Category: Statistics

Klin Lab Diagn. 2021 Sep 10;66(9):565-570. doi: 10.51620/0869-2084-2021-66-9-565-570.

ABSTRACT

The concentration of bacterial plasmalogen 18a and endotoxin in the blood of elderly people 45-90 years old with the pathology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM 2) – the main group and without diabetes mellitus – the comparison group was investigated. The concentration of both plasmalogen 18a and endotoxin in the blood of individuals with DM 2 pathology is statistically significantly higher than in the blood of individuals without DM 2 pathology. To assess the state of microbiocenosis and predict type 2 diabetes mellitus, decisive rules have been determined in the form of threshold values of plasma concentrations 18a and endotoxin in the blood of elderly people with a suspected or established diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Using ROC analysis, it was found that values above 20.66 μg / ml for plasmalogen 18a, and 0.48 nmol / ml for endotoxin, determine the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus pathology in the 45-90 age group.

PMID:34543536 | DOI:10.51620/0869-2084-2021-66-9-565-570

Klin Lab Diagn. 2021 Sep 10;66(9):517-524. doi: 10.51620/0869-2084-2021-66-9-517-524.

ABSTRACT

KIM-1 (kidney injury molecule 1), a marker of acute kidney injury, is produced by epithelial cells of renal proximal tubules. Elevated KIM-1 levels in urine and plasma are associated with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of this study was to compare the significance of non-normalized uKIM-1 values and those normalized to urine creatinine, as urinary biomarkers in RCC. The uKIM-1, urine creatinine and their ratio (uKIM-1/Cre) were studied in 118 RCC patients and 58 apparently healthy subjects. The median of uKIM-1 in the healthy group was 0.71 ng/ml (1st and 3rd quartiles were 0.35 and 1.23, respectively) and in RCC patients it was 2.36 (1.43; 5.93) ng/ml. The medians of uKIM-1/Cre were 0.77 (0.49; 1.18) and 2.42 (1.41; 4.61) ng/mgCre, respectively. Stage I RCC is statistically significantly different from stages II-III and stage IV using uKIM-1/Cre values (p = 0.0056 and p = 0.0012, respectively); using uKIM-1 values significant differences occur only when comparing stages I and IV (p = 0.015). In both healthy individuals and RCC patients, uKIM-1/Cre levels were slightly lower in subgroups younger than 50 years than in subgroups older than 50 years, whereas a similar trend was observed for uKIM-1 only in patients. In healthy men and male patients, uKIM-1 levels were higher than in the corresponding groups of women (the differences were not statistically significant), but the use of uKIM-1/Cre values eliminated the gender differences. A high correlation was found between the concentrations of uKIM-1 and urine creatinine in three healthy subjects followed up for 3 weeks (Spearman’s correlation coefficients were 0.758, 0.825 and 0.933, respectively). The data obtained are clear evidence of the need for normalization uKIM-1 to urine creatinine in RCC patients.

PMID:34543529 | DOI:10.51620/0869-2084-2021-66-9-517-524

Epilepsia Open. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12541. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Responsive neurostimulation is approved in patients above 18 years of age with drug resistant focal epilepsy. We aimed to investigate whether RNS outcomes and safety varied based on age. We included patients who had been implanted with RNS for >6 months (N=55), dividing them into older (N=11) and younger adults (N=44) depending on implantation age (≥50 and <50 years, respectively). Mean age at implantation in older adults was 54.9±3.5 years. Seizure onset age, epilepsy duration, and comorbidities were significantly higher in older adults (p<0.01). Stimulation parameters, treatment duration and median seizure frequency reduction (76% in older versus 50% in younger adults) were statistically comparable among the two cohorts. Post-treatment, anti-seizure medication burden was significantly decreased in older compared to younger adults (p=0.048). Post-operative and delayed adverse events among older adults were mild. Compared to 3 younger adults, none of the older adults required device explantation due to surgical site infection. Our study suggests that older adults treated with the RNS System achieve seizure outcomes comparable to younger adults with the additional benefit of a significant post-implantation medication reduction. With efficacy and safety similar to younger adults, brain-responsive neurostimulation was well-tolerated in older adults.

PMID:34543516 | DOI:10.1002/epi4.12541

Acta Ophthalmol. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/aos.14983. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to compare ultrasound (US) consumption and central macular thickness (CMT) and volume changes with manual and femtosecond laser (FSL)-assisted cataract nucleus workup.

METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for immediate sequential bilateral surgery underwent a prospective randomized intraindividual comparison of nucleus sector fragmentation performed manually in one eye and with low-energy FSL assistance in the partner eye, followed by high-fluidics phacoaspiration with a maximum US power of 30%. Ultrasound (US) energy consumption and macular thickness and volume were compared as measured by intraoperative effective phacoemulsification time (EPT) and high-resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography pre- and 1 week, 3 weeks and 6 weeks postoperatively. Results are presented as means ± SD or medians [min; max].

RESULTS: Fifty-two patients completed the full follow-up. For the manual and FSL-assisted groups, nuclear hardness was almost identical with a mean LOCS III grade of 2.44 ± 1.08 and 2.50 ± 1.00 (p = 0.371). Median EPT was 1.40 [0.2; 8.3] and 1.25 [0.2; 9.4] seconds. Median preoperative CMT was 276.50 [263.25; 289.75] µm and 276.00 [262.00; 290.00] µm. Median postoperative CMT was 278.00 [260.50; 288.00] versus 275.50 [264.00; 290.50] µm at 1 week, 279.50 [266.75; 292.25] versus 280.00 [266.50; 294.50] µm at 3 weeks and 280.50 [268.00, 293.75] versus 279.50 [264.75; 295.25] µm at 6 weeks. Differences in CMT and total macular volume between the groups were not statistically significant at any point in time.

CONCLUSION: Femtosecond laser (FSL) prefragmentation of the nucleus into six sectors did not reduce US energy consumption compared with manual splitting of the nucleus into four quadrants in this particular surgical setting. Sectorial FSL-prechopping with the low-energy FSL used had no additional impact on postoperative macular thickness and volume.

PMID:34543523 | DOI:10.1111/aos.14983

J Appl Microbiol. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/jam.15301. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: The efficacy of ambient mass spectrometry to identify and serotype Legionella pneumophila was assessed. To this aim, isolated waterborne colonies were submitted to a rapid extraction method and analysed by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS).

METHODS AND RESULTS: The DART-HRMS profiles, coupled with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), were first evaluated for their ability to differentiate Legionella spp. from other bacteria. The resultant classification model achieved an accuracy of 98.1% on validation. Capitalising on these encouraging results, DART-HRMS profiling was explored as an alternative approach for the identification of L. pneumophila sg. 1, L. pneumophila sg. 2-15 and L. non-pneumophila; therefore, a different PLS-DA classifier was built. When tested on a validation set, this second classifier reached an overall accuracy of 95.93%. It identified the harmful L. pneumophila sg. 1 with an impressive specificity (100%) and slightly lower sensitivity (91.7%), and similar performances were reached in the classification of L. pneumophila sg. 2-15 and L. non-pneumophila.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show the DART-HMRS method has good accuracy and it is an effective method for Legionella serogroup profiling.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: These preliminary findings could open a new avenue for the rapid identification and quick epidemiologic tracing of L. pneumophila, with a consequent improvement to risk assessment.

PMID:34543502 | DOI:10.1111/jam.15301

J Appl Microbiol. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/jam.15302. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: We investigated the antibacterial effect of seven essential oils (EOs) and one EO-containing liquid phytogenic solution marketed for poultry and pigs (‘Product A’) on chicken pathogens, as well as the relationship between MIC in EOs and antibiotics commonly administered to chicken flocks in the Mekong Delta (Vietnam).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Micellar extracts from oregano (Origanum vulgare), cajeput (Melaleuca leucadendra), garlic (Allium sativum), black pepper (Piper nigrum), peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) EOs and Product A were investigated for their Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against Avibacterium endocarditidis (N=10), Pasteurella multocida (N=7), Ornitobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) (N=10), Escherichia coli (N=10) and Gallibacterium anatis (N=10). Cinnamon EO had the lowest median MIC across strains (median 0.5mg/ml [interquartile range (IQR) 0.3-2.0mg/ml]), followed by Product A (3.8mg/ml [1.9-3.8mg/ml]), oregano EO (30.4mg/ml [7.6-60.8mg/ml]), garlic 63.1mg/ml [3.9->505.0mg/ml]. Peppermint, tea tree, cajeput and pepper EOs had all MIC≥219mg/ml. In addition, we determined the MIC of the 12 most commonly used antibiotics in chicken flocks in the area. After accounting for pathogen species, we found an independent, statistically significant (p<0.05) positive correlation between MIC of 10 of 28 (35.7%) pairs of EOs. For 67/96 (69.8%) combinations of EOs and antibiotics, the MICs were correlated. Of all antibiotics, doxycycline was positively associated with the highest number of EOs (peppermint, tea tree, black pepper and cajeput, all p<0.05). For cinnamon, the MICs were negatively correlated with the MICs of 11/12 antimicrobial tested (all except colistin).

CONCLUSIONS: Increases in MIC of antibiotics generally correlates with increased tolerance to EOs. For cinnamon EO, however, the opposite was observed.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our results suggest increased antibacterial effects of EOs on multi-drug resistant pathogens; cinnamon EO was particularly effective against bacterial poultry pathogens.

PMID:34543506 | DOI:10.1111/jam.15302

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/jdv.17674. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Laser pulses with nanosecond duration (NSL) have been the golden standard to destroy the pigment particles in skin. It is still controversially discussed whether picosecond pulses (PSL) are superior for tattoo removal.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and the adverse reactions of nanosecond and picosecond laser pulses in a comparative study.

METHODS: The prospective study included 23 subjects with 30 black or coloured tattoos, which were split in two halves treated with either a new PSL (532 nm, 1064 nm) or standard NSL (694 nm). The lasers were applied at regular time intervals of 4 weeks for up to eight treatments. Tattoo clearance (primary endpoints), pain and adverse reactions (secondary endpoints) were appraised by physicians, blinded observers and by subjects. The extent and duration of adverse reactions were additionally assessed by using a questionnaire and photo-documentation between after each treatment session.

RESULTS: The tattoo clearance appeared to be more effective for PSL compared to NSL but without statistical significance (p>0.05). Pretreated tattoos responded better to laser treatments than previously untreated tattoos. Subjects felt significantly less pain with PSL than with NSL (p<0.001). Transient adverse reactions were statistically less pronounced lasting shorter for PSL as for NSL, especially blistering, pruritus, and burning sensation. Hypopigmentation appeared after NSL treatments only, whereas hyperpigmentation were caused by both lasers. No scarring was detected with either laser.

CONCLUSIONS: Both laser systems enable acceptable clearance of most tattoos in the present study. PSL cause less collateral skin damage as compared to NSL.

PMID:34543473 | DOI:10.1111/jdv.17674

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/jdv.17673. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis has important physical and psychosocial effects that extend beyond the skin. Understanding the impact of treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-perceived symptom severity in psoriasis is key in clinical decision-making.

OBJECTIVES: This post-hoc analysis of the PSO-LONG trial data assessed the impact of long-term proactive or reactive management with fixed-dose combination calcipotriene 50 µg/g and betamethasone dipropionate 0.5 mg/g (Cal/BD) foam on patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODS: Five hundred and twenty-one patients from the Phase 3, randomised, double-blind PSO-LONG trial were included. An initial 4-week, open-label phase of fixed-dose combination Cal/BD foam once daily (QD) was followed by a 52-week maintenance phase, at the start of which patients were randomised to a proactive management arm (Cal/BD foam twice weekly) or reactive management arm (vehicle foam twice weekly). Patient-perceived symptom severity and HRQoL were assessed using the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory (PSI), the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the EuroQol-5D for psoriasis (EQ-5D-5L-PSO).

RESULTS: Statistically and clinically significant improvements were observed across all PRO measures. The mean difference (standard deviation) from baseline to Week 4 was -8.97 (6.18) for PSI, -6.02 (5.46) for DLQI, and 0.11 (0.15) for EQ-5D-5L-PSO scores. During maintenance, patients receiving reactive management had significantly higher DLQI (15% [p=0.007]) and PSI (15% [p=0.0128]), and a numerically lower EQ-5D-5L-PSO mean area under the curve score compared with patients receiving proactive management (1% [p=0.0842]).

CONCLUSIONS: Cal/BD foam significantly improved DLQI, EQ-5D-5L-PSO, and PSI scores during the open-label and maintenance phases. Patients assigned to proactive management had significantly better DLQI and PSI scores, and numerically better EQ-5D-5L-PSO versus reactive management. Additionally, baseline flare was associated with worse PROs than the start of a relapse and patients starting a relapse also had worse PROs than patients in remission.

PMID:34543474 | DOI:10.1111/jdv.17673

J Athl Train. 2021 Sep 20. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0103.21. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: Inadequate hip active range of motion (AROM) may stifle the energy flow through the kinematic chain and decrease pitching performance while increasing the risk for pitcher injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of hip AROM and pitching biomechanics during a fastball pitch in adolescent baseball pitchers.

DESIGN: Cross-Sectional study.

SETTING: Biomechanics laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS: A voluntary sample of 21 adolescent baseball pitchers (16.1 ± 0.8 yrs.; 183.9 ± 5.2 cm; 77.9 ± 8.3 kg). Main Outcome Measure (s): Bilateral hip internal rotation (IR), external rotation (ER), flexion, extension, and abduction AROM were measured. Three-dimensional biomechanics were assessed as participants threw from an indoor pitching mound to a strike zone net at regulation distance. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine correlations between hip AROM and biomechanical metrics.

RESULTS: Statistically significant negative correlations were found at foot contact between back hip ER AROM and back hip abduction angle (p=0.030, r=-0.474), back hip ER AROM and torso rotation angle (p=0.032, r=-0.468),and back hip abduction AROM and lead hip abduction angle (p=0.037, r=-0.458). Back hip extension AROM was positively correlated with increased stride length (p=0.043, r=0.446). Lead hip abduction AROM was also positively correlated with normalized elbow varus torque (p=0.034, r=0.464).

CONCLUSIONS: There were several relationships between hip AROM and biomechanical variables during the pitching motion. The findings support the influence hip AROM can have on pitching biomechanics. Overall, greater movement at the hips allows for the kinematic chain to work at its maximal efficiency, increasing pitch velocity potential.

PMID:34543423 | DOI:10.4085/1062-6050-0103.21

Mov Disord. 2021 Sep;36(9):2207-2208. doi: 10.1002/mds.28721.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:34543466 | DOI:10.1002/mds.28721