Category: Nevin Manimala

Vet Med Sci. 2023 Jan 14. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1021. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Obesity has been proposed as an independently risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in people, but its role in feline kidney function is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity has been proposed as an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in people, but its role in feline kidney function is unknown. This study prospectively evaluated the effect of overweight on the concentration of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and creatinine in a cohort of healthy cats.

METHODS: Forty healthy adult cats were included, 14 with a body condition score (BCS) = 5 and 26 with a BCS > 5. Cats were examined every 6 months, for up to 12 months. SDMA and creatinine were measured at baseline and follow-up.

RESULTS: No effect was found for time of follow-up (p = 0.072), overweight (p = 0.9442) or their interaction (p = 0.902) on SDMA, though a significant effect was found for age (p < 0.001) [older cats showing higher SDMA] and sex (p = 0.007) [male cats showing higher SDMA]. Regarding creatinine, no effect for time (p = 0.671), age (p = 0.061), overweight (p = 0.319) or the latter’s interaction (p = 0.386) were found.

CONCLUSIONS: In the short term, markers of renal function did not show an association with overweight. The role of obesity in feline kidney function still warrants further evaluation.

PMID:36639961 | DOI:10.1002/vms3.1021

Haemophilia. 2023 Jan 14. doi: 10.1111/hae.14741. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In chronic diseases, disease-related distress can impact disease outcomes. Distress and haemophilia-related distress has been demonstrated in people with haemophilia (PwH). The association of haemophilia-related distress on disease outcomes among PwH is unknown.

AIM: To study the association of haemophilia-related distress with haemophilia specific outcomes, including adherence to prophylactic therapy, the presence of a target joint, healthcare utilization and work-impairment.

METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, adults with haemophilia A or B were enrolled in a study to validate the haemophilia-related distress questionnaire (HRDq). In this planned analysis, univariate and multivariate associations between the HRDq total score and disease outcomes were explored.

RESULTS: The 114 participants in this analysis were male, mostly with haemophilia A (92%) and severe disease (52%) with a median age of 31.9 years. On univariate analysis, HRDq total score (5-point change) was associated with the presence of a target joint (P = .002), high healthcare utilization (P = .011), poor adherence (P = .033) and work-impairment (P ≤ .001). After adjustment for age, race, severity and other potential confounders, adherence (aβ 0.33, 95% CI .17, .49) and work-impairment (aβ 4.69, 95% CI 3.27-6.1) remained statistically significantly associated with HRDq total score.

CONCLUSION: Haemophilia-related distress is associated with poor adherence to factor prophylaxis and work-impairment. The direction of the association (causation) is yet to be determined and requires future study.

PMID:36639952 | DOI:10.1111/hae.14741

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2023 Jan;38(1):e5866. doi: 10.1002/gps.5866.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Through a cross-sectional study, we explored the association between sensory impairment and cognitive function in Chinese older adults, and tested the mediating roles of anxiety and depressive symptoms between this relationship.

METHODS: Based on the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, a total of 10,895 older adults aged 65 and above were selected as samples for research. Anxiety, depressive symptoms and cognitive function were evaluated by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D10) and the Chinese version of modified Mini-Mental State Examination scales, respectively. Sensory impairment was assessed from self-reported vision and hearing functions. Multiple linear regression and SPSS Macro PROCESS were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Compared with no sensory impairment, vision impairment (B = -1.012, 95%CI: -1.206, -0.818), hearing impairment (B = -2.683, 95%CI: -2.980, -2.386) and dual sensory impairment (B = -6.302, 95%CI: -6.585, -6.020) have a significant association with cognitive function in older adults, respectively. Anxiety and depressive symptoms not only acted as independent mediators, but also played sequential mediating effects on the relationship between sensory impairment and cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS: Greater attention should be paid to anxiety and depressive symptoms of older adults with sensory impairment, which might be beneficial to maintain cognitive function.

PMID:36639927 | DOI:10.1002/gps.5866

Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2023 Jan 13:e1780. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.1780. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We prospectively addressed whether patient characteristics, oncological outcomes, or metastatic risk impacted depression and anxiety in patients undergoing curative proton treatment for uveal melanoma (UM).

METHODS: We assessed patient-reported outcomes regarding anxiety (GAD-7) before and 2 years after proton therapy and depression (PHQ-9) before, 1, and 2 years after proton therapy. We performed descriptive statistics and used linear mixed effect modeling to analyze how the oncological outcome and baseline characteristics impacted anxiety and depression scores.

RESULTS: Of 130 (65 female) patients included, six developed metastatic disease and three died during the 2-year follow-up. The mean anxiety declined from 5.86 (SE = 0.56) at baseline to 3.74 (SE = 0.46) at 2 years (β = 2.11; SE = 0.6; p < .001). Depressive symptoms decreased moderately from 4.36 (SE = 0.37) at baseline to 3.67 (SE = 0.38) 2 years later. Patients with unfavorable metastatic risk or disease progression had elevated anxiety and depression scores. Although female patients reported overall higher anxiety scores, both sexes recovered substantially and to a similar extent during the 2-year follow-up (β = 2.35; SE 0.87; p = .007 vs. β = 1.88; SE = 0.60; p = .002). A trend for prolonged depressive symptoms was observed in patients living alone compared to patients living with family members 1 year after the treatment (M = 5.04 [SE = 0.85] vs. M = 3.73 [SE = 0.31], β = 1.32; SE = 0.92; p = .152). Patients with high baseline anxiety levels showed initially more severe depressive symptoms, which improved significantly during follow-up (β = 1.65; SE = 0.68; p = .017).

CONCLUSION: Most patients undergoing proton therapy for UM experienced mild, transient depressive symptoms and anxiety. Patients with high pre-treatment anxiety, unfavorable prognoses, and patients living alone may be more vulnerable to prolonged depressive symptoms. To these patients a more tailored support could be offered at an early stage of the disease.

PMID:36639921 | DOI:10.1002/cnr2.1780

Anim Genet. 2023 Jan 13. doi: 10.1111/age.13293. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Wenchang (WC) chicken, the only indigenous chicken breed listed in Chinese genetic resources in Hainan province, is well known for its excellent meat quality and is sold all over southeast Asia. In recent years, the number of WC has decreased sharply with considerable variability in the quality at market. To explore the genetic diversity and population structure of WC chickens, the whole-genome data of 235 WC individuals from three conservation farms were obtained using the Illumina 150 bp paired-end platform and used in conjunction with the sequencing data from 123 individuals from other chicken breeds (including eight Chinese indigenous chicken breeds and three foreign or commercial breeds) downloaded from a public database. A total of 12 111 532 SNPs were identified, of which 11 541 878 SNPs were identified in WC. The results of gene enrichment analyses revealed that the SNPs harbored in WC genomes are mainly related to environmental adaptation, disease resistance and meat quality traits. Genetic diversity statistics, quantified by expected heterozygosity, observed heterozygosity, linkage disequilibrium, nucleotide diversity and fixation statistics, indicated that WC displays high genetic diversity compared with other Chinese indigenous chicken breeds. Genetic structure analyses showed that each population displayed great differentiation between WC and the other breeds, indicating the uniqueness of WC. In conclusion, the results of our study provide the first genomic overview of genetic variants, genetic diversity and population structure of WC from three conservation farms. This information will be valuable for the future breeding and conservation of WC and other surveyed populations.

PMID:36639920 | DOI:10.1111/age.13293

J Med Virol. 2023 Jan 13. doi: 10.1002/jmv.28495. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Baricitinib and imatinib are considered therapies for COVID-19, but their ultimate clinical impact remains to be elucidated, so our objective is to determine whether these kinase inhibitors provide benefit when added to standard care in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

METHODS: Phase-2, open-label, randomized trial with a pick-the-winner design conducted from September 2020 to June 2021 in a single Spanish center. Hospitalized adults with COVID-19 pneumonia and a symptom duration ≤ 10 days were assigned to 3 arms: imatinib (400 mg qd, 7 days) plus standard-care, baricitinib (4 mg qd, 7 days) plus standard-care, or standard-care alone. Primary outcome was time to clinical improvement (discharge alive or a reduction of 2 points in an ordinal scale of clinical status) compared on a day-by-day basis in order to identify differences ≥ 15% between the most and least favorable groups. Secondary outcomes included oxygenation and ventilatory support requirements, additional therapies administered all-cause mortality and safety.

RESULTS: 165 patients analyzed. Predefined criteria for selection of the most advantageous arm were met for baricitinib, but not for imatinib. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in formal analysis, but a trend towards better results in patients receiving baricitinib was found compared to standard care alone (HR for clinical improvement 1.41, 95%CI 0.96-2.06; HR for discontinuing oxygen 1.46, 95%CI 0.94-2.28). No differences were found regarding additional therapies administered or safety.

CONCLUSIONS: Baricitinib plus standard care showed better results for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, being the most advantageous therapeutic strategy among those proposed in this exploratory clinical trial. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:36639911 | DOI:10.1002/jmv.28495

J Med Virol. 2023 Jan 13. doi: 10.1002/jmv.28496. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Colchicine is one of the most widely studied and best-known anti-inflammatory treatments. This study aimed to assess the effect of colchicine on risk of hospitalisation due to COVID-19; and its effect on susceptibility to and severity of the virus in patients with COVID-19.

METHODS: We carried out a population-based case-control study. The following groups were applied: (1) to assess risk of hospitalisation , cases were patients with a positive PCR who were hospitalised due to COVID-19, and controls without a positive PCR; (2) to assess susceptibility to COVID-19, cases were patients with a positive PCR (hospitalised and non-hospitalised), and the same controls; (3) to determine potential severity , cases were subjects with COVID-19 hospitalised, and controls patients with COVID-19 non-hospitalised. Different electronic, linked, administrative health and clinical databases were used to extract data on socio-demographic variables, comorbidities, and medications dispensed.

RESULTS: The study covered 3,060 subjects with a positive PCR who were hospitalised, 26,757 with a positive PCR who were not hospitalised, and 56,785 healthy controls. After adjustment for socio-demographic variables, comorbidities and other treatments, colchicine did not modify risk of hospitalisation due to COVID-19 (adjusted OR 1.08 (95%CI 0.76-1.53)), patients’ susceptibility to contracting the disease (adjusted OR 1.12 (95%CI 0.91-1.37)) or the severity of the infection (adjusted OR 1.03 (95%CI 0.67-1.59)).

CONCLUSION: Our results would neither support the prophylactic use of colchicine for prevention of the infection or hospitalisation in any type of patient, nor justify the withdrawal of colchicine treatment due to a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:36639903 | DOI:10.1002/jmv.28496

Clin Chem Lab Med. 2023 Jan 16. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2022-1077. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Marked physiological changes in growth and development present challenges in defining pediatric reference intervals for biomarkers of health and disease. Lambda, Mu, and Sigma (LMS)-based statistical modeling provides a continuous normal distribution by negating skewness and variation, and is commonly used to establish growth charts. Such LMS reference curves are suggested to enhance laboratory test result interpretation. The current study establishes LMS-based continuous reference percentiles for 14 biomarkers in the CALIPER cohort of healthy children and adolescents.

METHODS: Data from healthy children and adolescents aged 1-<19 years were used to establish continuous reference percentiles using a novel LMS-based statistical method, including 2.5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 97.5th percentiles. The LMS approach applies a Box-Cox data transformation and summarizes continuous distributions by age via three curves: skewness (Lambda), median (Mu), and coefficient of variation (Sigma).

RESULTS: LMS-based percentiles and z-scores were generated for 14 common pediatric biomarkers that demonstrate dynamic concentration patterns with age (e.g., alkaline phosphatase) and/or wherein the magnitude of difference from the population mean may be clinically relevant (e.g., triglycerides). The LMS model captured age- and sex-specific distributions accurately and was not substantially influenced by outlying points.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to establish LMS-based continuous reference percentiles for biochemical markers in a healthy Canadian pediatric population. The current LMS-based approach builds upon previous continuous reference interval models by providing graded percentiles to improve test result interpretation, particularly with repeated measures over time. This method may assist in facilitating a patient-centered approach to laboratory medicine.

PMID:36639844 | DOI:10.1515/cclm-2022-1077

Birth. 2023 Jan 13. doi: 10.1111/birt.12707. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Better understanding of the factors associated with formula feeding during the hospital stay can help in identifying potential lactation problems and promote early intervention. Our aim was to ascertain factors associated with exclusive formula feeding in newborns of low-risk pregnancies.

METHODS: A population-based, retrospective study using the United States vital statistics datasets (2014-2018) evaluating low-risk pregnancies with a nonanomalous singleton delivery from 37 to 41 weeks. People with hypertensive disorders, or diabetes, were excluded. Primary outcome was newborn feeding (breast vs exclusive formula feeding) during hospital stay. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS: Of the 19 623 195 live births during the study period, 11 605 242 (59.1%) met inclusion criteria and among them, 1 929 526 (16.6%) were formula fed. Factors associated with formula feeding included: age < 20 years (aRR 1.31 [95% CI 1.31-1.32]), non-Hispanic Black (1.42, 1.41-1.42), high school education (1.69, 1.69-1.70) or less than high school education (1.94, 1.93, 1.95), Medicaid insurance (1.52, 1.51, 1.52), body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 (1.10, 1.09-1.10), BMI 25-29.9 (1.09, 1.09-1.09), BMI 30-34.9 (1.19, 1.19-1.20), BMI 35-39.9 (1.31, 1.30-1.31), BMI ≥ 40 (1.43, 1.42-1.44), multiparity (1.29, 1.29-1.30), lack of prenatal care (1.49, 1.48-1.50), smoking (1.75, 1.74-1.75), and gestational age (ranged from 37 weeks [1.44, 1.43-1.45] to 40 weeks [1.11, 1.11-1.12]).

CONCLUSIONS: Using a large cohort of low-risk pregnancies, we identified several modifiable factors associated with newborn feeding (eg, prepregnancy BMI, access to prenatal care, and smoking cessation). Improving the breast feeding initiation rate should be a priority in our current practice to ensure equitable care for all neonates.

PMID:36639828 | DOI:10.1111/birt.12707

Trop Med Health. 2023 Jan 13;51(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s41182-023-00497-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Vector control is the most effective malaria control and prevention measure. Among these, IRS and LLINs are the most important chemical insecticide interventions used in malaria prevention and control strategies in Ethiopia. However, the long-term effectiveness of these strategies is under threat due to the emergency and spread of insecticide resistance in the principal malaria vector. Therefore, this study was carried out, under standardized laboratory conditions to assess the killing effect of some insecticides against An. gambiae s.l.

METHODS: Mosquitoes in late instar larvae and pupae stages were collected from different breeding habitats of the study sites using a soup ladle (350 ml capacity). The immature was reared to adults at optimum temperature and humidity in a field insectary using the WHO protocol. Four insecticides representing three chemical classes were used against adult mosquitoes. These were permethrin, deltamethrin, pirimiphos-methyl and bendiocarb. Susceptibility tests were carried out from September to December 2021 using the WHO standard procedures. Mortality rate, variation, interaction effect and knockdown times (KDT50 and KDT95%) were computed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance and log-probit regression model using SPSS version 20 software.

RESULTS: Totally, 1300 Anopheles gambiae s.l. were tested to determine the susceptibility status to the four insecticides. Among these, 90.7% of them were susceptible to insecticides, whereas the remaining 9.3% of specimens were resistant to the insecticides. The results of the analysis of variance showed that mortality significantly varied between insecticides (F = 26.06, DF = 3, P < .0001), but not between study locations (F = 1.56, DF = 3, P = 0.212). On the other hand, the mean comparison of dead mosquitoes showed some signs of interaction between bendiocarb and locations, but not other insecticides and locations.

CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the knockdown times and effectiveness of different insecticides varied in different study sites. Therefore, insecticide resistance information is very essential for concerned bodies to make informed and evidence-based decisions on vector control.

PMID:36639818 | DOI:10.1186/s41182-023-00497-w