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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Assessing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infectivity by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Rev Med Virol. 2022 Apr 2:e2342. doi: 10.1002/rmv.2342. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The cornerstone of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection is reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of viral RNA. As a surrogate assay SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection does not necessarily imply infectivity. Only virus isolation in permissive cell culture systems can indicate infectivity. Here, we review the evidence on RT-PCR performance in detecting infectious SARS-CoV-2. We searched for any studies that used RT-PCR and cell culture to determine infectious SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples. We assessed (i) diagnostic accuracy of RT-PCR compared to cell culture as reference test, (ii) performed meta-analysis of positive predictive values (PPV) and (iii) determined the virus isolation probabilities depending on cycle threshold (Ct) or log10 genome copies/ml using logistic regression. We included 55 studies. There is substantial statistical and clinical heterogeneity. Seven studies were included for diagnostic accuracy. Sensitivity ranged from 90% to 99% and specificity from 29% to 92%. In meta-analysis, the PPVs varied across subgroups with different sampling times after symptom onset, with 1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-7%) in sampling beyond 10 days and 27% (CI, 19%-36%) to 46% (CI, 33%-60%) in subgroups that also included earlier samples. Estimates of virus isolation probability varied between 6% (CI, 0%-100%) and 50% (CI, 0%-100%) at a Ct value of 30 and between 0% (CI, 0%-22%) and 63% (CI, 0%-100%) at 5 log10 genome copies/ml. Evidence on RT-PCR performance in detecting infectious SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples was limited. Major limitations were heterogeneity and poor reporting. RT-PCR and cell culture protocols need further standardisation.

PMID:35366033 | DOI:10.1002/rmv.2342

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Mitral valve repair versus replacement in severe ischemic mitral regurgitation systematic review and meta-analysis

J Card Surg. 2022 Apr 2. doi: 10.1111/jocs.16477. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is a serious consequence of coronary artery disease. The choice of the optimal surgical strategy remains debatable. The aim of the present meta-analysis is to compare the outcomes of mitral valve repair (RPR) versus replacement (RPL) regarding perioperative mortality, overall mortality, reoperation, recurrence of MR, and reverse remodeling after surgery.

METHODS: Electronic searches were performed using the searchable databases of Google Scholar, Pubmed, and Embase, and the search terms mitral valve, IMR, RPR, RPL, and coronary artery bypass grafting. The main outcomes of interest are perioperative mortality, overall mortality, reoperation, recurrence of MR, and reverse remodeling after surgery. Perioperative mortality was defined as death during the surgery or within 30 days after the operation.

RESULTS: There was a trend towards better perioperative survival in the RPR arm. However, the difference fell short of statistical significance [odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]): 0.66 (0.41-1.07), p = 0.09]. Patients submitted to RPR experienced a significantly higher MR recurrence rate when compared with their counterparts submitted to RPL [OR (95% CI): 16.8 (5.07-55.7, p = 0.00001)].

CONCLUSION: There is a trend towards lower perioperative mortality in RPR in comparison to RPL. On the other hand, RPL was associated with significantly lower recurrence rates.

PMID:35366026 | DOI:10.1111/jocs.16477

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Albumin/fibrinogen ratio, an independent risk factor for postoperative delirium after total joint arthroplasty

Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2022 Apr 1. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14381. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a very common and serious complication after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), which is closely associated with many adverse consequences and a poor prognosis. This study aimed to establish the potential risk factors for POD.

METHODS: In total, 336 patients who underwent elective TJA under general anesthesia between 2018 and 2021 were included and deemed eligible for inclusion. POD was diagnosed based on the criteria by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM V). The receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn to evaluate the predictive and cut-off values of continuous variables for POD. Potential risk factors for POD were evaluated by binary univariate and multivariate analysis with the “Enter” method.

RESULTS: According to the criteria by DSM V, 43 patients were categorized into the POD group, with an incidence of 12.8% (43 of 336). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that albumin/fibrinogen ratio (AFR) was a good predictor for POD with an area under the curve of 0.754, cut-off value of 9.65, sensitivity of 57.00% and specificity of 83.72% (P <0.001). A low preoperative AFR level (<9.65) was determined as the only independent risk factor for POD by the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 2.01-2.94, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a low AFR is an independent risk factor for POD in elderly subjects after TJA. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; ••: ••-••.

PMID:35365967 | DOI:10.1111/ggi.14381

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Impact of early postoperative creatinine increase on mid-term renal function after cystectomy

Int J Urol. 2022 Apr 1. doi: 10.1111/iju.14879. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether early acute kidney injury affects mid-term renal function, to identify risk factors for impaired mid-term renal function, and to highlight the evolution of plasma creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate in the first 12 months after cystectomy and urinary diversion.

METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective observational cohort study from 2000 to 2019. We included 900 consecutive patients undergoing cystectomy and urinary diversion. Patients with incomplete data and preoperative hemodialysis were excluded. Early acute kidney injury was defined as an increase in plasma creatinine of >50% or >26.5 μmol/L within 24 h after surgery. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to model the association between risk factors and change in plasma creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate at 12 months.

RESULTS: Early acute kidney injury was diagnosed in 183/900 patients (20.3%) and was associated with significant mid-term plasma creatinine increase compared to preoperative value (+10.0 μmol/L [95% confidence interval -1.5, 25.0] vs +4.0 μmol/L [-7.0, 13.0]; P < 0.001). Similarly, a significant estimated glomerular filtration rate change was found (-11.2 mL/min [95% confidence interval -19.8, 0.6] vs -4.9 mL/min [-15.6, 5.3]; P < 0.001). In the linear regression model, early acute kidney injury increased creatinine at 12 months by 9.8% (estimated glomerular filtration rate: decrease by 6.2 mL/min), male sex by 12.0%. Limitations include retrospective analysis from prospectively assessed data.

CONCLUSIONS: Early acute kidney injury resulted in elevated plasma creatinine and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate values 12 months postoperatively, albeit the clinical relevance remains questionable.

PMID:35365891 | DOI:10.1111/iju.14879

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Determinants of Turkish households’ out-of-pocket expenditures on three categories of health care services: A multivariate probit approach

Int J Health Plann Manage. 2022 Apr 1. doi: 10.1002/hpm.3470. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study identifies the driving forces that contribute to the probabilities of incidence of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures by households in Turkey. Factors affecting the probability of OOP expenditures on medical products/devices/supplies (MP), outpatient services (OTS), and inpatient services (ITS) are examined using the Household Budget Survey data gathered by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2018. The study applies the multivariate probit model. The incidence of OOP spending varied with 48.9% of the households reporting OOP expenditure on MP, 22.4% on OTS, and 25.4% on ITS. The largest probability changes were associated with household disposable annual income, household type and size, age category, and having private health insurance. Gender and marital status also influenced expenditures in some categories. Lifestyle choices had small and mixed effects, with smoking and alcohol consumption lowering the probability of OOP spending. From a policy standpoint, households with the lowest incomes, large households, and those where the household head was ‘others’ (retiree, student, housewife, not actively working, etc.) or had a condition preventing employment seemed to report OOP expenditures less frequently and may have chosen not to receive healthcare services, leading to the need for more healthcare services later.

PMID:35365938 | DOI:10.1002/hpm.3470

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Navigating the manyverse of skin conductance response quantification approaches – A direct comparison of trough-to-peak, baseline correction, and model-based approaches in Ledalab and PsPM

Psychophysiology. 2022 Apr 2:e14058. doi: 10.1111/psyp.14058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Raw data are typically required to be processed to be ready for statistical analyses, and processing pipelines are often characterized by substantial heterogeneity. Here, we applied seven different approaches (trough-to-peak scoring by two different raters, script-based baseline correction, Ledalab as well as four different models implemented in the software PsPM) to two fear conditioning data sets. Selection of the approaches included was guided by a systematic literature search by using fear conditioning research as a case example. Our approach can be viewed as a set of robustness analyses (i.e., same data subjected to different processing pipelines) aiming to investigate if and to what extent these different quantification approaches yield comparable results given the same data. To our knowledge, no formal framework for the evaluation of robustness analyses exists to date, but we may borrow some criteria from a framework suggested for the evaluation of “replicability” in general. Our results from seven different SCR quantification approaches applied to two data sets with different paradigms suggest that there may be no single approach that consistently yields larger effect sizes and could be universally considered “best.” Yet, at least some of the approaches employed show consistent effect sizes within each data set indicating comparability. Finally, we highlight substantial heterogeneity also within most quantification approaches and discuss implications and potential remedies.

PMID:35365863 | DOI:10.1111/psyp.14058

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Extremely premature infants born at 23-25 weeks gestation are at substantial risk for pulmonary hypertension

J Perinatol. 2022 Apr 1. doi: 10.1038/s41372-022-01374-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) represent an especially vulnerable population. Herein, we aimed to determine incidence and severity of pulmonary hypertension associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD-PH) in extremely immature ELGANs (gestational age: 230/6-256/7 weeks).

METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, we assessed BPD-PH by means of several echocardiography markers and serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels at 3 and 12 months of chronological age. In addition, we analyzed incidence and efficacy of pharmacologic treatment for BPD-PH.

RESULTS: At 3 months 15/34 ELGANs had echocardiographic evidence of BPD-PH, while at 12 months of age 6/34 still had PH. PH-targeted therapy consisted of sildenafil monotherapy in 11 and dual oral combination therapy (sildenafil and macitentan) in four ELGANs at 3 and 12 months.

CONCLUSION: 44% (15/34) of ELGANs developed BPD-PH. All received PH-targeted pharmacotherapy at 3 months, leading to hemodynamic improvements at 12 months in most infants.

PMID:35365772 | DOI:10.1038/s41372-022-01374-w

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Left ventricular hypertrophy and incident cognitive decline in older adults with hypertension

J Hum Hypertens. 2022 Apr 1. doi: 10.1038/s41371-022-00681-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The association between raised blood pressure and increased risk of subsequent cognitive decline is well known. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), as a marker of hypertensive target organ damage, may help identify those at risk of cognitive decline. We assessed whether LVH was associated with subsequent cognitive decline or dementia in hypertensive participants aged ≥80 years in the randomized, placebo-controlled Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial. LVH was assessed using 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) based on the Cornell Product (CP-LVH), Sokolow-Lyon (SL-LVH), and Cornell Voltage (CV-LVH) criteria. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess cognitive function at baseline and annually. A fall in MMSE to <24 or an annual fall of >3 points were defined as cognitive decline and triggered dementia screening (Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV). Death was defined as a competing event. Fine-Gray regression models were used to examine the relationship between baseline LVH and cognitive outcomes. There were 2645 in the analytical sample, including 201 (7.6%) with CP-LVH, 225 (8.5%) SL-LVH and 251 (9.5%) CV-LVH. CP-LVH was associated with increased risk of cognitive decline, subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR)1.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.67) in multivariate analyses. SL-LVH and CV-LVH were not associated with cognitive decline (sHR1.06 (95% CI 0.82-1.37) and sHR1.13 (95% CI 0.89-1.43), respectively). LVH was not associated with dementia. LVH may be related to subsequent cognitive decline, but evidence was inconsistent depending on ECG criterion and there were no associations with incident dementia. Additional work is needed to understand the relationships between blood pressure, LVH assessment and cognition.

PMID:35365783 | DOI:10.1038/s41371-022-00681-1

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Control theory illustrates the energy efficiency in the dynamic reconfiguration of functional connectivity

Commun Biol. 2022 Apr 1;5(1):295. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03196-0.

ABSTRACT

The brain’s functional connectivity fluctuates over time instead of remaining steady in a stationary mode even during the resting state. This fluctuation establishes the dynamical functional connectivity that transitions in a non-random order between multiple modes. Yet it remains unexplored how the transition facilitates the entire brain network as a dynamical system and what utility this mechanism for dynamic reconfiguration can bring over the widely used graph theoretical measurements. To address these questions, we propose to conduct an energetic analysis of functional brain networks using resting-state fMRI and behavioral measurements from the Human Connectome Project. Through comparing the state transition energy under distinct adjacent matrices, we justify that dynamic functional connectivity leads to 60% less energy cost to support the resting state dynamics than static connectivity when driving the transition through default mode network. Moreover, we demonstrate that combining graph theoretical measurements and our energy-based control measurements as the feature vector can provide complementary prediction power for the behavioral scores (Combination vs. Control: t = 9.41, p = 1.64e-13; Combination vs. Graph: t = 4.92, p = 3.81e-6). Our approach integrates statistical inference and dynamical system inspection towards understanding brain networks.

PMID:35365757 | DOI:10.1038/s42003-022-03196-0

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A comparison of international and national references to measure the prevalence of stunting in Pakistani school-age girls

Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 1;12(1):5501. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-09511-3.

ABSTRACT

Epidemiology of stunting in < 5 years old is well characterized; however, its prevalence in adolescence is inconsistent in different geographical locations. We estimated the prevalence of stunting in schoolgirls of Punjab, Pakistan, to standardize local references according to international and national references. In this population-wide cross-sectional study, 10,050 schoolgirls aged 8-16 years from 12 different districts of northern, central, and southern Punjab were analyzed. The prevalence of stunting was calculated by applying Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) height-for-age references and the local reference for the study population. We used Cohen’s kappa statistics to analyze the agreement of our data with reference values, and chi-square test was used as the test of trend. Marked overestimation of the prevalence of stunting was observed (22.72% and 17.49% according to CDC and WHO, respectively) in comparison to local reference (4.94%). According to CDC and WHO references, there was an increasing trend of prevalence of stunting with higher age; however, data was comparable across all the age groups when local references were applied. We recommend that the prevalence of stunting in school-age girls should be determined by applying local height references rather than international ones to plan health strategies and treatments in the local population.

PMID:35365745 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-09511-3