Category: Statistics

Colorectal Dis. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1111/codi.16092. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of factors including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidaemia. It has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the association between MetS and: (i) recurrence of adenomas or occurrence of CRC in patients with prior adenomas; (ii) survival in patients with CRC.

METHOD: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science were searched up to 22/11/2019. Two authors independently conducted title and abstract screening; full text of eligible studies was evaluated. Where ≥3 studies reported effect measures for a specific outcome, meta-analysis using random effects model was conducted. I² was used to assess between-study heterogeneity. Quality appraisal was undertaken with the Newcastle-Ottawa Score.

RESULTS: The search identified 1764 articles, 55 underwent full text screening, resulting in a total of 15 eligible studies. Five studies reported on metachronous neoplasia, with differing outcomes precluded a meta-analysis. No consistent relationship between MetS and metachronous neoplasia was found. Ten studies reported on survival outcomes. MetS was associated with poorer CRC-specific survival (HR=1.8, 95%CI 1.04-3.12, I² =92.7%, n=3). Progression-free survival was also worse but this did not reach statistical significance (HR=1.12, 95%CI 0.89-1.42, I² =85.6%, n=3). There was no association with overall survival (HR=1.04, 95%CI 0.94-1.15, I² =43.7%, n=7). Significant heterogeneity was present but subgroup analysis did not account for this.

CONCLUSION: MetS is associated with poorer CRC-specific survival, but evidence is inconsistent on metachronous neoplasia. Further research is warranted to better understand the impact of MetS on the adenoma-carcinoma pathway.

PMID:35156283 | DOI:10.1111/codi.16092

Addiction. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1111/add.15819. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:35156243 | DOI:10.1111/add.15819

Glob Chang Biol. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1111/gcb.16128. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Thin, hair-like lichens (Alectoria, Bryoria, Usnea) form conspicuous epiphyte communities across the boreal biome. These poikilohydric organisms provide important ecosystem functions and are useful indicators of global change. We analyse how environmental drivers influence changes in occurrence and length of these lichens on Norway spruce (Picea abies) over 10 years in managed forests in Sweden using data from >6000 trees. Alectoria and Usnea showed strong declines in southern-central regions, whereas Bryoria declined in northern regions. Overall, relative loss rates across the country ranged from 1.7% per year in Alectoria to 0.5% in Bryoria. These losses contrasted with increased length of Bryoria and Usnea in some regions. Occurrence trajectories (extinction, colonization, presence, absence) on remeasured trees correlated best with temperature, rain, nitrogen deposition, and stand age in multinomial logistic regression models. Our analysis strongly suggests that industrial forestry, in combination with nitrogen, is the main driver of lichen declines. Logging of forests with long continuity of tree cover, short rotation cycles, substrate limitation and low light in dense forests are harmful for lichens. Nitrogen deposition has decreased but is apparently still sufficiently high to prevent recovery. Warming correlated with occurrence trajectories of Alectoria and Bryoria, likely by altering hydration regimes and increasing respiration during autumn/winter. The large-scale lichen decline on an important host has cascading effects on biodiversity and function of boreal forest canopies. Forest management must apply a broad spectrum of methods, including uneven-aged continuous cover forestry and retention of large patches, to secure the ecosystem functions of these important canopy components under future climates. Our findings highlight interactions among drivers of lichen decline (forestry, nitrogen, climate), functional traits (dispersal, lichen colour, sensitivity to nitrogen, water storage), and population processes (extinction/colonization).

PMID:35156274 | DOI:10.1111/gcb.16128

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1002/etc.5306. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Tests for dose-response trend may be used to support conclusions on the toxicity of a substance in a range of doses evaluated in a comparative experiment. Criteria are proposed for evaluating and comparing alternative tests, and applied in a comparison of some tests applicable with continuous responses, namely a multiplicity-adjusted pairwise comparison procedure, a trend test based on a single contrast, and four multiple-contrast trend tests. Methods considered treat dose as ordinal information. A particular focus is comparison of the simple test of a single contrast, with coefficients proportional to dose rank, to multiple-contrast methods available with modern computing. To explore the role of dose-response curve shape, we generate regular dose response shapes (or profiles), defined by mean response for each dose level, using a simple grid-based algorithm. Power for individual profiles may be used to illustrate the effect of curve shape on the power of alternative tests. To facilitate selection of tests we report average power over profiles, averaging at different levels of granularity, first separately for each of several curve shape categories, then over all profiles weighting shape categories equally. Power results for the six tests evaluated provide at least clear distinctions between some procedures that are more-preferred, versus less-preferred. Our analyses expand the comparisons of tests available and contribute methodology for choice of statistical methods for toxicological data analysis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2022 SETAC.

PMID:35156237 | DOI:10.1002/etc.5306

J Trauma Stress. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1002/jts.22778. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Verbal learning deficits are common among sexually traumatized women who have not been formally diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the amygdala and hippocampus are implicated in PTSD and verbal memory impairment. We tested rsFC between bilateral dentate gyrus (DG) and both centromedial (CM) and basolateral (BL) nuclei of the amygdala as statistical mediators for the effect of sexual trauma-related symptom severity on delayed verbal recall performance in 63 older women (age: 60-85 years) undiagnosed with PTSD. Participant data were drawn from the NKI-Rockland Study. Individuals completed a 10-min resting-state scan, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and the Sexual Abuse Trauma Index (SATI) from the Trauma Symptom Checklist. Z-scores indicating rsFC of DG with BL and CM amygdala seeds were evaluated in two separate mediation models. Higher SATI scores were associated with lower RAVLT after controlling for age, β = -.23, 95% CI [.48, .03], p = .039. This effect was negated upon adding a negative path from SATI to rsFC of left DG and right CM, β = -.29, 95% CI [-.52, -.02], p = .022, and a positive path from that seed pair to RAVLT List A recall, β = .28, 95% CI [.03, 0.48], p = .015. Chi-square fit indices supported partial mediation by this seed pair, p = .762. In the absence of PTSD sexual trauma symptoms partially relate to verbal learning deficits as a function of aberrant rsFC between left hippocampus DG and right amygdala CM nuclei.

PMID:35156236 | DOI:10.1002/jts.22778

Int J Health Plann Manage. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1002/hpm.3432. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ethiopia is an underfinanced country when compared to the Sub-Saharan average. Direct payment has a high account in Ethiopia and inhibits access to health services for the poor. We aimed to identify the factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in the South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A two-stage sampling technique was used to get a total of 494 households. The data were entered using Epi data version 4.6 and analysed using STATA version 14.1 software for binary logistic regression analysis. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to identify the factors associated with CHE. The total magnitude of CHE was found to be 33.97% at the 10% threshold of total household expenditure and 14.98% at the 40% threshold of non-food expenditure. Insured households (adjusted odds ratio = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01-0.10) were statistically associated with CHE with total household and non-food measures. Catastrophic health expenditure was found to be decreased among insured households and increased among households had children less than 5 years of age, members with chronic illness, and poor health status. Therefore, encouraging insurance and health promotion activities to improve the health status of the community are important.

PMID:35156225 | DOI:10.1002/hpm.3432

Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2022 Feb 14. doi: 10.1007/s12178-022-09747-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: Consensus on the effects of soft tissue surgical intervention in the management of brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) sequalae is lacking. The purpose of this review is to examine the available literature on the functional and structural outcomes following soft tissue surgical management of BPBI sequalae.

RECENT FINDINGS: EMBASE, PubMed, and MEDLINE were searched for related literature from the point of database inception until April 2021. Relevant papers were screened by two reviewers independently and in duplicate. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. A total of 25 studies (852 patients) were included in the review, with the number included in each meta-analysis varying based on outcome of interest. There were significant improvements from pre- to post-operative time points for the following measures: Mallet aggregate scores (5.0 points, p<0.0001), active external rotation in adduction (48.9°, p=0.003), passive external rotation in adduction (64.6°, p< 0.00001), active abduction (46.2°, p<0.00001), glenoid version (14.4°, p< 0.00001), and percentage of the humeral head anterior to the scapular line (17.53°, p< 0.00001). Furthermore, data revealed an overall complication rate of 9.3% (79/852 patients) and a major complication rate of 0.47% (4/852 patients). Patients with BPBI sequela experience statistically significant improvements in functional, structural, and range of motion outcomes of the GH joint following soft tissue surgical management. Understanding the ideal indications for each procedure and age of surgical management with future prospective studies will help to optimize surgical management of these patients.

PMID:35156170 | DOI:10.1007/s12178-022-09747-6

J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn. 2022 Feb 13. doi: 10.1007/s10928-022-09808-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Nonadherence to medication is a major public health problem. To combat nonadherence, some clinicians have suggested using “forgiving” drugs, which maintain efficacy in spite of delayed or missed doses. What pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) factors make a drug forgiving? In this paper, we address this question by analyzing a linear PK/PD model for a patient with imperfect adherence. We assume that the drug effect is far from maximal and consider direct effect, effect compartment (biophase), and indirect response PD models. We prove that the average drug effect relative to the clinically desired effect is simply the fraction of prescribed doses actually taken by the patient. Hence, under these assumptions, drug forgiveness cannot be defined in terms of the average effect. We argue that forgiveness should instead be understood in terms of effect fluctuations. We prove that the rates of PK absorption, PK elimination, and PD elimination are exactly equivalent for determining effect fluctuations. We prove all the aforementioned results for any pattern of nonadherence, including late doses, missed doses, drug holidays, extra doses, etc. To obtain quantitative estimates of effect fluctuations, we consider a simple statistical pattern of nonadherence and analytically calculate the coefficient of variation of effect. We further show how effect fluctuations can be reduced by taking an extra “make up” dose following a missed dose if any one of the aforementioned PK/PD rates is sufficiently slow. We illustrate some of our results for a nonlinear indirect response model of metformin.

PMID:35156179 | DOI:10.1007/s10928-022-09808-w

Environ Monit Assess. 2022 Feb 14;194(3):178. doi: 10.1007/s10661-022-09811-1.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to transform the input of a large dataset into the output of interpretable information. Hence, multivariate statistical methods were carried out to analyze physicochemical parameters in 34 rivers during a 17-year period (1997-2014). Cluster analysis divided the study area into spatially different riverine water quality sub-regions described in ascending order of water quality as severely polluted (SP), highly polluted (HP), polluted (P), moderately polluted (MP), lightly polluted (LP), and not polluted (NP). By diagnosing threats and identifying fragile zones, water contamination sources responsible for impaired water quality in the study area recognized as natural pollutants in LP, municipal wastes in P, discharge of industrial effluents in MP, natural geochemical formations in SP and HP, and superficial flows of agricultural lands in SP, HP, and MP. The dominant water type in each zone was classified into Na-Cl, Na-Cl, Na-Mg-Ca-Cl-SO₄, Na-Ca-Mg-Cl-SO₄, Na-Ca-Cl, and Ca-Mg-HCO₃-SO₄ groups for SP, HP, P, MP, LP, and NP, respectively. To explore aesthetic aspects of drinking water application, hazard quotient (HQ) was applied for children and adults in terms of ingestion and dermal exposure. Overall health risk assessment revealed the order of impacts of the secondary water quality parameters as Cl^– > Na⁺ > total dissolved solids (TDS) > Ca²⁺ > SO₄^2- > Mg²⁺. Furthermore, hazard index (HI) ranged from 0.011 to 31.439 and 0.010 to 30.122 for children and adults, respectively, indicating a potential health risk regarding chloride throughout the whole region excluding NP. To identify significant agents in water quality, principal component analysis extracted 3 varifactors (VFs), with the eigenvalues of 4.74, 1.19, and 0.85, respectively, explained about 83% of the variance. The most important parameters in the first factor were TDS, electrical conductivity, SAR, TH, Na⁺, Cl^–, and SO₄^2- accounting for 58% of the total variance. The most influenced parameters in the second and third factors were pH and HCO₃^–, respectively, with variance coverage of 26%. These factors indicated that the hydrochemical characteristics of the water originated by natural interactions (existing salt domes, evaporation, weathering, and soil erosion) and anthropogenic activities (fertilizer-rich flows of agro-fields and domestic/industrial disposals), which must be minimized in rivers to supply the population with hygienic water.

PMID:35156140 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-022-09811-1

Prog Orthod. 2022 Feb 14;23(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s40510-022-00398-4.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to critically appraise the available evidence of the effectiveness of early intervention of functional unilateral posterior crossbites (FPXB) between the ages of 6 and 12 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic search in four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) was performed between 1^st January 1990 and 31^st October 2021. Methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) for CCTs and Cochrane’s risk of bias tool for RCTs were applied. The certainty of the evidence was evaluated according to the grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS: Nine studies (6 RCTs and 3 CCTs) were included in this review, and six of them were appropriate for quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed that the quad-helix (QH) was more effective than expansion plates (EP) in increasing the intermolar width (WMD = 1.25; 95% CI 0.75, 1.75; P < 0.001), and decreasing treatment time (WMD = – 3.36; 95% CI – 4.97, – 1.75; P < 0.001). The relapse rate at 5.6 years post-treatment was greater in the QH group than in the EP group (RR = 3.00); however, the difference was statistically insignificant. There was no significant difference between the QH and the EP in other outcome measures. When assessing the rapid maxillary expansion (RME), only one RCT compared the RME with an untreated control group and reported a significant increase in the maxillary intermolar and intercanine width (P < 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively) and a significant decrease in lower midline deviation (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: There is weak to moderate evidence that the treatment of functional posterior crossbite (FPXB) by the QH increased the maxillary intermolar width and the success rate and decreased the treatment duration compared to the EP. The relapse percentage was greater in the QH group. There is very weak evidence that the mandibular midline correction rate did not differ significantly between the QH and the EP modalities. The RME using the Hyrax appliance corrected the FPXB successfully; however, the strength of evidence in this regard is very low. As the quality of evidence ranged from very low to moderate in this review, we confirm the need for more RCTs with different expansion appliances in the early treatment of FPXB.

PMID:35156156 | DOI:10.1186/s40510-022-00398-4