Category: Statistics

Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2026 May 30:1-14. doi: 10.1080/01942638.2026.2678397. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Family-centered services (FCS) are essential in pediatric rehabilitation to improve outcomes for children with disabilities. Despite global recognition, parents’ perceptions of FCS in Saudi Arabia remain underexplored. This study aimed to examine parents’ perceptions of FCS in pediatric rehabilitation and the relationships between parental perceptions and demographic and clinical factors.

METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among parents of children with disabilities receiving pediatric rehabilitation services in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using the Arabic version of the Measure of Processes of Care-20. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation analyses were used to explore associations between FCS domains and demographic and clinical factors.

RESULTS: Parents reported moderate to high levels of FCS, with the highest scores in Respectful and Supportive Care (m = 6.34), Coordinated and Comprehensive Care (m = 6.13), and Enabling and Partnership (m = 6.11). Lower scores were observed in Providing General Information (m = 4.93) and Providing Specific Information about the Child (m = 4.84). Significant correlations were found between child diagnosis and information provision and between the number of services and parents’ perceptions of care.

CONCLUSION: Parents’ perceptions FCS to be practiced at a moderate to high level; however, gaps in information sharing remain.

PMID:42216569 | DOI:10.1080/01942638.2026.2678397

J Hum Lact. 2026 May 30:8903344261446162. doi: 10.1177/08903344261446162. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The prescription of infant formula during postpartum hospitalization is one of several factors that influence breastfeeding.

RESEARCH AIMS: To analyze the prevalence of non-exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge in Uruguay, a Latin American country, and to identify the predictors of non-exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study draws on data from all births between 2008 and 2020 registered in the Uruguayan perinatal information system. XGBoost, a machine-learning algorithm, was used to identify the predictors of infant formula at hospital discharge. A binary variable indicating non-exclusive breastfeeding (1 = yes, 0 = no) was used as dependent variable, and another 35 variables were used as predictors, including mother, child, and hospital characteristics.

RESULTS: The prevalence of non-exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge descriptively increased in the period, from 7.0% in 2008 to 27.9% in 2020. The model had a moderately adequate prediction performance (ROC AUC = .781, 95% CI [.778, .785], Brier score = .188, 95% CI [.187, .189], PR AUC = .424, 95% CI [.187, .431]). Hospital type was the most important variable in predicting non-exclusive breastfeeding, followed by birth weight and type of birth. Predicted probability of non-exclusive breastfeeding was highest in public hospitals in the capital (Montevideo), for infants with birth weight lower than 3000 g and higher than 3900 g and born through Cesarean delivery.

CONCLUSION: Results suggest the need to address the structural and procedural factors that may contribute to the prescription of infant formula to improve breastfeeding practices in the country. Additional studies are needed to identify the specific maternity practices that promote the prescription of infant formula at hospital discharge.

PMID:42216514 | DOI:10.1177/08903344261446162

Br J Haematol. 2026 May 29. doi: 10.1111/bjh.70571. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42216510 | DOI:10.1111/bjh.70571

Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2026 Jun;28(3):e70161. doi: 10.1111/cid.70161.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of deproteinized bovine bone matrix (DBBM) and horizontal platelet rich fibrin bone block (H-PRF-BB) in transcrestal sinus floor elevation (TSFE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 65 patients receiving 73 implants placed simultaneously with TSFE. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) the H-PRF-BB group (23 patients, 24 implants) and (2) the DBBM group (42 patients, 49 implants). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was obtained pre-, immediate post-surgery and at the follow-up time. Residual bone height (RBH), height of the augmented bone above the apex of the implant (AH), and height of the elevated sinus floor (EH) were measured. The differences between the groups were analyzed using Welch’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. The correlations between RBH0 and whether the implant apex was covered with bone were evaluated through Fisher’s exact probability test.

RESULTS: RBH preoperative (RBH0) and immediate postoperative (RBH1) exhibited no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The RBH at the follow up time (RBH2) in the H-PRF-BB group (11.46 ± 0.32 mm) was higher than that of the DBBM group (10.31 ± 0.30 mm), but without statistical significance. The bone height gained immediately after TSFE (EH1) was 6.39 ± 0.43 mm in the H-PRF-BB group and 5.65 ± 0.28 mm in the DBBM group (no statistical difference). Nevertheless, the bone height gained at the follow up time (EH2) was higher in the H-PRF-BB (5.39 ± 0.41 mm) group when compared to the DBBM group (4.04 ± 0.24 mm). The bone height change (ΔH) was minimal in the H-PRF-BB group (-1.02 ± 0.18 mm) compared to that in the DBBM group (-1.80 ± 0.23 mm). The mean AH immediately after surgery (AH1) was comparable in both groups, but was higher above the implant apex in the H-PRF-BB group (2.18 ± 0.28 mm) at the follow up time (AH2) when compared to the DBBM group (1.36 ± 0.16 mm). Lastly, the apex exposure rate was also lower in the H-PRF-BB group (12.5%) compared to the DBBM group (29.8%).

CONCLUSION: H-PRF-BB showed better radiographic outcomes in TSFE compared to DBBM, with an elevated EH2 and AH2. The use of H-PRF-BB was found to reduce the height decrease over time and lessen implant exposure at the apex.

PMID:42216507 | DOI:10.1111/cid.70161

Surg Innov. 2026 May 29:15533506261455385. doi: 10.1177/15533506261455385. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundDisposal of unused surgical items exacerbates the environmental footprint and costs of hospitals. Surgeon preference cards (SPCs), which specify equipment needed for surgeries, impact inventory control and wasted supplies. This study assessed the effect of SPC age on surgical waste and costs, and examined staff attitudes towards SPC systems.MethodsA random selection of elective surgeries was observed in four operating theatres (March – October 2023) at a regional public hospital in New South Wales, Australia. Wasted items per procedure and the age of SPCs were recorded. Waste cost calculations were based on hospital records. An online survey measured perioperative nursing staff and surgeon attitudes. Data analysis involved simple linear regression, descriptive and summary statistics.ResultsData from 35 of 1456 (2.4%) elective surgical procedures showed that 285 single use items were unused (median 2 per procedure, IQR 7). Each year the SPC aged, 1.6 additional items were wasted (95% CI 1.3-1.9, P < 0.01). The total waste from unused single-use items amounted to 22.4 kg (18.7 kg general waste, 1.9 kg sharps waste, and 1.9 kg recycled) and purchase price totalled $3543.07 AUD. Survey respondents (n = 36) expressed mixed opinions about the current SPC system, with concerns about waste, cost, and environmental consequences. They favoured an electronic system for its potential to enhance efficiency and patient safety but noted barriers such as resource constraints and costs.ConclusionUpdating SPCs is an effective strategy to minimise surgical waste and costs. Hospitals using paper based SPCs should consider transitioning to electronic systems for better sustainability.

PMID:42216505 | DOI:10.1177/15533506261455385

J Prosthodont. 2026 May 29. doi: 10.1111/jopr.70176. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Veneers for maxillary premolars are commonly included in treatment plans for patients with a wide smile who request enhancement of all teeth in the smile zone. However, limited data are available regarding the influence of different premolar veneer designs on fracture resistance. Therefore, this in vitro study aimed to evaluate and compare the fracture resistance of maxillary premolar veneer preparations with feather-edge (FeV), butt-joint (BuV), preparation extending to the central groove (CeV), and conventional full-coverage crowns (FC) as the control.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four maxillary right first premolar typodont teeth were prepared: three for veneer designs (FeV, BuV, and CeV) and one for a full-coverage crown (FC). A total of 60 restorations (n = 15 per group) were milled from lithium disilicate and cemented to printed dies. All restorations underwent artificial aging with 10,000 thermal cycles between 5°C and 55°C, followed by load-to-fracture testing. Fracture resistance values were recorded. Statistical comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc tests (α = 0.05). In addition, fracture patterns were evaluated descriptively using scanning electron microscope images.

RESULTS: Fracture resistance differed significantly among the veneer and crown groups (p < 0.05). Among the veneers, CeV demonstrated the highest fracture resistance (668 N), followed by BuV (531 N), while FeV showed the lowest values (492 N). The control group (FC) exhibited the highest overall fracture resistance (911 N), exceeding all veneer groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Maxillary premolar veneer preparations extending to the central groove demonstrated higher fracture resistance than feather-edge and butt-joint designs. Conventional full-coverage crowns exhibited higher fracture resistance than any veneer design. These findings may guide clinicians in selecting the appropriate veneer preparation design for patients with wide smiles that display premolar teeth.

PMID:42216496 | DOI:10.1111/jopr.70176

Foot Ankle Int. 2026 May 29:10711007261444266. doi: 10.1177/10711007261444266. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the types and rates of early complications following elective percutaneous surgery for hallux valgus (HV) in diabetic (DP) vs non-diabetic (NDP) patients.

METHOD: This retrospective study was conducted at our institution between October 2017 and August 2020. During this period, 874 feet underwent percutaneous surgery for HV correction. All adult diabetic patients with controlled diabetes who underwent percutaneous distal metaphyseal osteotomy and had a minimum follow-up of 6 months were included. For each diabetic patient, 2 age-matched (±1 year) non-diabetic controls were randomly selected. Complications were defined as any deviation from the normal postoperative course and were systematically recorded. This work is a retrospective exploratory analysis of a matched cohort.

RESULTS: A total of 75 patients were analyzed, 25 DP and 50 NDP, with a mean follow-up of 10.8 months (range 6-48) months. There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics between groups, except for body mass index and Charlson Comorbidity Index, both of which were significantly higher in the DP group (P < .001 and P = .014, respectively). Although pre- and postoperative functional scale scores did not differ significantly between the groups, the postoperative radiographic angles showed a greater correction in the diabetic group.The overall complication rate was 24% (n = 6) in the DP group and 18% (n = 9) in the NDP group (P = .553). Complications included infection, osteosynthesis discomfort, pseudarthrosis, residual pain, and metatarsalgia. In the DP group, all superficial infections were successfully managed with oral antibiotics.

CONCLUSION: With the available sample size, no statistically significant differences in the overall complication rate were detected between well-controlled diabetic and non-diabetic patients undergoing minimally invasive hallux valgus surgery. These findings should be interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating, and require confirmation in larger studies.

PMID:42216492 | DOI:10.1177/10711007261444266

Eur J Heart Fail. 2026 May 29:xuag177. doi: 10.1093/ejhf/xuag177. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Acoramidis, an oral transthyretin stabilizer that achieves near-complete (≥90%) transthyretin stabilization, demonstrated significant clinical benefit over placebo in participants with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) in the phase 3 ATTRibute-CM trial (NCT03860935).

METHODS: Post-hoc exploratory analyses of ATTRibute-CM were performed to evaluate associations between outpatient worsening heart failure (HF) (initiation/escalation of oral loop diuretics) and clinical outcomes, the impact of acoramidis on outpatient worsening HF, and the effect of acoramidis on clinical outcomes adjusting for time-dependent first outpatient worsening HF.

RESULTS: In the modified-intention-to-treat population, 287/611 participants (46.97%) experienced outpatient worsening HF, which was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (ACM)/recurrent cardiovascular hospitalization (CVH) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.51-2.51), first CVH (HR 2.78, 95% CI 1.95-3.95), ACM (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.14-2.36), and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.08-2.46) through month 30. Acoramidis was associated with a 41% risk reduction of first outpatient worsening HF versus placebo (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46-0.75); Kaplan-Meier curves separated early, nominal statistical significance was first reached at day 30 (HR 0.562, 95% CI 0.317-0.998; p = 0.0492), and sustained nominal statistical significance was achieved at day 134 through month 30. When adjusting for time-dependent first outpatient worsening HF over 30 months, acoramidis reduced the risk of ACM/recurrent CVH and first CVH versus placebo.

CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient worsening HF was associated with clinical outcomes in ATTR-CM. Acoramidis reduced the risk of outpatient worsening HF; effects emerged early and persisted throughout follow-up.

PMID:42216490 | DOI:10.1093/ejhf/xuag177

Am J Mens Health. 2026 May-Jun;20(3):15579883261453361. doi: 10.1177/15579883261453361. Epub 2026 May 29.

ABSTRACT

Persistent racial disparities underscore the disproportionate burden of poor health among Black men in the United States. Black men also use health care services less often, yet gaps remain in the literature on racial differences in health care utilization patterns. The objective of this study was to examine potential race differences in health care service utilization, specifically whether they had at least one office-based provider visit during the year between Black and White men. Data from the 2022 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used, consisting of a sample of 5,921 men (4,837 non-Hispanic White and 1,084 non-Hispanic Black). The dependent variable, health care utilization, was based on the aggregated 2022 annual total of office-based provider visits and was coded as a binary indicator of whether the respondent had at least one visit during the year. Race and ethnicity were based on respondents’ self-reported race and whether they identified as Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin. Approximately 73 percent of the men had at least one office-based provider visit during the year, and 18 percent of the sample were NHB men. After adjusting for covariates, NHB men had a lower prevalence of having an office-based physical annual visit during the year (prevalence ratio = 0.83, 95% confidence interval [0.77, 0.88]) than NHW men. This difference may reflect medical mistrust and other health care system barriers rooted in historical and ongoing discrimination against Black men, which limits access to care. These findings underscore the need to address the root causes of barriers to health care utilization among Black men.

PMID:42216465 | DOI:10.1177/15579883261453361

Rev Neurol. 2026 May 25;81(5):48265. doi: 10.31083/RN48265.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a rare group of hereditary degenerative disorders with major symptoms such as unsteady gait, dysarthria, and finger-nose instability. At present, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a widely utilized balance assessment tool for SCA patients, exhibiting high reliability. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether the Semans Scale and the Balance Coordination Test can also be utilized for balance assessment in SCA patients.

METHODS: A total of 32 patients with SCA who had been diagnosed according to previously reported molecular criteria were recruited between 2021 and 2022. In addition, all patients completed assessments for all three scales.

RESULTS: The results of the study demonstrated a moderate positive correlation between the BBS and both the Semans Scale and Balance Coordination Test scores (BBS versus Semans: r = 0.568, p < 0.001; BBS versus Balance Coordination Test: r = 0.625, p < 0.001). However, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed statistically significant differences between BBS and both Semans Scores (Z = -2.955, p = 0.003) and Balance Coordination Test scores (Z = -3.666, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: The Semans Scale and Balance Coordination Test reflect the balance function of SCA patients to a certain extent and can be used as valid complements to the BBS, providing additional information for clinical treatment and rehabilitation.

PMID:42216463 | DOI:10.31083/RN48265