Category: Statistics

Quintessence Int. 2023 Jun 14;0(0):0. doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b4157323. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Although minimally- and non-invasive caries management are advocated in pediatric dentistry, extensive caries progression often requires endodontic treatment followed by crowning of the tooth. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the success of aesthetic preformed zirconia crowns (PZC) compared to the standard preformed metal crowns (PMC) after pulpotomy in primary molars retrospectively.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patient’s digital records in a specialized pediatric clinic in Germany were analyzed to include 2-9-year-olds, who had received one or more PMC or PZC after a pulpotomy between 2016 and 2020. Main outcomes were success, minor failure (restoration loss, wear or fracture), or major failure (need for extraction or pulpectomy).

RESULTS: 151 patients with 249 teeth (PMC: n=149; PZC: n=100) were included. Mean followup time was (19.9 months), with 90.4% of the crowns followed for at least 18 months. The majority of crowns were considered successful (94.4%). The differences in the success rates between PMC (96%) or PZC (92%) did not reach the level of statistical significance (p=0.182). All minor failures (1.6%) were in the PZC group. Especially crowns in first primary molars and the maxilla were prone to failure.

CONCLUSION: PMCs and PZCs both show high clinical success rates as restorations of primary teeth after a pulpotomy. However, there was a tendency of higher minor or major failure in the PZC group.

PMID:37313578 | DOI:10.3290/j.qi.b4157323

Quintessence Int. 2023 Jun 14;0(0):0. doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b4157183. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can able automatic tooth numbering, frenulum attachments, gingival overgrowth areas, and gingival inflammation signs on intraoral photographs and to evaluate the performance of this model.

METHOD AND MATERIALS: A total of 654 intraoral photographs were used in the study (n=654). All photographs were reviewed by 3 periodontists, and all teeth, frenulum attachment, gingival overgrowth areas, and gingival inflammation signs on photographs were labeled using the segmentation method in a web-based labeling software. In addition, tooth numbering was carried out according to the FDI system. An AI model was developed with the help of YOLOv5x architecture with labels of 16795 teeth, 2493 frenulum attachments, 1211 gingival overgrowth areas, and 2956 gingival inflammation signs. The confusion matrix system and ROC analysis were used to statistically evaluate the success of the developed model.

RESULTS: The sensitivity, precision, F1 score, and AUC for tooth numbering were found as 0.990, 0.784, 0.875, and 0.989; were found as 0.894, 0.775, 0.830, and 0.827 for frenulum attachment; were found as 0.757, 0.675, 0.714, and 0.774 for gingival overgrowth area, and were found as 0.737, 0.823, 0.777, and 0.802 for gingival inflammation sign, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The results of the present study have shown that AI systems can be successfully used to interpret intraoral photographs. These systems have the potential to accelerate the digital transformation in the clinical and academic functioning of dentistry with the automatic determination of anatomical structures and dental conditions from intraoral photographs.

PMID:37313576 | DOI:10.3290/j.qi.b4157183

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2023 Jun 12;43(6):715-20. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220911-k0004.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the acupoint selection rules of acupuncture and moxibustion for post-stroke epilepsy by data mining technology.

METHODS: The literature regarding acupuncture and moxibustion for post-stroke epilepsy included in CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed and PubMed databases from the establishment of the database to August 1st 2022 was retrieved. Microsoft Excel 2019 software was used to establish a database to conduct the descriptive analysis of acupoints; SPSS Modeler 18.0 Apriori algorithm was used to conduct association rule analysis; high-frequency acupoint co-occurrence network diagrams were drawn by Cytoscape3.9.0 software; SPSS Statistics 25.0 software was used to perform hierarchical cluster analysis on high-frequency acupoints and a tree diagram was drawn.

RESULTS: Totally 39 articles were included, and 63 prescriptions of acupuncture and moxibustion were extracted, involving 56 acupoints, with a total frequency of 516 times; the top three acupoints with the highest frequency of use were Baihui (GV 20), Fenglong (ST 40) and Neiguan (PC 6); the selected meridians were mainly the governor vessel, the hand and foot yangming meridians; the selection of acupoints were mostly in the head, neck and lower limbs; in terms of acupoint compatibility, Hegu (LI 4)-Shuigou (GV 26) and Neiguan (PC 6) had the highest confidence degree; The top 20 high-frequency acupoints could be divided into 4 effective clusters.

CONCLUSION: Modern acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for post-stroke epilepsy attaches great importance to the use of yang meridians and meridians with enrich qi and blood; the core prescription is Shuigou (GV 26)-Neiguan (PC 6)-Hegu (LI 4)-Baihui (GV 20). In addition, the combination of distant and near acupoints is highly valued to improve clinical efficacy.

PMID:37313568 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220911-k0004

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2023 Jun 12;43(6):639-44. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220719-k0003.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy on lumbar muscle strain with cold and dampness between the different operation sequences of acupuncture and cupping therapy.

METHODS: Seventy-six patients with lumbar muscle strain with cold and dampness were randomly divided into an acupuncture + cupping group (A + C group, 38 cases) and a cupping + acupuncture group (C + A group, 38 cases, 1 case dropped off). In the A + C group, cupping therapy was delivered 10 min after the end of treatment with acupuncture, while in the C + A group, acupuncture therapy was exerted 10 min after the end of treatment with cupping. Acupuncture was applied to Mingmen (GV 4), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), ashi point and bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25), Weizhong (BL 40) and Yanglingquan (GB 34), and the needles were retained for 30 min in each intervention. Flash cupping was operated along the bilateral sides of the lumbar spine for 3 min, and the cups were retained for 10 min at bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and ashi points. The intervention was delivered once every two days, 3 times weekly, for 3 weeks totally in each group. The scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI), TCM syndrome score and the mean temperature of the lumbar region before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. The safety and the clinical efficacy were assessed for the interventions of the two groups.

RESULTS: Compared with the values before treatment, except for the sleep score of ODI, the VAS scores, ODI scores and TCM syndrome scores were decreased after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05); while the mean temperature of the lumbar region was increased (P<0.01) in both groups. After treatment, the VAS score and the pain score of ODI in the C + A group were lower than those in the A + C group (P<0.05). The incidence rate of adverse reactions of the C + A group was lower than that of the A + C group (P<0.01). The effective rate in the A+C group was 92.1% (35/38), that in the C+A group was 94.6%(35/37), there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Different operation sequences between acupuncture and cupping therapy obtain the similar efficacy on lumbar muscle strain with cold and dampness, but cupping therapy delivered prior to acupuncture has certain advantages in relieving pain and improving safety.

PMID:37313557 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220719-k0003

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2023 Jun 12;43(6):634-8. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220909-k0001.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of Bushen Anshen acupuncture (acupuncture for tonifying kidney and calming spirit ) in treating perimenopausal insomnia (PMI) of kidney-yin deficiency.

METHODS: A total of 72 patients with PMI of kidney-yin deficiency were randomized into an observation group (36 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (36 cases, 1 case dropped off). Acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20) and bilateral Shenshu (BL 23), Taixi (KI 3), Anmian (Extra) in the observation group, while sham acupuncture of shallow needling at non-acupoints was applied in the control group. The treatment was required once every other day, 3 times a week for 10 times in the two groups. Before and after treatment, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was used to evaluate the subjective sleep quality, and polysomnography (PSG) was used to monitor the objective sleep quality in the two groups.

RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, hypnotic, daytime dysfunction and total score of PSQI were decreased compared with those before treatment in the observation group (P<0.01), the scores of sleep duration, sleep efficiency and total score of PSQI were decreased compared with those before treatment in the control group (P<0.05); the scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, hypnotic and total score of PSQI in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the sleep time was prolonged, the sleep efficiency was improved, the sleep latency and the awake time after falling asleep were shortened, the arousal awake index was reduced (P<0.01) when PSG indexes were monitored, and the percentage of non-rapid eye movement sleep period 1 (N1%) was decreased while the percentage of non-rapid eye movement sleep period 3 (N3%) was increased (P<0.05) compared with those before treatment in the observation group; there was no statistical difference in the PSG indexes compared with those before treatment in the control group (P>0.05). After treatment, compared with the control group, the sleep time was prolonged, the sleep efficiency was improved, the sleep latency and the awake time after falling asleep were shortened, the arousal awake index and N1% were decreased in the observation group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Bushen Anshen acupuncture can effectively improve the subjective and objective sleep quality in PMI patients of kidney-yin deficiency.

PMID:37313556 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220909-k0001

Clin Genet. 2023 Jun 13. doi: 10.1111/cge.14390. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A short report with two affected siblings from consanguineous family born with intellectual disability, motor disability, language deficit, and hearing impairment and found to carry biallelic nonsense variant in KPTN gene known to be associated with KPTN gene related syndrome.

PMID:37311648 | DOI:10.1111/cge.14390

Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm. 2023 Jun 13;10(4):e200129. doi: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000200129. Print 2023 Jul.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the frequency of paraneoplastic or autoimmune encephalitis antibodies examined in a referral center changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: The number of patients who tested positive for neuronal or glial (neural) antibodies during pre-COVID-19 (2017-2019) and COVID-19 (2020-2021) periods was compared. The techniques used for antibody testing did not change during these periods and included a comprehensive evaluation of cell-surface and intracellular neural antibodies. The chi-square test, Spearman correlation, and Python programming language v3 were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Serum or CSF from 15,390 patients with suspected autoimmune or paraneoplastic encephalitis was examined. The overall positivity rate for antibodies against neural-surface antigens was similar in the prepandemic and pandemic periods (neuronal 3.2% vs 3.5%; glial 6.1 vs 5.2) with a mild single-disease increase in the pandemic period (anti-NMDAR encephalitis). By contrast, the positivity rate for antibodies against intracellular antigens was significantly increased during the pandemic period (2.8% vs 3.9%, p = 0.01), particularly Hu and GFAP.

DISCUSSION: Our findings do not support that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a substantial increase of known or novel encephalitis mediated by antibodies against neural-surface antigens. The increase in Hu and GFAP antibodies likely reflects the progressive increased recognition of the corresponding disorders.

PMID:37311644 | DOI:10.1212/NXI.0000000000200129

BMJ Open. 2023 Jun 13;13(6):e069047. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069047.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination immunochemotherapy regimens for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC).

DESIGN: Meta-analysis and systematic review.

DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane library and the Clinicaltrials.gov clinical trials registry were searched up to 14 March 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: We included randomised controlled trials that compared combination immunochemotherapy with conventional chemotherapy for R/M HNSCC. Primary outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and adverse effects (AEs).

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. The HR and its 95% CI were used as the effect analysis statistic for survival analysis, while the OR and its 95% CI were used as the effect analysis statistic for dichotomous variables. These statistics were extracted by the reviewers and aggregated using a fixed-effects model to synthesise the data.

RESULTS: A total of 1214 relevant papers were obtained after the initial search, and five papers that met the inclusion criteria were included; these studies included a total of 1856 patients with R/M HNSCC. Meta-analysis showed that the OS and PFS of patients with R/M HNSCC in the combination immunochemotherapy group were significantly longer than those in the conventional chemotherapy group (HR=0.84; 95% CI 0.76, 0.94; p=0.002; HR=0.67; 95% CI 0.61, 0.75; p<0.0001), and the ORR was significantly higher (OR=1.90; 95% CI 1.54, 2.34; p<0.00001). The analysis of AEs showed that there was no significant difference in the overall incidence rate of AEs between two groups (OR=0.80; 95% CI 0.18, 3.58; p=0.77), but the rate of grade III and IV AEs was significantly higher in patients in the combination immunochemotherapy group (OR=1.39; 95% CI 1.12, 1.73; p=0.003).

CONCLUSIONS: Combination immunochemotherapy prolonged OS and PFS in patients with R/M HNSCC and improved the ORR; while this approach did not increase the overall incidence of AEs in patients, it increased the rate of grade III and IV AEs.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022344166.

PMID:37311638 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069047

BMJ Open. 2023 Jun 13;13(6):e070277. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070277.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: We assess different approaches to seeking consent in research in secondary schools.

DESIGN: We review evidence on seeking active versus passive parent/carer consent on participant response rates and profiles. We explore the legal and regulatory requirements governing student and parent/carer consent in the UK.

RESULTS: Evidence demonstrates that requiring parent/carer active consent reduces response rates and introduces selection biases, which impact the rigour of research and hence its usefulness for assessing young people’s needs. There is no evidence on the impacts of seeking active versus passive student consent but this is likely to be marginal when researchers are directly in communication with students in schools. There is no legal requirement to seek active parent/carer consent for children’s involvement in research on non-medicinal intervention or observational studies. Such research is instead covered by common law, which indicates that it is acceptable to seek students’ own active consent when they are judged competent. General data protection regulation legislation does not change this. It is generally accepted that most secondary school students age 11+ are competent to provide their own consent for interventions though this should be assessed individually.

CONCLUSION: Allowing parent/carer opt-out rights recognises their autonomy while giving primacy to student autonomy. In the case of intervention research, most interventions are delivered at the level of the school so consent can only practically be sought from head teachers. Where interventions are individually targeted, seeking student active consent for these should be considered where feasible.

PMID:37311635 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070277

BMJ Open. 2023 Jun 13;13(6):e064174. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064174.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to synthesise data on the prevalence of post-dialysis fatigue (PDF) among haemodialysis (HD) patients.

DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, Chinese Biological Medical Database, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched from their inception to 1 April 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We selected patients who must receive HD treatment for at least 3 months. Cross-sectional or cohort studies published in Chinese or English were eligible for inclusion. The main search terms used in the abstract were: “renal dialysis”, “hemodialysis” and “post-dialysis”, in combination with the word “fatigue”.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two investigators independently performed data extraction and quality assessment. Data were pooled to estimate the overall prevalence of PDF among HD patients using the random-effects model. Cochran’s Q and I² statistics were adopted to evaluate heterogeneity.

RESULT: A total of 12 studies were included, with 2152 HD patients, of which 1215 were defined as having PDF. The overall prevalence of PDF in HD patients was 61.0% (95% CI: 53.6% to 68.3%, p<0.001, I²=90.0%). Subgroup analysis failed to explain the source of heterogeneity, but univariable meta-regression showed that a mean age of ≥50 years might be the source of heterogeneity. Egger’s test revealed no publication bias among the studies (p=0.144).

CONCLUSIONS: PDF is highly prevalent among HD patients.

PMID:37311633 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064174