Tag: statistics

Eur Geriatr Med. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s41999-025-01375-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To explore the prevalence, overall and in different clinical settings, and interconnectedness, of delirium, dementia, and frailty clinical pathways across Europe.

METHODS: An online anonymous survey was distributed via the mailing list of the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS), national member groups and the authors’ professional networks, targeting geriatricians, or trainees in their final 2 years of specialist geriatric training, working in a hospital, rehabilitation, post-acute care or residential setting in a European country. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics and frequency distributions. Inductive content analysis was used to interpret open-text questions.

RESULTS: The 240 respondents were predominantly female (63%), with a 6:1 consultant to trainee ratio and marked underrepresentation of Eastern Europe. Integrated care pathways (current or in-development) for delirium, dementia, or frailty are reported in 48-78% of settings. Dementia and delirium pathways are common except in radiology, neurosurgery, and operating/recovery settings. Frailty pathways are less common overall, and specific frailty staff are less common than dementia or delirium staff. Dementia pathways commonly incorporate delirium screening (76%) and prevention (73%), but less commonly frailty screening (61%). Similarly, delirium pathways often provide guidance on formal dementia diagnosis (62%) but less than half incorporate frailty screening/assessment (46%). Notably, only 19% of delirium pathways differentiate between managing delirium and delirium-superimposed-on-dementia (DSD). Frailty pathways frequently incorporate cognitive assessment (81%) and delirium screening/assessment (75%), but only 57% incorporate delirium prevention.

CONCLUSION: Dementia and delirium pathways are more common and more integrated and inclusive of each other than frailty pathways. More unified approaches could maximize the value of staff time, reduce duplications, and avoid a siloed approach to the care of older people.

PMID:41389178 | DOI:10.1007/s41999-025-01375-w

J Cancer Educ. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s13187-025-02808-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Clinician-educator (CE) faculty are essential to the education of trainees in cancer care, yet at research-intensive institutions advancement pathways for education-focused faculty are often unclear. Describe CE perceptions of advancement and recognition of educational work and identify priorities for a CE promotion pathway at a large cancer center. Anonymous faculty survey (January 2023) with analyses restricted to clinical faculty who self-identified as CEs or were unsure of their CE status. Descriptive statistics were reported; exploratory Kruskal-Wallis tests compared responses by rank and years in rank. One open-ended item on barriers underwent inductive content analysis by two coders. IRB approved (2022 – 1006). Of 208 respondents, 142 were clinical faculty; 103 (72.5%) identified as CEs or were unsure of their CE status. Nearly half perceived no clear advancement path (49/103, 47.6%), while 27/103 (26.2%) perceived a clear path. Most reported educational effort was undervalued relative to research for academic recognition (72/103, 69.9%) and promotion impact (67/103, 64.7%). A majority agreed that establishing a CE pathway would aid advancement (60/103, 57.9%). Highest-priority elements were transparent promotion criteria (64/103, 62.1%), protected time for education (64/103, 62.1%), and tools to document and quantify educational effort (60/103, 58.3%). CE faculty at a research-intensive center perceived unclear advancement and lower recognition of educational work. Institutions seeking to strengthen cancer education should implement transparent CE-specific criteria, allocate protected education time, and adopt systems that document educational contributions.

PMID:41389177 | DOI:10.1007/s13187-025-02808-7

J Cancer Educ. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s13187-025-02797-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Guided by the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Service Utilization, this study examined the impact of a structured educational intervention to improve uptake of cervical cancer preventive services (CCPS) among female students at Kenyatta University, Kenya. The study implemented a cluster randomized controlled trial allocating two Kenyatta University campuses (Kitui – intervention; Mombasa – control) to study arms. A total of 243 female students aged ≥ 18 years were recruited (Intervention = 121; Control = 122). The intervention comprised six bi-weekly, face-to-face health education sessions delivered over 12 weeks, combining didactic content, demonstrations and facilitated peer discussions. Data were collected from 1st January 2025 to 31st March 2025; at baseline and at 12 weeks post-intervention using structured researcher-administered questionnaires and self-reports triangulated with university clinic records. Analyses included descriptive statistics, χ2 tests for differences in proportions, difference-in-differences (DiD) estimation of the intervention effect, and multivariable logistic regression. All analyses were adjusted for clustering effect. At endline, uptake in the intervention arm was 44.2% while the control arm remained essentially unchanged (8.0%); the DiD estimate was + 39.4% (p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression including an interaction term for time × treatment produced an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for the intervention effect of 8.02 (95% CI: 2.01-12.65; p = 0.005). Awareness of service availability (aOR = 3.52) and community/peer support (aOR = 2.13) were independent predictors of CCPS uptake. A structured, repeated educational intervention programme delivered within the university context significantly increased uptake of CCPS. For sustained impact, such interventions should be linked to visible, accessible campus services and embedded in university health promotion structures.

PMID:41389176 | DOI:10.1007/s13187-025-02797-7

J Autism Dev Disord. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-07172-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study investigated the interrelationships among sensory reactivity, repetitive behaviors, motor balance, and autism symptom severity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The moderating roles of gender and pharmacological treatment were also examined.

METHODS: A sample of 125 children with ASD (mean age = 8.7 ± 2.9 years; 52% male) was assessed using the Parent-Rated Sensory Reactivity Scale (ESRS), Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Statistical analyses included group comparisons (t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, ANOVA/Kruskal-Wallis), correlations, and multiple regression models.

RESULTS: Girls showed greater sensory reactivity and slightly better motor balance, whereas boys demonstrated more compulsive, restricted, and ritualistic behaviors. Children receiving medication tended to have higher sensory reactivity, lower balance performance, and greater autism severity compared to unmedicated peers. ADHD medications predicted elevated sensory and compulsive behaviors, while antipsychotics were associated with greater ritualistic patterns Regression analyses indicated that gender, medication use, and medication category together explained approximately 17% of the variance in autism severity. Correlation analyses suggested associations among sensory, behavioral, motor, and severity domains.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest gender-specific symptom clustering and context-dependent effects of pharmacological treatment in ASD. Sensory, behavioral, motor, and severity domains are interdependent, underscoring the need for individualized, multimodal interventions that target sensory sensitivities, behavioral rigidity, and motor coordination to enhance adaptive functioning and overall quality of life in children with ASD through integrated approaches of life in children with ASD.

PMID:41389165 | DOI:10.1007/s10803-025-07172-5

Geroscience. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s11357-025-02043-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The genetics of human longevity has been primarily studied using classical methods developed in genome-wide association studies. With the recent advances in paleogenomics, it is now possible to investigate to what extent ancient population ancestries contribute to complex traits. In this study, we explored the role of ancient genetic components in human longevity by focusing on the Italian Peninsula, whose genetic heritage includes several past genetic ancestries that have contributed to the current European genetic make-up. We analyzed genome-wide data of 333 Italian centenarians and 690 geographically matched healthy controls, and compared their genetic composition to 103 ancient genomes representative of the main past European population ancestries. Our findings indicate that Italian centenarians have a higher genetic affinity with Western Hunter-Gatherer (WHG)-related ancestry compared to controls, according to PCA and f4-statistics. Logistic regression models based on supervised admixture revealed a significant association between higher WHG ancestry and the centenarian status. Additionally, residual-based predictive analysis showed that centenarians exhibit a significantly higher WHG contribution independent of the genetic structuring of the general Italian population. By painting the chromosomes of modern Italians, we also showed a significantly higher number of WHG alleles at pro-longevity SNPs. In the present study, we demonstrate the contribution of ancient genetic components to the longevity phenotype. In particular, we showed a greater contribution from Western Hunter-Gatherer-related ancestry to Italian centenarians, thus suggesting that this pre-Neolithic genetic component, which has been linked to population shifts occurring within Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum, could be beneficial for longevity today.

PMID:41389162 | DOI:10.1007/s11357-025-02043-4

Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2025 Dec 13;28(1):4. doi: 10.1007/s11920-025-01653-1.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To investigate the prevalence of self-reported diagnoses of ADHD among U.S. post-secondary students.

RECENT FINDINGS: We identified fifteen empirical studies published in academic journals between 2008 and 2023 that reported ADHD prevalence estimates. These studies had variability in samples and methods and produced a wide range of prevalence estimates-3.4% to 11.2%-and an overall prevalence estimate of 9.1%. We supplemented the academic literature with data from two multi-institutional, annual surveys-the Healthy Minds Study and National College Health Assessment (NCHA III/IIIb). Their prevalence estimates for the 2024-2025 academic year were 14% and 15%, respectively, which reflected significant increases from their 2019-2020 estimates of 4% and 8%. Estimates for the prevalence of ADHD diagnoses vary by data source and method. Multi-institutional, annual surveys suggest an increase in prevalence in recent years. These data might warrant the strengthening of ADHD services provided by campus clinics.

PMID:41389141 | DOI:10.1007/s11920-025-01653-1

Biogerontology. 2025 Dec 13;27(1):20. doi: 10.1007/s10522-025-10369-x.

ABSTRACT

Population ageing is a global phenomenon with significant implications for public health. Research has highlighted a relationship between gut microbiota, inflammatory cytokines, and ageing, yet the underlying causal mechanisms remain elusive. This study uses Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate causal relationships between gut microbiota, inflammatory cytokines, and ageing phenotypes. We leveraged the summary statistics of gut microbiota (n = 5959), circulating inflammatory cytokines (n = 8293), and three ageing phenotypes including telomere length (n = 472,174), facial ageing (n = 423,999), and frailty index (n = 175,226). We performed bidirectional MR analyses to explore the causal effects of gut microbiota and inflammatory cytokines on ageing, and mediation analyses to discover potential mediating gut microbiota and inflammatory cytokines. Our findings suggest that there are causal interactions between gut microbiota, inflammatory cytokines, and ageing. Notably, the abundance of GCA-900066575 sp900066385 appears to mediate the M-CSF pathway to facial ageing. The current MR study provides evidence supporting causal relationships between inflammatory cytokines and ageing and potential mediating gut microbiota, which are critical to advancing our understanding of the ageing process and developing effective interventions.

PMID:41389138 | DOI:10.1007/s10522-025-10369-x

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2025 Dec 13. doi: 10.1007/s11356-025-37294-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the effectiveness of metal-organic acid mordanting systems as sustainable alternatives to high-concentration metallic mordants in natural dyeing of wool yarns using Rubia tinctorum (madder) and Reseda luteola (weld). A total of 46 treatments involving single metals, organic acids, and their binary combinations were applied, and the dyed yarns were assessed for colorimetric parameters (K/S), ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), and antioxidant activity. The results demonstrated that binary mordant systems, especially those combining copper and iron salts with citric or tartaric acid, significantly enhanced color strength (K/S up to 12.05), UV protection (UPF > 90), and radical scavenging activity (up to 96.10%), often surpassing the performance of conventional 5% metal mordants. Non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) for weld-dyed samples in all functional categories, while correlation matrices revealed strong associations between K/S, UPF, and antioxidant values in weld, but weaker links in madder. These findings confirm that binary metal-acid mordanting systems can effectively reduce metallic load without compromising or even enhancing dye performance, photoprotection, and bioactivity contributing to both textile sustainability and functional innovation.

PMID:41389125 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-025-37294-3

Support Care Cancer. 2025 Dec 13;34(1):32. doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-10228-y.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Transoral endoscopic head and neck surgery is an important modality in hypopharyngeal carcinoma therapy. Minimally invasive techniques and nerve protection are important components of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery principles. However, the limited surgical space and the challenges in identifying the internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (ibSLN) pose difficulties during this procedure. This study investigated the effects of preserving the ibSLN during transoral laser surgery on the postoperative swallowing rehabilitation of patients diagnosed with pyriform sinus carcinoma.

METHODS: A prospective cohort study with a retrospective control group was performed, including 42 patients with pyriform sinus carcinoma who had previously undergone transoral laser surgery. The participants were categorized into the ibSLN dissection and control groups. In the ibSLN dissection group, the ibSLN was exposed and dissected without nerve lesions. Traditional transoral surgery without proactive ibSLN dissection was performed in the control group. Demographics, operative data, postoperative swallowing function, tube removal time, and postoperative hospitalization time were evaluated and compared between both groups.

RESULTS: Although the surgery time was longer in the ibSLN dissection group, the normal food intake, tube removal time, and postoperative hospitalization times were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) scores after surgery significantly improved in the ibSLN dissection group. At 14 days post-surgery, significant improvements were observed in the four MDADI subset scores: global (P < 0.001), emotional (P < 0.05), functional (P < 0.05), and physical (P < 0.05). The postoperative water swallowing test showed a significantly faster swallowing speed in the ibSLN dissection group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing showed a reduction in the epiglottic mobility impairment, aspiration, and residue in the pyriform fossa in the ibSLN dissection group, although the difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Identification and dissection of the ibSLN can be successfully performed during transoral laser surgery in patients with pyriform sinus carcinoma. ibSLN dissection during transoral laser surgery has the potential to mitigate the risk of ibSLN damage, thereby facilitating enhanced recovery after surgery.

PMID:41389118 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-025-10228-y

CVIR Endovasc. 2025 Dec 13;8(1):112. doi: 10.1186/s42155-025-00621-3.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine whether there is a significant decrease in intimal hyperplasia post percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of AV access stenosis. Comparing drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty with plain uncoated balloon (PUB) angioplasty by examining B-mode ultrasound measurements of percentage intimal medial thickening (%IMT) in stenotic lesions pre and post PTA.

METHODS: One hundred ninety-one consecutive PTA procedures for AV access dysfunction were screened retrospectively for inclusion. Those procedures where there was an ultrasound prior to and following PTA with measurements of IMT were included.

RESULTS: Ninety-nine stenotic lesions were included in a total of 87 patients. A total of 26/99, 26%, were treated by DCB angioplasty, and a total of 73/99, 74%, were treated by PUB angioplasty. The difference between the pre-PTA and post-PTA %IMT was calculated and defined as the delta-%IMT for each group. There was a greater reduction in %IMT in the DCB group (mean delta-%IMT = – 22.35%) when compared with the PUB group (mean delta-%IMT = – 5.94%), p = 0.0005. Delta-%IMT for those lesions where there was a baseline pre-PTA %IMT of greater than 25% was examined. The mean delta-%IMT reduced in the PUB group from – 5.94% to – 2.20% and remained similar in the DCB group at – 20.05%, p = 0.0003. A Kaplan-Meir survival analysis examining primary patency over 24 months did not demonstrate any significant difference between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION: The statistically significant decrease in %IMT post PTA using a DCB compared with PUB angioplasty appears to demonstrate an anti-proliferative drug effect on lesion intimal hyperplasia. However, this did not translate into a sustained difference in target lesion primary patency.

PMID:41389108 | DOI:10.1186/s42155-025-00621-3