Tag: nevin manimala

J Obstet Gynaecol. 2021 Aug 12:1-6. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2021.1931067. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) using the letrozole-supplemented stimulation protocol in breast cancer (BC) patients prior to their cancer treatment. Sixty-one BC patients (Stages 0-3) who were referred to a university IVF unit for fertility preservation (FP) and underwent embryo and/or oocyte cryopreservation between 2008 – 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Time intervals between breast surgery and initial fertility consultation (IFC)/completion of FP procedures were evaluated. COS outcomes were assessed and compared between the early follicular phase (EFP) and the random-start (RS) protocols. The patients’ mean age was 33.3 ± 4.9 years. The mean time interval between breast surgery and IFC was 20.6 ± 11 (day, mean ± SD) and from IFC to completion of FP procedure was 14.7 ± 5.3. Overall, 9.1 ± 5.9 mature oocytes were obtained, with a peak serum oestradiol level of 388 ± 358 pg/mL. The number of oocytes obtained (11.5 ± 9.3 vs. 10.9 ± 6.9, p = .9) and maturation rates (84.3 ± 17.5% vs. 89.2 ± 11.7, p = .5) were not statistically different between the EPF and RS protocols. The study results support that oocyte or embryo freezing can be performed effectively in a limited time period with letrozole-supplemented COS protocols before the initiation of oncological treatments in breast cancer patients.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Currently, embryo and oocyte freezing are considered the most established fertility preservation (FP) methods for newly diagnosed cancer patients.What do the results of this study add? This study reports the COS outcomes of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients for FP over a period of twelve years from a single IVF unit. The results support that a considerable number of oocytes can be harvested with letrozole-supplemented COS protocol, which appears to be an effective protocol for BC patients.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? There is a need for additional studies evaluating long-term follow-up of patients with their pregnancy outcomes.

PMID:34382483 | DOI:10.1080/01443615.2021.1931067

Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2021 Aug 12:1-19. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2021.1962790. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Inclusion of Black participants in clinical research is a national priority. Mobile applications and remote data collection may increase study access for diverse populations. This study examined the reliability and feasibility of two mobile smartphone application-based cognitive measures in a diverse middle aged and older adult sample. Black (n = 44; M_age = 59.93) and non-Hispanic white (NHW; n = 50; M_age = 61.06) participants completed traditional paper-based neuropsychological testing and two app-based measures, Arrows and Number Match. Intraclass correlations demonstrated poor to moderate reliability (range: .417-.569) between performance on the app-based versions and performance on the traditional versions. Performance score differences by racial group were not statistically significant. Both Black and NHW participants rated the app-based measures as feasible and acceptable, though Black participants endorsed a stronger likelihood of future use. These findings add to the growing literature on remote cognitive testing .

PMID:34382482 | DOI:10.1080/13825585.2021.1962790

Int Wound J. 2021 Aug 12. doi: 10.1111/iwj.13671. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pressure ulcers (PUs) have a profound impact on individuals, with studies demonstrating that compared with similarly aged persons, those living with a PU have a significantly lower quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of the Shanley Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programme (SPUPP) on older persons’ knowledge of, and attitudes and behaviours towards, PU prevention. This was a multi-centre, open-label, randomised controlled trial. The population of interest was older persons living in the community who attended either a day care centre or a retirement group and were deemed to be at risk of PUs due to reduced mobility. Stratified random sampling was used to randomise based on days of attendance at day care centre/retirement group. Pretest and post-test were applied to the intervention and control groups. The SPUPP is a multimedia programme delivered using electronic media, hard copy materials, activities, and patient diaries and addresses the key tenets of PU prevention as described by the SKIN bundle. The programme contains five separate sessions delivered over 5 weeks. The impact of the SPUPP was assessed using the patient knowledge of and attitude and behaviour towards PU prevention instrument (KPUP). A total of 64 persons, 32 in each group, took part in the study. Of these, 75% (n = 48) were female, with a mean age of 81.9 years (SD: 5.56 years). Further, 68.8% (n = 44) were either overweight or obese and 40.6% (n = 26) were usually incontinent of urine. There were no differences between the intervention and control groups in mean scores during the pretest stage. However, at post-test, the mean scores for the intervention group were higher than the control group, 16.87 (SD: 1.88) versus 12.41 (SD: 3.21), respectively. For the post-test stage, mean differences between the two groups in favour of the intervention group (∆ = 4.46) were statistically significant, as t = 6.76, P = .0001, and equal variances were not assumed. The SPUPP impacted positively on knowledge scores of the participants and positively influenced attitudes and behaviours towards PU prevention. Thus, this research provides information regarding the potential to enhance patient involvement in PU prevention.

PMID:34382318 | DOI:10.1111/iwj.13671

Trauma Violence Abuse. 2021 Aug 12:15248380211036060. doi: 10.1177/15248380211036060. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a clinical and social problem globally, especially in the Middle East. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of IPV and its types against women in the Middle East region.

METHOD: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched in January 2020. From 1995 to 2020, all studies performed in the Middle East, investigating at least one type of abuse against women and written in English, entered the study. All included studies were appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist, which was adapted for prevalence studies. The random effect model of meta-analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel method by comprehensive meta-analysis software. Each type of abuse as event rate with 95% CI was calculated for each variable. Heterogeneity was investigated using the I ² statistic test.

RESULTS: Fifty-five studies encompassing 138,692 participants were included in our meta-analysis. The rate of overall abuse was 26.3 (n = 55, 95% CI: [15.8, 40.5], p = .002). The highest rate of abuse in the included studies was reported for psychological abuse 48.6% (n = 46, 95% CI: [39.8, 57.5], p = .758). The rate of abuse for physical, economical, sexual, and injury were 28.4% (n = 53, 95% CI: [22.1, 35.7], p = .0001), 19% (n = 10, 95% CI: [9.8, 33.7], p = .0001), 18.5% (n = 45, 95% CI: [13.6, 24.6], p = .0001), and 18.4% (n = 5, 95% CI: [7.1, 40.2], p = 0.008), respectively. The overall abuse reported by World Health Organization Multi-Country Domestic Violence (DV)Questionnaire was 25.7% (n = 17, 95% CI: [18.4, 34.7], p = .0001). This value was 41.8% (n = 11, 95% CI: [29.7, 55], p = .223) for the Conflict Tactics Scale Questionnaire.

CONCLUSION: Although this review highlights the lack of or insufficient IPV data in some contexts and inconsistencies in defining and measuring IPV among studies, the evidence shows that a moderate to high pattern of abuse has been observed in the study population. Due to this region’s unique cultural-religious characteristics, it is urgent to reduce this phenomenon.

PMID:34382453 | DOI:10.1177/15248380211036060

Int J Urol. 2021 Aug 11. doi: 10.1111/iju.14664. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To report perioperative, renal functional and oncologic outcomes for patients undergoing partial or radical nephrectomy for cT2 renal masses.

METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who underwent partial (n = 72) or radical nephrectomy (n = 379) for cT2 renal masses from 2000 to 2016. After propensity adjustment using inverse probability weighting, the following were compared by surgery (partial or radical nephrectomy): complications, renal function measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate as continuous and as <60 mL/min/1.73 m² at 1 and 3 years postoperatively and overall, metastases-free survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

RESULTS: After propensity adjustment, clinical and radiographic features were well-balanced between groups. Overall and severe complications were more common for partial compared with radical nephrectomy, although not statistically significant (19 vs 13%, P = 0.14 and 4 vs 2%, P = 0.3, respectively). Estimated glomerular filtration rate change at 1 and 3 years was more pronounced in radical compared with partial nephrectomy (median -16 vs -5 and -14 vs -2, respectively, P < 0.001). A greater proportion of radical nephrectomy patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 at 1 and 3 years (55 vs 17% and 48 vs 17%, respectively, P < 0.01). In renal cell carcinoma patients, overall, metastases-free and cancer-specific survival were not significantly different between groups (median survivor follow up 7.1 years, interquartile range 3.6-11.4).

CONCLUSIONS: Partial nephrectomy appears to be a relatively safe and a potentially effective treatment for cT2 renal masses, conferring better renal functional preservation compared with radical nephrectomy. These data support continued use of partial nephrectomy for renal masses >7 cm in appropriately selected patients.

PMID:34382267 | DOI:10.1111/iju.14664

Sci Rep. 2021 Aug 11;11(1):16342. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-95699-9.

ABSTRACT

The UK and Sweden have among the worst per-capita COVID-19 mortality in Europe. Sweden stands out for its greater reliance on voluntary, rather than mandatory, control measures. We explore how the timing and effectiveness of control measures in the UK, Sweden and Denmark shaped COVID-19 mortality in each country, using a counterfactual assessment: what would the impact have been, had each country adopted the others’ policies? Using a Bayesian semi-mechanistic model without prior assumptions on the mechanism or effectiveness of interventions, we estimate the time-varying reproduction number for the UK, Sweden and Denmark from daily mortality data. We use two approaches to evaluate counterfactuals which transpose the transmission profile from one country onto another, in each country’s first wave from 13th March (when stringent interventions began) until 1st July 2020. UK mortality would have approximately doubled had Swedish policy been adopted, while Swedish mortality would have more than halved had Sweden adopted UK or Danish strategies. Danish policies were most effective, although differences between the UK and Denmark were significant for one counterfactual approach only. Our analysis shows that small changes in the timing or effectiveness of interventions have disproportionately large effects on total mortality within a rapidly growing epidemic.

PMID:34381102 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-95699-9

NPJ Vaccines. 2021 Aug 11;6(1):99. doi: 10.1038/s41541-021-00362-z.

ABSTRACT

People receiving COVID-19 vaccines may subsequently markedly increase their previously suppressed exposure risk. A simple model can evaluate the benefit of vaccination to the vaccinated (index) person and others exposed to that person; and calculate the amount of risk compensation required to eliminate all the benefits or to halve the benefit. As shown, 2.5-fold increase in exposure will eliminate the benefit of a vaccine of moderate efficacy (E = 0.6) unless the probability of infection in the population of interest is very high. With very high vaccine efficacy (E = 0.95), substantial benefit is maintained except in situations where there is a very low probability of infection in the population. If the vaccine efficacy decreases to 0.8, the benefit gets eroded easily with modest risk compensation. Risk compensation may markedly affect the benefit of COVID-19 vaccination, especially if vaccine efficacy in real-life or specific high-risk populations (e.g., nursing home residents) is not very high.

PMID:34381059 | DOI:10.1038/s41541-021-00362-z

Sci Rep. 2021 Aug 11;11(1):16311. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-95084-6.

ABSTRACT

The increasing number and quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) employing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) denote the rising awareness of neuroscientific community about its electroceutical potential and opening to include these treatments in the framework of medical therapies under the indications of the international authorities. The purpose of this quantitative review is to estimate the recommendation strength applying the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) criteria and PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) model values for effective tDCS treatments on no-structural diseases, and to provide an estimate of Sham effect for future RCTs. Applying GRADE evaluation pathway, we searched in literature the tDCS-based RCTs in psychophysical diseases displaying a major involvement of brain electrical activity imbalances. Three independent authors agreed on Class 1 RCTs (18 studies) and meta-analyses were carried out using a random-effects model for pathologies sub-selected based on PICO and systemic involvement criteria. The meta-analysis integrated with extensive evidence of negligible side effects and low-cost, easy-to-use procedures, indicated that tDCS treatments for depression and fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis ranked between moderately and highly recommendable. For these interventions we reported the PICO variables, with left vs. right dorsolateral prefrontal target for 30 min/10 days against depression and bilateral somatosensory vs occipital target for 15 min/5 days against MS fatigue. An across-diseases meta-analysis devoted to the Sham effect provided references for power analysis in future tDCS RCTs on these clinical conditions. High-quality indications support tDCS as a promising tool to build electroceutical treatments against diseases involving neurodynamics alterations.

PMID:34381076 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-95084-6

Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2021 Aug 11. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000004197. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study on 185 patients with 490 cervical disc herniation (CDH).

OBJECTIVE: To compare the changes in volumes of CDH in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) surgically-treated by expansive open-door laminoplasty (EOLP) or cervical microendoscopic laminoplasty (CMEL).

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spontaneous resorption of CDH was shown in patients with DCM after conservation treatment, but very few in surgically-treated patients. Our previous study identified the clinical efficiency of CMEL to treat DCM but how CDH sized postoperatively, as well as comparing to EOLP, was unknown.

METHODS: Consecutive patients with DCM from Dec 2015 to Dec 2019, who underwent MRI evaluation, receiving CMEL or EOLP, and repeat MRI in follow-up were included. The volume of CDH were monitored using the picture archiving and communication system, further calculating the incidence of CDH with volume regression and the percentage changes of CDH volume. The correlations of possible determines with CDH volume changes were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS: A total of 89 patients (215 CDHs, EOLP-group) and 96 patients (275 CDHs, CMEL-group) was surveyed respectively. Resultantly, volume of CDH was decreased post-operatively in both EOLP and CMEL cases. But this CDH volume regression was more profound in CMEL groups (incidence of 81.2% from 223/275, median volume change ratio of -26.7%, occurring from one month after CMEL), statistically different from EOLP group (50.2% from 108/215, median volume change ratio of -5.4%, none-appearance within one month). Patients information as gender, age and follow-up time, not CDH significant, was significantly correlated with CDH volume changes.

CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent CMEL developed a postoperative reduction of CDH volume, with more popularity, greater degree and earlier-staged than EOLP-patients. Young females with longer follow-up time were more likely occur.Level of Evidence: 4.

PMID:34381000 | DOI:10.1097/BRS.0000000000004197

Simul Healthc. 2021 Aug 9. doi: 10.1097/SIH.0000000000000604. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic forced healthcare institutions to rapidly adapt practices for patient care, staff safety, and resource management. We evaluated contributions of the simulation center in a freestanding children’s hospital during the early stages of the pandemic.

METHODS: We reviewed our simulation center’s activity for education-based and system-focused simulation for 2 consecutive academic years (AY19: 2018-2019 and AY20: 2019-2020). We used statistical control charts and χ2 analyses to assess the impact of the pandemic on simulation activity as well as outputs of system-focused simulation during the first wave of the pandemic (March-June 2020) using the system failure mode taxonomy and required level of resolution.

RESULTS: A total of 1983 event counts were reported. Total counts were similar between years (994 in AY19 and 989 in AY20). System-focused simulation was more prevalent in AY20 compared with AY19 (8% vs. 2% of total simulation activity, P < 0.001), mainly driven by COVID-19-related simulation events. COVID-19-related simulation occurred across the institution, identified system failure modes in all categories except culture, and was more likely to identify macro-level issues than non-COVID-19-related simulation (64% vs. 44%, P = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS: Our simulation center pivoted to deliver substantial system-focused simulation across the hospital during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our experience suggests that simulation centers are essential resources in achieving safe and effective hospital-wide improvement.

PMID:34381007 | DOI:10.1097/SIH.0000000000000604