Category: Statistics

Sleep Breath. 2022 Feb 24. doi: 10.1007/s11325-022-02586-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence and related factors of a newly developed insomnia disorder following craniotomy for brain tumor resection. Furthermore, we examined the association of pre- and postoperative insomnia with the 2-year mortality rate.

METHODS: The South Korean national registration cohort database was used as the data source. This study includes all adult patients who underwent craniotomy for brain tumor resection from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. G47.0 and F51.0 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision codes) were used to identify insomnia disorders.

RESULTS: In total, 4,851 patients were included. Among them, 913 (18.8%) and 447 (9.2%) patients were assigned to the preoperative and postoperative insomnia groups, respectively. After modeling using multivariable logistic regression, older age (odds ratio (OR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.03; P < 0.001), reoperation within 1 year (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.47-3.06; P < 0.001), and newly acquired brain disability (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01-1.71; P = 0.043) were associated with an increased prevalence of newly developed postoperative insomnia disorder. After modeling using multivariable Cox regression, the preoperative and postoperative insomnia disorder groups showed a 1.17-fold (hazard ratio (HR) 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.34; P = 0.021) and a 1.85-fold (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.59-2.15, P < 0.001) increased 2-year all-cause mortality risk compared to the control group, respectively.

CONCLUSION: In South Korea, 9.2% of the patients with brain tumors were newly diagnosed with an insomnia disorder following craniotomy for brain tumor resection, which was associated with an increased risk of 2-year mortality.

PMID:35199289 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-022-02586-2

Oncol Ther. 2022 Feb 24. doi: 10.1007/s40487-022-00189-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The evidence base for parenteral nutrition (PN) in advanced cancer patients is limited. We studied healthcare providers’ (HCPs’) experiences with PN in cancer patients, focusing on perceived treatment benefits and challenges.

METHODS: An 18-item online survey was emailed to HCPs attending one of three regional palliative care seminars held within a 6-month period. The survey included single-response items, multiple-response items, and free text boxes concerning PN. Descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic content analysis were applied.

RESULTS: One hundred and two seminar participants completed the survey. Ninety-three percent were female, 86% were nurses/oncological nurses, and 80% worked in primary care. Respondents reported a well-functioning collaboration across levels of care. They perceived that PN may increase the patients’ level of energy, improve the general condition, and reduce eating-related distress. On the downside, HCPs observed burdensome side effects, that the treatment was resource-demanding, and that decisions on PN withdrawal were difficult.

CONCLUSION: The study results are based on the perspectives of more than 100 HCPs with comprehensive clinical experience with PN. Their knowledge represents an important experience base for improvement of healthcare services and advanced care planning.

PMID:35199302 | DOI:10.1007/s40487-022-00189-1

Brain Imaging Behav. 2022 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s11682-022-00640-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this prospective study, we postulate that there is a difference between clearance of [99mTc]Tc- ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) in the seizure onset zone (SOZ) and other brain areas and thus SOZ localization by clearance patterns might become a potential novel method for SOZ localization in epilepsy. The parametric images of brain ECD clearance were generated by linear regression model analysis from serial brain SPECT scans from 30 to 240 min after ECD injection (7-times point) in 7 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and 3 normal volunteers. Clearance patterns of the SOZ confirmed by good surgical outcome or consensus with other investigations were analyzed quantitatively and semi-quantitatively by visual grading (slower or faster washout than contralateral brain regions). The average [^99mTc]Tc-ECD clearance rates of SOZs were + 1.08% ± 2.57%/hr (wash in), -7.02% ± 2.56%/hr (washout), and -5.37% ± 1.71%/hr (washout) in ictal, aura and interictal states, respectively. Paired t-tests between the SOZ and contralateral regions showed statistically significant difference (p = 0.039 in interictal state). Clearance patterns that can define the SOZs were 1) wash in and slow washout on ictal slope, 2) fast washout on aura slope and interictal slope with 100% (6/6), 100% (2/2) and 75% (6/8) localization using ictal, aura, and interictal slope maps, respectively. Our study provided the evidence that clearance pattern methods are potential additive diagnostic tools for SOZ localization when routine one-time point SPECT are unable to define the SOZ.

PMID:35199278 | DOI:10.1007/s11682-022-00640-x

Matern Child Health J. 2022 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s10995-021-03366-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which Black race is associated with the infant mortality rate (< 365 day, IMR) of births to US-born and foreign-born Latinx women.

METHODS: Stratified and multivariable binominal log-linear regression analyses were performed on the 2010-2013 National Center for Health Statistics linked birth-death certificate files of singleton infants.

RESULTS: The IMR of births to US-born Black Latinx women (N = 54,542) exceeded that of births to US-born White Latinx women (N = 1,320,084): 5.7/1000 vs 4.2/1000, RR = 1.4 (1.2, 1.5). In contrast, the IMR of births to foreign-born Black Latinx women (N = 35,544) approximated that of births to foreign-born White Latinx women (N = 1,372,172): 3.8/1000 vs 3.6/1000, RR = 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) The adjusted (controlling for maternal age, education, prenatal care, high parity, and region of residence) RR of infant mortality for births to US-born and foreign-born Black (versus non-Latinx White) Latinx women equaled 1.4 (1.2, 1.6) and 1.0 (0.8, 1.2), respectively. The adjusted RR of infant mortality for births to US-born and foreign-born White (versus non-Latinx White) Latinx women equaled 1.0 (0.9, 1.0) and 0.8 (0.7, 0.8), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Black race is associated with a 1.4-fold higher IMR among births to US-born Latinx women. A similar phenomenon does not occur among foreign-born Latinx women. These intriguing findings highlight that the social construct of Black race across the life-course of Latinx women are detrimental to infant outcome.

PMID:35199230 | DOI:10.1007/s10995-021-03366-2

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-19296-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

According to the definition that the European Commission (2001) offered us, corporate social responsibility is a set of measures that an organization can adapt, to improve the well-being of its stakeholders and promote the balance of economic, social, and environmental performance. The stakeholder theory clarifies that this decision-making must take into consideration all groups of people, being the only way of having a proportional benefit. Based on this premise, in this study, we intend to unravel the main determinants of corporate social responsibility in 63 Portuguese companies. To accomplish that, we used panel data, withdrawn from the SABI database, in the period comprehended between 2008 and 2018, applying the Probit model and the dynamic GMM for robustness check. The sample is composed of 42 companies that find themselves listed in the Portuguese stock exchange and 21 that do not. We can verify that the outcomes allow the analyses of nine variables, among them, only the audit, the asset rotation ratio, the debt ratio, the size, age, and financial autonomy show themselves as statistically positive in the implementation of corporate social responsibility practices. Even though the outcomes were not what we initially predicted, they revealed the positive impact of such practices. We consider them necessary and a reality that companies should pursue, even for the gains of capital that it might represent. We firmly believe that being socially responsible constitutes an essential practice from which all of us can benefit, contributing to life improvement in the community and for environmental sustainability.

PMID:35199266 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-022-19296-7

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2022 Feb 24. doi: 10.1007/s00259-022-05740-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (ECTS) is the most common epilepsy syndrome in children and usually presents with cognitive dysfunctions. However, little is known about the processing speed dysfunction and the associated neuroimaging mechanism in ECTS. This study aims to investigate the brain functional abnormality of processing speed dysfunction in ECTS patients by using the ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

METHODS: This prospective study recruited twenty-eight ECTS patients who underwent the ¹⁸F-FDG PET, rs-fMRI, and neuropsychological examinations. Twenty children with extracranial tumors were included as PET controls, and 20 healthy children were recruited as MRI controls. The PET image analysis investigated glucose metabolism by determining standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR). The MRI image analysis explored abnormal functional connectivity (FC) within the cortical-striatal circuit through network-based statistical (NBS) analysis. Correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between SUVR, FC, and processing speed index (PSI).

RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, ECTS patients showed normal intelligence quotient but significantly decreased PSI (P = 0.04). PET analysis showed significantly decreased SUVRs within bilateral caudate, putamen, pallidum, left NAc, right rostral middle frontal gyrus, and frontal pole of ECTS patients (P < 0.05). Rs-fMRI analysis showed absolute values of 20 FCs were significantly decreased in ECTS patients compared with MRI controls, which connected 16 distinct ROIs. The average SUVR of right caudate and the average of 20 FCs were positively correlated with PSI in ECTS patients (P = 0.034 and P = 0.005, respectively).

CONCLUSION: This study indicated that ECTS patients presented significantly reduced PSI, which is closely associated with decreased SUVR and FC of cortical-striatal circuit. Caudate played an important role in processing speed dysfunction.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04954729; registered on July 8, 2021, public site, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04954729.

PMID:35199226 | DOI:10.1007/s00259-022-05740-w

Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2022 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s00402-022-04370-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Between 2005 and 2017, the number of closed reduction and internal fixation of pelvic ring injuries increased by 1116%. Percutaneous fixation is currently the only minimally invasive technique that can stabilize the posterior elements of the pelvis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the inlet obturator oblique view (IOO) with the hypothesis that the IOO view will improve the accuracy of sacroiliac and transsacral screw placement in the S1 or S2 body and improve the accuracy of assessing whether the implant is fully seated against the outer cortex of the ilium.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten male pelvic training models were used. Thirty-six screw configurations were inserted by a fellowship trained orthopedic trauma surgeon in appropriately and inappropriately placed sacroiliac and transsacral screw configurations. These configurations were imaged using fluoroscopy in different planes and saved for survey.

RESULTS: Fourteen orthopedic professionals reviewed 313 fluoroscopic images. Interrater reliability demonstrated marked improvement in assessment of whether the screw head was seated against the outer cortex of the ilium with the IOO view (kappa = 0.841, without IOO kappa = 0.027). There was a statistically significant difference in overall accuracy (p value < 0.001, OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.35-1.84) and whether the screw head was seated (p value < 0.001, OR = 8.14, 95% CI = 5.52-11.99) when compared with and without the IOO view (accuracy with IOO view: 85%, accuracy without IOO view: 78.26%; screw seated with IOO view: 93.93%, screw seated without IOO view: 65.54%). There was no significant difference (p value 0.465, OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 0.82-1.55) determining if the screw was in a safe position (safe with IOO view: 84.64%, safe without IOO view: 83.04%).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that misinterpretation of sacroiliac and transsacral screw placement can occur with the standard fluoroscopic imaging. We suggest the addition of the IOO view increases the overall accuracy of screw placement and whether the screw head is fully seated against the outer table of the ilium. This in turn can improve fixation and potentially improve patient outcomes and decrease adverse events.

PMID:35199213 | DOI:10.1007/s00402-022-04370-z

Int Orthop. 2022 Feb 24. doi: 10.1007/s00264-022-05350-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Even though effective techniques in diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) have been developed, the optimal modality has yet to be determined. The present meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of dithiothreitol (DTT) and sonication against the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria in patients undergoing revision joint surgery.

METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Scopus, and Central Cochrane register of controlled trials as well as gray literature until the 9th of November, 2021. We included articles considering the comparative diagnostic accuracy of sonication and DTT in adult patients having revision hip and knee arthroplasty for septic or aseptic reasons. We calculated pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the above diagnostic techniques against the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria and created receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves to enable comparisons between each other. The quality of included papers was evaluated utilizing QUADAS-2 and QUADAS-C tools.

RESULTS: Data from five comparative studies totaling 726 implants were pooled together. The diagnostic accuracy of DTT and sonication were 86.7% (95% CI 82.7 to 90.1) and 83.9% (95% CI 79.7 to 87.5), respectively. Pooled sensitivity and specificity showed no statistically significant differences between DTT and sonication (0.7 [95% CI 0.62 to 0.77] vs 0.72 [95% CI 0.65 to 0.78], p = 0.14; and 0.99 [95% CI 0.97 to 1] vs 0.97 [95% CI 0.93 to 0.99], p = 5.5, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis did not identify any clinically meaningful difference between the diagnostic potential of sonication and the chemical-based biofilm dislodgment methods. This finding remained robust after adjusting for the administration of antibiotics prophylaxis, implementation of the polymerase chain reaction of sonicated fluid, and study quality.

PMID:35199219 | DOI:10.1007/s00264-022-05350-z

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2022 Mar 1;102(8):550-554. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20210617-01371.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the correlation and sex difference between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and liver injury. Methods: A total of 974 OSAHS patients (444 cases of mild to moderate, 530 cases of severe) and 111 cases of simple snoring in the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University and Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital from November 2015 to September 2019 were included in the study. The basic information of the patients was obtained through face-to-face survey with self-made questionnaire, physical examination, sleep monitoring and blood biochemical and liver function index detection were carried out among the included subjects. Multiple logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between OSAHS and liver injury and the gender differences. Results: The subjects were (50±14) years old, including 841 males (77.5%). Statistically significant differences in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose, alamine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT/AST, gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), the rate of elevated ALT, AST and liver injury were observed among the three groups (all P values<0.05). There was no significant difference in total bilirubin and ALP among all groups (all P values>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, severe OSAHS was positively correlated with liver injury [OR (95%CI): 2.25 (1.22-4.14)]. Subgroup analysis by gender showed that severe OSAHS was positively correlated with liver injury in males [OR (95%CI): 2.20 (1.04-4.65)], but not in females, mild to moderate OSAHS [OR (95%CI): 1.56 (0.52-4.71)] or severe OSAHS [OR (95%CI): 2.07(0.64-6.75)], after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusion: Severe OSAHS is positively correlated with liver injury in males, while female OSAHS is not associated with liver injury.

PMID:35196776 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20210617-01371