Tag: statistics

J Public Health Dent. 2025 Mar 21. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12670. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Oral Healthcare workers, including dental students, face a great risk of COVID-19 infection. High COVID-19 vaccination coverage is essential for a protected workforce. This study, which aims to document the COVID-19 vaccination experience among dental students and employees from Canadian dental schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides crucial insights that can significantly impact future vaccination strategies.

METHODS: This study used data from a prospective cohort conducted between April 2021 and May 2022. We recruited 600 participants, including dental students, faculty, and support staff from 10 Canadian dental schools. Data were collected monthly from all subjects. Vaccination acceptance and vaccination time were assessed. Logistic regression models were performed to identify predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and late vaccination. In order to detect hesitation tendencies, descriptive statistics were used to observe the distribution of time to vaccination between age groups of employees and students.

RESULTS: Out of 600 participants at baseline (70% female; average age 36 years old), 91% received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. No associations were found between sociodemographic factors and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Individuals aged 50-59 were less likely to delay the vaccination than most of our sample. Students presented more outliers for later vaccination times, particularly in younger age groups.

CONCLUSION: High vaccination acceptance among dental students is crucial for promoting professionalism and influencing patients. Integrating vaccine advocacy into their education might enhance vaccination uptake in the general population.

PMID:40118795 | DOI:10.1111/jphd.12670

J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 Mar 21:e036193. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.036193. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Essential hypertension (EH) is a global health issue. Despite extensive research, much of EH heritability remains unexplained. We investigated the genetic basis of EH in African-derived individuals from partially isolated quilombo populations in Vale do Ribeira (São Paulo, Brazil).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Samples from 431 individuals (167 affected, 261 unaffected, 3 unknown) were genotyped using a 650 000 single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Estimated global ancestry proportions were 47% African, 36% European, and 16% Native American. We constructed 6 pedigrees using additional data from 673 individuals and created 3 nonoverlapping single-nucleotide polymorphism subpanels. We phased haplotypes and performed local ancestry analysis to account for admixture. Genome-wide linkage analysis and fine-mapping via family-based association studies were conducted, prioritizing EH-associated genes through a systematic approach involving databases like PubMed, ClinVar, and GWAS (Genome-Wide Association Studies) Catalog. Linkage analysis identified 22 regions of interest with logarithm of the odds scores ranging from 1.45 to 3.03, encompassing 2363 genes. Fine-mapping (family-based association studies) identified 60 EH-related candidate genes and 117 suggestive/significant variants. Among these, 14 genes, including PHGDH, S100A10, MFN2, and RYR2, were strongly related to hypertension harboring 29 suggestive/significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

CONCLUSIONS: Through a complementary approach combining admixture-adjusted Genome-wide linkage analysis based on Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, family-based association studies on known and imputed data, and gene prioritizing, new loci, variants, and candidate genes were identified. These findings provide targets for future research, replication in other populations, facilitate personalized treatments, and improve public health toward African-derived underrepresented populations. Limitations include restricted single-nucleotide polymorphism coverage, self-reported pedigree data, and lack of available EH genomic studies on admixed populations for independent validation, despite the performed genetic correlation analyses using summary statistics.

PMID:40118787 | DOI:10.1161/JAHA.124.036193

Pediatr Neonatol. 2025 Mar 7:S1875-9572(25)00055-5. doi: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2024.03.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Considerable research has shown brain injury during surgery for patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD), but the preoperative neurodevelopment and brain injury in children with non-cyanotic CHD are not well understood. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in global and local grey matter (GM) volumes of pediatric patients with non-cyanotic CHD before catheter-based procedure using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).

METHODS: One-to three-year-old toddlers with acyanotic CHD (n = 54) hospitalized for treatment were prospectively enrolled. Each toddler underwent a 3D T1-weighted brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan before catheter-based procedure. Meanwhile, 3D T1-weighted brain MR images of age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 35) were retrospectively analyzed. The volume of GM and total intracranial volume (TIV) were assessed by VBM within the SPM 12 (Statistical Parametric Mapping software), and regional differences in GM volume were analyzed by two-sample t-test and familywise error (FWE) rate correction.

RESULTS: There was no difference in gross GM volume and TIV between the two groups (p > 0.05), but VBM analysis showed reduced structures of GM in middle frontal gyrus (both sides), inferior frontal gyrus, orbital gyrus, subcallosal gyrus, thalamus (both sides), medial globus pallidus (both sides) and culmen (both sides) of the non-cyanotic CHD group compared with the controls (p < 0.05, FWE correction).

CONCLUSION: Toddlers aged 1-3 years with acyanotic CHD suffer a decrease in local GM volume before catheter-based procedure, which tends to be distributed across the bilateral frontal lobe, thalamus, globus pallidus, and cerebellum.

PMID:40118765 | DOI:10.1016/j.pedneo.2024.03.014

Prim Care Diabetes. 2025 Mar 20:S1751-9918(25)00079-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pcd.2025.03.006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Social isolation and loneliness are forms of social disconnection that have been linked to increased risk of many metabolic disorders, including Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). However, evidence to support this relation is lacking. This study aims to investigate the association between social isolation, loneliness, and the incidence risk of T2DM.

METHODS: We searched various electronic databases including MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Google scholar to retrieve qualitative studies comparing the incidence of T2DM in patients with social isolation or loneliness. We performed statistical analysis on RevMan 5.4 using the random effect model.

RESULTS: Loneliness was associated with a significantly increased incidence of T2DM (OR: 1.44; 95 % CI: 1.19-1.73; P:0.0001), with high heterogeneity (I² = 95 %). Sensitivity analysis indicated potential variability due to differences in loneliness measurements. Social isolation also showed a significant association with T2DM (OR: 1.88; 95 % CI: 1.38-2.58; P:<0.0001) with high heterogeneity (I² = 98 %).

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we found social isolation and loneliness are independently associated with a higher incidence of T2DM. These findings underscore the need to address psychosocial elements like social isolation and loneliness in the management of T2DM. However, further studies with larger sample sizes, longer follow-up durations, and uniform criteria is warranted to better understand the association between social isolation, loneliness and T2DM.

PMID:40118745 | DOI:10.1016/j.pcd.2025.03.006

J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2025 Feb 28:S1053-0770(25)00193-4. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2025.02.048. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Hemolysis is a complication in surgical procedures requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the point-of-care device Hemcheck Helge V-Test, quantifying hemolysis during cardiac surgery with CPB.

DESIGN: Prospective-observational study.

SETTING: Single-center study.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB.

INTERVENTIONS: Blood samples of 78 patients were simultaneously collected during surgery at T0: pre-CPB; T1: at aorta clamping; T2: at 20 minutes after the CPB start; T3: at the end of CPB; and T4: at the end of surgery. Samples were analyzed by the Hemcheck Helge V-Test device, which offers a real-time assessment of hemolysis through the value of plasma-free hemoglobin (PfHb) expressed in mg/dL.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: No case of hemolysis (PfHb ≥50 mg/dL) was recorded at T0. The results recorded median PfHb values at T0 = 0.5 (0-7.1) mg/dL, T1 = 3.75 (0-14.4) mg/dL; T2 = 8.25 (0.4-19.1) mg/dL, T3 = 27.5 (9.9-50) mg/dL, and T4 = 18.5 (2.4-41) mg/dL; for all T times, p-values were < 0.001. A statistically significant correlation was recorded between hemolysis values >50 mg/dL at T3 and CPB time >100 minutes (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The use of Hemcheck Helge V-Test allows effective identification of hemolysis directly in the operating room, reducing wasted time for laboratory analyses. This could help the anesthesiologist, perfusionist, or cardiac surgeon address intraoperative hemolysis and its effects on organ function earlier and improve the postoperative course of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB.

PMID:40118733 | DOI:10.1053/j.jvca.2025.02.048

J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Mar 20:100133. doi: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100133. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer disease (AD)-modifying therapies are approved for treatment of early-symptomatic AD. Autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) provides a unique opportunity to test therapies in presymptomatic individuals.

METHODS: Using data from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN), sample sizes for clinical trials were estimated for various cognitive, imaging, and CSF outcomes. Sample sizes were computed for detecting a reduction of either absolute levels of AD-related pathology (amyloid, tau) or change over time in neurodegeneration (atrophy, hypometabolism, cognitive change).

RESULTS: Biomarkers measuring amyloid and tau pathology had required sample sizes below 200 participants per arm (examples CSF Aβ42/40: 47[95 %CI 25,104], cortical PIB 49[28,99], CSF p-tau181 74[48,125]) for a four-year trial in presymptomatic individuals (CDR=0) to have 80 % power (5 % statistical significance) to detect a 25 % reduction in absolute levels of pathology, allowing 40 % dropout. For cognitive, MRI, and FDG, it was more appropriate to detect a 50 % reduction in rate of change. Sample sizes ranged from 250 to 900 (examples hippocampal volume: 338[131,2096], cognitive composite: 326[157,1074]). MRI, FDG and cognitive outcomes had lower sample sizes when including indivduals with mild impairment (CDR=0.5 and 1) as well as presymptomatic individuals (CDR=0).

DISCUSSION: Despite the rarity of ADAD, presymptomatic clinical trials with feasible sample sizes given the number of cases appear possible.

PMID:40118731 | DOI:10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100133

Sleep Health. 2025 Mar 20:S2352-7218(25)00032-4. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2025.01.012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Model-based clustering is increasingly used to identify multidimensional sleep health profiles. However, generalizability is rarely assessed because of complexities of data sharing and harmonization. Our goal was to evaluate the generalizability of multidimensional sleep health profiles across older adult populations in Western countries and assess whether they predict depressive symptoms over time.

METHODS: We harmonized five self-reported sleep health indicators (satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency, and duration) across six population-based cohorts from the United States and Netherlands (N=614 – 3209 each) and performed identical latent class analysis in each cohort. Novel multivariable similarity metrics, patterns of sleep health and cluster sizes were used to match clusters and assess generalizability across cohorts. We compared cluster characteristics cross-sectionally and used linear mixed-effects modeling to relate sleep health clusters to depressive symptoms over time.

RESULTS: “Average sleep health” (moderate duration; high quality/efficiency; 42.7%-76.7% of sample) and “poor sleep health” (short duration; low quality/efficiency; high daytime sleepiness; 9.4%-20.4% of sample) clusters were generalizable across cohorts. In four cohorts “inefficient sleep” clusters were identified and in two cohorts “long, efficient sleep” clusters were identified. At 3years, those in the poor sleep cluster had depression symptoms that were 1.40-2.79 times greater than in the average sleep cluster, across all cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS: We identified two profiles – average sleep health and poor sleep health – that were generalizable across six samples of older adults and predicted depressive symptoms, underscoring the importance of the sleep health paradigm.

PMID:40118730 | DOI:10.1016/j.sleh.2025.01.012

Dent Mater. 2025 Mar 20:S0109-5641(25)00289-1. doi: 10.1016/j.dental.2025.03.005. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To formulate crosslinker-modified etchants with phosphoric acid (PA) and an organic acid for effective dentin demineralization while addressing solubility issues, and to evaluate their impact on bond strength, nanoleakage, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activity in sound dentin (SD) and caries-affected dentin (CAD) before and after thermocycling.

METHODS: Crosslinker-modified etchants were prepared by mixing 35 % tartaric acid (TA) and 10 % PA and adding 1 % of theaflavins (TF), cranberry extract (CR), or EDC/NHS (EDC). The etchants without crosslinker were used as controls. Dentin surfaces of 74 human molars were exposed, and 35 of them were submitted to a microbiological cariogenic challenge to create CAD. Specimens from SD and CAD were randomly allocated into 10 groups according to the different etchants. Resin-dentin interfacial bonding properties were evaluated after 24 h and after 10,000 thermocycling through microtensile bond strength (μTBS), nanoleakage and MMPs activity via in situ zymography. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA followed by Games-Howell or Tukey’s tests.

RESULTS: Compared to the control and EDC-modified groups, TF- and CR-modified etchants maintained stable bond strength and significantly reduced MMP activity, preserving this protection even after thermocycling, which simulates one year of clinical aging, regardless of dentin type (both SD and CAD). While their impact on nanoleakage in CAD was less pronounced after thermocycling, it remained below 50 % of the levels observed in the control and EDC-modified groups.

SIGNIFICANCE: Crosslinker-modified etchants, particularly TF and CR, provide a promising approach for simultaneous etching and biomodification of clinically relevant dentin substrates, enhancing bonding durability.

PMID:40118707 | DOI:10.1016/j.dental.2025.03.005

Transplant Proc. 2025 Mar 20:S0041-1345(25)00156-3. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2025.02.045. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: We aimed to investigate the effects of Empagliflozin on cardiac arrhythmias and heart rate variability in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs).

METHODS: Twenty-seven diabetic patients who underwent kidney transplantation between August 2020 and August 2023 were included. Patients with HbA1c >8% were received Empagliflozin treatment. A 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring was performed before and one year after beginning Empagliflozin. Holter ECGs were evaluated by a single cardiologist, comparing ventricular ectopic beats (VEB) and supraventricular ectopic beats (SEB) arrhythmias and heart rate variability parameters before and after one year of Empagliflozin treatment.

RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients completed the study, and the mean patient age was 56.1 ± 10 years. Fifteen of the patients (55.6%) were male. The mean duration since transplant before starting Empagliflozin was 62.8 ± 46.2 months. In follow-up, HbA1c decreased from 8.2% to 7.7%(P = .075), urine protein/creatinine ratio reduced from 0.437 ± 0.428 to 0.267 ± 0.146 gr/g (P = .056), and platelet count increased significantly (P = .004). After one year of treatment, the number of VEBs and SEBs in the patients decreased compared to pretreatment. They decreased from 173.5 ± 460.8 and 514.8 ± 265 beats before treatment to 125.1 ± 231.7 and 125.1 ± 231.7 beats after treatment, respectively, but did not reach statistical significance (P > .05). No significant changes were found in heart rate variability parameters (P > .05). No significant correlation was found between VEBs and SEBs and cardiac inflammation indicators (P > .05).

CONCLUSION: This study, for the first time, investigated the effect of Empagliflozin on cardiac arrhythmias and heart rate variability in diabetic KTRs. Empagliflozin did not significantly affect cardiac arrhythmias and heart rate variability in KTRs.

PMID:40118705 | DOI:10.1016/j.transproceed.2025.02.045

Res Social Adm Pharm. 2025 Mar 15:S1551-7411(25)00087-7. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2025.03.008. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Infographics may be more effective at communicating scientific research compared to text-based abstracts. Using well-designed infographics may expand target audiences beyond the traditional scholarly circles.

AIMS: This study aims to compare the effectiveness and viewer experience of infographics vs. text-based abstracts as research communication tools.

METHODS: A posttest-only, between-participants, digital pilot study was conducted in early 2024. Participants from the field of pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences were randomized to view either infographics or text-based abstracts for the same research articles. Articles and infographics chosen were sourced from peer-reviewed journals. Survey items, designed from previously published research and by authors, assessed understanding, recall, effectiveness, cognition (cognitive load), and attention. Chi-square tests were used to analyze categorical and ordinal data. Unpaired two-sided t-tests were used to analyze continuous data. Internal reliabilities were calculated for each Likert scale. Exclusion criteria included responses recorded in less than 300 seconds and responses that did not complete all questions for at least one article.

RESULTS: Final analysis included data from 30 infographics viewers and 16 text-based abstracts viewers. Most participants were white, female students from the United States without any reported learning disabilities. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences observed between any measure type. Some infographics had significantly better scores on attention and effectiveness items.

DISCUSSION: Some infographics may perform better than text-based abstracts on measures of attention and effectiveness. The study lacks sufficient power, potentially resulting in failure to detect true differences. Results may differ in populations including non-experts, neurodivergent readers, and individuals whose first language is not English.

CONCLUSION: Infographics may be no better than abstracts at communicating research findings within an audience of scientific readers. Further investigation is warranted to understand how to best leverage infographics as a communication tool.

PMID:40118685 | DOI:10.1016/j.sapharm.2025.03.008