Browsing by Author "S. Savitha Priyadarsini"

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Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Laser Therapy and Behavioral Counseling in Tobacco Cessation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
(Kerman University of Medical Sciences, 2025) Zainab Akram; Puvvadi G. Naveen Kumar; Mahesh R. Khairnar; Jadhav Sachin Kumar; Jyotsna Kailashiya; S. Savitha Priyadarsini; Alka Singh
Background: Laser auricular acupuncture is a form of therapy that is non-invasive, aseptic, and painless, thus advantageous over the traditional form of acupuncture for tobacco cessation. The objective of the study is to evaluate and compare nicotine dependence, urinary cotinine level, physical effects, and quit rate among tobacco chewers before and one month after laser therapy and behavioral counseling, and to evaluate and compare extrinsic stains one month post-intervention. Methods: The present study was a randomized controlled trial, with laser therapy and behavioral counseling as the test and control interventions, respectively. The laser was focused on both ears once a week for four weeks. Counseling sessions were held once a week for four weeks. Nicotine dependence, urinary cotinine level, physical effects, as measured using the Visual Analog Scale, and quit rate were recorded before and after the intervention. Results: The results showed significant reductions in nicotine dependence in both laser and counseling groups post-intervention (P < 0.001). Urinary cotinine levels increased significantly in the counseling group post-intervention (P = 0.010). Inter-group comparison revealed significant differences in pre-and post-intervention cotinine levels (P < 0.05). Adjusted analysis confirmed significant post-intervention differences between the groups (P = 0.048). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that combining laser auricular acupuncture therapy with behavioral counseling yields superior outcomes for smokeless tobacco cessation compared to behavioral counseling alone. The combined approach results in greater reductions in nicotine dependence, lower urinary cotinine levels, slightly higher quit rates, and significant improvements in various physical effects associated with tobacco use. © 2025 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.
Effect of Laser Auricular Acupuncture in Tobacco Smoking Cessation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
(Mary Ann Liebert Inc., 2024) Zainab Akram; Mahesh R. Khairnar; P.G. Naveen Kumar; Sachin Kumar Jadhav; Ananta Kusumakar; S. Savitha Priyadarsini
Introduction: This study explores laser auricular acupuncture as a potential solution for nicotine dependence, comparing it to conventional counseling. With a death every 6.5 s due to tobacco, the systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of laser acupuncture versus counseling or placebo, offering insights into innovative strategies for combating tobacco addiction. Methods: A systematic search across scientific databases yielded 2537 articles (2000–2021), reduced to 1294 after deduplication. Abstract screening narrowed it down to eight articles; after a full-text assessment based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, four were selected. Inter-rater reliability between coders (Z.A., M.R.K.) was strong at each screening stage, with perfect agreement at the full text (j = 1.0), abstract (j = 0.99), and title (j = 0.89) stages, all with a 95% confidence interval. Results: In the meta-analysis of two studies on post-intervention nicotine dependence using the Fagerstrom scale, the laser group showed significantly lower scores (p = 0.002, mean difference = -0.60). Examining subjects who failed to quit smoking immediately after therapy, the laser group had 53.8% continuation compared to 83.0% in the comparison group (non-significant difference). At the 3-month mark, the continuation rates were 60.8% for the laser group and 86.6% for the comparison group (non-significant difference). Conclusion: Potential superiority of laser auricular acupuncture over behavioral counseling in tobacco cessation, with reported safety. However, the limited trials and sample size warrant cautious interpretation. Laser therapy emerges as a promising modality, but further extensive trials, especially in combination with other interventions, are crucial to solidify its efficacy in facilitating successful tobacco cessation. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Salivary alpha amylase as a diagnostic biomarker for dental caries – A systematic review and meta analysis
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) S. Savitha Priyadarsini; Puvvadi G. Naveen Kumar; Mahesh R. Khairnar; Zainab Akram; Ridhi Ghodela; Jadhav Sachin Kumar; Neha Shukla
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between the dental caries and the level of salivary alpha amylase activity among caries active and caries free individuals. Design: This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024518973). A comprehensive search across various research databases until January 31, 2024 yielded 1031 articles, where multiple screening ultimately narrowed it to 13 articles. Appropriate cross sectional studies comparing caries active (CA), caries free (CF) group and evaluating their level of salivary alpha amylase activity were included. Results: The meta-analysis was performed on all 13 included studies utilizing a random effects model and two sub group analysis were performed where studies with salivary alpha amylase activity estimated using spectrophotometer and autoanalyzer were analyzed separately among caries active and caries free group. The pooled data reveals that the salivary alpha amylase activity was significantly higher (p = 0.005) in caries active group compared to caries free group with a standardized mean difference of 1.30. Conclusion: This review indicated the differences in the salivary alpha amylase activity among caries active and caries free individuals which could aid in identifying individuals susceptible to dental caries thereby offering new insights for preventive dentistry by assessing their caries risk, enabling tailored preventive strategies. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd