Clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with oral health-related quality of life in survivors of head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND

Factors related to head and neck cancer and the treatment of the disease can affect quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with the severity of impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in survivors of head and neck cancer using a multivariate analysis.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study evaluated 90 volunteers who had completed radiotherapy at least 3 months earlier. OHRQoL was assessed using oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) and the data were analyzed using robust variance poisson regression models.

RESULTS

The mean total OHIP-14 score was 23.98 ± 12.55. Patients with hyposalivation had 56% higher (worse) mean OHIP-14 total scores (CI:1.11-2.18) and patients with advanced stage tumors had 31% higher mean OHIP-14 total scores (CI:1.03-1.66) in multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSION

OHRQoL of survivors of head and neck cancer experienced a negative impact following radiotherapy. The impact was associated with hyposalivation and advanced stage tumors.

Nanofibrous antibiotic-eluting matrices: Biocompatibility studies in a rat model

This study evaluated the biocompatibility of degradable polydioxanone (PDS) electrospun drug delivery systems (hereafter referred as matrices) containing metronidazole (MET) or ciprofloxacin (CIP) after subcutaneous implantation in rats. Sixty adult male rats were randomized into six groups: SHAM (sham surgery); PDS (antibiotic-free matrix); 1MET (one 25 wt% MET matrix); 1CIP (one 25 wt% CIP matrix); 2MET (two 25 wt% MET matrices); and 2CIP (two 25 wt% CIP matrices). At 3 and 30 days, animals were assessed for inflammatory cell response (ICR), collagen fibers degradation, and oxidative profile (reactive oxygen species [ROS]; lipid peroxidation [LP]; and protein carbonyl [PC]). At 3 days, percentages of no/discrete ICR were 100, 93.3, 86.7, 76.7, 50, and 66.6 for SHAM, PDS, 1MET, 1CIP, 2MET, and 2CIP, respectively. At 30 days, percentages of no/discrete ICR were 100% for SHAM, PDS, 1MET, and 1CIP and 93.3% for 2MET and 2CIP. Between 3 and 30 days, SHAM, 1CIP, and 2CIP produced collagen, while 1MET and 2MET were unchanged. At 30 days, the collagen fiber means percentages for SHAM, PDS, 1MET, 1CIP, 2MET, and 2CIP were 63.7, 60.7, 56.6, 62.6, 51.8, and 61.7, respectively. Antibiotic-eluting matrices showed similar or better oxidative behavior when compared to PDS, except for CIP-eluting matrices, which showed higher levels of PC compared to SHAM or PDS at 30 days. Collectively, our findings indicate that antibiotic-eluting matrices may be an attractive biocompatible drug delivery system to fight periodontopathogens. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B, 2019.

Role of the adjunctive antimicrobial photodynamic therapy to periodontal treatment at plasmatic oxidative stress and vascular behavior

BACKGROUND

To evaluate for the first time in vivo the effects of methylene blue (MB) photosensitizer dissolved in ethanol in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as adjuvant periodontal treatment, at plasmatic oxidative stress and vascular behavior in rat model.

METHODS

Wistar rats were divided into negative control (NC, no periodontitis) and positive control (PC, with periodontitis, without any treatment). The other groups had periodontitis and were treated with scaling and root planing (SRP); SRP+aPDT+MB dissolved in water (aPDT I); SRP+aPDT+MB dissolved in ethanol (aPDT II). The periodontitis was induced by ligature at the mandibular right first molar. At 7/15/30days, rats were euthanized, the plasma was used to determine oxidative stress parameters and gingival tissue for histomorphometric analysis.

RESULTS

PC showed higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels in 7/15/30days. aPDT II was able to block the lipid peroxidation, especially between 15th and 30th days. Glutathione reduced levels were consumed in PC, aPDT I and II groups throughout the experiment. aPDT II increased the vitamin C levels which were restored in this group in the 30th day. aPDT II group showed the highest number of blood vessels.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the aPDT with MB dissolved in ethanol provides better therapeutic responses in periodontitis treatment.

Neuroprotective effects of quercetin on memory and anxiogenic-like behavior in diabetic rats: Role of ectonucleotidases and acetylcholinesterase activities

The present study investigated the protective effect of quercetin (Querc) on memory, anxiety-like behavior and impairment of ectonucleotidases and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in brain of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ-diabetes). The type 1 diabetes mellitus was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 70mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ), diluted in 0.1M sodium-citrate buffer (pH 4.5). Querc was dissolved in 25% ethanol and administered by gavage at the doses of 5, 25 and 50mg/kg once a day during 40days. The animals were distributed in eight groups of ten animals as follows: vehicle, Querc 5mg/kg, Querc 25mg/kg, Querc 50mg/kg, diabetes, diabetes plus Querc 5mg/kg, diabetes plus Querc 25mg/kg and diabetes plus Querc 50mg/kg. Querc was able to prevent the impairment of memory and the anxiogenic-like behavior induced by STZ-diabetes. In addition, Querc prevents the decrease in the NTPDase and increase in the adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities in SN from cerebral cortex of STZ-diabetes. STZ-diabetes increased the AChE activity in SN from cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Querc 50mg/kg was more effective to prevent the increase in AChE activity in the brain of STZ-diabetes. Querc also prevented an increase in the malondialdehyde levels in all the brain structures. In conclusion, the present findings showed that Querc could prevent the impairment of the enzymes that regulate the purinergic and cholinergic extracellular signaling and improve the memory and anxiety-like behavior induced by STZ-diabetes.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin in functional and morphological alterations in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The aim of this study was to investigate functional and morphological alterations caused by oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and to evaluate the antioxidant effect of quercetin (QUE) in this disease. One hundred and thirty male Wistar rats, it were randomly distributed in 10 different experimental groups, with ten animals per group: Control Saline (CS), Control Ethanol (CE), Control QUE 5mg/kg (CQ5), Control QUE 25mg/kg (CQ25), Control QUE 50mg/kg (CQ50), Diabetic Saline (DS), Diabetic Ethanol (DE), Diabetic QUE 5mg/kg (DQ5), Diabetic QUE25 mg/kg (DQ25), Diabetic QUE 50mg/kg (DQ50). Therefore, hyperglycemia is directly involved in oxidative stress production, as well as in functional and morphological alterations caused by the excess of free radicals. QUE, specially at the dosage of 50mg/kg, can act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, becoming a promising adjuvant in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.