Third Visit (third + visit)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The periodontal abscess (II).

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 6 2000
Short-term clinical, microbiological efficacy of 2 systemic antibiotic regimes
Background/aims: The aim of this short-term open parallel longitudinal clinical study was to compare the clinical and microbiological efficacy of 2 different antibiotic regimes in the treatment of acute periodontal abscesses. Method: After patient selection, a clinical examination was carried out recording the following variables: pain, edema, redness, swelling, bleeding on probing, suppuration, tooth mobility, lymphadenopathy, and probing pocket depth. Microbiological samples were taken from the lesion and the patient was randomly assigned to one of two antibiotic regimes: azithromycin or amoxicillin/clavulanate. Clinical variables were recorded, and microbiological samples were taken, at 3,5 days, 10,12 days and 30 days. Additional mechanical treatment (debridement and scaling) was performed in the third visit (10,12 days). Blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and after 10,12 days. Microbiological samples were processed by anaerobic culturing, and isolated periodontal pathogens were tested for antibiotic susceptibility by means of the spiral gradient endpoint methodology. Results: 15 patients took azithromycin, and 14 amoxicillin/clavulanate. Subjective clinical variables demonstrated statistically significant improvements with both antibiotic regimes, which lasted for at least 1 month (p<0.01). Objective clinical variables also showed clear improvements, being statistically significant after 30 days with probing pocket depth in the azithromycin group (p<0.01). Microbiologically, short-term reductions were detected with both antibiotics, however fast recolonization occurred after the third visit. No significant differences were found between both treatment regimes. Antibiotic susceptibilities demonstrated no resistances for amoxicillin/clavulanate, while 2,3 strains of each studied pathogen were resistant to azithromycin. Conclusions: However, both antibiotic regimes were effective in the short-term treatment of periodontal abscesses in periodontitis patients. [source]


Comparison of the 308-nm excimer laser and a 308-nm excimer lamp with 311-nm narrowband ultraviolet B in the treatment of psoriasis

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
K. Köllner
Summary Background, Psoriasis is a chronic, genetically determined inflammatory disease, characterized by an immunomediated pathogenesis, which affects approximately 1,3% of the population. Various modalities have been used for psoriasis treatment, including ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Narrowband UVB (311 nm) phototherapy is a well-established, widely used and highly efficient treatment for psoriasis, but a big disadvantage is that large areas of unaffected skin are irradiated along with the psoriatic lesions. Objectives, This investigation evaluates a 308-nm excimer laser and a 308-nm excimer lamp in comparison with 311-nm narrowband UVB in the treatment of patch psoriasis by using two different dose-increase schemes. Materials and methods, Fifteen patients with plaque psoriasis were enrolled in the study (first regime). Three different psoriatic lesions were treated with the 308-nm excimer laser, the 308-nm excimer lamp or 311-nm narrowband UVB three times per week. UVB doses were increased slowly and stepwise (1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, ,multiple MEDs). Sixteen patients were enrolled in the second regime. Two plaques were treated with the 308-nm excimer laser or with the 308-nm lamp with an accelerated scheme (2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 6, ,multiple MEDs) three times per week. We increased the UVB doses every second treatment (first and second regime) during the whole treatment. If blistering occurred, the blistered plaque was not treated on the next scheduled treatment. At every third visit and 1, 2 and 4 months after the last treatment a Psoriasis Severity Index (PSI) score was assigned in both regimes. Results, Using Friedman analysis, the PSI scores did not show a statistically significant difference (P > 0·05) comparing 308-nm laser therapy, 308-nm lamp therapy and 311-nm narrowband therapy after 10 weeks in the first regime. The mean number of treatments to achieve clearance was 24. With the accelerated scheme, clearance could be achieved with fewer treatments and with half the cumulative dose of the first regime. Nevertheless, the side-effects such as blistering and crusting were also increased. Conclusions, Both 308-nm light sources can clear patch psoriasis in a similar manner to standard phototherapy, with the advantage of the ability to treat exclusively the affected skin and with a reduced cumulative dose, thus perhaps reducing the long-term risk of carcinogenicity. [source]


Repeated measures of macular pigment optical density to test reproducibility of heterochromatic flicker photometry

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2 2010
Stefan Hagen
Abstract. Purpose:, To report the reproducibility of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) values assessed with heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) in healthy individuals. Methods:, Twenty-four volunteers from our department underwent MPOD testing of both eyes by flicker photometry on three separate occasions. To test reproducibility of MPOD, the coefficient of variance was calculated separately for right and left eyes. In addition, we investigated MPOD averages of right and left eyes and interocular correlations (Pearson's r) at every visit. Results:, The mean MPODs at the first visit were 0.61 ± 0.24 and 0.72 ± 0.27 in right and left eyes, respectively. Mean values of 0.58 ± 0.29 and 0.60 ± 0.21 (second visit) and 0.62 ± 0.27 and 0.63 ± 0.24 (third visit) were assessed for right and left eyes, respectively. Differences of the mean values between eyes were not significant. Correlations were weak at visits one and two (r = 0.49, p < 0.014 and r = 0.43, p < 0.038, respectively) and moderate at visit three (r = 0.58, p < 0.003). The coefficients of variance were 36.1% and 23% for right and left eyes, respectively. Conclusion:, Our mean MPODs are higher and the interocular correlations weaker compared to the literature. The coefficient of variance in both eyes is high and does not imply good reproducibility of obtained MPOD values. [source]


Stimulus size and the variability of the threshold response in the central and peripheral visual field

OPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 6 2002
L. S. Kim
Purpose:, The investigation of the peripheral visual field has shown considerable interest for the investigation of field loss attributed to anticonvulsant therapy. The purpose was to determine the within-visit between-subject, the between-visit between-subject, and the between-location variability of the threshold response in the normal eye with increase in stimulus eccentricity out to 60° as a function of stimulus size. Methods:, Forty-eight normal subjects attended for a total of three visits (mean age = 49.5 years, SD = 18.9, range 22,84 years). At the first visit, one randomly assigned eye of each subject was examined with the Humphrey Field Analyzer 750 (Carl Zeiss, Jena, Germany) and the Full Threshold algorithm using Programs 30,2 and 60,4 and stimulus sizes III and V. The combination of stimulus size and of program, and the order of the combination within- and between-sessions, were randomized for each subject. The results of the first visit were considered as a familiarization period and were discarded. The protocol at the second and third visits was identical to that at the first visit for each subject. Results:, The ratio of the SD of the group mean sensitivity was determined at each stimulus location for stimulus size III compared with stimulus size V for Programs 30,2 and 60,4 at visit 3. The SDs were greater than unity for Program 30,2 (p < 0.0001) and for Program 60,4 (p < 0.0001) indicating greater variability for the size III stimulus. The SDs were also greater than unity for the central inner zone (p < 0.0001), central outer zone (p < 0.0001) and peripheral inner zone (p < 0.0001). The ratios in the peripheral outer zone were not quite greater than unity (p = 0.054). The ratios increased with increase in eccentricity by up to 2.7 times between 15° and 30° eccentricity and by up to 2.7 times between 30° and 60° eccentricity. The group mean ratio did not vary significantly between the two visits for Program 30,2 stimulus size III (p = 0.563), Program 60,4 stimulus size III (p = 0.935) and for Program 60,4 stimulus size V (p = 0.005). However, the group mean SD was lower at visit 3 compared with visit 2 for Program 30,2 stimulus size V (p = 0.0004). The SDs associated with the extreme peripheral locations in the superior and nasal fields were smaller for stimulus size III because the threshold was frequently attenuated by lid and facial contour. Conclusions:, Considerably narrower confidence limits for normality for the peripheral regions of Program 30,2 and for 60,4 are demonstrated with the use of Goldmann size V. [source]