo, Egypt included 65 high-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification ≥ III, age > 60 years) with acute malignant metastatic (stage IV) colonic obstruction. Twenty-nine patients underwent primary surgery (Hartmann’s procedure, HP), and 35 patients underwent SEMS insertion. Results: All cases that underwent SEMS insertion were technically successful. The 2 procedures were comparable in clinical success rates but a statistically significant difference existed between them regarding the duration of postoperative hospital stay in the HP and SEMS group (7.7 ± 3.1 days vs. 3.5 ± 0.6 days, retrospectively; P < 0.001), the interval before regaining oral feeding (41.8 ± 26.8 hours vs. 27.6 ± 18.5 hours, retrospectively; P = 0.015), and the duration of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (5.0 ± 1.7 days vs. 1.5 ± 0.7 days, retrospectively; P = 0.035). Six patients (20.7%) in the HP group and 2 patients (5.7%) in the SEMS group required postoperative ICU admission. Conclusion SEMS placement provides comparable efficacy and safety to HP in managing acute malignant obstruction of the rectosigmoid region in high-risk individuals, with faster recovery and less hospital and ICU admission time.

This mini-review was conducted to present an overview of the use of exosomes in regenerating the dentin-pulp complex (DPC). The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for relevant articles published between January 1, 2013 and January 1, 2023.The findings of basic in vitro studies indicated that exosomes enhance the proliferation and migration of mesenchymal cells, as human dental pulp stem cells, via mitogenactivated protein kinases and Wingless-Int signaling pathways. In addition, they possess proangiogenic potential and contribute to neovascularization and capillary tube formation by promoting endothelial cell proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Likewise, they regulate the migration and differentiation of Schwann cells, facilitate the conversion of M1 pro-inflammatory macrophages to M2 anti-inflammatory phenotypes, and mediate immune suppression as they promote regulatory T cell conversion. Basic in vivo studies have indicated that exosomes triggered the regeneration of dentin-pulp–like tissue, and exosomes isolated under odontogenic circumstances are particularly strong inducers of tissue regeneration and stem cell differentiation. Exosomes are a promising regenerative tool for DPC in cases of small pulp exposure or for whole-pulp tissue regeneration.

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the clinical benefits of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17OHPC) in the prevention of recurrent preterm birth (PTB) among singleton pregnant women with a previous history of PTB. We searched four major databases up till April 2021 and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. We meta-analyzed various maternal-neonatal endpoints (n=18) and pooled them as mean difference or risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random-effects model. Six RCTs met the inclusion criteria, comprising 2,573 patients (17OHPC=1,617, control=956). RCTs revealed an overall low risk of bias. The rates of PTB <35 weeks (n=5 RCTs; RR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93; P=0.008), PTB <32 weeks (n=3 RCTs; RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.51-0.91; P=0.009), neonates with low birth weight (<2.5 kg) at delivery (n=3 RCTs; RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.5-0.79; P<0.001), and neonatal death (n=4 RCTs; RR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.20-0.84; P=0.02) were significantly reduced in the 17OHPC group compared with the control group. Moreover, 17OHPC treatment correlated with a significantly decreased rate of retinopathy (n=2 RCTs; RR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.18-0.97; P=0.004). However, there were no significant differences in the rates of neonatal intensive care unit admission, cesarean delivery, and other pretermrelated complications between both the groups. Among singleton pregnant women with a prior history of PTB, 17OHPC may favorably decrease the risks of recurrent PTB and reduce the rate of neonatal death.

Introduction: First permanent molars (FPMs) erupt early and their anatomy and location leave them susceptible to dental caries. This study aimed to retrospectively determine the prevalence, severity and pattern of dental caries of FPMs and investigate their relationship if any with demographics and medical health status of the partcipants. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. A sample of the digital case notes and radiographs of children aged 5 to 12 years who attended the only postgraduate dental hospital in Dubai were accessed. The recorded data included the children’s demographic variables and the carious status of each FPM as recorded in the notes on the initial assessment. Descriptive and statistical analyses were conducted (P<0.05). Results: A total of 2984 FPMs were obtained from the digital records of 774 children. Their mean age was 8.07 (±2.23) years and only those that met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The prevalence of dental caries and mean Decayed Missing Filled Surfaces of FPMs, were 42% and 0.3 (±0.04), respectively. The most prevalent decayed surface was the occlusal (29.2%), followed by mesial, buccal, palatal/ lingual, distal surfaces (24.2 %; 6.6 %; 3.1 %; 2.3 %) respectively. Children with medical problems and/or special needs had a significantly higher level of caries in the buccal surfaces (12.3%) (P=0.042). Conclusion: Caries of FPMs in a sample of Dubai children studied was prevalent, especially in those with special healthcare needs, thus indicating a necessity for targeted prevention and treatment focused on these keystone teeth.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Limited data exist comparing the safety and efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfected and HCV/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfected patients in the real-world clinic practice setting. METHODS: All HCV monoinfected and HCV/HIV coinfected patients treated with DAAs between January 2014 and October 2017 in community clinic settings were retrospectively analyzed. Pretreatment baseline patient characteristics, treatment efficacy, factors affecting sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR12) after treatment, and adverse reactions were compared between the groups. RESULTS: A total of 327 patients were included in the study, of which 253 were HCV monoinfected, and 74 were HCV/HIV coinfected. There was a statistically significant difference observed in SVR12 when comparing HCV monoinfection and HCV/HIV coinfection (94% and 84%, respectively, p=0.005). However, there were no significant factors identified as a predictor of a reduced response. The most common adverse effect was fatigue (27%). No significant drug interaction was observed between DAA and antiretroviral therapy. None of the patients discontinued the treatment due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In a real-world setting, DAA regimens have lower SVR12 in HCV/HIV coinfection than in HCV monoinfection. Further studies involving a higher number of HCV/HIV coinfected patients are needed to identify real predictors of a reduced response.
Antiviral Agents* ; Coinfection* ; Drug Interactions ; Fatigue ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome*