Mandibular response after rapid maxillary expansion in class II growing patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background

The aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the sagittal mandibular response induced by rapid maxillary expansion (RME) therapy in mixed dentition patients with class II malocclusion, comparing the effects of bonded RME and banded RME with a matched untreated class II control group.

Methods

This RCT was designed in parallel with an allocation ratio of 1:1:1. The sample consisted of 30 children with a mean age of 8.1 ± 0.6 years who were randomly assigned to three groups: group 1 treated with bonded RME, group 2 treated with banded RME, and group 3 the untreated control group. All patients met the following inclusion criteria: early mixed dentition, class II molar relationship, transverse discrepancy ≥ 4 mm, overjet ≥ 5 mm, and prepubertal skeletal maturity stage (CS1–CS2). The expansion screw was activated one quarter of a turn per day (0.25 mm) until overcorrection was reached. For each subject, lateral cephalograms and plaster casts were obtained before treatment (T1) and after 1 year (T2). A randomization list was created for the group assignment, with an allocation ratio of 1:1:1. The observer who performed all the measurements was blinded to group assignment. The study was single-blinded in regard to statistical analysis.

Results

RME was effective in the correction of maxillary deficiency. Class II patients treated with both types of RME showed no significant improvement of the anteroposterior relationship of the maxilla and the mandible at both skeletal and occlusal levels. The acrylic splint RME had significant effects on reducing the skeletal vertical dimension and the gonial angle.

Conclusions

The orthopedic expansion did not affect the sagittal relationship of class II patients treated in the early mixed dentition when compared with the untreated control group. Additional studies with a larger sample are warranted to elucidate individual variations in dento-skeletal mandibular response to the maxillary expansion protocol in class-II-growing patients.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.govNCT03159962.

Maxillary dentoskeletal changes 1-year after adenotonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE

To measure the maxillary dentoskeletal and soft tissue changes of severely obstructed mouth breathing (MB) young children who had their mode of breathing normalized after adenotonsillectomy (T&A), in comparison with a matched group of severely obstructed untreated MB children (CG).

METHODS

Seventy patients who had an Ear, Nose, and Throat examination (ENT), including flexible nasal endoscopy, to confirm the severe obstruction of the upper airways and the indication of T&A composed the sample. Cephalograms and dental casts were available from the patient's orthodontic records. Treatment group (TG) and CG included 35 children each. Groups were matched by gender (24 males and 11 females in each group), age (TG, 6.7 ± 1.8 years; CG, 6.9 ± 2.3 years), tooth development (TG, 13 primary dentition, 22 mixed dentition; CG, 14 primary dentition, 21 mixed dentition), and skeletal maturation status. Records were taken at baseline (T0) and 1-year after T&A (T1) for TG; while CG records were taken with a 1-year interval. Dentoskeletal measurements were performed in the lateral cephalograms, and dental casts were used to assess the palatal volume and occlusal changes.

RESULTS

TG showed a significant increase (503.3 mm(3), P < 0.001) in the palatal volume (10% of change), while CG palatal volume was stable. No dimensional occlusal changes were detected between T0 and T1 in both groups. Significant downward (point A, 2.1 mm; ANS, 2.1 mm) and forward displacements (point A, 0.7 mm; ANS, 1 mm) of the anterior region of the maxilla were observed in the TG, but CG presented only significant downward displacement (point A, 1.8 mm; ANS, 1.4 mm). The maxillary posterior region (PNS, PTM, and Molar) displaced downward in both groups (P < 0.05), however no sagittal change was found. The palatal plane inclination was stable in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

TG presented significant increase in the palatal volume and in the forward displacement of the maxilla. No other significant maxillary dentoskeletal changes were found.

Somatopause: state of the art

Aging is associated with decay in the somatotroph axis, that has been considered to cause many of the catabolic sequelae of normal aging. The physiological changes that the human body undergoes during aging are similar to those observed in GH deficiency (GHD). Changes of aging are represented by increased fat mass, increased cardiovascular risk, reduced muscle mass, reduced exercise tolerance, decreased strength and impaired quality of life. Some authors conjecture that the elderly could be GH deficient and would benefit from GH treatment. However, the endocrine pattern of aging is distinct from the decrease of GH/IGF-I levels associated with hypopituitarism, although there is not sufficient evidence for a clear therapeutic role of GH treatment during somatopause. So, further studies are needed to evaluate the real benefit of somatotropic treatment in aging. This review is focused on the effects of the somatopause and summarize the potentials for a therapeutic role of the recombinant human GH (rhGH) or of GH secretagogues in aging.

Mutational analysis of GNAS1 in patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism: identification of two novel mutations

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) refers to two major variants that generally coexist in the same family, PHP type Ia (PHP Ia), in which both PTH resistance and a constellation of physical features, termed Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO), are present, and pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP), in which AHO occurs without PTH resistance. Most patients with PHP Ia show a partial deficiency (50%) of Gs activity, due to loss of function mutations in Gsalpha gene (GNAS1). The present study reports clinical, biochemical, and molecular data of 8 unrelated families with PHP Ia and PPHP. The 13 exons of GNAS1 were screened for mutations by PCR and direct sequencing of the amplified products. We detected heterozygous mutations in the affected members of the 4 families in which PHP Ia was present. In 2 families 2 previously reported deletions in exons 5 and 7 were found, whereas in the other 2 families, 2 novel frameshift deletions were identified in exons 1 and 11, causing a premature stop codon in the mutant allele. No mutation was detected in the families in which PPHP was the only clinical manifestation. In conclusion, we report the first mutational analysis of Italian patients with PHP Ia and PPHP, and we describe two novel deletions in GNAS1. Furthermore, we confirm that these mutations cannot be detected in families with isolated PPHP, suggesting that these forms of AHO are genetically distinct from PHP Ia.

17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency as a model to study enzymatic activity regulation: role of phosphorylation

Cytochrome P450 17alpha-hydroxylase (CYP17) is a single gene-encoded protein with two activities: 17alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase. The two catalytic activities are differentially regulated in health and disease. We took advantage of naturally occurring human mutations to understand the molecular bases of this differential regulation. We identified eight novel mutations in the CYP17 gene, different in nature and spread throughout the gene. As posttranslational modifications appear to be important for activity control, we investigated the phosphorylation state of wild-type and mutant CYP17 proteins. Although phospholabeled protein was seen when the wild-type and most mutant proteins were expressed, no phosphorylation was detected for the F417C mutant. F417C is the only 17,20-lyase deficiency case confirmed at the molecular level and represents the first phosphorylation CYP17-deficient mutant. In search of the physiological agents involved in this process, the effect of cAMP was tested on activity and phosphorylation state of our mutant CYP17 proteins. cAMP stimulates activity and phosphorylation in all cases, except in the F417C and R35L mutants. The lack of response to the physiological second messenger might explain the different phenotypes. The F417C mutant protein, which is already shown to be associated with the lack of electron transfer, provides for the first time a link between the electron transfer system and the phosphorylation state of the CYP17 enzyme in the control of 17,20-lyase activity.

Lack of effects of recombinant human growth hormone in a child with a complex cardiovascular malformation and dilated cardiomyopathy

Recent studies have suggested the beneficial effects of GH treatment in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. We have treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) a 6-year-old female with a complex congenital heart defect (severe tricuspid hypoplasia and malposition of the great arteries), who developed a progressive dilated cardiomyopathy of unknown etiology. rhGH treatment (0,1 U/kg/day, for 3 months) did not improve cardiac function, nor clinical symptoms, although we have no clear explanations for this. However, a trial with rhGH may be offered to children with dilated cardiomyopathy and waiting for heart transplantation.

Point mutations in Italian patients with classic, non-classic, and cryptic forms of steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Seventy-three Italian patients affected by steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency were studied by a PCR-allele-specific oligonucleotide protocol in order to evaluate the presence of eight known point mutations. The majority of chromosomes were found to carry point gene conversions normally present in the pseudogene. Within the classic form, the most common mutations were the splicing mutation A/C-655 to G in intron 2 (34.2%), the nonsense mutation C-1993 to T in exon 8 (10.8%), and the missense mutation T-999 to A in exon 4 (10%). Within the non-classic form, the missense mutation G-1683 to T was the most common (57.7%). Other mutations were either absent, such as the three clustered missense mutations T-1380, T-1383, T-1389 to A in exon 6, or very rare, like the 1761 + T in exon 7 and the C-2108 to T in exon 8. Family genotyping revealed the presence of ten asymptomatic parents carrying mutations in both chromosomes, thus identifying the gene defect in cryptic subjects. Interestingly, the same mutations were found in both symptomatic and asymptomatic forms.

[Endocrinologic problems of the male adolescent]

The male adolescent may present several endocrinological problems, the most frequent of which is the retardation or absence of puberty due to constitutional delay of growth and development. This form does not require therapy and must be distinguished from other forms of hypogonadism (primitive or secondary) by endocrine tests (LHRH test, nightly pulses LH secretion, plasmatic basal level of testosterone and after HCG, cerebral NMR). Hypogonadism treatment consists of replacement therapy with testosterone or testes stimulation with HCG or LHRH. Another frequent disease is gynecomastia, usually due to physiological enlargement of mammary gland during pubertal development, sometimes it may be secondary to hypogonadism, tumors, liver function abnormalities. Severe or psychologically disturbing gynecomastia can be corrected by reductive mammoplasty. Very often, adolescents may present diseases related to incorrect food habits. Obesity is common and anorexia is becoming an important problem also in males.

CAG triplet analysis in families with androgen insensitivity syndrome by capillary electrophoresis in polymer networks

The potential use of capillary zone electrophoresis in polymer networks (linear polymers above the entanglement threshold, added to the background electrolyte for sieving purposes) for analysis of DNA fragments amplified by a polymerase chain reaction, is shown. In typical runs, the capillary is filled with Tris-borate-EDTA buffer, at pH 8.3, containing 6% linear polyacrylamide as a dynamic sieving matrix. Such formulations allow replenishing the capillary with fresh sieving solution when resolution decays after prolonged use (typically > 30 injections per capillary are obtained). The DNA fragments are detected by their intrinsic absorbance at 254 nm. This system has been applied to the analysis of CAG triplet polymorphism in families carrying the androgen insensitivity syndrome. While easy separation is obtained for fragments 139 base pairs (bp) and 160 bp (in families carrying a difference of 7 CAG repeats) even more difficult cases (such as those of families exhibiting fragments of 136 and 139 bp, thus differing by only one CAG repeat) are resolved with precision and diagnostic value.

[Endocrinological problems in male adolescents]

The male adolescent may present several endocrinological problems, the most frequent of which is the retardation or absence of puberty due to constitutional delay of growth and development. This form does not require therapy and must be distinguished from other forms of hypogonadism (primitive or secondary) by endocrine tests (LHRH test, nightly pulses LH secretion, plasmatic basal level of testosterone and after HCG, cerebral NMR). Hypogonadism treatment consists of replacement therapy with testosterone or testes stimulation with HCG or LHRH. Another frequent disease is gynecomastia, usually due to physiological enlargement of mammary gland during pubertal development, sometimes it may be secondary to hypogonadism, tumors, liver function abnormalities. Severe or psychologically disturbing gynecomastia can be corrected by reductive mammoplasty. Very often, adolescents may present diseases related to incorrect food habits. Obesity is common and anorexia is becoming an important problem also in males.

[Growth and puberal development in males with adreno-genital syndrome]

Growth patterns of eleven male subjects affected by congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21 hydroxylase deficiency were studied and correlation with treatment was evaluated. All patients had completed their growth and were divided into two groups according to the age of diagnosis; group A: treated before 6 months of age (5 patients), group B: treated after 3 years of age (6 patients). Besides the pattern of growth, mean parental age, genetic target, onset and completion of puberty were considered. Regardless of the age at diagnosis, the patients of both groups had an anticipated and stunted final height vs. general population, but correlated with mean parental height. In all patients pubertal spurt failed and height velocity slowed down after twelve years of age. We conclude that pattern of growth of patients with CAH is deeply influenced by genetic and constitutional factors and by negative effects of glucocorticoid therapy. Actually an excellent glucocorticoid treatment of CAH is not available as yet and careful clinical and laboratory evaluations are necessary to minimize negative influences on growth.