Bending moments of zirconia and titanium abutments with internal and external implant-abutment connections after aging and chewing simulation.

Objectives: To test the fracture load of zirconia abutments with different types of implant-abutment connections after chewing simulation and to compare their bending moments to internally connected identical titanium abutments.

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight identical customized zirconia abutments with different implant-abutment connections were fabricated for four different test groups: one-piece internal implant-abutment connection (BL; Straumann Bonelevel), two-piece internal implant-abutment connection (RS; Nobel Biocare Replace Select), external implant-abutment connection (B; Brånemark MK III), two-piece internal implant-abutment connection (SP; Straumann Standard Plus). Twelve titanium abutments with one-piece internal implant-abutment connection (T; Straumann Bonelevel) served as control group.

In vitro study of the influence of the type of connection on the fracture load of zirconia abutments with internal and external implant-abutment connections.

Purpose: To determine whether zirconia abutments with an internal connection exhibit similar fracture load as zirconia abutments with an external connection.

Materials And Methods: The following zirconia abutments were divided into four groups of 20 each: StraumannCARES abutments on Straumann implants (group A), Procera abutments on Branemark implants (group B), Procera abutments on NobelReplace implants (group C), and Zirabut SynOcta prototype abutments on Straumann implants (group D). The abutments were fixed on their respective implants either internally via a secondary abutment (A) or a metallic coupling (C) (two-piece) or directly externally (B) and internally (D) (one-piece).

Clinical significance of anti-protein Z antibodies in patients with lupus anticoagulant.

Introduction: Protein Z serves as cofactor for the inactivation of factor Xa by the plasma protein Z-dependent protease inhibitor. Deficiency of protein Z was reported to exhibit a clinical manifestation like lupus anticoagulant characterised by thrombosis and fetal loss. As anti-protein Z antibodies may be associated with low protein Z levels, we hypothesised that anti-protein Z antibodies might play a role in lupus anticoagulant (LA).

The angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and serum levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme in venous thromboembolism. Data from a case control study.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) has been suggested to affect blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. Results from literature on the role of the frequent insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE gene in venous thromboembolism (VTE) are controversial. Only limited data on ACE serum levels inVTE exist.

High concentrations of soluble P-selectin are associated with risk of venous thromboembolism and the P-selectin Thr715 variant.

Background: The cell adhesion molecule P-selectin has an important role in the pathophysiology of thrombosis. The effect on venous thromboembolism (VTE) of increased circulating concentrations of soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) and their association with the P-selectin variant Thr715Pro is still uncertain.

Methods: This study was a case-control study of 116 patients with confirmed recurrent VTE and at least 1 event of unprovoked deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, and 129 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals.

The clinical significance of anti-prothrombin antibodies for risk assessment of thromboembolism in patients with lupus anticoagulant.

Introduction: Thromboembolism is a common manifestation of lupus anticoagulant (LA), however only a subgroup of LA-patients is affected by thrombosis. Study objective was to investigate whether anti-prothrombin antibodies can identify LA-patients at increased risk for thrombosis.

Materials And Methods: In total 79 patients, 50 with (42 men/8 women) and 29 without thrombosis (21 men/8 women), were investigated for their presence of anti-prothrombin IgG and IgM antibodies using assays from two different manufacturers (Aeskulisa=assay I, CoaChrom=assay II).

The course of severe autoimmune thrombocytopenia in patients not undergoing splenectomy.

Background And Objectives: Splenectomy is the most effective treatment for patients with severe autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) who do not have a spontaneous or drug- induced remission. However, this treatment has some short and long term risks. There is no consensus on the indications and optimal timing of splenectomy, since it is unknown up to which time from onset of symptoms a remission can be expected without splenectomy.

Anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies are associated with pregnancy loss in women with the lupus anticoagulant.

The presence of lupus anticoagulant (LA) predisposes to fetal loss and to venous and arterial thrombosis; however, a subgroup of women is unaffected by pregnancy loss. Currently, no predictive markers are available for the identification of women positive for LA at increased risk for pregnancy loss. It was the aim of our study to investigate whether increased anti-beta2-GPI-antibodies predict pregnancy loss in women positive for LA.

Inflammation in patients with lupus anticoagulant and implications for thrombosis.

Objective: The underlying mechanism of the prothrombotic state associated with the lupus anticoagulant (LAC) has not been fully elucidated. Evidence suggests involvement of inflammation in arterial and venous thrombosis, and it may be hypothesized that subclinical inflammation aggravates the tendency to thrombosis in patients with LAC.

Methods: Levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen, and factor VIII (VIII) were measured in 38 patients with LAC and a history of thrombosis, 27 with LAC and no history of thrombosis, and 33 healthy controls.

The Fc gammaRIIa polymorphism R/H131, autoantibodies against the platelet receptors GPIb alpha and Fc gammaRIIa and a risk for thromboembolism in lupus anticoagulant patients.

There is a clear propensity of individuals with lupus anticoagulant (LA) for thromboembolic disease (TE). Yet, it is not clear how individuals at risk for TE can be differentiated from those who are not. The Fc gammaRIIa receptor is the only Fc receptor expressed by platelets.

Type 2 diabetes in patients with end-stage renal disease is not associated with further increased serum inflammatory parameters.

Background: Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is markedly increased in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and is further pronounced when diabetes mellitus is also present. As atherogenesis is mediated by inflammation of vessel walls and as evidence evolves that atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus share a common inflammatory basis, we considered whether ESRD patients with additional diabetes mellitus exhibit increased inflammation levels exceeding those of ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The study included 20 ESRD patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 16 non-diabetic ESRD patients on long-term HD.

Mortality in severe, non aggressively treated adult autoimmune thrombocytopenia.

A total of 130 consecutive patients with severe autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) who were diagnosed and treated in our institution between 1991 and 2001 were followed up. The patients were almost exclusively treated with prednisolone, immunoglobulin and/or splenectomy. The aim of the treatment was to keep the platelet count at least above 10,000 microL.