Category: Statistics

Integr Cancer Ther. 2023 Jan-Dec;22:15347354231154267. doi: 10.1177/15347354231154267.

ABSTRACT

A 4-year prospective cohort study on patients with lung, gastric, hepatic, colorectal, breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer was conducted at the East-West Cancer Center (EWCC) of Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital in Daejeon, Korea. We divided patients into 2 groups based on how long they had been receiving TKM oncotherapy and compared event-free survival (EFS), telomere length change, and quality of life (QoL). The study collected data on 83 patients from October 2016 to June 2020 and discovered no statistical differences in EFS based on the duration of TKM oncotherapy. In the analysis of changes in QoL outcomes, there were no statistically significant group differences between the groups. After controlling for covariates that could affect telomere length, the long-term TKM oncotherapy group had a higher daily telomere attrition rate. The study of the relationship between telomere length and prognostic factors discovered that patients with advanced N stage at the time of diagnosis and who had previously received radiotherapy had shorter telomere length. When examining associations between SNP genotype and percentile score of telomere length, this study was able to confirm an association between telomere length and rs4387287. This study is significant because it is the first to assess the effects of TKM oncotherapy and investigate telomere length-related factors. To assess the effects of TKM oncotherapy on cancer patients’ survival and QoL, a longer-term observational study with a larger sample size is required.

PMID:37615075 | DOI:10.1177/15347354231154267

Pediatrics. 2023 Aug 24:e2023062285. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-062285. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:37615069 | DOI:10.1542/peds.2023-062285

Front Plant Sci. 2023 Aug 8;14:1213250. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1213250. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

A large English population of the temperate tuberous Greater Butterfly-orchid, Platanthera chlorantha, was monitored through a 16-year period. Each June the number of flowering plants was counted and 60 flowering plants were measured in situ for four morphological traits, selected for both ease of measurement and their contrasting contributions to the life history of the species. Trait data were tested annually in pairwise combinations for individual plants, before mean values throughout the study period were regressed and cross-correlated against each other and against local data for four meteorological parameters. Labellar spur length proved to be more constrained than either flower number or stem height, and rarely yielded statistically significant correlations with other traits, whereas the three remaining traits reliably showed modest but significant correlations. Mean values and coefficients of variation differed only modestly among years and showed few of any meaningful trends. Spring rainfall and insolation had no detectable effect on traits of plants flowering that June; instead, they impacted on trait expression during the following year, presumably as a result of differential resourcing of replacement tubers formed during the previous year. High spring rainfall in year t-1 increased leaf area and stem height in year t, whereas the widely fluctuating number of flowering plants was highest in years immediately following those characterised by relatively dry and/or sunny springs. The “decision” to flower is taken during the previous summer, though it may be modified through winter/spring abortion of above-ground organs. The proportion of the population electing to flower is the only measured parameter that impacts significantly on annual reproductive output, emphasising the under-rated difficulty of evolving through directional selection. Any attempt to predict the behaviour of plant species in response to climate change must integrate information on demography with that on life history, habitat preference and intimate symbioses.

PMID:37615028 | PMC:PMC10442717 | DOI:10.3389/fpls.2023.1213250

Brain Commun. 2023 Aug 11;5(4):fcad213. doi: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad213. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Polymicrogyria is estimated to be one of the most common brain malformations, accounting for ∼16% of malformations of cortical development. However, the prevalence and incidence of polymicrogyria is unknown. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence, incidence rate, neuroimaging diversity, aetiology, and clinical phenotype of polymicrogyria in a population-based paediatric cohort. We performed a systematic search of MRI scans at neuroradiology department databases in Stockholm using the keyword polymicrogyria. The study population included all children living in the Stockholm region born from January 2004 to June 2021 with polymicrogyria. Information on the number of children living in the region during 2004-21 was collected from records from Statistics Sweden, whereas the number of births for each year during the study period was collected from the Swedish Medical Birth Register. All MRI scans were re-evaluated, and malformations were classified by a senior paediatric neuroradiologist. The prevalence and yearly incidence were estimated. Clinical data were collected from medical records. A total of 109 patients with polymicrogyria were included in the study. The overall polymicrogyria prevalence in Stockholm was 2.3 per 10 000 children, and the overall estimated yearly incidence between 2004 and 2020 was 1.9 per 10 000 person-years. The most common polymicrogyria distribution was in the frontal lobe (71%), followed by the parietal lobe (37%). Polymicrogyria in the peri-sylvian region was observed in 53%. Genetic testing was performed in 90 patients revealing pathogenic variants in 32%. Additionally, 12% had variants of uncertain significance. Five patients had a confirmed congenital infection, and in six individuals, the cause of polymicrogyria was assumed to be vascular. Epilepsy was diagnosed in 54%. Seizure onset during the first year of life was observed in 44%. The most common seizure types were focal seizures with impaired awareness, followed by epileptic spasms. Thirty-three of 59 patients with epilepsy (56%) were treated with more than two anti-seizure medications, indicating that pharmacoresistant epilepsy is common in polymicrogyria patients. Neurodevelopmental symptoms were observed in 94% of the individuals. This is the first population-based study on polymicrogyria prevalence and incidence. Confirmed genetic aetiology was present in one-third of individuals with polymicrogyria. Epilepsy was common in this patient group, and the majority had pharmacoresistant epilepsy. These findings increase our knowledge about polymicrogyria and will help in counselling patients and their families.

PMID:37614989 | PMC:PMC10443657 | DOI:10.1093/braincomms/fcad213

Biomed Rep. 2023 Jul 21;19(3):59. doi: 10.3892/br.2023.1641. eCollection 2023 Sep.

ABSTRACT

Hemophilia is an inherited X-linked bleeding condition with predominant joint involvement due to intra-articular bleeding, hemosiderin deposition and the synovial hypertrophy that is responsible for cartilage destruction, joint deformity and malalignment, pain and functional restriction. Management of chronic arthropathy includes conservative and surgical approaches. Conservative therapies consist of pain modulation, oral drugs, physiotherapy and intra-articular agents. For the present review, the literature was searched for intra-articular agents and 20 papers on the use of corticosteroids (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), with different regimes of administration, were included. CS had a longer record of injection, with statistically significant pain reduction and functional improvement in the short-term and moderate persistence in the long-term. HA was able to improve the clinical and functional status of joints with moderate or severe hemophilia. PRP was relatively recently introduced to joint management and the results remain controversial. Different associations between the above-mentioned agents were proposed by studies including a small number of patients, producing comparable results. It was concluded that there is a need for extensive research on intra-articular agents, with stratification according to the severity of joint involvement. The lack of a blinded or placebo-controlled arm due to ethical aspects makes the task challenging.

PMID:37614987 | PMC:PMC10442758 | DOI:10.3892/br.2023.1641

Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2023 Aug 18;16:1593-1610. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S376866. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

Providing adequate Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Health Care Facilities (HCFs) has many benefits, including achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). However, there is a significant shortage of statistics on the status of WASH in Healthcare Facilities (WinHCF), resulting in roadblocks in developing improvement strategies. Further, there is a lack of detailed comparison of WASH components covered in available tools against the standards. The present study aims to dissect the national and international tools for WASH assessment in HCFs to suggest comprehensive WASH indicators. The databases like PubMed, Scopus, ScopeMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar were used to extract the available tools. The assessment process, methodology, and components of national and various international tools were compared and synthesized. A total of seven tools, namely WASH FIT 2, Facet, SARA, SPA, TOOL BOX-II, CDC and Kayakalp, were compared on eight components: water, sanitation, hand hygiene, healthcare waste, environmental cleaning and hygiene, infrastructure, workforce management, policy and protocols. Although most tools have covered the same indicators, the methodology and definitions differ. Few of the tools fail to capture the basic indicators defined by Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP). The critical indicators of policy and protocols are only covered in WASH FIT 2, Kayakalp, and TOOL BOX-II. Likewise, most tools fail to capture the indicator of cleaning, IPC practices and climate resilience. The present review also highlighted the limitations of selected tools regarding definitions, methodology and implementation. Hence, based on the review findings, a comprehensive short tool has been developed to monitor WASH in HCF of India. It comprises all the essential fundamental indicators identified from various tools, and recommended by the JMP service ladder with proper definitions. This tool can be helpful for hospital staff and managers for the routine monitoring of WASH in HCFs and improve the quality of care and IPC practices in HCFs.

PMID:37614962 | PMC:PMC10443678 | DOI:10.2147/RMHP.S376866

Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2023 Aug 18;16:1611-1620. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S423108. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Adverse events bring pain to patients, prolong hospitalization, and may even endanger life, it is necessary to effectively identify and manage adverse events. However, in Chinese mainland, there are few studies on adverse events in Central Sterile Supply Department. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of adverse events in Central Sterile Supply Department and offer suggestions for enhanced quality management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to assess the prevalence of adverse events in a tertiary hospital from January 2020 to December 2022, employing a convenient sampling approach. The occurrence of adverse events of CSSD shall be collected for the basic information of the principal person of adverse events and the information of the adverse event. Descriptive statistics are described by frequency (percentage) and are analyzed by using X² test.

RESULTS: A total of 101 adverse events were reported, with the majority being attributed to substandard cleaning quality (34, 33.66%), followed by faulty instrument assembly (25, 24.75%) and defective marking (7, 6.93%). Additionally, incorrectly sterilized items (6, 5.94%), occupational exposures (3, 2.97%) and late distribution (5, 4.95%) were also observed, accidents (8, 7.92%) and other types of adverse events (13, 12.87%). The highest risk chain for adverse events was identified as inspection and packaging (49, 48.51%) and device cleaning (32, 31.68%), with the majority of adverse events occurring on a scale of three (30, 29.7%) and four (70, 69.31%), respectively. Furthermore, it was determined that the type of person responsible, education, years of work and the structure of the device, the number of instruments in the operating kit, and the size of the kit may be factors in the occurrence of adverse events (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Adverse events occur frequently in central sterile supply department, thus necessitating strict supervision during cleaning and inspection of packaging. Managers should pay special attention to staff with low working life and education. Furthermore, a grading system, in line with the central sterile supply department, should be implemented to ensure the management of adverse events and the quality of services provided is harmonized.

PMID:37614961 | PMC:PMC10443689 | DOI:10.2147/RMHP.S423108

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Aug 8;10:1214277. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1214277. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a silent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) comorbidity that is often under-detected. We aimed to study the prevalence and potential predictors of osteoporosis in COPD. Dynamic changes in bone mass density (BMD) and treatment efficacy of bisphosphonate were also assessed.

METHODS: This prospective cohort study included COPD patients between January 2017 and January 2019. Demographics data, spirometric parameters, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine (L2-4) and both femoral necks were measured after enrollment and the 12-month follow-up. Participants were categorized into three groups per the baseline BMD T-score: normal (≥ – 1.0), osteopenia (between -1.0 and – 2.5), and osteoporosis (≤ – 2.5). In the osteoporosis group, alendronate 70 mg/week with vitamin D and calcium was prescribed.

RESULTS: In total, 108 COPD patients were enrolled. The prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia were 31.5 and 32.4%, respectively. Advanced age, lower body mass index (BMI), history of exacerbation in the previous year, and high CRP levels were significant predictors of osteoporosis. After 12 months, 35.3% in the osteoporosis group reported new vertebral and femoral fractures, compared to none in the non-osteoporosis group (p < 0.001). In the normal BMD and osteopenia groups showed a further decline in BMD after 12-month. Conversely, the osteoporosis group showed a statistically significant improvement in BMD after anti-resorptive treatment (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of osteoporosis was high in Thai COPD patients. Advanced age, lower BMI, history of exacerbation, and high CRP levels were potential predictors. A rapid decline in BMD was observed in COPD patients without treatment.

PMID:37614952 | PMC:PMC10442549 | DOI:10.3389/fmed.2023.1214277

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Aug 8;10:1226090. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1226090. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare malignancies which prognosis varies significantly by primary site, histological subtype, and tumor stage. Their low incidence, and the complexity of their clinico-pathological characteristics demand standardized, cancer-tailored diagnostics and therapies managed at high-volume, multidisciplinary care centers. This study evaluates the quality of STS management in north-east Italy (Veneto Region) through a list of ad hoc defined clinical indicators.

METHODS: This population-based study concerns all incident cases of STS in 2018 (214 cases) recorded in the adult population censored by the Veneto’s regional Cancer Registry. Based on the international literature, a multidisciplinary working group of experts identified a set of indicators for monitoring the quality of diagnostic, therapeutic, and end-of-life clinical interventions. The quality of care was assessed by comparing the reference thresholds with the indicators’ values achieved in clinical practice.

RESULTS: Diagnostic procedures showed poor adherence to the thresholds, with a low percentage of histological diagnoses validated by a second opinion. The indicators relating to the surgical treatment of superficial, small, low-grade STS, or of medium, high-grade STS of the head-neck, trunk, or limbs were consistent with the thresholds, while for intermediate, high-grade (large-sized, deep) and retroperitoneal STS they fell significantly below the thresholds.

CONCLUSION: A critical evaluation of the clinical indicators allowed to uncover the procedures needing corrective action. Monitoring clinical care indicators improves cancer care, confirms the importance of managing rare cancers at highly specialized, high-volume centers, and promotes the ethical sustainability of the healthcare system.

PMID:37614947 | PMC:PMC10442531 | DOI:10.3389/fmed.2023.1226090

Can Prosthet Orthot J. 2021 Jun 29;4(1):35297. doi: 10.33137/cpoj.v4i1.35297. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Clinical outcome assessments provide important input for the rehabilitation of individuals with transfemoral amputation. Differences in prosthetic knee designs may influence clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare functional mobility, balance, prosthetic satisfaction and quality of life in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation with microprocessor-controlled (MPK) and non-microprocessor knee designs (Non-MPK).

METHODOLOGY: The study included ten experienced MPK (Rheo Knee) users (Group 1) and ten experienced Non-MPK (Total Knee^® 2000) users (Group 2). For mobility; the 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT), for balance; the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Single Leg Stand Test (SLST) and Four Square Step Test (FSST), for quality of life; the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and for prosthetic satisfaction; the Satisfaction with Prosthesis Questionnaire (SATPRO) were administered.

FINDINGS: 6MWT results of the MPK group were significantly higher than Non-MPK group (p<0.05). In the MPK group a strong negative correlation was found between the FSST and the 6MWT (r=-0.661, p=0.038). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups (p>0.05) comparing balance, prosthesis satisfaction and quality of life values.

CONCLUSION: The findings will inform about the patient’s prognosis and the expected clinical outcomes when prescribing an MPK or an Non-MPK. Individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation covered longer distances using an MPK compared to Non-MPK.

PMID:37614931 | PMC:PMC10443503 | DOI:10.33137/cpoj.v4i1.35297