IL-1 in gingival crevicular fluid following closed root planing and papillary flap debridement

Interleukin (IL)-1 alpha and beta are cytokines which can mediate inflammatory, bone resorbing, and reparative effects in the periodontium, but few longitudinal data exist exploring their role following periodontal therapy. This study examined gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) concentrations of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta at sites with shallow sulci (SS) or inflamed moderate/advanced pockets (M/AP) before and 6 months after treatment with closed scaling/root planing (SC/RP) or papillary flap debridement (PFD), all in the same subject (n = 14 patients). No significant differences were noted in IL-1 alpha or beta concentrations (determined with two-site enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) between SS and M/AP sites at baseline. While both therapies improved clinical parameters of periodontal disease, IL-1 alpha concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05) in M/AP-PFD sites 6 months after treatment, but were unchanged in other groups. IL-1 beta concentrations were numerically lower after therapy, except for a significant increase (p < 0.05) in M/AP-PFD sites. These data suggest that surgical wound healing in an inflamed, plaque-infected site (M/AP-PFD) results in prolonged production of IL-1, which may be a reflection of the extent of tissue trauma and delayed wound healing. In spite of increased IL-1 levels, these sites demonstrated significant short-term improvement in clinical attachment level (+ 1.8 mm, p < or = 0.001) postoperatively.     

Validation of the Lifestress Inventory for people with a mild intellectual disability

The Subjective Stress Scale (SSS; Bramston & Bostock, 1994) was developed to measure stress in people with a mild intellectual disability. In previous research, the SSS was found to measure two broad dimensions of stress (a) a General Worry factor and (b) a factor that tapped concerns about Negative Interpersonal Relations (Bramston & Fogarty, 1995). The present study sought to continue this line of research by introducing a slightly modified form of the SSS, to be known as the Lifestress Inventory (LI) and examining the psychometric properties of the scale when administered to a new sample of 221 people with mild intellectual disabilities. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that three underlying factors corresponding to General Worry, Negative Interpersonal Relations, and Coping were sufficient to account for the correlations among the items in the LI. Rasch analysis indicated some improvements to the scoring format for the LI and also showed that the most easily experienced stressors were associated with the Negative Interpersonal Relations dimension. The refinements introduced by the LI and the further demonstration that some of the broad stress dimensions identified in the general population can also be found in people with an intellectual disability represent important milestones for researchers interested in exploring reactions to stress among this population.     

Two studies of the long-term follow-up of minimal therapist contact treatments of vascular and tension headache.

Tension and vascular headache patients, initially treated with biofeedback and/or relaxation training in either a minimal therapist contact protocol (3 visits) or an intensive individual protocol (10 or 16 visits) were followed-up prospectively for 2 years. In the first study, for the first 6 months of follow-up, half of all patients continued to keep headache diaries and were seen monthly and the other half had only minimal contact. The results at 1-year follow-up, based on 4 weeks of daily headache diaries, revealed equally good maintenance from both treatment protocols and from both follow-up conditions. In Study 2, we found that patients remained improved over pretreatment baseline levels at the 2-year follow-up regardless of initial treatment intensity. Approximately three quarters of vascular patients who were initially improved at posttreatment remained improved at 2 years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

L'impact des sympt?mes somatiques dans l'évaluation de la dépression chez une population gériatrique.

Studied the relationship among age, physical health status, and psychic and somatic symptoms of depression among elderly adults. Human Ss: 318 male and female Canadian older adults (aged 65–102 yrs). Information on sociodemographic factors and health status was obtained using the Older American Research Scale, French version, by R. Lefran?ois et al (1988). A French version by P. Bourque and D. Beaudette (1982) of the Beck Depression Inventory was also used. The results were evaluated according to each S's sex, age, institutionalized residence status, and health status. Statistical tests were used. (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)