Oral varix: a review

Sclerotherapy with low-dose 5% ethanolamine oleate in oral vascular anomalies: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics and outcomes of a cohort of patients with oral vascular anomalies (OVA) treated with sclerotherapy using 5% ethanolamine oleate at a dosage of 0.1 mL per 10 mm of lesion size.

STUDY DESIGN

Sixty-seven patients were selected from a review of 300 medical records of individuals who had been diagnosed with OVA. Clinicodemographic characteristics and treatment outcomes were analyzed descriptively and analytically.

RESULTS

The overall mean number of sclerotherapy sessions required for clinical healing was 1.1, with lesions up to 6 mm typically requiring only one session. The mean volume of 5% ethanolamine oleate administered was 0.1 mL; however, 97.1% of lesions up to 6 mm were successfully treated with a maximum dose of 0.05 mL. Patients with papular lesions had a significantly lower rate of clinical healing compared to those with macular lesions (OR=0.79; [0.64-0.96]; p=.021). The average time to clinical healing was 16.0 days, with lesions up to 6 mm generally healing within 14 days. Complete clinical healing was achieved in 65.7% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The low-dose sclerotherapy protocol using 5% ethanolamine oleate is effective for treating OVA, particularly for lesions measuring up to 6 mm in diameter.

Sublingual varices as predictor of factors associated with cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review with meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Sublingual varicose veins are variations of normality that appear more prominent during aging. The systematic review aim to investigate sublingual varicose veins frequency in patients exposed to systemic and environmental exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases.

METHODS

This systematic review was based on the PECO strategy, and the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase and Grey Literature library were searched for publications examining the association between sublingual varicose veins and systemic and environmental exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and leg varices. A meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models. This review included 11 studies with a total of 2,272 patients with sublingual varicosity and systemic exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases. The quality assessment was improved by Newcastle and Ottawa Scales (NOS).

RESULTS

Consistent results were observed across all systemic and environmental exposed factors linked to cardiovascular diseases subgroups. We found association between sublingual varicose veins and hypertension [p = 0.0002; 95%IC2.90 [1.66-5.06]; I2 91%); diabetics (p = 0.009; 95%IC 3.19 [1.34 - 7.62]; I2 84%); tobacco abuse (p = 0.002; 95%IC 1.97 [1.29 - 3.01]; I2 82%) and leg varicosity (p = 0.03; 95%IC 2.63 [1.08 - 6.44]; I2 95%). Seven articles received score 7, indicating good quality and four articles received moderate quality.

CONCLUSION

Patients exposed to exposed factors that affect blood vessels showed a higher prevalence of sublingual varicose veins. These findings emphasize the importance of recognizing oral signs underlying systemic diseases.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42023397166.

Differential Diagnosis of Pigmented Lesions in the Oral Mucosa: A Clinical Based Overview and Narrative Review

This paper examines the clinical differentiation of pigmented lesions in the oral mucosa, which poses significant diagnostic challenges across dental and medical disciplines due to their spectrum from benign to potentially malignant conditions. Through a literature review and analysis of clinical cases, this study clarifies current diagnostic methodologies, with an emphasis on differential diagnosis, to provide a practical guide for clinicians. The classification of pigmented lesions, such as endogenous, focal melanocytic, and multifocal pigmentation, based on clinical and histological features, highlights the necessity for a structured and informed approach. A retrospective examination of cases from our oral medicine and pathology clinic, coupled with analysis of photographic and histological records, aids in classifying these lesions. This fosters a better understanding and promotes informed discussions among clinicians, ultimately aiming to enhance early and precise diagnosis, thus improving patient management and outcomes.

Experience with 808-nm diode laser in the treatment of 47 cases of oral vascular anomalies

Treatment of oral vascular anomalies (OVA) has focused on minimally invasive techniques rather than radical surgery. We investigated the efficacy and safety of diode laser using the photocoagulation technique in the management of OVA. Forty-seven subjects with OVA were treated with forced dehydration with induced photocoagulation (FDIP) using diode laser (808 nm/4.5 W). This series consisted mostly of male (63.8%) and non-white (63.8%) patients with a mean age of 57.4 years. Varices (91.5%), venous malformations (6.4%), and hemangiomas (2.1%) with a mean size of 7.1 (±4.9) mm were the conditions treated. OVA presented as a nodular lesion (63.8%) involving mainly the lower lip (46.8%). Pulsed laser mode was used as standard and the number of applications varied from one to four sessions, with the majority requiring only one (83%) FDIP session. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that complete clinical healing can occur on the 15th day (n=9/29.5%), followed by the 20th (n=6/45.5%), and 30th (n=7/70.5%) days. Postoperative edema was observed in 31 (66%) patients, and recurrence of the lesion occurred in two (4.2%). Based on the data on complete clinical healing, minimal patient discomfort, and satisfactory esthetic results, we can confirm that FDIP by diode laser is a promising candidate for the safe and efficacious treatment of OVA.

Association of Sublingual Varices With Heart- and Cerebrovascular Disease

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this research was to investigate whether sublingual varices (SV) are associated with new events of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and new events of cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted amongst 1139 dental patients aged between 48 and 84 years across 2 cohorts (201 enrolled from 2010-2013 and 938 from 2018-2020). Participants provided baseline data on demographics, risk factors, and medical diagnoses, followed by an assessment of their tongue's ventral surface to classify veins as either having no sublingual varices (nSV) or having sublingual varices (SV). Information regarding medical diagnoses was gathered during the follow-up period from both participants and their medical records. The primary outcome variables were the onset of new IHD and new cerebrovascular disease events. Comparisons were made between participants with SV and nSV.

RESULTS

The study population comprised 54% women with an average age of 66 years. SV were present in 33% of participants. Those with SV predominantly were male, older, and smokers; had a higher body mass index, and exhibited more instances of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia than those with nSV. New occurrences of IHD (4.5% vs 1.8%, P = .009) and cerebrovascular disease (4.2% vs 2.0%, P = .026) were more prevalent in the SV group compared with the nSV group. The link between SV and new IHD events persisted even after adjustments for sex, age, and smoking habits (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.074.76), but not for new cerebrovascular disease events (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 0.843.71).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identifies a correlation between SV and new events of IHD, but not new events of cerebrovascular disease. The detection of SV occurred prior to the IHD events, suggesting a temporal relationship. This novel finding proposes a potential shared pathophysiology between IHD and SV.

Relationship between sublingual varices and hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous research has investigated the connection between sublingual varices (SV) and cardiovascular disease, aging, and smoking. However, it is still unclear whether arterial hypertension affects the presence of SV. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between hypertension and the presence of SV.

METHODS

The literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Embase for cross-sectional studies until July 2023. PRISMA guidelines were used for article selection. A meta-analysis using standardized mean differences by a random effects model was conducted to pool studies.

RESULTS

A total of 568 articles were retrieved, of which twelve were included in the meta-analysis. Cumulatively, 2543 samples in the case group (1185 with hypertension) and 3897 samples (821 with hypertension) were studied in the control group. Using the random effects model, the pooled odds ratio (OR) revealed a significant association between hypertension and sublingual varices (OR = 2.66; 95% CI: 1.69-4.18).

CONCLUSION

The meta-analysis showed a significant and positive association between sublingual varices and hypertension. SV's presence could be used by dentists as a non-invasive indicator of hypertension screening.

The relative area score for sublingual varices reliability measurement: a diagnostic study

BACKGROUND

Sublingual varices (SV) and their predictive potential for other clinical parameters is a much studied topic in oral medicine. SVs have been well studied as predictive markers for many common diseases such as arterial hypertension, cardiovascular disease, smoking, type 2 diabetes mellitus and age. Despite many prevalence studies, it is still unclear how the reliability of SV inspection affects its predictive power. The aim of this study was to quantify the inspection reliability of SV.

METHODS

In a diagnostic study, the clinical inspection of 78 patients by 23 clinicians was examined for the diagnosis of SV. Digital images of the underside of the tongue were taken from each patient. The physicians were then asked to rate them for the presence of sublingual varices (0/1) in an online inspection experiment. Statistical analysis for inter-item and inter-rater reliability was performed in a τ-equivalent measurement model with Cronbach's [Formula: see text] and Fleiss κ.

RESULTS

The interrater reliability for sublingual varices was relatively low with κ = 0.397. The internal consistency of image findings for SV was relatively high with α≈ 0.937. This shows that although SV inspection is possible in principle, it has a low reliability R. This means that the inspection finding (0/1) of individual images often cannot be reproduced stably. Therefore, SV inspection is a difficult task of clinical investigation. The reliability R of SV inspection also limits the maximum linear correlation [Formula: see text] of SV with an arbitrary other parameter Y. The reliability of SV inspection R = 0.847 limits the maximum correlation to [Formula: see text] (SV, Y) = 0,920-a 100% correlation was a priori not achievable in our sample. To overcome the problem of low reliability in SV inspection, we propose the RA (relative area) score as a continuous classification system for SV, which normalises the area of visible sublingual veins to the square of the length of the tongue, providing a dimensionless measure of SV.

CONCLUSIONS

The reliability of the SV inspection is relatively low. This limits the maximum possible correlation of SV with other (clinical) parameters. SV inspection reliability is an important indicator for the quality of SV as a predictive marker. This should be taken into account when interpreting previous studies on SV and has implications for future studies. The RA score could help to objectify the SV examination and thus increase its reliability.

Vascular malformation of tongue with phlebothrombosis/phlebolith in a young patient: an unusual presentation

Venous malformations (VMs) are a type of vascular malformation formed by abnormally developed venous channels, with variations in size, pathway and thickness and are therefore a condition which can predispose to thrombosis. We present the case of a VM associated with phlebothrombosis/phlebolith, located on the lingual dorsum of a 20-year-old female patient. Clinical examination revealed a nodule of approximately 5 mm in diameter involving the anterior third of lingual dorsum, with a firm, compressible and non-pulsatile consistency. Histopathologically, the lesion revealed a VM with evidence of phlebothrombosis and phlebolith development. Although VMs manifest infrequently in this age group, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of other lesions with similar characteristics in young people.

The Relationship between Smoking and Sublingual Varices in the Elderly

Objectives

We investigated the existence of any connection between smoking and sublingual varices (SLV) in the older population.

Methods

This case-control study was conducted in 2019 on adults > 65 years old at Kahrizak Charity Nursing Home, Alborz, Iran. We conducted clinical examination and inspection of 222 elderly patients. Both the case group and control group contained the same number of patients (n = 111). SLV were classified as grade 0 (few or none visible) and grade 1 (moderate or severe). The case group included patients with SLV and the control group consisted of those older adults without SLV and who were matched with the case group based on age, gender, blood pressure, denture wearing, and varicose veins in their legs. Cigarette smoking habits were investigated in both groups. Smokers were considered those who smoked at least one cigarette per day for more than six months. Chi-square and odds ratio (OR) were used to statistically analyze the exposure of participants to smoking in both groups.

Results

Among 222 participants, 21.6% and 5.4% were smokers in the case and control groups, respectively. The results of our data analysis revealed that SLV were significantly associated with smoking (p < 0.001, OR = 4).

Conclusions

Elderly patients with SLV are more likely to be cigarette smokers. Therefore, cigarette smoking cessation programs are recommended for older adults in society.

Erythematous and Vascular Oral Mucosal Lesions: A Clinicopathologic Review of Red Entities

Erythematous lesions of the oral mucosa are common and can reflect a variety of conditions, ranging from benign reactive or immunologically-mediated disorders to malignant disease. Together with vascular abnormalities, which can vary from reddish to bluish-purple in color, the differential diagnosis for erythematous oral mucosal change is quite diverse. This review focuses on salient clinical features and histopathologic findings of selected conditions which clinically present as red or vascular-like oral mucosal alterations, including oral vascular malformations and neoplasms, pyogenic granuloma, localized juvenile spongiotic gingival hyperplasia, denture stomatitis, benign migratory glossitis (geographic tongue), orofacial granulomatosis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener granulomatosis), megaloblastic anemia, and erythroplakia. Recognition of the characteristic clinical features of these conditions, in conjunction with thorough patient history, will allow clinicians to narrow the differential diagnosis and guide appropriate clinical decision making, including the need for tissue biopsy, in order to complete the diagnostic process and initiate optimal patient care.

Experience with 5% ethanolamine oleate for sclerotherapy of oral vascular anomalies: A cohort of 15 consecutive patients

PURPOSE

To describe the effectiveness and safety of a sclerotherapy protocol with 5% ethanolamine oleate (EO) at 0.1 mL/3 mm for oral vascular anomalies (OVAs). Our hypothesis is that EO applied at a concentration of 5% may decrease the number of sessions necessary for clinical healing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We describe a cohort of 15 consecutive patients. OVAs <20 mm were included. Clinical data of the OVAs were collected. Descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Fifteen of the 19 OVAs were varicosities and the lower lip was the most affected site (n = 7). The median size was 6 mm, and one session was required in 89.5% of cases for clinical healing within 28 days. The pain/burning score was low (<2) for most lesions (63.1%) and the degree of satisfaction was high (>8) for all OVAs. The number of applications, final volume of drug and time to resolution differed significantly according to the size of the anomaly.

CONCLUSION

The protocol with 5% EO was shown to be effective and safe to treat OVAs <20 mm, and with a decrease in the number of sessions, volume and time to resolution, without complications and with high patient satisfaction.

Gingival varices treated with monoethanolamine oleate: A rare case report

Varices are benign blood vessel lesions that are common in the head and neck regions. The aim of this case report is to highlight an uncommon case of gingival varices and its diagnosis and management. This is the second time that a case of varices has been reported at this site. Monoethanolamine oleate (MO) at a 2.5% concentration was used as the treatment. A 66-year-old woman presented spontaneous gingival bleeding in the region of the mandibular first and second left molars. A macula and gingival enlargement on the interproximal papillae were observed. No bleeding was observed during the oral examination. The clinical diagnosis was varices. The patient was given two sessions of sclerotherapy with 2.5% MO applied to the lesion, with 15 days between applications. The lesion showed total clinical resolution, and the patient is in follow-up. This paper reports a rare case of varices in the gingival mandible, with the diagnosis based on the patient’s age, time evolution of the lesion’s, and its clinical characteristics. The concentration of 2.5% MO is safe and efficient, a conservative treatment, and easy to apply.

Benign vascular lesions of the lips: Diagnostic approach

BACKGROUND

Although not rare, vascular lesions occurring in the lips sometimes poses a difficult in properly diagnosing and handling them. In this study, vascular lesions occurring in the lips were retrieved from an Oral Pathology Service.

METHODS

Among 5600 biopsies, 131 cases were found. The following diagnoses were attributed: caliber-persistent artery, infantile hemangioma, vascular malformation, venous lake, thrombus, papillary endothelial hyperplasia and pyogenic granuloma. Clinical data were obtained from patients' records.

RESULTS

The lesions' frequency were: pyogenic granuloma (48%), followed by venous lake (17.5%), thrombus (14.5%), papillary endothelial hyperplasia (9.1%), infantile hemangioma (6.1%), caliber-persistent artery (3%) and vascular malformation (1.5%). Glucose transporter protein of the erythrocyte type was positive only in infantile hemangioma. The other markers (CD34 and smooth muscle action) were positive in all lesions, except for podoplanin, which was negative.

CONCLUSION

It is important to be aware of the occurrence of different vascular lip lesions and their histomorphologies in order to properly handle them. Despite most lesions do not represent any risk to the patient, some of them can reach large dimensions and thus cause aesthetical trouble. Immunohistochemistry may help when the vascular character of the lesion is not promptly determined and to differentiate among some lesions.

Is there a connection between sublingual varices and hypertension?

BACKGROUND

Sublingual varices have earlier been related to ageing, smoking and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate whether sublingual varices are related to presence of hypertension.

METHODS

In an observational clinical study among 431 dental patients tongue status and blood pressure were documented. Digital photographs of the lateral borders of the tongue for grading of sublingual varices were taken, and blood pressure was measured. Those patients without previous diagnosis of hypertension and with a noted blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or ≥ 90 mmHg at the dental clinic performed complementary home blood pressure during one week. Those with an average home blood pressure ≥ 135 mmHg and/or ≥ 85 mmHg were referred to the primary health care centre, where three office blood pressure measurements were taken with one week intervals. Two independent blinded observers studied the photographs of the tongues. Each photograph was graded as none/few (grade 0) or medium/severe (grade 1) presence of sublingual varices. Pearson's Chi-square test, Student's t-test, and multiple regression analysis were applied. Power calculation stipulated a study population of 323 patients.

RESULTS

An association between sublingual varices and hypertension was found (OR = 2.25, p < 0.002). Mean systolic blood pressure was 123 and 132 mmHg in patients with grade 0 and grade 1 sublingual varices, respectively (p < 0.0001, CI 95 %). Mean diastolic blood pressure was 80 and 83 mmHg in patients with grade 0 and grade 1 sublingual varices, respectively (p < 0.005, CI 95 %). Sublingual varices indicate hypertension with a positive predictive value of 0.5 and a negative predictive value of 0.80.

CONCLUSIONS

An association was found between sublingual varices and hypertension. Examining the lateral borders of the tongue is easily done, causes no harm and could be a valuable method for the dental profession to take active part in preventive healthcare.