Nevin Manimala

Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 2024 Sep 3:1-10. doi: 10.1080/00365513.2024.2392241. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer (BC) is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers. Besides mammography, breast ultrasonography and the routinely monitored protein markers, the variations of small molecular metabolites in blood may be of great diagnostic value. This study aimed to quantify specific metabolite markers with potential application in BC detection. The study enrolled 50 participants, 25 BC patients and 25 healthy controls (CTRL). Dried blood spots (DBS) were utilized as biological media and were quantified via a simplified liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, used in expanded newborn screening. The targeted metabolomic analysis included 12 amino acids and 32 acylcarnitines. Statistical analysis revealed a significant variation of metabolic profiles between BC patients and CTRL. Among the 44 metabolites, 18 acylcarnitines and 10 amino acids remained significant after Bonferroni correction, showing increase or decrease and enabled classification of BC patients and CTRL. The well-established LC-MS/MS protocol could provide results within few minutes. Therefore, the combination of an easy-to-handle material-DBS and LC-MS/MS protocol could facilitate BC screening/diagnosis and in the next step applied to other cancer patients, as well.

PMID:39225029 | DOI:10.1080/00365513.2024.2392241

J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2024 Sep 3. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.24.16189-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of caffeine (CAF) supplementation on game-related statistics and perceptual responses of male basketball players during official games.

METHODS: Eight players (23.5±5.7 years) participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study. Sixty minutes before the start of each game, players ingested a dose of either CAF (3 mg/kg body mass) or placebo (PLA) in a randomized order. Game-related statistics were collected. After the games, players reported ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and their perceptions of endurance and power. Separate linear mixed models evaluated the effects of treatment (CAF, PLA), game location (home, away), and opponent level (better, worse) on game-related statistics and perceptual responses.

RESULTS: Players committed fewer fouls when taking CAF compared to PLA (P<0.001, ES=0.75, moderate). No effects of CAF were found for the other game-related statistics (all P>0.05). RPE was higher in CAF compared to PLA (P=0.031, ES: 0.49, small). There were no differences in perceptions of endurance (P=0.388) or power (P=0.988). No effects of game location or opponent level were found for game-related statistics or perceptual responses (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that caffeine supplementation can improve defensive performance in semiprofessional basketball players while also possibly increasing physical performances, seen the higher RPE.

PMID:39225025 | DOI:10.23736/S0022-4707.24.16189-0

Int J Older People Nurs. 2024 Sep;19(5):e12644. doi: 10.1111/opn.12644.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a multidimensional geriatric syndrome associated with physical, psychological and social changes. There is a paucity of research on frailty in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, especially Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the initial correlations among frailty, nutritional status, depression and QOL (quality of life) in a group of older people in Ethiopia who are later enrolled in a study examining the effects of a nurse-led community intervention on frailty and related health outcomes.

METHODS: Data from 68 community-dwelling individuals 60 years of age, or over, were collected. Frailty was measured using the Amharic version of the Tilburg Frailty Indicator. The statistical analysis included Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for degrees of association, Mann-Whitney U-test for variables with two categories and Kruskal-Wallis for variables with three or more categories.

RESULTS: The mean frailty score for participants was 7.3 (±1.9). Participants with higher frailty scores had lower nutritional status (r_s = -0.46, p < 0.01). There was a statistically significant relationship (positive) between frailty scores and depression (r_s = 0.39, p < 0.01). Depressed (Md = 9, n = 23) and non-depressed frail older people (Md = 7, n = 45) showed a significant difference in their overall frailty score, U = 330.50, z = -2.49, p = 0.01, r = 0.30. There was an inverse significant association between the level of frailty across different domains in the QOL: physical (r_s = -0.44, p < 0.01), psychological (r_s = -0.45, p < 0.01), social relations (r_s = -0.29, p < 0.05) and environmental (r_s = -0.47, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: The findings from this study were consistent with those from across middle-income and high-income countries.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This research indicates that older people living in communities who are identified as frail often suffer from a poor nutritional status, depression and reduced QOL. It suggests that healthcare professionals in Sub-Saharan countries would benefit from recognising the frailty in this population, and developing interventions aimed at enhancing nutrition, mental health and overall well-being.

PMID:39225010 | DOI:10.1111/opn.12644

Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2024 Fall;35(3):225-233. doi: 10.5080/u26697.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the severity of substance use disorders according to the DSM-5 criteria and to show the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the DSM-5 Substance Use Scale that improved to learn what kind of substances are used.

METHODS: In this study,54 in or out-patients who met the criteria for any substance use disorder according to DSM-5 and who are receiving treatment in Psychiatry Department of Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine and AMATEM department of Bakırköy Prof. Dr. Mahzar Osman Mental Health and Neurology Training and Research Hospital, were included. One hundred volunteers without any mental or physical disease were also recruited as the control group. Beside the DSM-5 Level 2 substance use scale, Addiction Profile İndex was used for concurrent validity. Internal consistency coefficient and item-total correlation analysis were performed for reliability analysis. ROC Analysis was used in the validity analysis.

RESULTS: Mean age was 26.97±10.20 years in the study group and 39% of the sample (n=60) were female. 5.6% (n=3) of the patient group were female and 94.4% (n=51) were male. In the control group, 57% (n=57) were female and 43% (n=43) were male. Of the patients diagnosed with substance use disorder (n=54), 88.7% had opiate use disorder, 5.6% had polysubstance use disorder, 5.6% had other (unknown) substance (synthetic cannabinoid) use disorder and 1.8% of patients have cannabis use disorder. The internal consistency of the substance use scale was 0.80 and itemtotal correlation coefficients were between 0,196- 0,643 (p<0.0001). Coefficient of correlation analysis with API was calculated as r=0.806 (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION: The results showed that DSM-5 Substance Use Scale is a valid and reliable questionnaire that can be used to measure the progress of different dimensions of alcohol and substance use.

PMID:39224995 | DOI:10.5080/u26697

Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2024 Fall;35(3):198-206. doi: 10.5080/u27363.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Catatonia is a syndrome that can be missed in clinical settings. Diagnosis of catatonia is important because the condition can be reversible and is associated with severe complications. This study aims to screen patients with catatonia admitted to a university hospital’s psychiatry and neurology services, examine their characteristics, and compare the coverage of different catatonia scales.

METHOD: During a consecutive 20 months study period, the Turkish adaptations of the Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating and the KANNER scales were administered in psychiatry and neurology inpatient units and patients on the waiting list for psychiatric hospitalization. The participants were also evaluated with DSM-5 criteria. In addition, the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients in the psychiatric group were compared.

RESULTS: A total of 214 patients were evaluated. Twenty-eight (13.1%) screened positive for catatonia, and 23 (82.1%) were diagnosed with catatonia according to DSM-5 criteria. KANNER and Bush- Francis identified the same patients as having catatonia. In addition to schizophrenia and mood disorders; neurodevelopmental disorder, encephalitis, postpartum psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, delirium, cerebrovascular disease, functional neurological symptom disorder have also been found to be associated with catatonia. The most common complication was urinary tract infection. Life-threatening complications were also observed.

CONCLUSION: Overlooking catatonia may have dire consequences. Adhering solely to the DSM-5 criteria may miss some patients with catatonia. Widely and efficiently using standardized catatonia scales can improve detection capacity and enhance the management of morbidity and mortality.

PMID:39224992 | DOI:10.5080/u27363

Turk Psikiyatri Derg. 2024 Fall;35(3):186-197. doi: 10.5080/u27423.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Whether selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) increase suicide risk, especially in young adults, is still a controversial issue. This study aimed to examine the change in impulsivity characteristics and to evaluate the relationship between impulsivity and suicidality in young adults with major depression who were started on SSRIs.

METHOD: The study included 50 patients between the ages of 18-24 years with a diagnosis of major depression who were planned to start SSRIs. Participants were evaluated with the Beck Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale, Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, Daily Impulsivity Scale (DIS), and Go/ No-Go Task (GNG) before and at the end of the first week of treatment.

RESULTS: Seventy percent of the patients (n: 35) completed the assessments at baseline and at the end of the first week. At the end of one-week there was a statistically significant decrease in the DIS (t=2.283, p=0.029) and commission errors in GNG (t=3.19, p=0.003). In addition, 7 out of 11 patients who had suicidal ideation at the first evaluation did not continue to have suicidal ideation at the end of the first week and there was a significant decrease in the severity of suicidal ideation at the end of the follow-up (W:132.0, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: One-week SSRI use in young adults resulted in a decrease in impulsivity in self-report scales assessing state impulsivity and in the GNG. It was observed that the severity of suicidal ideation decreased at the end of the one-week treatment period.

PMID:39224991 | DOI:10.5080/u27423

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2024 Sep 3. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.15881. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the effects of a nurse-led family empowerment program on the quality of life of Palestinian pregnant adolescents.

METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial with a two-group pre-/post-test design. The sample consisted of 58 pregnant adolescents recruited from six governmental primary health care clinics in Palestine. Participants were randomly allocated in equal numbers to either the control group (n = 29), which received routine care, or the experimental group (n = 29), which received both routine care and the study program. Data collection instruments included a demographic form and the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQoL-BREF). Data were collected twice: at 32 or 33 weeks’ gestation to establish a baseline and at 36 or 37 weeks’ gestation post-test. Statistical analyses were performed and included descriptive statistics, chi-square and t-tests.

RESULTS: The study findings indicated a significant increase in the mean quality of life scores of the experimental group in the post-test compared to the pre-test (P < 0.001). Additionally, pregnant adolescents in the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher post-test QoL scores than those in the control group (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The nurse-led family empowerment program emerges as a viable and efficacious alternative intervention for improving the quality of life among Palestinian pregnant adolescents.

CLINICALTRIALS: The study was registered with the NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov on 01/09/2021 with the registration code NCT05031130. It can be accessed via this link: https://classic.

CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT05031130.

PMID:39224986 | DOI:10.1002/ijgo.15881

Eur J Paediatr Dent. 2024 Sep 1:1. doi: 10.23804/ejpd.2024.2104. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the fracture resistance of space maintainers (SMs) produced using 3D-printable materials (metal, resin and polyetheretherketone [PEEK]) after thermal aging and compare them with conventional space maintainers.

METHODS: A standardised typodont model for paediatric dentistry was utilised, and band and loop space maintainers were designed digitally using computer-aided design (CAD) technology. Four groups were established: Conventional, 3D printed metal, 3D printed resin, and 3D printed PEEK. Fracture resistance was assessed after 10,000 thermal cycles, simulating oral conditions. Fracture tests were conducted using a universal testing machine, applying vertical force to the band and loop junction until fracture. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA and the Tukey HSD test (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Although the fracture resistance values showed that metal, resin, and PEEK 3D printed band and loop space maintainers can be acceptable clinically, the permanent resin may be preferable to printable material because of their aesthetic properties.

PMID:39224968 | DOI:10.23804/ejpd.2024.2104

Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2024 Sep 3. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2024.0035. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Best practice pathways for common surgical procedures, including total knee arthroplasty (TKA), have the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce carbon emissions. We aimed to estimate the reduction in carbon emissions due to changing trends in the care of patients undergoing TKA in England.

METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2022 on adults undergoing elective primary TKA in England. The carbon footprint for each patient was calculated using carbon factors for multiple steps in the pathway, including ipsilateral knee arthroscopies in the year preceding the TKA, outpatient attendances, the index TKA, revisions of the TKA performed within 180 days of the index procedure, length of hospital stay and emergency readmissions.

RESULTS: A total of 648,861 TKA operations were identified. Over the study period, the median length of stay reduced from four to three days, the proportion of patients undergoing ipsilateral knee arthroscopies performed within a year before TKA surgery fell from 5.9% to 0.5% and the number of early revisions and emergency readmissions also fell. The per-patient carbon footprint reduced from 378.8kgCO₂e to 295.2kgCO₂e over this time. If all the study patients had the same carbon footprint as the average patient in 2021/2022, 32.4kilotons CO₂e would have been saved, enough to power 29,509 UK homes for one year.

CONCLUSIONS: Practices that were introduced primarily to improve patient outcomes can contribute to a reduction in the carbon footprint.

PMID:39224965 | DOI:10.1308/rcsann.2024.0035

Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2024 Sep 3. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2024.0059. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to explore whether there were any differences in consultant colorectal surgeon training and adjusted 90-day postoperative colorectal cancer mortality rates (AMR).

METHODS: We undertook a retrospective analysis of outcomes data published on the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) website. A total of 51,562 procedures for patients in England diagnosed with large bowel cancer between 2010 and 2015, registered under 551 consultants were included. Consultants were split into two cohorts. The first group were the pre-Calman Trained Consultants (pre-CTr), who completed their training before 1998. The second group-the post-Calman Trained Consultants (post-CTr)-included those who received their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) under the Calman Training Principles (CTC, 1998-2007) and the Modernising Medical Careers Curriculum (MMC, 2008 and onwards). The outcome measure was an AMR.

RESULTS: The pre-CTr cohort (n=84) consisted of 3.6% female colorectal consultants (n=3/84), whereas the post-CTr cohort (n=467) consisted of 14.3% female colorectal consultants (n=67/467) (p=0.006). In this cross-sectional analysis over 5 years, the average pre-CTr undertook a greater number of colorectal resections than their post-CTr peers: median procedures (interquartile range, IQR): 104 (59) vs 89 (57) respectively, p=0.008. The median AMR was significantly greater among pre-CTrs compared with post-CTrs, median AMR (IQR): 2.7% (2.0) vs 2.1% (2.9), p=0.022.

CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that the implementation of the MMC and Calman training principles for colorectal training is associated with a statistically lower AMR compared with other historical training periods. This merits further exploration.

PMID:39224964 | DOI:10.1308/rcsann.2024.0059