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Radicular cyst is the most common cyst of the oral cavity.The radicular cyst is an inflammatory cyst associated with the root apex of a non-vital tooth. The cyst may cause displacement of surrounding structures. These cysts often get infected due to chronic infection. In the posterior part of the maxilla, a massive radicular cyst can displace the floor of maxillary sinus.Careful diagnosis is very important in such situations so that exact origin of the pathology is determined correctly. Panoramic radiographs and CT scans arevaluable tools for achieving correct diagnosis. The purpose of this article was to report the case of an infected large radicular cyst that had displaced the floor of the maxillary sinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) imposes significant clinical and economic burdens. We aimed to characterize practice patterns for patients with IBS in a large health maintenance organization, analyzing point of diagnosis, testing, comorbidities, and treatment. Methods: Members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California who were diagnosed with IBS were matched to controls by age, sex, and period of enrollment. We compared rates of testing, comorbidities, and interventions. Results: From 1995–2005, IBS was diagnosed in 141,295 patients (mean age, 46 years; standard deviation, 17 years; 74% female). Internists made 68% of diagnoses, gastroenterologists 13%, and others 19%. Lower endoscopy did not usually precede IBS diagnosis. Patients with IBS were more likely than controls to have blood, stool, endoscopic, and radiologic tests and to undergo abdominal or pelvic operations (odds ratios, 1.5–10.7; all P < .0001). Only 2.7% were tested for celiac disease, and only 1.8% were eventually diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. Chronic pain syndromes, anxiety, and depression were more common among IBS patients than among controls (odds ratios, 2.7–4.6; all P < .0001). Many patients with IBS were treated with anxiolytics (61%) and antidepressants (55%). Endoscopic and radiologic testing was most strongly associated with having IBS diagnosed by a gastroenterologist. Psychotropic medication use was most strongly associated with female sex. Conclusions: In a large, managed care cohort, most diagnoses of IBS were made by generalists, often without endoscopic evaluation. Patients with IBS had consistently higher rates of testing, chronic pain syndromes, psychiatric comorbidity, and operations than controls. Most patients with IBS were treated with psychiatric medications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and Aim: Intestinal and extra-intestinal complications are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but their exact incidence is not well known. In order to improve our understanding of their incidence and impact, we assessed the complications associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in a population-based study in Medicaid patients.Methods: We utilized a retrospective cohort design and identified cases of UC and CD using Medi-Cal, the Medicaid program for the State of California. The disease cohort was age- and gender-matched to four controls each and the intestinal and extra-intestinal complications of CD and UC (analyzed separately) were studied over a period of 5 years following the initial diagnosis.Results: For UC, the total number of intestinal complications, per 100 cases, was 92 observed compared to 21 expected; the total number of extra-intestinal complications was 42 observed compared to 30 expected. For CD, the number of intestinal complications was 81 observed compared to 20 expected and for extra-intestinal complications, 37 observed compared to 26 expected (all p < 0.001). For both UC and CD, bleeding was the most frequently seen intestinal complication, while the most common extra-intestinal complication was osteoporosis.Conclusions: IBD is associated with several intestinal and extra-intestinal complications of variable incidence and risk. Success of therapeutic regimens should be measured by decreases in incidence, risks, and costs of these complications, in addition to the usual impact on disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on mostly veterans found the majority of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients were not treated. Little information exists on a broad-based population.Aims: To determine the national trend of ambulatory visits with a diagnosis of hepatitis C and the prescription of antiviral therapy associated with such visits.Methods: Retrospective analysis of national cross-sectional databases, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) encompassing all ambulatory visits from 2000 to 2006.Results: During the study period, 16.5 million visits (0.21% of all visits) carried a diagnosis of hepatitis C and the number initially increased. Characteristics of the hepatitis C patients were: 65% male; 71% white, 22% black; 69% >or=45 years old. Overall, 47% had private insurance, 24% had Medicaid, and 12% had Medicare. Only 9.1% of these patients were prescribed antiviral treatment for CHC. There was no significant difference between those who received treatment and those who did not in terms of age, gender, race, and insurance status. HIV infection, mood, substance-use disorders, and anemia were more common in the CHC group.Conclusions: Less than 10% of the ambulatory visits for hepatitis C were associated with a prescription for antiviral therapy, independent of demographic and insurance status. Purposes of the clinic visits were different in the CHC group compared to the general population. The reason for the low treatment rate is not clear but deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservative calculations estimate that approximately 107,000 patients are hospitalized annually for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related gastrointestinal (GI) complications and at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone. The figures for all NSAID users would be overwhelming, yet the scope of this problem is generally under-appreciated. The Arthritis, Rheumatism, and Aging Medical Information System (ARAMIS) Post-Marketing Surveillance Program (PMS) has prospectively followed patient status and outcomes, drug side effects, and the economic impact of illness for >11,000 arthritis patients at 8 participating institutions in the United States and Canada. Analysis of these data indicates that: (1) osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are 2.5-5.5 times more likely than the general population to be hospitalized for NSAID-related GI events; (2) the absolute risk for serious NSAID-related GI toxicity remains constant and the cumulative risk increases over time; (3) there are no reliable warning signals- >80% of patients with serious GI complications had no prior GI symptoms; (4) independent risk factors for serious GI events were age, prednisone use, NSAID dose, disability level, and previous NSAID-induced GI symptoms; and (5) antacids and H2 antagonists do not prevent NSAID-induced gastric ulcers, and high-risk NSAID users who take gastro-protective drugs are more likely to have serious GI complications than patients not taking such medications. Currently, limiting NSAID use is the only way to decrease the risk of NSAID-related GI events. Ongoing ARAMIS research is aimed at developing a simple point-score system for estimating individual risks of developing serious NSAID-related GI complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor published in the July 2005 issue of the periodical "American Geriatrics Society", about treatment persistency with rivastigmine and donepezil in a state Medicaid program.