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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Anxiety and depression status prior to radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its effect on acute radiation toxicities

Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2021 Jul 5:e13487. doi: 10.1111/ecc.13487. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work is to explore anxiety and depression status prior to radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its effect on acute radiation toxicities.

METHODS: A total of 267 NPC patients were enrolled between August 2013 and September 2016. The anxiety and depression status of the patients prior to radiotherapy was evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Acute radiation toxicities were assessed weekly and recorded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictive factors for acute radiation toxicities.

RESULTS: The rates of anxiety and depression status prior to radiotherapy were 35.2% and 25.5%, respectively. Anxiety was a significant predictor of vomiting (P = 0.001, OR = 2.874) and dysphagia (P = 0.029, OR = 2.080). Depression was a significant predictor of dysgeusia (P = 0.030, OR = 2.957). In addition, age was a significant predictor of dysphagia (P = 0.001, OR = 1.131).

CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and depression status prior to radiotherapy aggravate acute radiation toxicities in patients with NPC. Assessment of the anxiety and depression status and appropriate interventions should be an integral part of treatment to relieve radiation injury during intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

PMID:34219307 | DOI:10.1111/ecc.13487

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Association of different enteroviruses with atopy and allergic diseases in early childhood

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1111/pai.13577. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Enterovirus (EV) infections, being among the most prevalent viruses worldwide, have been associated with reduced risk of allergic diseases. We sought to determine the association of EVs with allergic sensitization and disease in early childhood.

METHODS: The study was carried out in a nested case-control setting within a prospective birth cohort in Finland. We included 138 case children who had specific IgE (s-IgE) sensitization at the age of 5 years and 138 control children without s-IgE sensitization. Allergic disease was recorded at study visits and asked with ISAAC questionary. We screened for the presence of serotype specific antibodies against 41 EVs at 1 to 5 years of age and assessed their association with allergic sensitization and disease.

RESULTS: The overall number of EV infections did not differ between s-IgE-sensitized children and non-sensitized control children. However, there was a tendency of case children with an allergic disease having less EV infections than their controls. This observation was statistically significant for species A EVs in case children with atopic dermatitis vs. control children: OR 0.6 (95 % CI 0.36-0.99), P = 0.048.

CONCLUSION: This study supports the evidence that EV exposure and development of allergic disease are inversely associated. Interestingly, the inverse association was not observed for bare atopic IgE sensitization, but for IgE sensitization coupled with clinical atopic disease. This suggests that environmental factors influencing IgE sensitization may differ from those influencing progression to clinical allergic disease.

PMID:34219290 | DOI:10.1111/pai.13577

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Addition of autogenous bone chips to deproteinized bovine bone mineral does not have additional benefit in lateral ridge augmentation – A preclinical in vivo experimental study

Clin Oral Implants Res. 2021 Jul 4. doi: 10.1111/clr.13805. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome after extensive lateral guided bone regeneration using deproteinized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) with or without autogenous bone chips in a canine model of chronic horizontal alveolar ridge defect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The second, third and fourth lower premolars of both sides were extracted, and the buccal bone walls were completely removed in five beagle dogs. After 4 weeks, DBBM particles mixed with autogenous bone chips at a ratio of 1:1 were grafted at one side (DBBM/Auto group), while DBBM particles alone were grafted at the contralateral side (DBBM group). The graft materials on both sides were covered by a resorbable collagen membrane and fixation pins. Microcomputed tomographic volume and histomorphometric analyses were performed at 16 weeks post-surgery.

RESULTS: The ridges of both groups were recovered horizontally, but new bone formation beyond the original ridge contour at the defect site was not found. The DBBM group exhibited a larger total radiographic augmented volume and new bone volume compared with the DBBM/Auto group, but the differences were minimal (p > 0.05). Histologically, the regenerated area and new bone area were also slightly larger without any statistical significance in the DBBM group than in the DBBM/Auto group (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The addition of autogenous bone chips to DBBM for lateral ridge augmentation may confer no advantage over grafting DBBM alone with respect to both space maintenance and de novo bone formation in dogs.

PMID:34219293 | DOI:10.1111/clr.13805

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Concentration of Gallbladder Phosphatidylcholine in Cholangiopathies: A Phosphorus-31 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Pilot Study

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1002/jmri.27817. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Biliary phosphatidylcholine (PtdC) concentration plays a role in the pathogenesis of bile duct diseases. In vivo phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31 P-MRS) at 7 T offers the possibility to assess this concentration noninvasively with high spectral resolution and signal intensity.

PURPOSE: Comparison of PtdC levels of cholangiopathic patient groups to a control group using a measured T1 relaxation time of PtdC in healthy subjects.

STUDY TYPE: Case control.

SUBJECTS: Two patient groups with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC, 2f/3 m; age: 43 ± 7 years) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, 4f/2 m; age: 57 ± 6 years), and a healthy control group (CON, 2f/3 m; age: 38 ± 7 years). Ten healthy subjects for the assessment of the T1 relaxation time of PtdC.

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3D phase-encoded pulse-acquire 31 P-MRSI sequence for PtdC quantification and a 1D image-selected in vivo 31 P spectroscopy for T1 estimation at 7 T, and a T2-weighted half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin echo MRI sequence for volumetry at 3 T.

ASSESSMENT: Calculation of gallbladder volumes and PtdC concentration in groups using hepatic gamma-adenosine triphosphate signal as an internal reference and correction for insufficient relaxation of PtdC with a T1 value assessed in healthy subjects.

STATISTICAL TESTS: Group comparison of PtdC content and gallbladder volumes of the PSC/PBC and CON group using Student’s t-tests with a significance level of 5%.

RESULTS: PtdC T1 value of 357 ± 85 msec in the gallbladder. Significant lower PtdC content for the PSC group, and for the female subgroup of the PBC group compared to the CON group (PSC/CON: 5.74 ± 0.73 mM vs. 9.64 ± 0.97 mM, PBC(f)/CON: 5.77 ± 1.44 mM vs. 9.64 ± 0.97 mM). Significant higher gallbladder volumes of the patient groups compared to the CON group (PSC/CON: 66.3 ± 15.8 mL vs. 20.9 ± 2.2 mL, PBC/CON: 49.8 ± 18.2 mL vs. 20.9 ± 2.2 mL).

DATA CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the application of a 31 P-MRSI protocol for the quantification of PtdC in the human gallbladder at 7 T. Observed differences in PtdC concentration suggest that this metabolite could serve as a biomarker for specific hepatobiliary disorders.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3.

PMID:34219305 | DOI:10.1002/jmri.27817

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Z-Score Reference Ranges for Umbilical Vein Diameter and Blood Flow Volume in Normal Fetuses

J Ultrasound Med. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1002/jum.15774. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To establish Z-scores for the diameter and blood flow volume of the umbilical vein (UV) in normal fetuses.

METHODS: This was a prospective study involving 907 normal fetuses. We measured the diameter (Duv) of two different segments of the UV (FUV: the free loop of the UV; FIUV: the fetal intra-abdominal UV). Next, we calculated the blood flow volume (Quv). Z-scores were created for both Duv and Quv using gestational age, femur length, and biparietal diameter as independent variables.

RESULTS: We successfully acquired 858 (94.6%) normal fetal measurements. Between 20 and 39 weeks, the Duv of the FUV and FIUV increased from 0.38 to 0.80 cm and from 0.33 to 0.70 cm, respectively. The Quv of the FUV and FIUV increased from 32.66 to 381.88 ml/min and from 31.50 to 360.15 ml/min, respectively. Linear or quadratic regression models were best fitted between the parameters of UV and the independent variables. Z-scores were successfully determined for both the Duv and Quv.

CONCLUSIONS: The calculation of Z-scores for the Duv and Quv is simple by applying standard statistical methods. These Z-scores may be useful to evaluate placental circulation and provide a rationale for monitoring and evaluating the prognosis of fetuses.

PMID:34219256 | DOI:10.1002/jum.15774

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A comparison of confidence distribution approaches for rare event meta-analysis

Stat Med. 2021 Jul 4. doi: 10.1002/sim.9125. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Meta-analysis of rare event data has recently received increasing attention due to the challenging issues rare events pose to traditional meta-analytic methods. One specific way to combine information and analyze rare event meta-analysis data utilizes confidence distributions (CDs). While several CD methods exist, no comparisons have been made to determine which method is best suited for homogeneous or heterogeneous meta-analyses with rare events. In this article, we review several CD methods: Fisher’s classic P-value combination method, one that combines P-value functions, another that combines confidence intervals, and one that combines confidence log-likelihood functions. We compare these CD approaches, and we propose and compare variations of these methods to determine which method produces reliable results for homogeneous or heterogeneous rare event meta-analyses. We find that for homogeneous rare event data, most CD methods perform very well. On the other hand, for heterogeneous rare event data, there is a clear split in performance between some CD methods, with some performing very poorly and others performing reasonably well.

PMID:34219258 | DOI:10.1002/sim.9125

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Renin-angiotensin system inhibition reverses the altered triacylglycerol metabolic network in diabetic kidney disease

Metabolomics. 2021 Jul 4;17(7):65. doi: 10.1007/s11306-021-01816-0.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Dyslipidemia is a significant risk factor for progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Determining the changes in individual lipids and lipid networks across a spectrum of DKD severity may identify lipids that are pathogenic to DKD progression.

METHODS: We performed untargeted lipidomic analysis of kidney cortex tissue from diabetic db/db and db/db eNOS-/- mice along with non-diabetic littermate controls. A subset of mice were treated with the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, lisinopril and losartan, which improves the DKD phenotype in the db/db eNOS-/- mouse model.

RESULTS: Of the three independent variables in this study, diabetes had the largest impact on overall lipid levels in the kidney cortex, while eNOS expression and RAS inhibition had smaller impacts on kidney lipid levels. Kidney lipid network architecture, particularly of networks involving glycerolipids such as triacylglycerols, was substantially disrupted by worsening kidney disease in the db/db eNOS-/- mice compared to the db/db mice, a feature that was reversed with RAS inhibition. This was associated with decreased expression of the stearoyl-CoA desaturases, Scd1 and Scd2, with RAS inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the known salutary effect of RAS inhibition on DKD progression, our results suggest a previously unrecognized role for RAS inhibition on the kidney triacylglycerol lipid metabolic network.

PMID:34219205 | DOI:10.1007/s11306-021-01816-0

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

The validation of the Arabic version of the Coronavirus-2019 Phobia Scale (C19P-SA) and individual differences in coronaphobia experiences among an Arabic population

J Community Psychol. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1002/jcop.22642. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The current study adapted the Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale into Arabic and tested the psychometric properties of the adapted version on 469 Arabic-speaking individuals (mean age = 29.57 years old; SD = 10.39; range = 9-71 years old). After confirmatory analysis found supporting evidence for the four-factor structure, consequent analysis on convergent and discriminant validity and reliability of the Arabic version are also supported. A 2 × 2 between-groups factorial multivariate analysis of variance was used to investigate individual differences in coronaphobia. Results show that there is no significant interaction effect between gender and marital status, λ = 0.973, F (8,460) = 1600, p = 0.121, partial η2 = 0. 014; however, the main effect for gender is statistically significant, λ = 0.925, F (4,464) = 9.367, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.075, power = 1.000, where women score higher than men on all coronaphobia factors. In addition, the main effect for marital status is also significant, λ = 0.923, F (4,464) = 4.701, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.039, power = 0.998, where singles score higher than married couples on only two coronaphobia factors: Psychological and economic. Based on the findings, we conclude that the effects of coronaphobia have similarities across nations as well as differences unique to the Arabic populations.

PMID:34219236 | DOI:10.1002/jcop.22642

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Evaluation of ethnic influence in the application of a hepatocellular carcinoma predictive model for chronic hepatitis C

J Med Virol. 2021 Jul 5. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27168. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Currently, there is no well-established algorithm predicting HCC development in untreated HCV patients. We aimed to validate an algorithm (REVEAL-HCV: age, AST, ALT, HCV RNA, HCV genotype, and cirrhosis) developed in Taiwanese patients.

METHODS: We analyzed 1,381 (50.1% White, 14.7% Hispanic, 13.8% Asian of diverse origin, and 7.8% African-American) adult treatment-naïve HCV patients (no viral co-infection, no HCC within 6 months) at 4 U.S. and one Hong Kong centers (11/1994-10/2017).

RESULTS: Compared to the non-Asian cohort, the Asian cohort had higher percentage of patients in the low-risk group (46.1% vs. 26.1%) and lower percentage in the high-risk group (12.0% vs. 20.3%, p<0.01). Overall, 5-year HCC incidence were 1.75%, 4.71%, and 24.4% for low, medium and high-risk patients, respectively (p<0.0001). For the overall cohort, AUROC for HCC prediction were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.72-0.93), 0.82 (95% CI: 0.75-0.88), and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.77-0.89) for 1-year, 3-year and 5-year HCC risk, respectively. There was slightly lower AUROC for Asian compared to the non-Asian cohort at 3 years (0.75 vs. 0.83) and 5 years (0.78 vs. 0.84), though this was not statistically significant. In multivariable analysis, we found male sex, presence of metabolic syndrome as well as the risk score categories to be independently associated with HCC but not ethnicity.

CONCLUSION: The REVEAL-HCV risk score has good validity for both Asian and non-Asian populations. Further studies should consider additional factors such as sex, metabolic syndrome and treatment status. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:34219250 | DOI:10.1002/jmv.27168

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Clinical consumption of compound opioid analgesics in China: a retrospective analysis of national data 2015-2018

Biol Pharm Bull. 2021 Jul 3. doi: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00347. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Compound opioid analgesics (COA) are widely used for cancer pain relief, but few studies investigated the use of that. We aimed to report the characteristics and trend of COA consumption in different regions and health facilities in China. The procurement data of two types of COA, compound codeine phosphate (CCP) and oxycodone and acetaminophen (OAA), in all medical institutions of 20 provinces from 2015 to 2018 were used. Data were presented as Defined Daily Dose for Statistical purpose (SDDD) and expenditures per million inhabitants per day. The annual consumption of COA and ratio of two combinations were compared among regions and institutions. We found, during 2015 – 2018, COA consumption increased at an average rate of 7.32% in SDDD and 19.19% in expenditures, while OAA accounted for most of the consumption. Highest COA consumption appeared in Northern China, with 121.72 SDDD and 1689.87 RMB (2015), whereas the lowest COA consumption was only 11.28 SDDD appearing in Southern China. The ratio of OAA and CCP (in SDDD) was highest in Southern China (53.14 in 2018), whereas lowest in West North (0.37 in 2018). In terms of institutions, tertiary had the highest COA consumption, with 16.74 SDDD and 292.73 RMB (2018). The SDDD of OAA was 27.44 times of that of CCP in tertiary, while it was only 0.11 in primary. Overall, COA consumption is on an upward trend and different among regions and health institutions in either amount or types of COA. These findings call for establishment of COA management regulations.

PMID:34219120 | DOI:10.1248/bpb.b21-00347