Category: Nevin Manimala

Scand J Public Health. 2021 Jul 20:14034948211030353. doi: 10.1177/14034948211030353. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: The aims of this study were to construct a small-area index of multiple deprivation (IMD) from single deprivation indicators (SDIs) and to compare the explanatory power of the IMD and SDIs with regard to mortality. We considered a small-area division of Sweden consisting of 5985 DeSO (Demografiska statistikområden), each with a population size between 653 and 4243 at the end of 2018.

METHODS: Four SDIs were provided by open-source data: (a) the proportion of inhabitants with a low economic standard; (b) the proportion of inhabitants aged 25-64 years with ⩽12 years of schooling; (c) the proportion of inhabitants aged 16-64 years who were not in paid employment; and (d) the proportion of inhabitants who lived in a rented apartment/house. A four-indicator IMD was constructed using factor analysis. As a validation, the IMD and SDIs were compared by exploring their DeSO-level associations with spatially smoothed death rates, with robustness checks of associations across different small-area contexts defined by degree of urbanisation and distribution of immigrants from non-Western countries.

RESULTS: The constructed IMD and SDI1 performed essentially equally and outperformed SDI2, SDI3 and SDI4. Associations between IMD/SDI1 and the spatially smoothed death rates were most pronounced within the age range 60-79 years, showing 5-8% lowered rates among those categorised in the least deprived quintiles of IMD and SDI1, respectively, and 7-9% elevated rates among those categorised in the most deprived quintiles. These associations were consistent within each small-area context.

CONCLUSIONS: We suggest prioritisation of SDI1, that is, a DeSO-level deprivation indicator based on open-access data on economic standard, for public-health surveillance in Sweden.

PMID:34282665 | DOI:10.1177/14034948211030353

Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2021 Jul 20:10556656211028511. doi: 10.1177/10556656211028511. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the transverse dimensions of the maxillary arch of 5-year-old children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) have changed following centralization of cleft services in the United Kingdom.

DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Digital analysis of UCLP maxillary dental casts.

PARTICIPANTS: All available maxillary dental casts from 5-year-old participants of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG, N = 114) and Cleft Care UK (CCUK, N = 175) studies.

INTERVENTIONS: Quantitative measurements of the intercanine width (ICW), intermolar width (IMW), and the distance from the midline to the greater and lesser side canine (GC/LC) and greater side and lesser side second primary molar (GE/LE). Degree measurements of the greater and lesser arch form angles, arch length, anterior palatal depth (APD), and posterior palatal depth were also measured.

MAIN OUTCOME: Differences between the transverse dimensions of the maxillary arch for the CSAG and CCUK cohorts.

RESULTS: In 5 (ICW, IMW, LC, LE, and APD) of the 11 measurements, there was a statistically significant difference between the CSAG and CCUK cohorts. In all of these, the CCUK values were greater than CSAG.

CONCLUSIONS: There have been small but positive improvements for the transverse maxillary dimensions since centralization of the UK cleft service.

PMID:34282648 | DOI:10.1177/10556656211028511

Ann Pharmacother. 2021 Jul 20:10600280211032982. doi: 10.1177/10600280211032982. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the available trials that led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of berotralstat, an oral kallikrein inhibitor, for the prevention of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks.

DATA SOURCES: PubMed and ClincalTrials.gov were searched using key term berotralstat to identify phase III clinical trials related to the FDA approval of berotralstat from April 2018 to May 2021.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Trials selected were those that influenced the FDA approval of berotralstat or provided novel information regarding the safety and efficacy of this therapy in the treatment of HAE.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Both APeX-2 and ApeX-J found clinically significant benefit with berotralstat 150 mg daily for reduction in HAE attacks when compared with placebo (1.31 vs 2.35, P < 0.001, and 1.11 vs 2.18, P < 0.001, attacks in the APeX-2 and APeX-J trials, respectively). APeX-2 also showed a statistically significant benefit for berotralstat 110 mg daily (1.65 vs 2.35 attacks [1.65 attacks, P = 0.024]).

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: An advantage berotralstat has over the other approved therapies is that it is administered orally, which may garner patient preference because of ease of administration. Berotralstat has also shown a potential benefit in reducing the need for standard-of-care treatment for HAE attacks, which has not been studied with alternative agents.

CONCLUSIONS: Berotralstat 150 mg daily has been proven safe and effective in clinical studies and appears to be a viable oral alternative to parenteral medications currently used in HAE prophylaxis.

PMID:34282650 | DOI:10.1177/10600280211032982

J Acad Nutr Diet. 2021 Jul 16:S2212-2672(21)00372-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2021.05.022. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dietary pattern analysis considers the overall dietary intake and combinations of foods eaten. Valid and reproducible tools for determining dietary patterns are necessary to assess diet-disease relationships.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the relative validity and reproducibility of the Researching Eating, Activity, and Cognitive Health (REACH) Study food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) specifically designed to identify dietary patterns in older adults.

DESIGN: A subset of participants from the REACH study completed two identical 109-item FFQs 1 month apart (FFQ1 and FFQ2) to assess reproducibility and a 4-day food record between FFQ administrations to assess relative validity. Foods from each dietary assessment tool were assigned to 57 food groups. Principal component analysis was applied to the food group consumption reported in each dietary assessment tool to derive dietary patterns.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Dietary data were collected (2018 and 2019) from a subset of the REACH study (n = 294, 37% men) aged 65 to 74 years, living in Auckland, New Zealand.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Daily intakes of 57 food groups and dietary patterns of older adults participating in REACH living in New Zealand.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Agreement of dietary pattern loadings were assessed using Tucker’s congruence coefficient. Agreement of dietary pattern scores and food group intakes were assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients (acceptable correlation rho = 0.20 to 0.49), weighted kappa statistic (acceptable statistic κ_{w =} 0.20 to 0.60), and Bland-Altman analysis, including mean difference, limits of agreement, plots, and slope of bias.

RESULTS: Three similar dietary patterns were identified from each dietary assessment tool: Mediterranean style, Western, and prudent. Congruence coefficients between factor loadings ranged from 0.54 to 0.80. Correlations of dietary pattern scores ranged from 0.47 to 0.59 (reproducibility) and 0.33 to 0.43 (validity) (all P values < 0.001); weighted kappa scores from 0.40 to 0.48 (reproducibility) and 0.27 to 0.37 (validity); limits of agreement from ± 1.79 to ± 2.09 (reproducibility) and ± 2.09 to ± 2.27 (validity); a negative slope of bias was seen in the prudent pattern for reproducibility and validity (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The REACH FFQ generated dietary patterns with acceptable reproducibility and relative validity and therefore can be used to examine associations between dietary patterns and health outcomes in older New Zealand adults.

PMID:34281811 | DOI:10.1016/j.jand.2021.05.022

Int Orthod. 2021 Jul 16:S1761-7227(21)00082-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ortho.2021.06.003. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Micro-osteoperforation (MOP), a minimally invasive technique for accelerating the rate of orthodontic tooth movement has been research extensively, but with varied clinical results.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of one-time versus two-time micro-osteoperforation on the rate of maxillary canine retraction, its influence on anchorage loss, canine angulation and the levels of interleukin (IL-1β) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The split-mouth study included 16 patients in which the left and right sides were randomly allocated to the control side (one-time MOP) and experimental side (two-time MOP). MOP was performed on both sides distal to the maxillary canines and canine retraction was carried out using NiTi closed coil springs (150gm) and direct anchorage with miniscrew implants. The second MOP was performed on experimental side one month after the first MOP. The rate of canine movement was assessed using 3D model superimposition over a period of six months. The type of tooth movement, anchorage loss and levels of IL-1β were also evaluated.

RESULTS: Sixteen patients (mean age, 17.87±3.34 years) were analysed for a rate of canine retraction, anchorage loss, and type of tooth movement, while 15 patients were analysed for IL-1β. The rate was significantly higher on two-time MOP side after two months (P<0.001). No statistical difference was found in anchorage loss and controlled tipping of canines was observed. The IL-1β levels immediately after 2^nd MOP were significantly higher than 1^st MOP (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The two-time intervention of MOP is more efficacious than one-time MOP in accelerating tooth movement.

PMID:34281788 | DOI:10.1016/j.ortho.2021.06.003

J Sex Med. 2021 Jul 16:S1743-6095(21)00529-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.06.004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapeutics, one of the standard treatment options for cancer worldwide, have various adverse effects, including erectile dysfunction (ED).

AIM: To investigate erectile function in an animal model after administration of the anticancer agent oxaliplatin (L-OHP).

METHODS: Male Wistar/ST rats were divided into 2 groups: L-OHP rats (n = 21), which were intravenously administered L-OHP (4 mg/kg; twice a week for 4 weeks), and Control rats (n = 21), which were injected with the same volume of 5% glucose solution, using the same dosing schedule. At the end of the study period, erectile function was evaluated by measuring intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) after cavernous nerve stimulation (n = 9-10). Endothelial function was evaluated with an isometric tension study using corpus cavernosum strips (n = 11). Western blot analysis was used to assess neuronal nitric oxide (nNOS) and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein levels (n = 7). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assess the expression of inflammation- and oxidative stress-related markers (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase-1, p22^phox, interleukin [IL]-6, and nuclear factor-kappa B) (n = 6). Statistical significance was determined using the Student’s t-test.

OUTCOMES: The L-OHP group had a significantly lower ICP:MAP ratio than the control group (P < .05). Compared to the Control group, the L-OHP group exhibited significantly lower responses to ACh and eNOS protein levels and significantly higher inflammatory biomarker levels.

CLINICAL TRANSLATION: The results based on this animal model indicate that use of the anticancer agent L-OHP should be considered as a risk factor for ED occurring via reduction of NO bioavailability in humans; our results provide possible treatment strategies for maintaining the erectile function of cancer survivors.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Our study showed that the anticancer agent L-OHP has the propensity to cause ED in rats. A major limitation of this study is the lack of an established cure for ED associated with L-OHP and the lack of clinical evidence.

CONCLUSIONS: L-OHP causes ED in rats via reduction of NO bioavailability caused by endothelial dysfunction. Kataoka T, Mori T, Suzuki J, et al. Oxaliplatin, an Anticancer Agent, Causes Erectile Dysfunction in Rats due to Endothelial Dysfunction. J Sex Med 2021;XX:XXX-XXX.

PMID:34281797 | DOI:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.06.004

Clin Lung Cancer. 2021 Jun 24:S1525-7304(21)00158-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cllc.2021.06.007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been widely used in the surgical treatment of thoracic diseases, and it suggested surgical and oncological advantages compared with open surgery. However, reports on the application of VATS in surgery of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) are scarce. This study aimed to explore the advantages and disadvantages of different surgical approaches in the treatment of pathological stage T1(pT1) SCLC in terms of safety, clinical outcomes, and lymph node dissection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent lobectomy for pT1 SCLC between January 2014 and September 2017 were identified from the National Collaborative Lung Cancer Database (LinkDoc Database). The patients were stratified based on the surgery approach (VATS or open lobectomy). Perioperative outcomes and long-term survival were analyzed using SPSS software.

RESULTS: A total of 169 patients with pT1 SCLC met the criteria and were enrolled for this study, including 110 cases of VATS lobectomies and 59 cases of open lobectomies. VATS lobectomy was associated with less blood loss than open surgery (168.1 ± 237.4 vs. 340.0 ± 509.8 mL, P = .002). Open lobectomy harvested more N2 LNs (11.8 ± 8.2 vs. 8.4 ± 5.8, P = .048) and identified more metastasis positive LNs (3.1 ± 6.0 vs. 1.4 ± 3.0, P = .050). Open lobectomy associated with longer overall survival (OS) but has no statistical difference (23.4 ± 13.2 vs. 20.2 ± 10.9, P = .070).

CONCLUSION: Open lobectomy had better lymph node dissection results, and comparable postoperative complications, postoperative hospital stay, and OS to VATS lobectomy. Further studies may still be needed to confirm the recommendation of thoracoscopic approach as a routine surgical procedure for operable SCLC, and until then, open surgery should still be considered.

PMID:34281774 | DOI:10.1016/j.cllc.2021.06.007

Chin J Traumatol. 2021 May 21:S1008-1275(21)00086-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cjtee.2021.05.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The use of tourniquet in orthopedic surgeries facilitates operations by establishing a bloodless surgical field. However, many complications following the use of tourniquets have been reported. Tourniquet pain is the most common complication. This study aimed to find the actual incidence of pain associated with tourniquet use in orthopedic surgery and the various factors.

METHODS: It is a prospective observational study conducted on 132 consecutive cases. Patients aged between 18 and 70 years with musculoskeletal problems of the forearm and leg requiring surgery were included in the study. Patients with open injuries or contraindications such as diabetes mellitus, compromised circulatory states, neurological deficit, compartment syndrome and unable to give informed consent were excluded. The parameters assessed included duration of tourniquet use, tourniquet pressure, type of anesthesia, any interval release of the tourniquet and reapplication after a reperfusion period, whether upper or lower limb surgery, severity of tourniquet pain, timing of tourniquet release and complications. Chi-square and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: In upper limb surgeries, if duration of surgery was less than 60 min, 14 (51.8%) cases experienced tourniquet pain and 13 (48.1%) had no pain, and if duration of surgery was more than 60 min, 24 (60.0%) had pain and 16 (40.0%) experienced no pain. In lower limb surgeries if duration of surgery was less than 60 min, 2 (7.7%) experienced pain and 24 (92.3%) had no pain, and if duration of surgery was more than 60 min, 14 (35.8%) experienced pain and 25 (64.8%) had no pain. Degree of tourniquet pain increases with increase in the duration of surgery. Statistically there was significant association between tourniquet inflation time and tourniquet pain in both upper and lower limbs (p = 0.034 and 0.024, respectively) CONCLUSION: Incidence of tourniquet pain was in direct proportion to the duration of tourniquet use and was higher in cases with regional anesthesia. Other risk factors assessed including tourniquet pressure, upper or lower limb surgery, tourniquet release time and interval had no significant contribution to the incidence or severity of tourniquet pain.

PMID:34281783 | DOI:10.1016/j.cjtee.2021.05.002

J Voice. 2021 Jul 16:S0892-1997(21)00197-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.06.010. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare cepstral measurements in singing and non-singing men and women to understand if vocal adaptations of singers reflect greater cepstral measurement results.

METHOD: The study included 91 vocally healthy individuals, consisting of 60 erudite or popular singers (30 males, 30 females) and 31 non-singers (16 males, 15 females). The Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) and Cepstral Peak Prominence-Smoothed (CPPS) measures were carried out using the sustained /a/ vowel recorded with a unidirectional condenser microphone associated with a sound card on the computer. The Praat software (version 6.1.16) was used to extract the CPP and CPPS measurements. The intra and intergroup values obtained for each sex were compared using the t-test with a 5% significance level.

RESULTS: There was a CPP (P = 0,000) and CPPS (P = 0,000 and P = 0,001) value difference between the sexes in both groups. Cepstral measurements showed no statistically significant difference between singing and non-singing participants (male: P = 0,778 and P = 0,622; female: P = 0,622 and P = 0,460).

CONCLUSION: Men presented higher CPP and CPPS values than women, which may be related to the presence of the physiological posterior glottic cleft in women. The knowledge of the cepstral values of singers shows that singing specificities may not reflect in all vocal evaluations.

PMID:34281752 | DOI:10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.06.010

J Fr Ophtalmol. 2021 Jul 16:S0181-5512(21)00329-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jfo.2021.01.025. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The goal of our study was to create a cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaire « National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire » (NEI-VFQ-25) for the Tunisian population (Tu-VFQ-25) and to test its psychometric properties in a group of patients with chronic uveitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study consisted of two steps. The first was translation of the NEI-VFQ-25 and its cross-cultural adaptation to the Tunisian dialect (Tu-VFQ-25) according to the guidelines of Beaton et al. The second step consisted of studying the psychometric properties of the Tu-VFQ-25. Enrolled patients, diagnosed with chronic uveitis, were interviewed face-to-face by two different investigators, followed by a telephone interview by the first investigator 48hours later. Feasibility, internal consistency and reproducibility of the Tu-VFQ-25 were then tested using statistical methods.

RESULTS: The mean time taken to administrate the questionnaire to each of the 45 patients was 11min 40 s (± 2min 24 s). Internal consistency was acceptable, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients above 0.7 except the “Ocular Pain” and “Driving” subscales (0.645 and 0.559 respectively). Inter-observer reliability was excellent, with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from 0.857 to 0.985 for all subscales. Test-retest reliability, assessed for 43 patients, was good to excellent, with ICC above 0.80 for all subscales except “General Vision,” which had a value of 0.786.

CONCLUSION: As with previous versions, the Tu-VFQ-25 is an easy and reliable tool for assessing vision-related quality of life of Tunisian patients with chronic uveitis.

PMID:34281759 | DOI:10.1016/j.jfo.2021.01.025