Category: Statistics

Sociol Methods Res. 2021 May;50(2):866-900. doi: 10.1177/0049124118799384. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

ABSTRACT

Questions on voluntary association memberships have been used extensively in social scientific research for decades. Researchers generally assume that these respondent self-reports are accurate, but their measurement has never been assessed. Respondent characteristics are known to influence the accuracy of other self-report variables such as self-reported health, voting, or test scores. In this article, we investigate whether measurement error occurs in self-reports of voluntary association memberships. We use the 2004 General Social Survey (GSS) questions on voluntary associations, which include a novel resource: the actual organization names listed by respondents. We find that this widely used voluntary association classification scheme contains significant amounts of measurement error overall, especially within certain categories. Using a multilevel logistic regression, we predict accuracy of response nested within respondents and interviewers. We find that certain respondent characteristics, including some used in research on voluntary associations, influence respondent accuracy. Inaccurate and/or incorrect measurement will affect the statistics and conclusions drawn from the data on voluntary associations.

PMID:39006983 | PMC:PMC11244701 | DOI:10.1177/0049124118799384

Oncol Lett. 2024 Jul 2;28(3):418. doi: 10.3892/ol.2024.14551. eCollection 2024 Sep.

ABSTRACT

The Stupp regimen remains the standard treatment for newly diagnosed glioblastomas, although the prognosis remains poor. Several temozolomide alternative schedules have been studied, with extended adjuvant treatment (>6 cycles of temozolomide) frequently used, although different trials have indicated contrasting results. Survival data of 87 patients who received 6 (‘6C’ group) or 12 (’12C’ group) cycles of temozolomide were collected between 2012 and 2022. A total of 45 patients were included in the 6C group and 42 patients were included in the 12C group. Data on isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation and methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status were also collected. The 12C group exhibited statistically significantly improved overall survival [OS; 22.8 vs. 17.5 months; hazard ratio (HR), 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30-0.73; P=0.001] and progression-free survival (15.3 vs. 9 months; HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.25-0.62; P=0.001). However, in the subgroup analysis according to MGMT status, OS in the 12C group was significantly superior to OS in the 6C group only in the MGMT unmethylated tumors. The present data suggested that extended adjuvant temozolomide appeared to be more effective than the conventional six cycles.

PMID:39006948 | PMC:PMC11240269 | DOI:10.3892/ol.2024.14551

Front Insect Sci. 2024 Jun 28;4:1328235. doi: 10.3389/finsc.2024.1328235. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) is an important food and livestock feed legume that can also enhance soil fertility. However, its production is limited by insect pests, notably the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae). The present field study was conducted to determine the difference in the contribution of lablab genotypes and natural field margin vegetation (FMV) to the abundance and diversity of natural enemies and the damage, incidence, and abundance of bean aphids. Eighteen lablab genotypes were planted in the presence or absence of FMV in a randomized complete block design experiment replicated four times. Data on aphid abundance, incidence, and severity of damage were collected at four growth stages of the crop. Lablab genotypes significantly influenced aphid incidence, suggesting some level of tolerance to aphid colonization. Findings showed that lablab genotypes were a significant influence on natural enemy species richness with no statistical difference for abundance and natural enemy species diversity. However, the genotypes did not vary significantly in their influence on the number of aphid natural enemies. FMV was associated with low bean aphid damage. Overall, the presence or absence of FMV did not influence the number of natural enemies caught on the crop. This concurs with recent work that shows a similar number of natural enemies with field margin plants but may reflect the reduced number of pest insects. Cropping seasons influenced aphid abundance and damage severity, with the populations developing at the early stages of lablab development and decreasing as the crop advanced. This pattern was similar both in the presence or absence of FMV. The findings of this study highlight the important contribution of crop genotype together with the presence of field margin species in the regulation of aphids and their natural enemies in lablab.

PMID:39006941 | PMC:PMC11240140 | DOI:10.3389/finsc.2024.1328235

Int J Lab Hematol. 2024 Jul 14. doi: 10.1111/ijlh.14341. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:39004772 | DOI:10.1111/ijlh.14341

J Cardiothorac Surg. 2024 Jul 15;19(1):446. doi: 10.1186/s13019-024-02907-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The war that began on October 7th, 2023, has impacted all major tertiary medical centers in Israel. In the largest cardiac surgery department in Israel there has been a surprising increase in the number of open-heart procedures, despite having approximately 50% of surgeons recruited to military service. The purpose of this study is to characterize this increase in the number of operations performed during wartime and assess whether the national crisis has affected patient outcomes.

METHODS: The study was based on a prospectively collected registry of 275 patients who underwent cardiac surgery or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during the first two months of war, October 7th 2023 – December 7th 2023, as well as patients that underwent cardiac surgery during the same period of time in 2022 (October 7th, 2022 – December 7th, 2022).

RESULTS: 120 patients (43.6%) were operated on in 2022, and 155 (56.4%) during wartime in 2023. This signifies a 33.0% increase in open-heart procedures (109 in 2022 vs. 145 in 2023, p-value 0.26). There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of patients when comparing the 2022 patients to those in 2023. No significant differences between the two groups were found with regards to intraoperative characteristics or the type of surgery. However, compared to 2022, there was a 233% increase in the number of transplantations in the 2023 cohort (p-value 0.24). Patient outcomes during wartime were similar to those of 2022, including postoperative complications, length of stay, and mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent cardiac surgery during wartime presented with comparable outcomes when compared to those of last year despite the increase in cardiac surgery workload. There was an increase in the number of transplants this year, attributed to the unfortunate increase in organ donors.

PMID:39004766 | DOI:10.1186/s13019-024-02907-4

Crit Care. 2024 Jul 14;28(1):239. doi: 10.1186/s13054-024-05031-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The optimal administration of polymyxins for treating multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial (MDR-GNB) pneumonia remains unclear. This study aimed to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of three polymyxin-containing regimens by conducting a comprehensive network meta-analysis.

METHODS: We comprehensively searched nine databases. Overall mortality was the primary outcome, whereas the secondary outcomes encompassed microbial eradication rate, clinical success, acute kidney injury, and incidence of bronchospasm. Extracted study data were analyzed by pairwise and network meta-analyses. Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) assessment tool were used to assess the risk of bias in randomized trials and cohort studies, respectively.

RESULTS: This study included 19 observational studies and 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), encompassing 3318 patients. Six studies with high risk of bias were excluded from the primary analysis. In the pairwise meta-analysis, compared to the intravenous (IV) polymyxin-containing regimen, the intravenous plus inhaled (IV + IH) polymyxin-containing regimen showed a significant decrease in overall mortality, while no statistically significant difference was found in the inhaled (IH) polymyxin-containing regimen. The network meta-analysis indicated that the IV + IH polymyxin-containing regimen had significantly lower overall mortality (OR 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50-0.88), higher clinical success rate (OR 1.90; 95% CI 1.20-3.00), better microbial eradication rate (OR 2.70; 95% CI 1.90-3.90) than the IV polymyxin-containing regimen, and significantly better microbial eradication rate when compared with the IH polymyxin-containing regimen (OR 2.30; 95% CI 1.30-4.20). Furthermore, compared with IV + IH and IV polymyxin-containing regimens, the IH polymyxin-containing regimen showed a significant reduction in acute kidney injury.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that among the three administration regimens, the IV + IH polymyxin-containing regimen may be the most effective for treating MDR-GNB pneumonia, with a significantly lower overall mortality compared to the IV regimen and a considerably higher microbial eradication rate compared to the IH regimen. The IH regimen may be considered superior to the IV regimen due to its substantially lower incidence of acute kidney injury, even though the reduction in overall mortality was not significant.

PMID:39004760 | DOI:10.1186/s13054-024-05031-w

Isr J Health Policy Res. 2024 Jul 15;13(1):30. doi: 10.1186/s13584-024-00617-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In Israel, coverage of health needs is delivered by four health maintenance organizations (HMOs), which are budgeted by the government according to the recommendations of the National Drug Formulary (NDF) Committee. For medications not listed in the NDF, individuals may request to cover the costs by the HMO Exemptions Committee (DEC). The objectives of the current study, a first of its kind, are to document the DEC decision process, to identify its components and to determine the decisions’ clinical outcome.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all members (≥ age 18) of the Maccabi Healthcare Service (MHS) who submitted a request to the DEC between June 2017 and December 2018. Collected data include patient demographics, clinical information and components of the decision process. Decision success (i.e., clinical outcome correlated with DEC decision) was determined by clinical outcome over at least one-year follow-up.

RESULTS: A total of 335 requests were included. Strong evidence and rare disease were positively associated with approvals, while the availability of alternative treatments and costs were negatively associated. The majority of decisions (75%) met predicted clinical outcomes. Only estimated costs were found to be associated with decision success.

CONCLUSIONS: Factors that reduce the potential costs of a requested drug are significantly associated with higher odds for drug approval, but only when the evidence supports potential benefit.

PMID:39004759 | DOI:10.1186/s13584-024-00617-9

BMC Oral Health. 2024 Jul 14;24(1):794. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04584-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This retrospective clinical study was undertaken to comparatively evaluate the number of restorative treatments, endodontic treatments, and tooth extractions performed for patients under general anesthesia due to dental anxiety or special needs between 2015 and 2022 and to examine the pain, bleeding, nausea, and vomiting data of those patients.

METHODS: In total, 1165 patients underwent dental treatment under general anesthesia in the faculty hospital. Those under the age of 15 and with no endodontic procedure planned (n = 918) were excluded, followed by those with incomplete data (n = 25) and those without endodontic treatment (n = 25). Patients who underwent at least one endodontic treatment were finally included in the study (n = 184). Patients were divided into two groups: healthy and with special needs. Dental treatments were recorded as endodontic, restorative, and teeth extractions. Endodontic treatments were classified according to the tooth type (premolar, molar, and incisors). The composite restorations were classified as anterior, occlusal (O), occluso-distal (OD) or occluso-mesial (OM), and mesio-occluso-distal (MOD) restorations and patients’ post-treatment pain, nausea, vomiting, and bleeding were recorded. The data were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS: Among the 184 patients included in the study, 70 (38%) were healthy, and 114 (62%) had special needs. Postoperative bleeding was observed more in patients with special needs (χ² = 4.189, p < 0.05), whereas pain was observed more in healthy patients (U = 2922.00, p < 0.05). While the number of anterior, O, and MOD restorations was higher in patients with special needs, the number of OD or OM restorations was higher in healthy patients (χ² = 74.877, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with special needs undergo a greater number of restorative treatments compared to control patients, which may be associated with the inadequate oral hygiene care of such patients. However, restorative treatment is mostly indicated for such patients in our faculty hospital, which may indicate that a conservative approach is taken. Additionally, the finding that postoperative bleeding was more severe in this group of patients compared to the control group in this study may emphasize the need to consider more possible complications after general anesthesia in these patients.

PMID:39004749 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-024-04584-0

BMC Oral Health. 2024 Jul 14;24(1):793. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04563-5.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disability (MSD) has been identified as having a negative impact on oral health. Patients with MSD have a greater burden of medical expenses and are expected to have an Economic unmet dental need (UDN). This study aimed to conduct a multifactorial analysis based on the Andersen model to determine the extent to which MSD contributes to inequitable dental care use.

METHODS: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey VIII. The study population was 17,903 adults aged 19 years and older. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 26 and the level of statistical significance was set at 0.05.

RESULTS: The people with MSD activity limitations were rare as only 3% in this study population. There were significant differences in sex and education as predisposing factors, income, and marital status as enabling factors, and current smoking, daily brushing, and MSD activity limitation as need factors for experiencing economic UDN. MSD activity limitation was associated with 1.5-fold increased odds of Economic UDN with a fully adjusted Anderson’s Behavior Model.

CONCLUSIONS: This finding suggests poorer access to dental care among adults with MSDs owing to financial difficulties. It is necessary to explore various ways to address oral health inequalities among adults with MSD activity limitations.

PMID:39004747 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-024-04563-5

Nutr J. 2024 Jul 15;23(1):75. doi: 10.1186/s12937-024-00980-y.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: An increasing number of studies shown that inadequate energy intake causes an increase in adverse incidents in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on low-protein diets (LPD). The study aimed to investigate the relationship between energy intake and cardiovascular mortality in CKD patients on a LPD.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study, a total of 4264 CKD patients were enrolled from the NHANES database between 2009 and 2018. Restricted cubic spline plots and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the association between energy intake and cardiovascular mortality in CKD patients on a LPD. Additionally, a nomogram was constructed to estimate cardiovascular survival in CKD patients on a LPD.

RESULTS: Among CKD patients on a LPD in the United States, 90.05% had an energy intake of less than 25 kcal/kg/day, compared to 36.94% in CKD patients on a non-LPD. Energy intake and cardiovascular mortality showed a linear relationship in CKD patients on a LPD, while a ‘U-shaped’ relationship was observed in CKD patients on a non-LPD. Multifactorial Cox regression models revealed that for Per-standard deviation (Per-SD) decrement in energy intake, the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased by 41% (HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.77; P = 0.004) in CKD patients on a LPD. The concordance index of the nomogram was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.75, 0.83).

CONCLUSION: CKD patients, especially those on a LPD, have significantly inadequate energy intake. Lower energy intake is associated with higher cardiovascular mortality in CKD patients on a LPD.

PMID:39004744 | DOI:10.1186/s12937-024-00980-y