Tag: pubmed

Hypertension. 2022 Jun 16:101161HYPERTENSIONAHA12219362. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19362. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Approximately 3 to 4 billion people worldwide are exposed to household air pollution, which has been associated with increased blood pressure (BP) in pregnant women in some studies.

METHODS: We recruited 3195 pregnant women in Guatemala, India, Peru, and Rwanda and randomly assigned them to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received a gas stove and fuel during pregnancy, while the controls continued cooking with solid fuels. We measured BP and personal exposure to PM_2.5, black carbon and carbon monoxide 3× during gestation. We conducted an intention-to-treat and exposure-response analysis to determine if household air pollution exposure was associated with increased gestational BP.

RESULTS: Median 24-hour PM_2.5 dropped from 84 to 24 μg/m³ after the intervention; black carbon and carbon monoxide decreased similarly. Intention-to-treat analyses showed an increase in systolic BP and diastolic BP in both arms during gestation, as expected, but the increase was greater in intervention group for both systolic BP (0.69 mm Hg [0.03-1.35]; P=0.04) and diastolic BP (0.62 mm Hg [0.05-1.19]; P=0.03). The exposure-response analyses suggested that higher exposures to household air pollution were associated with moderately higher systolic BP and diastolic BP; however, none of these associations reached conventional statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS: In intention-to-treat, we found higher gestational BP in the intervention group compared with controls, contrary to expected. In exposure-response analyses, we found a slight increase in BP with higher exposure, but it was not statistically significant. Overall, an intervention with gas stoves did not markedly affect gestational BP.

PMID:35708015 | DOI:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.19362

Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2022 Jun 16:zwac123. doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwac123. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Sleep disorders are associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases in observational studies, but the causality remains unclear. In this study, we leveraged two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to assess the causal associations of self-reported daytime napping, daytime sleepiness, and other sleep phenotypes with cardiometabolic diseases including ischemic stroke (IS), coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure (HF), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS: We selected genetic variants as instrumental variables for self-reported daytime napping, daytime sleepiness, morning person, insomnia, short sleep duration, and long sleep duration from European-descent genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Summary statistics for cardiometabolic diseases originated from four different GWASs with a total of 2,500,086 participants. We used the inverse-variance weighted method to explore the role of self-reported sleep phenotypes on the etiology of cardiometabolic diseases in the main analyses, followed by several sensitivity analyses for robustness validation.

RESULTS: Genetically predicted self-reported daytime napping (T2DM: OR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.21-2.02]), insomnia (IS: OR, 1.07 [1.04-1.11]; CAD: OR, 1.13 [1.08-1.17]; HF: OR, 1.10 [1.07-1.14]; T2DM: OR, 1.16 [1.11-1.22]) and short sleep duration (CAD: OR, 1.37 [1.21-1.55]) were causally associated with elevated risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Moreover, genetically determined self-reported daytime sleepiness (CAD: OR, 2.05 [1.18-3.57]; HF: OR, 1.82 [1.15-2.87]) and morning person (HF: 1.06 OR, [1.01-1.11]) had potential detrimental effect on cardiometabolic risks.

CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported daytime napping, insomnia, and short sleep duration had causal roles in the development of cardiometabolic diseases, while self-reported daytime sleepiness and morning person was the potential risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases.

PMID:35707994 | DOI:10.1093/eurjpc/zwac123

Soft Matter. 2022 Jun 16. doi: 10.1039/d2sm00473a. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Nanoscale phenomena such as surface hydration and the molecular layering of liquids under strong nanoscale confinement play a critical role in liquid-mediated surface adhesion that is not accounted for by available models, which assume a uniform liquid density with or without considering surface forces and associated disjoining pressure effects. This work introduces an alternative theoretical description that via the potential of mean force (PMF) considers the strong spatial variation of the liquid number density under nanoscale confinement. This alternative description based on the PMF predicts a dual effect of surface hydration by producing: (i) strong spatial oscillations of the local liquid density and pressure and, more importantly, (ii) a configuration-dependent liquid-solid surface energy under nanoscale confinement. Theoretical analysis and molecular dynamics simulations for the case of an axisymmetric water bridge with nanoscale heights show that the latter hydration effect is critical for the accurate prediction of the surface energy and adhesion forces when a small volume of liquid is nanoscopically confined by two surfaces approaching contact.

PMID:35708007 | DOI:10.1039/d2sm00473a

Br J Surg. 2022 Jun 16:znac194. doi: 10.1093/bjs/znac194. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Incisional hernia remains a frequent problem after midline laparotomy. This study compared a short stitch to standard loop closure using an ultra-long-term absorbent elastic suture material.

METHODS: A prospective, multicentre, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized, controlled superiority trial was designed for the elective setting. Adult patients were randomly assigned by computer-generated sequence to fascial closure using a short stitch (5 to 8 mm every 5 mm, USP 2-0, single thread HR 26 mm needle) or long stitch technique (10 mm every 10 mm, USP 1, double loop, HR 48 mm needle) with a poly-4-hydroxybutyrate-based suture material (Monomax®). Incisional hernia assessed by ultrasound 1 year after surgery was the primary outcome.

RESULTS: The trial randomized 425 patients to short (n = 215) or long stitch technique (n = 210) of whom 414 (97.4 per cent) completed 1 year of follow-up. In the short stitch group, the fascia was closed with more stitches (46 (12 s.d.) versus 25 (7 s.d.); P < 0.001) and higher suture-to-wound length ratio (5.3 (2.2 s.d.) versus 4.0 (1.3 s.d.); P < 0.001). At 1 year, seven of 210 (3.3 per cent) patients in the short and 13 of 204 (6.4 per cent) patients in the long stitch group developed incisional hernia (odds ratio 1.97, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.77 to 5.05; P = 0.173).

CONCLUSION: The 1-year incisional hernia development was relatively low with clinical but not statistical difference between short and long stitches. Registration number: NCT01965249 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

PMID:35707932 | DOI:10.1093/bjs/znac194

Autism Res. 2022 Jun 16. doi: 10.1002/aur.2765. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Use of autism diagnosing standards in low-income countries (LICs) are restricted due to the high price and unavailability of trained health professionals. Furthermore, these standards are heavily skewed towards developed countries and LICs are underrepresented. Due to such constraints, many LICs use their own ways of assessing autism. This is the first retrospective study to analyze such local practices in Sri Lanka. The study was conducted at Ward 19B of Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) using the clinical forms filled for diagnosing ASD. In this study, 356 records were analyzed, from which 79.5% were boys and the median age was 33 months. For each child, the clinical form together with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) value were recorded. In this study, a Clinically Derived Autism Score (CDAS) is obtained from the clinical forms. Scatter plot and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient were used to benchmark CDAS with CARS, and it was found CDAS to be positively and moderately correlated with CARS. In identifying the significant variables, a logistic regression model was built based on clinically observed data and it evidenced that “Eye Contact,” “Interaction with Others,” “Pointing,” “Flapping of Hands,” “Request for Needs,” “Rotate Wheels,” and “Line up Things” variables as the most significant variables in diagnosing autism. Based on these significant predictors, the classification tree was built. The pruned tree depicts a set of rules, which could be used in similar clinical environments to screen for autism. LAY SUMMARY: Screening and diagnosing autism in low-income countries such as Sri Lanka has always been a challenge due to limited resources and not being able to afford global standards. Due to these challenges, locally developed clinical forms have been used. This study is the first to analyze a clinical record set for autism in Sri Lanka to benchmark the local clinic form with a global standard. Furthermore, this study identifies the most significant diagnostic symptoms for children and based on these significant features, a simple set of IF-THEN rules are derived which could be used for screening autism in a similar clinical environment by health officials in the absence of consultants.

PMID:35707912 | DOI:10.1002/aur.2765

J Clin Lab Anal. 2022 Jun 16:e24518. doi: 10.1002/jcla.24518. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a common autoimmune disease, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. The alteration of genetic materials is believed to play a role in SLE development. This study evaluated the association between the genetic variants of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and microRNA-155 (miR-155) and SLE.

METHODS: The SNaPshot genotyping method was used to detect the genotypes of selected SNPs in patients and controls. The expression of miR-21 and miR-155 was analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The functional annotation and the biological effects of SNPs were assessed by HaploReg V4.1 and Regulome DB V2.0 software. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test was used to gather statistics, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were evaluated by logistic regression.

RESULTS: The distribution difference of TA genotype in rs767649 was observed (TA vs. T/T: OR = 0.68, 95%CI, 0.48-0.95, p = 0.026). There was a significant difference in the T/A + A/A (T/A + A/A vs. T/T: OR = 0.68, 95%CI, 0.49-0.94, p = 0.020). A significant difference in T allele distribution was found in the depressed complement of SLE (T vs. A: OR = 0.67, 95%CI, 0.47-0.95, p = 0.026). There were significant differences in genetic variants of rs13137 between the positive and the negative SSB antibodies (Anti-SSB) (T vs. A: OR = 0.67, 95%CI, 0.47-0.95, p = 0.026; T/A + T/T vs. AA: OR = 2.23, 1.18-4.49, p = 0.013). The expression levels of miR-21 and miR-155 were significantly higher in patients than in controls (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel insight that genetic variants of rs767649 and rs13137 are associated with susceptibility to SLE.

PMID:35707883 | DOI:10.1002/jcla.24518

Electrophoresis. 2022 Jun 16. doi: 10.1002/elps.202100387. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to better understand the genetic characteristics of the Miao group in China. Herein, genetic characteristics and forensic application values of 57 autosomal insertion-deletion (InDel) loci were investigated in 210 unrelated healthy individuals from the Chinese Yunnan Miao (YM) group. Meanwhile, the genetic differences at these InDels were compared among the YM group and 26 reference populations. The results of forensic statistical analyses showed that all 57 autosomal InDels were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and linkage equilibrium of pairwise loci in the Chinese YM group. Moreover, the combined probability of discrimination and probability of exclusion in the YM group were 0.9999999999999999999999801 and 0.999928, respectively, which indicated that the multiplex amplification including 57 autosomal InDels was suitable for forensic individual identification and paternity testing in the Chinese YM group. In addition, the results of allelic frequency distribution differential analyses, principal component analysis, phylogenetic tree reconstruction and genetic structure analysis between the Chinese YM group and 26 reference populations revealed that the genetic similarities between the YM group and East Asian populations were more than that between the YM group and other geographical populations. This 57 autosomal InDels system can also effectively distinguish East Asian, European and African populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:35707881 | DOI:10.1002/elps.202100387

Ital J Dermatol Venerol. 2022 Jun;157(3):262-269. doi: 10.23736/S2784-8671.22.07152-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Melasma is present in 40% of cases in Southeast Asia. The condition is often unresponsive to therapy; treatment has variable success rates, and melasma has high recurrence rates. Lycopene-rich tomato extract is needed to avoid oxidative stress due to ultraviolet rays that cause melasma through the melanogenesis pathway. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral tomato extract supplement as an adjuvant for melasma therapy.

METHODS: The study recruited 62 subjects with melasma to a true-experimental clinic with a double-blind, randomized, pre and post-test control design over 12 weeks at the Diponegoro National Hospital, Indonesia. The subjects received an oral tomato extract supplement contains lycopene 30 mg (placebo). All subjects applied topical sunscreen and hydroquinone-4%-cream. Subjects were assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and melasma area and severity index (MASI).

RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients completed the research. The serum SOD levels in the treatment group (tomato extract supplementation) were higher than in the control group given the placebo, with delta SOD (P<0.05). The difference in MASI Scores after therapy in the treatment group had a significant decrease compared to the control group, with statistical review results suggesting that the difference was significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of tomato extract as an adjuvant therapy can increase serum SOD levels and improve melasma severity.

PMID:35707866 | DOI:10.23736/S2784-8671.22.07152-3

Diagn Progn Res. 2022 Jun 16;6(1):11. doi: 10.1186/s41512-022-00125-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Evaluating the accuracy of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) tests is challenging due to lack of a gold standard. Latent class analysis (LCA), a statistical modeling approach, can adjust for reference tests’ imperfect accuracies to produce less biased test accuracy estimates than those produced by commonly used methods like composite reference standards (CRSs). Our objective is to illustrate how Bayesian LCA can address the problem of an unavailable gold standard and demonstrate how it compares to using CRSs for extrapulmonary TB tests.

METHODS: We re-analyzed a dataset of presumptive extrapulmonary TB cases in New Delhi, India, for three forms of extrapulmonary TB. Results were available for culture, smear microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF, and a non-microbiological test, cytopathology/histopathology, or adenosine deaminase (ADA). A diagram was used to define assumed relationships between observed tests and underlying latent variables in the Bayesian LCA with input from an inter-disciplinary team. We compared the results to estimates obtained from a sequence of CRSs defined by increasing numbers of positive reference tests necessary for positive disease status.

RESULTS: Data were available from 298, 388, and 230 individuals with presumptive TB lymphadenitis, meningitis, and pleuritis, respectively. Using Bayesian LCA, estimates were obtained for accuracy of all tests and for extrapulmonary TB prevalence. Xpert sensitivity neared that of culture for TB lymphadenitis and meningitis but was lower for TB pleuritis, and specificities of all microbiological tests approached 100%. Non-microbiological tests’ sensitivities were high, but specificities were only moderate, preventing disease rule-in. CRSs’ only provided estimates of Xpert and these varied widely per CRS definition. Accuracy of the CRSs also varied by definition, and no CRS was 100% accurate.

CONCLUSION: Unlike CRSs, Bayesian LCA takes into account known information about test performance resulting in accuracy estimates that are easier to interpret. LCA should receive greater consideration for evaluating extrapulmonary TB diagnostic tests.

PMID:35706064 | DOI:10.1186/s41512-022-00125-x

Knee Surg Relat Res. 2022 Jun 15;34(1):28. doi: 10.1186/s43019-022-00156-0.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in HIV-positive patients has not been well documented in the current literature. Thus, this study aimed to examine the early postoperative outcomes and complications of HIV-positive TKA patients as compared to TKA patients who are HIV-negative patients by utilizing the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database.

METHODS: Admissions data for TKA and HIV were analyzed from the NIS database using ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. An extensive array of preoperative and postoperative variables was compared among HIV positive TKA patients and HIV negative TKA patients. An unmatched analysis and a matched analysis using a 1:1 propensity match algorithm were conducted to compare the two groups.

RESULTS: The average age of the HIV-positive group was lower than the HIV-negative group (59.0 vs 66.7, p < 0.001). The HIV-positive group had a smaller percentage of females (38.4% vs 61.5%, p < 0.001) and a lower incidence of tobacco-related disorders than the HIV-negative group (10.3% vs 15.8%, p = 0.032). The HIV-positive group had a longer mean length of stay (3.0 days vs 2.4 days, p < 0.001) and a greater mean total charge incurred (90,780.25 vs 64,801.55, p < 0.001). In the unmatched analysis, the incidence of acute renal failure (6.4% vs 2%, p < 0.001), transfusions (3.9% vs 1.5%, p = 0.004), and periprosthetic joint infection (3% vs 1%, p = 0.007) was higher in HIV positive group. The matched analysis showed a higher incidence of acute renal failure group (6.4% vs 0.5%, p = 0.01) and transfusions (3.9% vs 5%, p = 0.01) in the HIV-positive but a statistically insignificant difference in the rate of periprosthetic joint infection (3% vs 1%, p = 0.153).

CONCLUSION: HIV/AIDS is associated with an increased incidence of acute renal failure and transfusions, as well as a longer length of stay and higher incurred costs in TKA patients.

PMID:35706063 | DOI:10.1186/s43019-022-00156-0