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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Radiologic, clinical, and functional evaluation of children with displaced T-condylar fractures treated by closed reduction and percutaneous fixation using the Mayo Elbow Performance Score

Int Orthop. 2023 Dec 20. doi: 10.1007/s00264-023-06058-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: T-condylar (T-C) fractures of the distal humerus are rare in children. There is no accepted treatment for such an injury, and there is a lack of reports evaluating the outcome of T-C fractures treated by closed reduction and percutaneous fixation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of closed reduction and percutaneous K-wire and screw (CRPKS) fixation in patients with type II and III T-C fractures according to the Toniolo-Wilkins classification modified by Canavese et al. (TWC classification).

METHODS: The clinical data of 12 consecutive patients (8 males, 4 females) who were younger than 14 years of age and who had a T-C fracture that was managed by CRPKS were retrospectively evaluated. Fractures were classified according to the TWC classification. The baseline information of the patients, carrying angle (CA) and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) were used to evaluate clinical and functional outcomes; related complications were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS: The mean age at the time of injury was 11.6 ± 1.8 years (range, 8-14). The time from injury to surgical treatment was 1.5 ± 1.0 days (range, 0-3), and the mean follow-up duration was 33.7 ± 12.3 months (range, 18-61). Surgery lasted 45.7 ± 7.6 min on average (range, 35-58). All fractures healed in 4.9 ± 1.0 weeks on average (range, 4-7). At the last follow-up visit, the CA was 12.6° ± 5.8° on the injured side and 13.8° ± 1.8° on the uninjured side (p=0.432). The MEPS was 100 (95, 100) on the injured side and 100 (100, 100) on the uninjured side (p=0.194). Three complications were recorded.

CONCLUSION: Good functional and radiological outcomes can be expected in pediatric patients with type II and III T-C fractures treated by CRPKS. The technique is relatively simple to perform and has a lower rate of complications.

PMID:38117292 | DOI:10.1007/s00264-023-06058-4

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Valgus-impacted subcapital neck of femur fractures: a systematic review, meta-analysis with cost analysis of fixation in-situ versus nonoperative management

Hip Int. 2023 Nov 21:11207000231210240. doi: 10.1177/11207000231210240. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The management of the valgus-impacted neck of femur fracture (AO/OTA 31-B1) remains contentious. The objective of this study was to determine whether operative intervention is cost-effective.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review using electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Ebsco, Scholar) identifying studies published in the English language concerning valgus-impacted neck of femur fractures until June 2022. Additional studies were identified through hand searches of major orthopaedic journals, and bibliographies of major orthopaedic textbooks. MeSH terms (hip fracture and femoral neck fracture) and keywords (undisplaced, valgus-impacted, valgus, subcapital, Garden) connected by the Boolean operators “AND” and “OR” were used to identify studies. 2 reviewers independently extracted the data using standardised forms and recording spreadsheet. Methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Meta-analysis was undertaken. Outcome measures were rate of displacement, avascular necrosis, non-union, mortality and requirement of further operative intervention. A cost utility analysis was then conducted to compare the 2 groups on the basis of the cost of initial treatment and the potential requirement of secondary intervention to hemiarthroplasty.

RESULTS: 47 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis data demonstrated a significant difference in the displacement rate of 22.8% and 2.8% between the nonoperative and internal fixation groups respectively (p = 0.05). The overall incidence of further operative intervention for each group was 23% and 10% respectively. There was no significant difference with respect to avascular necrosis, mortality or union rates. The cost utility analysis revealed nonoperative management to be approximately 60% more costly than initial internal fixation when the costs of subsequent surgery were included.

CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis of the existing literature concludes that whilst nonoperative management is possible for valgus impacted neck of femur fractures, it is associated with higher complication rates and greater expense than management by internal fixation.

PMID:38116748 | DOI:10.1177/11207000231210240

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Efficient sensitivity analysis for biomechanical models with correlated inputs

Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng. 2023 Dec 20:e3797. doi: 10.1002/cnm.3797. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In most variance-based sensitivity analysis (SA) approaches applied to biomechanical models, statistical independence of the model input is assumed. However, often the model inputs are correlated. This might alter the interpretation of the SA results, which may severely impact the guidance provided during model development and personalization. Potential reasons for the infrequent usage of SA techniques that account for input correlation are the associated high computational costs, especially for models with many parameters, and the fact that the input correlation structure is often unknown. The aim of this study was to propose an efficient correlated global sensitivity analysis method by applying a surrogate model-based approach. Furthermore, this article demonstrates how correlated SA should be interpreted and how the applied method can guide the modeler during model development and personalization, even when the correlation structure is not entirely known beforehand. The proposed methodology was applied to a typical example of a pulse wave propagation model and resulted in accurate SA results that could be obtained at a theoretically 27,000× lower computational cost compared to the correlated SA approach without employing a surrogate model. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that input correlations can significantly affect SA results, which emphasizes the need to thoroughly investigate the effect of input correlations during model development. We conclude that our proposed surrogate-based SA approach allows modelers to efficiently perform correlated SA to complex biomechanical models and allows modelers to focus on input prioritization, input fixing and model reduction, or assessing the dependency structure between parameters.

PMID:38116742 | DOI:10.1002/cnm.3797

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Emotion-centered versus fact-centered medical information to alleviate pain and anxiety in prostate biopsy: A randomized trial

Prostate. 2023 Dec 20. doi: 10.1002/pros.24659. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To test the efficacy of emotion-centered (EC) versus fact-centered (FC) written medical information for prostate biopsy to alleviate pain and anxiety in a randomized controlled trial.

METHODS: In a single-center, single-blinded study participants were randomized to receive FC or EC (DRKS00022361; 2020). In the EC, the focus was on possible stress reactions and stress-reducing strategies. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires on the day of MRI acquisition (T0) directly before (T1) and after the procedure (T2). The primary outcome measure was the assessment of worst pain in the last 2 h measured by the adapted brief pain inventory. Secondary outcome measures included state anxiety measured by the state-trait anxiety inventory and the subjective evaluation of the impact of the written medical information at T2. For statistical analysis, mixed models were calculated.

RESULTS: Of 137 eligible patients, 108 (79%) could be recruited and were randomized. There was a significant effect for time for the outcome variables pain and anxiety. Regarding the comparison for the primary outcome variable worst pain there was a significantly lower increase from T1 to T2 after FC compared to EC (p < 0.004). The course of anxiety displayed no overall group differences. The FC was evaluated as significantly more helpful regarding stress, pain, and anxiety with moderate effect sizes.

CONCLUSIONS: FC was favorable with regard to worst experienced pain, assuming that the brief introduction of emotional issues such as stress and coping in written information might be counterproductive particularly in men not used to these subjects.

PMID:38116739 | DOI:10.1002/pros.24659

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Interdental cleaning aids are beneficial for oral health at 7-year follow-up: Results from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND)

J Clin Periodontol. 2023 Dec 20. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13936. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To estimate association between the use of interdental cleaning aids (IDAs) and type on 7-year follow-up levels of interdental plaque, interdental gingival inflammation, interdental periodontitis severity, the number of interdental sound surfaces and the number of missing teeth in a population-based cohort study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 7-year follow-up data of 2224 participants from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-TREND). We applied generalized linear and ordinal logistic models, adjusting for confounding and selection bias using inverse probability treatment weighting and multiple imputation.

RESULTS: Flossers were 32% less likely to have higher interdental plaque (iPlaque) levels than non-users of IDAs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-0.94); flossing resulted in 5% lower means of iPlaque. Effects on interdental bleeding on probing (iBOP), mean interdental probing depths and mean interdental clinical attachment levels were direction-consistent but statistically non-significant. Interdental brushing was associated with lower follow-up levels for interdental plaque (OR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.57-0.93) and iBOP (OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.53-0.89). IDAs were more effective in reducing iPlaque in participants with periodontitis, whereas iBOP reduction was more pronounced in participants with no or mild periodontitis. The analyses did not suggest that the use of IDAs affected caries. Finally, applying change score analyses, flossing reduced tooth loss incidence (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.71) compared with non-users of IDAs.

CONCLUSIONS: Recommending flossing and interdental brushing in dental practices represents an approach to the prevention of gingivitis and consequently periodontitis.

PMID:38116705 | DOI:10.1111/jcpe.13936

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Statistical learning in epilepsy: behavioral and anatomical mechanisms in the human brain

Epilepsia. 2023 Dec 20. doi: 10.1111/epi.17871. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Statistical learning, the fundamental cognitive ability of humans to extract regularities across experiences over time, engages the medial temporal lobe in the healthy brain. This leads to the hypothesis that statistical learning may be impaired in patients with epilepsy (PWE) involving the temporal lobe, and that this impairment could contribute to their varied memory deficits. In turn, studies done in collaboration with PWE, that evaluate the necessity of medial temporal lobe circuitry through disease and causal perturbations, provide an opportunity to advance basic understanding of statistical learning.

METHODS: We implemented behavioral testing, volumetric analysis of the medial temporal lobe substructures, and direct electrical brain stimulation to examine statistical learning across a cohort of 61 PWE and 28 healthy controls.

RESULTS: We found that behavioral performance in a statistical learning task was negatively associated with seizure frequency irrespective of seizure origin. The volume of hippocampal subfields CA1 and CA2/3 correlated with statistical learning performance, suggesting a more specific role of the hippocampus. Indeed, transient direct electrical stimulation of the hippocampus disrupted statistical learning. Furthermore, the relationship between statistical learning and seizure frequency was selective as behavioral performance in an episodic memory task was not impacted by seizure frequency.

SIGNIFICANCE: Overall, these results suggest that statistical learning may be hippocampally dependent and that the statistical learning task could serve as a clinically useful behavioral assay of seizure frequency that may complement existing approaches such as seizure diaries. Simple and short statistical learning tasks may thus provide patient-centered endpoints for evaluating the efficacy of novel treatments in epilepsy.

PMID:38116686 | DOI:10.1111/epi.17871

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Do all prostate cancer patients want, and experience shared decision making prior to curative treatment?

Scand J Urol. 2023 Dec 20;58:133-140. doi: 10.2340/sju.v58.14730.

ABSTRACT

In comparable men with non-metastatic prostate cancer, radical prostatectomy (RP), radiotherapy (RAD) and active surveillance (AS) are treatment options with similar survival rates, but different side-effects. Healthcare professionals consider pretreatment shared decision making (SDM) to be an essential part of medical care, though the patients’ view about SDM is less known. In this article, we explore prostate cancer (PCa) patients’ SDM wish (SDMwish), and experiences (SDMexp). Material and methods: This is a registry-based survey performed by the Cancer Registry of Norway (2017-2019). One year after diagnosis, 5,063 curatively treated PCa patients responded to questions about their pre-treatment wish and experience regarding SDM. Multivariable analyses identified factors associated with SDM. Statistical significance level: p < 0.05. Results: Overall, 78% of the patients wished to be involved in SDM and 83% of these had experienced SDM. SDMwish and SDMexp was significantly associated with decreasing age, increasing education, and living with a partner. Compared with the RP group, the probability of SDMwish and SDMexp was reduced by about 40% in the RAD and the AS groups. Conclusion: Three of four curatively treated PCa wanted to participate in SDM, and this wish was met in four of five men. Younger PCa patients with higher education in a relationship, and opting for RP, wanted an active role in SDM, and experienced being involved. Effective SDM requires the responsible physicians’ attention to the individual patients’ characteristics and needs.

PMID:38116675 | DOI:10.2340/sju.v58.14730

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Comparison of Laboratory and Non-Laboratory-Based 2019 World Health Organization Cardiovascular Risk Charts in the Bhutanese Population

Asia Pac J Public Health. 2023 Nov 21:10105395231211997. doi: 10.1177/10105395231211997. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of color-coded cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk charts for CVD management. This study evaluated the agreement between the laboratory and non-laboratory 10-year CVD risks based on 2019 WHO CVD risk-prediction charts. The agreement of CVD risk scores among 40- to 69-year-old Bhutanese population stratified by gender and age groups (<60 and ≥60 years) was determined via weighted kappa statistics. In the general population, there was substantial agreement between the two CVD risk score charts for all ages and <60 years but a moderate agreement for participants aged ≥60 years. In males, substantial agreement was observed in all ages and in <60 years and moderate agreement in ≥60 years. In females, both the predictions showed substantial agreement in all ages and <60, but a moderate agreement for ≥60 years. The non-laboratory-based risk charts can be used interchangeably with laboratory-based charts for predicting 10-year CVD risk in resource-constrained countries like Bhutan.

PMID:38116599 | DOI:10.1177/10105395231211997

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Amphotericin B Pharmacokinetics: Inter-strain Differences in Rats Following Intravenous Administration of the Most Commonly Marketed Formulations of the Drug

Iran J Pharm Res. 2023 Mar 23;22(1):e134772. doi: 10.5812/ijpr-134772. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Amphotericin B (AmB) is the first-line drug to treat invasive fungal infections. However, its delivery to the body and clinical use faces many challenges because of its poor solubility, poor pharmacokinetics, and severe nephrotoxicity.

OBJECTIVES: Due to the necessity for designing safer and more effective nanocarriers for AmB and the importance of preclinical pharmacokinetic studies in evaluating these novel drug delivery systems, the present study was framed to explore the influence of rat strain on the pharmacokinetic profile of this drug.

METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were intravenously injected with 1 mg/kg AmB as Fungizone or AmBisome, which are the two most commonly marketed formulations of the drug. Blood samples were collected before and at regular intervals up to 24 h after administration. Drug concentration was analyzed by a validated HPLC method, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by the non-compartmental method.

RESULTS: Irrespective of the type of formulation, the AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ values were significantly higher (P < 0.001), and Cl as an important PK parameter was markedly lower (P < 0.001) in SD rats compared to the Wistar strain. For Fungizone, the mean Cl values in SD and Wistar rats were 206.90 and 462.95 mL/h/kg (P < 0.001), respectively. The apparent volume of distribution (Vss) was also lower in SD rats compared to Wistar; however, for AmBisome, the difference in Vss was not statistically significant. Our further investigation suggested that the higher amount of total protein in the SD strain may justify the higher plasma concentrations and lower Cl and Vss of amphotericin B in this strain compared to the Wistar strain.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, following intravenous administration of AmB, there were significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters of the drug between two rat strains for both formulations. The obtained data is important for correctly interpreting experimental data from different research groups.

PMID:38116555 | PMC:PMC10728861 | DOI:10.5812/ijpr-134772

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Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Pharmacist Counselling Services and the Factors Affecting It in Community Pharmacies

Iran J Pharm Res. 2023 Apr 17;22(1):e132736. doi: 10.5812/ijpr-132736. eCollection 2023 Jan-Dec.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Community pharmacists play an important role in improving outcome by providing advice and counselling services to patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to measure the willingness to pay (WTP) for pharmacist counselling services in community pharmacies and identify determinant factors on consumers’ WTP.

METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire-based survey was conducted in community pharmacies in Tehran (capital of Iran) from January 1, 2020 to February 20, 2021. Contingent valuation method was applied to evaluate respondents’ maximum WTP using three hypothetical scenarios illustrating different levels of counselling services. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between different variables and WTP for pharmacy services.

RESULTS: Total number of participants who completed the questionnaire were 332 and 60% of the participants were male. In the first scenario 70.2% of participants were willing to pay for oral counselling pharmacy services. In the second and third scenario, percentage of people willing to pay increased to 79.5%. and 86.1%, respectively. In the first scenario, monthly income (OR = 0.041, P value = 0.04), the duration of underlying illness (OR = 0.04, P value = 0.04) and the using internet (OR = 2.59, P value = 2.59) had a statistically significant relationship with willingness to pay. In the third scenario, the willingness to pay increased as the age decreased. The possibility of using the internet (OR = 3.32, P value = 0.00) and the need for a community pharmacist (OR = 2.19, P value = 0.03) increased the chance of willingness to pay.

CONCLUSIONS: More consumers are willing to pay for more pharmacist counselling services. Therefore, improving the quality of counselling services could have positive economic effects on community pharmacies.

PMID:38116550 | PMC:PMC10728831 | DOI:10.5812/ijpr-132736