Category: Nevin Manimala

Int Ophthalmol. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1007/s10792-022-02622-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate subclinical choroidal and retinal changes in recently diagnosed pediatric hypertension (HT) patients.

METHODS: This prospective case-control study consisted of 62 treatment naive HT patients (34 essential HT and 28 renal-induced HT) and 62 control subjects aged 10-16 years. All demographic data and ocular parameters were noted. Macula and choroid measurements were acquired by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Choroidal measurements were obtained by taking the mean of the measurements taken from 3 nasal and 3 temporal locations at 500µ intervals (mean nasal, mean temporal) in addition to the subfoveal area.

RESULTS: All choroidal thickness (ChT) values in HT subjects were significantly lower than in the healthy group (p < 0.001 for all). Also, there was no statistically significant difference between central macular thickness (CMT) and mean macular thickness (MMT) between the two groups. Subfoveal ChT, mean ChT, and CMT values were statistically lower in patients with renal-induced HT compared to essential HT subjects (p < 0.001, p = 0.04, p = 0.014, respectively). No significant correlation was observed between choroidal thicknesses and blood pressure values in essential and renal HT groups except weak correlation between mean temporal ChT and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in renal HT group (r = – 0.464, p ₌ 0.013).

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that choroidal thickness decreased even during the subclinical period in treatment naive pediatric HT subjects. In addition, it has been shown that the choroid is more affected in renal-induced HT compared to essential HT group.

PMID:36626040 | DOI:10.1007/s10792-022-02622-w

Drugs Aging. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1007/s40266-022-00997-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Recently, studies have pointed to a link between coronavirus disease 2019 vaccinations and myocarditis. Myocarditis following an influenza vaccine has been sporadically reported. However, it is not known whether this adverse event occurs among elderly individuals who have received influenza vaccines. We used a population-based database and a self-controlled case-series design to estimate the incidence of myocarditis following an influenza vaccination.

METHODS: Data were extracted from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. The study population consisted of elderly people aged ≥ 65 years who had de novo myocarditis, which required hospitalization, within 6 months after receiving an influenza vaccination between 2003 and 2017. The first 1-7, 1-14, and 1-42 days after vaccination were defined as risk intervals, and the other periods were defined as control intervals. Poisson regression was used to calculate the incidence rate ratio for myocarditis between the risk and control periods.

RESULTS: Within 180 days following a vaccination, 191 people were hospitalized for myocarditis among 19,678,904 people. In comparison with control intervals, the incidence rate ratios of an admission for myocarditis for days 1-7, 1-14, and 1-42 were 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.36-1.81), 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.39-1.32), and 0.73 (95% confidence interval 0.50-1.05), respectively. Subgroup analyses by sex, age, Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, and comorbidities did not yield significant differences in the incidence rate ratio.

CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the post-vaccination time and underlying baseline characteristics, the incidence risk of myocarditis is not significantly increased in the elderly following an influenza vaccination.

PMID:36626028 | DOI:10.1007/s40266-022-00997-0

Geroscience. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1007/s11357-023-00729-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Older adults are classified into three homogeneous groups: young-old (age 65-74), old-old (age 75-84), and oldest-old (age 85 and over). Mental health symptoms are likely to change over time, especially when older adults transition from one age group to another. Yet, little is known on changes in mental health symptoms as they transition to another age group, and if these changes differ by sex. This is a secondary data analysis using the longitudinal data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. A total of 1183 young-old adults at wave 1 was included. Mental health symptoms were depression, anxiety, loneliness, perceived stress, and happiness. Multiple-group latent transition analysis was conducted to model the transition probabilities of latent classes and to compare these differences between sex. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted to obtain demographic characteristics and to test for differences. Three latent classes were identified based on severity: class 1-mild, class 2-moderate, and class 3-severe. Regardless of sex, young-old adults remained in the same class from waves 1 to 2. However, they moved to a less severe group when transitioning into the old-old from waves 2 to 3. Statistically significant differences were found in their demographic characteristics among the latent classes. Older adults, when transitioning from young-old to old-old, are likely to transition to latent classes with less severe mental health symptoms in both sex. Clinicians need to provide a comprehensive assessment to all older adults, regardless of the severity of their mental health symptoms, to promote well-being.

PMID:36626018 | DOI:10.1007/s11357-023-00729-1

Support Care Cancer. 2023 Jan 10;31(2):107. doi: 10.1007/s00520-022-07527-z.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of spiritual well-being on the perception of people who have lung cancer. The study was conducted with 100 volunteered patients with living lung cancer who were monitored and treated at a university hospital in Turkey. Patient Identification Form, Spiritual Well-Being Scale and Illness Perception Scale were used for the data collection procedure. Using SPSS 21.0 program, independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA test were performed in statistical analyses. The probability value was considered significant as p < 0.05. The mean score of Spiritual Well Being (SWB) was found 28.48 ± 7.20. The findings were as follows: (1) the patients who stated that they comply with the drug treatment had a high score, and SWB scores were found to be lower in those who thought that the disease could not be cured. (2) there was a significant positive relationship among SWB and sub-dimensions of the illness perceptions; acute-chronic duration (p = .668), personal control (p = .811), treatment control (p = .682), emotional representation (p = 0.184) 3), as the SWB mean score increases, the scores in the illness perception section increase 4; however, when the SWB score increases, the cyclic time decreases. It was concluded that the spiritual well-being of people who have lung cancer positively affects the perception of the disease. It was further suggested that spiritual well-being should be evaluated and improved within holistic care in order to ensure patients perception of disease and compliance with treatment.

PMID:36625978 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-022-07527-z

J Math Biol. 2023 Jan 10;86(2):21. doi: 10.1007/s00285-022-01855-8.

ABSTRACT

The work is devoted to a new immuno-epidemiological model with distributed recovery and death rates considered as functions of time after the infection onset. Disease transmission rate depends on the intra-subject viral load determined from the immunological submodel. The age-dependent model includes the viral load, recovery and death rates as functions of age considered as a continuous variable. Equations for susceptible, infected, recovered and dead compartments are expressed in terms of the number of newly infected cases. The analysis of the model includes the proof of the existence and uniqueness of solution. Furthermore, it is shown how the model can be reduced to age-dependent SIR or delay model under certain assumptions on recovery and death distributions. Basic reproduction number and final size of epidemic are determined for the reduced models. The model is validated with a COVID-19 case data. Modelling results show that proportion of young age groups can influence the epidemic progression since disease transmission rate for them is higher than for other age groups.

PMID:36625974 | DOI:10.1007/s00285-022-01855-8

Eur J Health Econ. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1007/s10198-022-01559-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To provide EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L French population norms based on a sample of 15,000 responders.

METHODS: Based on the National Health and Wellness Survey, an international, annual, selfadministered Internet-based survey, this study extracted data from France for 2018 involving a sample of 15,000 respondents stratified by age and gender. Responses to the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, together with sociodemographic, health behavior, and disease status variables were collected. VAS, value indexes, the level sum score, and the distribution of levels per dimension were described. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify covariates with a statistically significant effect on the five dimensions and the three scores.

RESULTS: The mean [standard deviation (SD)] VAS was 73.4 (22.2) for the entire sample (male 74.8 vs female 72.2, p < 0.0001). The Mean SD value index was 0.905 (0.158) (male 0.915 vs female 0.895, p < 0.0001). The mean SD level sum score was 7.6 (3.0) (7.4 for males vs. 7.9 for females p < 0.0001). Health state 11,111 (no problem in any dimension) represented 25.1% of all responses. “No problem” responses’ proportions were Self Care (91.3%), Usual Activities (74.2%), Mobility (72.4%), Anxiety/Depression (52.6%) and Pain/Discomfort (37.7%). Multivariate regressions revealed a significant relationship for health states, value indexes, and VAS with age, income, employment, marital status, smoking and alcohol consumption, obesity, and the presence of one or more health problems.

CONCLUSION: Based on a large sample, this study is the first to report EQ-5D-5L population norms for France.

PMID:36625971 | DOI:10.1007/s10198-022-01559-2

Clin Oral Investig. 2023 Jan 10. doi: 10.1007/s00784-023-04858-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Tooth wear causes irreversible cumulated surface loss and already occurs at a young age. Therefore, the objective of this clinical prospective observational study was to monitor the occlusal surface of a mandibular first molar in young adults for a period of 24 months. Furthermore, potential aetiological factors obtained by a questionnaire were considered.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study teeth (FDI #36 or #46) of 81 participants (mean age 22.8 ± 2.2 years) were scanned with the intraoral scanner (IOS, Trios 3, 3Shape) at the second follow-up (T2) after an observation period of 24 months. Standard-tessellation-language datasets were superimposed with baseline (T0) and T2 scans in 3D analysis software (GOM Inspect). The maximum vertical substance loss was measured between T0 and T2 at 6/7 areas (4/5 cusps and 2 ridges) of each study tooth and data compared to the already published data of the first follow-up (T1) after 12-month observation period. The morphology of tooth wear was classified into three groups: cupping (C), facet (F) and combined cupping-facet (CF). The analysis of aetiological factors, such as acid impacts, was based on a questionnaire filled out by participants at time points T0, T1 and T2. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: The buccal load-bearing cusps (mesiobuccal: median 15 μm, 95%CI 11/18 μm; mesiolingual 8 μm, 0/11 μm) were most affected by tooth wear. Loss values increased significantly at T2 compared to T1 for all areas, although significantly less than in the first 12 months (T0-T1). Areas that already exhibited F at T0 mostly displayed them also at T2 and only rarely developed further into C or CF. The only association between aetiological factors and loss values could be detected for sex as males had significantly higher loss values than females.

CONCLUSIONS: Progression of tooth wear could be clearly shown with high interindividual variations in loss values among participants. This indicates the need for individual monitoring with IOS.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: IOSs show the potential for patient-specific monitoring to detect the progression of tooth wear. Thus, data of 24 months fills the gap of tooth wear data for young adults in literature. Further studies over a longer observation period are highly recommended to gain more information about the dynamic of tooth wear and aetiological factors.

PMID:36625960 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-023-04858-x

J Math Biol. 2023 Jan 10;86(2):27. doi: 10.1007/s00285-022-01853-w.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:36625958 | DOI:10.1007/s00285-022-01853-w

West J Nurs Res. 2023 Jan 10:1939459221148825. doi: 10.1177/01939459221148825. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study characterizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental and physical health of nurses. Qualitative data (collected using semi-structured interviews) were integrated with quantitative data (collected concurrently using the SF-12 Health Survey). Nurses (N = 30) compared their health prior to and during the first pandemic wave (March-May 2020). Interviews were analyzed thematically; descriptive statistics and t-tests compared pre-pandemic to current SF-12 scores. Qualitative findings demonstrated an impact on nurses’ mental health expressed as isolation, loss, intense emotions, and feelings of being expendable. Impact on nurses’ physical health included exhaustion, personal protective equipment skin breakdown, limited breaks from work, and virus exposure. Quantitative results show nurses’ experienced declines in overall mental health (p < .001), and multiple physical health domains: role limitations due to physical problems (p < .0001), bodily pain (p < .0001), and general health (p < .0001). Promotion of nurses’ well-being and safety, as well as education in emergency preparedness, must be given precedence to protect nurses’ health.

PMID:36625341 | DOI:10.1177/01939459221148825

Hum Factors. 2023 Jan 10:187208221143855. doi: 10.1177/00187208221143855. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This paper proposes an objective method to measure and identify trust-change directions during takeover transitions (TTs) in conditionally automated vehicles (AVs).

BACKGROUND: Takeover requests (TORs) will be recurring events in conditionally automated driving that could undermine trust, and then lead to inappropriate reliance on conditionally AVs, such as misuse and disuse.

METHOD: 34 drivers engaged in the non-driving-related task were involved in a sequence of takeover events in a driving simulator. The relationships and effects between drivers’ physiological responses, takeover-related factors, and trust-change directions during TTs were explored by the combination of an unsupervised learning algorithm and statistical analyses. Furthermore, different typical machine learning methods were applied to establish recognition models of trust-change directions during TTs based on takeover-related factors and physiological parameters.

RESULT: Combining the change values in the subjective trust rating and monitoring behavior before and after takeover can reliably measure trust-change directions during TTs. The statistical analysis results showed that physiological parameters (i.e., skin conductance and heart rate) during TTs are negatively linked with the trust-change directions. And drivers were more likely to increase trust during TTs when they were in longer TOR lead time, with more takeover frequencies, and dealing with the stationary vehicle scenario. More importantly, the F1-score of the random forest (RF) model is nearly 77.3%.

CONCLUSION: The features investigated and the RF model developed can identify trust-change directions during TTs accurately.

APPLICATION: Those findings can provide additional support for developing trust monitoring systems to mitigate both drivers’ overtrust and undertrust in conditionally AVs.

PMID:36625335 | DOI:10.1177/00187208221143855