Category: Statistics

Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s00701-026-06927-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Picture naming is a widely used task for perioperative language assessment and brain mapping in awake surgery for brain tumors. Although there is a consensus on this task between centers performing this type of surgery, the tests used vary from one team to another. The MULTIMAP picture naming task, initially developed in 2021 by the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, aimed to enhance the perioperative assessment of lexical access of both nouns and verbs in awake surgery patients and to facilitate standardized protocols for international multicenter studies. This study presents the French adaptation, digitization, and standardization of extraoperative MULTIMAP.

METHODS: The tool was standardized on a sample of 416 healthy subjects recruited from the French population, whose performances (score and time) were statistically analyzed. Of the 100 items tested, we retained the 80 (40 objects, 40 actions) that showed the highest naming accuracy and were balanced between nouns and verbs for main psycholinguistic variables.

RESULTS: Gender had no effect on performance, the level of education had a significant effect for the action naming task only, and age for both tasks, allowing to determine percentiles according to these variables. Performances in object and action naming were correlated; however, a significant but minimal difference between the average score and time between tasks was found.

CONCLUSION: The digitized French version of MULTIMAP is a promising tool, that awaits further validation in patients with acquired brain lesions, especially in the context of brain tumor awake surgery.

PMID:42240870 | DOI:10.1007/s00701-026-06927-y

Discov Oncol. 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s12672-026-05325-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and the second most common cause in women worldwide. In the 9th edition of the TNM classification, N2 lymph node involvement has been divided into two subgroups: N2a and N2b. In this study, we aimed to examine the differences within the N2 group and to identify factors that may affect prognosis.

METHODS: Between 2002 and 2023, patients who underwent preoperative mediastinal staging (EBUS/Mediastinoscopy) and were found to have N2 involvement following lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer across 7 different clinics were included in the study. A total of 149 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 98 had single-station N2 involvement, while 51 had multiple-station N2 involvement. The groups were evaluated in terms of parametric and non-parametric variables using Student’s t-test and Chi-square analysis. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: When comparing the groups based on demographic data, the mean age was 61.3 ± 8.2 years in patients with single-station N2 involvement and 59.6 ± 8.3 years in those with multiple-station N2 involvement (p = 0.979). No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of sex (p = 0.456). There was no significant difference in overall survival between the two groups (p = 0.675). However, adenocarcinoma diagnosis, TNM stage, and receipt of neoadjuvant therapy were identified as statistically significant factors associated with survival (p = 0.024, p = 0.006, and p < 0.001, respectively). In the Cox regression analysis, both pathological diagnosis and neoadjuvant therapy emerged as independent prognostic factors for survival (p = 0.046 and p < 0.001, respectively).

DISCUSSION: Identifying prognostic factors in NSCLC patients with N2 involvement is crucial for determining appropriate treatment and follow-up strategies. In our study, patients with single and multiple N2 involvement exhibited similar demographic characteristics. When the two groups were evaluated in terms of survival, patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, those at Stage 3 A, and those who had not received neoadjuvant therapy were found to have significantly better survival outcomes. Our findings also indicated that patients with adenocarcinoma and unexpected N2 involvement had better survival. Independent negative prognostic factors included a non-adenocarcinoma diagnosis and prior neoadjuvant therapy. In cases of NSCLC with multiple N2 involvement, those diagnosed with non-adenocarcinoma type or who had received neoadjuvant therapy should be considered at higher risk for poor prognosis.

PMID:42240869 | DOI:10.1007/s12672-026-05325-1

Clin Oral Investig. 2026 Jun 4;30(6):275. doi: 10.1007/s00784-026-06959-9.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of guided bone regeneration (GBR) using a three-dimensional preformed resorbable Polylactic-co-glycolic acid membrane (3D-PRPM) with simultaneous implant placement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients (21 sites) with localized ridge defects were treated using implants placed concurrently with GBR using a 3D-PRPM. Cone-beam computed tomography scans were taken preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at 5 months. Horizontal bone augmentation (BA), hard tissue gain (HG), bone resorption (BR), and hard tissue gain rate (HGR) were assessed. Changes beyond the original bony envelope were evaluated. Statistical analyses included the Wilcoxon signed-rank and Friedman tests.

RESULTS: Mean BA was 2.99 ± 1.15 mm, and mean HG at 5 months was 2.64 ± 1.10 mm. Mean BR was 0.35 ± 0.23 mm, and mean HGR was 87.2% ± 8.2%. Envelope analysis confirmed a significant increase after augmentation with partial reduction during healing; however, ridge dimensions at 5 months remained significantly greater than baseline (P < 0.001). No membrane exposure, infection, or wound dehiscence occurred.

CONCLUSION: 3D-PRPM enabled predictable horizontal ridge augmentation with excellent volumetric stability and favorable short-term safety.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A 3D-PRPM may provide a stable, fixation-free resorbable barrier for horizontal ridge augmentation, potentially simplifying GBR procedures and reducing the need for secondary removal.

PMID:42240865 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-026-06959-9

Clin Neuroradiol. 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s00062-026-01668-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Flow diverters (FD) have transformed complex aneurysm management, but incomplete aneurysm occlusion remains a significant concern, highlighting the need for practical predictors of successful treatment. While local flow dynamics are known to be critically influenced by parent artery-aneurysm (PA-aneurysm) geometry, their quantitative assessment in clinical settings is challenging. This study aimed to identify practical, readily measurable geometric predictors for complete aneurysm occlusion following FD treatment.

METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 119 intracranial aneurysms treated with FD between 2014 and 2023 at our center. Morphological and geometric parameters-including maximal diameter, PA-aneurysm inlet and outlet angles, and branch artery incorporation-were quantitatively measured from 3D rotational Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA). Angiographic outcomes, categorized as complete occlusion or persistence, were assessed at a minimum of 18 months of follow-up without additional intervention. Independent predictors were identified using univariable and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS: Aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 89 (74.8%) cases during a median angiographic follow-up of 19.8 months (interquartile range [IQR], 12.2-34.7). In multivariable analysis, a lower likelihood of aneurysm occlusion was significantly associated with a larger PA-aneurysm inlet angle (OR, 0.82 per 10° increase; 95% CI, 0.69-0.98; p = 0.045) and the presence of branch artery incorporation (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.10-0.63; p = 0.004). While a larger neck diameter (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.85-1.03) was also associated with a lower occlusion rate, this association did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.175). The developed multivariable model demonstrated acceptable predictive performance (AUC = 0.743; 95% CI, 0.632, 0.855).

CONCLUSIONS: A smaller PA-aneurysm inlet angle and absence of branch artery incorporation are independent predictors of aneurysm occlusion after flow diversion. These readily measurable geometric parameters from diagnostic DSA may serve as practical and useful indicators for predicting FD treatment outcomes.

PMID:42240864 | DOI:10.1007/s00062-026-01668-y

Pflugers Arch. 2026 Jun 4;478(6):53. doi: 10.1007/s00424-026-03184-x.

ABSTRACT

Experimental medicine studies, small, mechanistically focused investigations, have historically driven key discoveries in human physiology and pharmacology. Despite their foundational role, these studies are increasingly marginalised in today’s drug development environment due to economic pressures, regulatory conservatism, and an overemphasis on statistical endpoints from large-scale trials. This article traces the historical roots and enduring value of experimental medicine, distinguishes it from current early phase drug development studies, and explores the structural forces behind its decline. N-of-1 trials are discussed as a systematic extension of these principles, offering precision insights at the individual level. We apply this discussion to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a field where slow progression and heterogeneous pathophysiology make early mechanistic studies especially valuable. We argue that bypassing such studies in favour of speed represents a strategic gamble that may misdirect costly late-phase trials. Integrating mechanistic insights with statistical power is not superfluous, but essential, particularly in complex diseases like CKD where understanding why and how interventions work may matter as much as whether they do. We acknowledge that achieving this vision necessitates overcoming significant structural, economic, and cultural barriers within the current drug development environment; however, the costs of inaction, manifest as trial failures, patient harm, and missed therapeutic opportunities, are potentially much greater.

PMID:42240850 | DOI:10.1007/s00424-026-03184-x

Pediatr Surg Int. 2026 Jun 4;42(1):248. doi: 10.1007/s00383-026-06440-4.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The optimal suturing technique for urethral tubularisation during tubularised incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty remains debated. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared perioperative and postoperative outcomes of interrupted versus continuous suturing techniques in paediatric hypospadias repair.

METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to December 2025 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Randomised controlled trials and observational studies comparing interrupted and continuous suturing during paediatric TIP urethroplasty were included. Outcomes assessed were urethrocutaneous fistula, surgical site infection, meatal stenosis, urethral stricture, glans dehiscence, overall complications, urinary stream outcomes, operative time, and reoperation rates. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool and the ROBINS-I. A random-effects meta-analysis supplemented by influence diagnostics and Hartung-Knapp adjustment for heterogeneous outcomes, were conducted using R version 4.5.2, with results expressed as odds ratios (ORs) or mean differences (MDs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: Fifteen studies involving 2625 paediatric patients were included, with 800 undergoing interrupted suturing and 1,825 continuous suturing. No statistically significant differences were observed between techniques for urethrocutaneous fistula (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.38-1.11), surgical site infection (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.25-1.48), meatal stenosis (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.54-1.80), urethral stricture (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.29-3.97), overall complications (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.48-1.17), or glans dehiscence (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.36-1.63). Operating time showed no clinically meaningful difference operative time (MD 3.77 min, 95% CI – 3.69 to 11.24, Hartung-Knapp adjusted).

CONCLUSION: Continuous and interrupted suturing techniques during TIP urethroplasty demonstrate comparable complication rates and functional outcomes. These findings suggest that suturing technique may be selected based on surgeon preference and experience; however, large, well-designed multicentre randomised trials are required to further inform clinical practice.

PMID:42240839 | DOI:10.1007/s00383-026-06440-4

Pediatr Radiol. 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s00247-026-06679-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT) offers potential advantages over conventional energy-integrating detector computed tomography (EID-CT) in pediatric imaging, but the available evidence has not yet been systematically synthesized.

OBJECTIVE: To compare radiation dose, image quality based on objective metrics, and iodinated contrast dose between PCD-CT and EID-CT in pediatric patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane CENTRAL through March 15, 2026, identified comparative studies of PCD-CT versus EID-CT in children 17 years of age or younger. Radiation dose outcomes, including volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol), dose-length product (DLP), and size-specific dose estimate (SSDE), were pooled as mean differences (MDs), and objective image quality outcomes, including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), were pooled as standardized mean differences (SMDs; Hedges’ g) using random-effects models. Prediction intervals were calculated for each pooled outcome. Subgroup analyses were performed by body region, and exploratory meta-regression with body region as a moderator was performed.

RESULTS: Twelve comparative studies comprising 1,545 total study-arm observations or examinations were included in the meta-analysis, and 6 additional studies were included in the narrative synthesis. Compared with EID-CT, PCD-CT showed significantly lower CTDIvol (MD=-0.90 mGy; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.74 to -0.06; P=0.036; 95% prediction interval [PI]: -4.06 to 2.26) and significantly lower SSDE (MD=-1.35 mGy; 95% CI: -2.32 to -0.38; P=0.006; PI: -4.63 to 1.92). DLP showed a non-significant reduction (MD=-21.25 mGy·cm; 95% CI: -47.29 to 4.79; P=0.110; PI: -116.58 to 74.08). PCD-CT also demonstrated significantly higher SNR (SMD=0.42; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.78; P=0.024; PI: -0.94 to 1.77) and a small significant increase in CNR (SMD=0.34; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.66; P=0.037; PI: -0.66 to 1.34). All overall 95% prediction intervals crossed zero. The head subgroup showed the largest objective SNR difference (k=2; SMD=1.34; 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.56). Two studies reported 25-50% reductions in contrast dose while maintaining image quality based on objective metrics.

CONCLUSION: Compared with EID-CT, PCD-CT was associated with significantly lower CTDIvol and SSDE, and with significantly higher SNR and CNR; the reduction in DLP did not reach statistical significance. All overall 95% prediction intervals crossed zero, indicating that the magnitude and direction of benefit may vary across protocols and body regions. The most consistent dose reduction was observed in abdominopelvic imaging, and the largest objective SNR difference was observed in head computed tomography, although the clinical relevance of SNR/CNR differences remains to be established.

PMID:42240832 | DOI:10.1007/s00247-026-06679-y

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s40615-026-03058-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and impact of food insecurity (FI) among medical students at Howard University College of Medicine (HUCM), a historically Black institution, where data on FI in Black-majority medical student populations remain scarce.

METHODS: In Spring 2025, a cross-sectional survey incorporating the USDA Six-Item Short Form Food Security Scale was distributed to all HUCM medical students. Additional questions assessed demographics, financial concerns, nutrition, and the perceived academic impact of FI. Responses were anonymized and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: Of 120 respondents, 79% identified as Black, 85% relied on loans, and 49% met USDA criteria for food insecurity, with 23% experiencing very low food security. 31% reported unreliable access to healthy foods, and 71% skipped or downgraded meals due to financial or time constraints. More than four in five students expressed concern about basic living expenses, and 35% reported that FI negatively impacted academic performance in the last month. A majority (92%) endorsed the need for on-campus food resources, and 83% indicated willingness to contribute to a student-run garden.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide the first institution-level data on FI in a majority Black medical student population and highlight the urgent need to reform financial support models in medical education.

PMID:42240822 | DOI:10.1007/s40615-026-03058-z

Int J Clin Pharm. 2026 Jun 4. doi: 10.1007/s11096-026-02167-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Medication-related hospital admission is a major contributor to preventable patient harm and healthcare burden worldwide. The relationship between age and medication-related hospital admission has not been comprehensively synthesised.

AIM: To evaluate the association between age and medication-related admission in adults and to provide research recommendations.

METHOD: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Global Health databases were searched from January 2000 to March 2025. Studies of adults reporting medication-related admission, providing data on participant age for an exposed and comparator group, published in English were included. Studies restricted to children were excluded. Selection through dual, independent title/abstract screening and full-text assessment using predefined eligibility criteria. Disagreements resolved by third reviewer or consensus. Study quality assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute tool for systematic reviews addressing questions of prevalence. Findings were reported descriptively and two meta-analyses were performed. Risk ratios of experiencing medication-related admission by age group (16-64 years-old, 65+years-old) were pooled. Mean ages of those experiencing medication-related admission compared to another cause of admission were pooled. Prediction intervals and sub-group analyses were used to explain heterogeneity.

RESULTS: Fifty studies, recruiting 210,514 participants, were included, with the majority judged as good quality. Thirteen studies exclusively recruited an older cohort, 30 studies were undertaken in Europe. Age data were variably described. The pooled risk ratio 1.64, (95% CI 1.15-2.35, K = 12, I² = 96%, n = 56,101) suggested adults ≥ 65 years had a higher risk of experiencing medication-related admission than younger adults (16-64 years). Studies undertaken in Africa had a higher effect size. The pooled mean difference (2.86 years, 95% CI – 1.63-7.36; p = 0.21, K = 10, I² = 93%, n = 12,440) indicated no statistically significant difference in age between groups. Risk of bias judgement was a statistically significant contributor to heterogeneity. Prediction intervals for both meta-analyses were wide, suggesting that findings of future studies could differ significantly. The certainty of evidence, GRADE approach, was very low.

CONCLUSION: Age is an unreliable predictor for medication-related admission without accounting for confounding and context. Future research should consistently define age categories and better explore other risk factors for medication-related admission.

PMID:42240819 | DOI:10.1007/s11096-026-02167-3

Behav Res Methods. 2026 Jun 4;58(7):187. doi: 10.3758/s13428-026-03057-2.

ABSTRACT

Eye tracking during visual search generates spatiotemporally rich but complex data. Traditional analyses often utilize simplified metrics (saccade landings, dwell time, etc.) that necessarily exclude a substantial fraction of the variance in the raw eye data. Here, we asked if deep learning might aid scientists in objectively incorporating such discarded data into analyses. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are supervised machine learning tools that excel at classifying biological data. We built several CNNs that learn from raw eye-position time-course data to classify the location of relevant stimuli (e.g., search targets/distractors). We train each CNN on two-thirds of the data and cross-validate on the rest, comparing classification accuracy to chance via traditional frequentist testing and hierarchical Bayesian modeling. Using data from two of our previous visual search studies (Massa et al., Atten Percept Psychophys 86(4):1108-1119, 2024; Grubb & Li, Atten Percept Psychophys 80:822-828, 2018), CNNs successfully classified the location of distractors with a “history as a sought target,” finding evidence for reflexive, experience-driven overt attention within each oculomotor dataset. Successful prediction of distractor location generalized to a third dataset without additional training (Doyle et al., Atten Percept Psychophys 87:721-727, 2025) and outperformed a traditional saccade-landing metric. Feature visualization illustrated how the CNNs learn from eye-position samples near distractors early in trials and opposite distractors later in trials, suggestive of reflexive attentional allocations towards distractors followed by corrective shifts in gaze. We thus validate our CNN-based approach and highlight its utility in analyzing the spatiotemporally rich data gathered from eye tracking during visual search.

PMID:42240817 | DOI:10.3758/s13428-026-03057-2