Tag: statistics

J Orthop Surg Res. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s13018-026-06855-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Some studies regarding patients complaining of residual pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) showed pain scores improvement using genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (GNRFA). This prompted the hypothesis that combining GNRFA with TKA intraoperatively might improve early postoperative pain control and functional outcomes.

METHODS: Seventy patients were randomly assigned into two groups, one group underwent total knee arthroplasty combined with genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (TKA-GNRFA), and the other group underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) alone. A parallel-group trial with 1:1 allocation using a superiority framework, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and functional outcome using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) were evaluated. Assessments were conducted during the first six months following surgery.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences in pain score or functional outcome between the two groups in the first six months postoperative follow-up period.

CONCLUSION: At Six months postoperatively, Combining Genicular Nerve radiofrequency ablation with total knee arthroplasty (TKA-GNRFA) showed no significant advantage regarding pain scores and functional outcome over performing TKA alone. Further randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are recommended to provide higher-level evidence and validate these findings. Trial Registration Retrospectively registered under Trial Registration Number NCT07381062 on 24-01-2026.

PMID:42035153 | DOI:10.1186/s13018-026-06855-8

Breast Cancer Res. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s13058-026-02232-9. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42035136 | DOI:10.1186/s13058-026-02232-9

Malar J. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s12936-026-05916-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malaria vector control with synthetic insecticides can cause resistance, environmental toxicity, and harm to non-target animal species. To address these issues, it is critical to investigate safe and environmentally friendly botanical extraction methods for mosquito control. This study investigates the effects of crude root solvent extracts from Impatiens rothii and Salvia officinalis on Anopheles stephensi eggs and larvae under controlled environments.

METHODS: Fresh roots of S. officinalis and I. rothii were collected separately, allowed to air dry, ground into a powder, and then sieved. The test plant powders were soaked in ethanol and chloroform solvent, and the extracted product was concentrated, forming a desired concentration solution for testing. Aquatain (AMF) was used as the standard control, while 3% of 20 Tween was used as the negative control. Larval mortality was measured after a 24 hours recovery period in each treatment group, and the hatchability of eggs was monitored after 48 hours. Statistical analyses were conducted using R Studio to check normality and identify significant differences between groups, then followed by SPSS, ANOVA to compare extract to standard group and probit regressions for LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ calculations.

RESULTS: There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in ovicidal and larvicidal activities between the treatment, negative, and standard control groups. Both the chloroform extract of S. officinalis (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 83.8 and 305.4 ppm, respectively) and the ethanol extract of I. rothii (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 64.7 and 214.28 ppm, respectively) demonstrated low LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values when tested against eggs. Additionally, the larvae treated with the ethanol extracts of I. rothii and S. officinalis presented the lowest larval mortality values, with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 124.6 ppm and 350.0 ppm, respectively. Aquatain AMF reached 100%, whereas 3% of 20 Tween did not result in egg or larval mortality.

CONCLUSION: The study suggests that root extracts of I. rothii and S. officinalis can be a safe and effective alternative to synthetic mosquitocidal for controlling An. stephensi, suggesting early-stage mosquito control is more efficient than adult control. Further research is required to understand the essential ingredients, their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and safety in larger-scale applications.

PMID:42035133 | DOI:10.1186/s12936-026-05916-x

BMC Health Serv Res. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s12913-026-14335-2. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42035101 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-026-14335-2

Malar J. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s12936-026-05919-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malaria infection continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality in Nigeria despite the integration of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine into the National Programme on immunization. Understanding how caregivers of young children perceive this new vaccine is important for successful implementation.

AIM: To assess the awareness, acceptability and factors affecting uptake of the new R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine among caregivers of under-fives in Asaba, Southern Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2025, among 358 consenting caregivers of under-5 children who presented at the children’s outpatient and immunization clinic in three health facilities in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria. The study utilized pretested semi-structured, self-administered questionnaires containing information on vaccine awareness, hesitancy and adverse reactions. Data was analyzed using SPSS 26, with a p-value < 0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS: Only 36.3% of respondents were aware of the vaccine. However, most (85.8%) were willing to vaccinate their children. Reasons for reluctance to accept the vaccine were fear of adverse reactions (45.1%), lack of interest (19.6%), and spousal disagreement (13.7%). There was a statistically significant association between the type of health facility and knowledge of malaria vaccines (p = 0.038). Occupation (p = 0.018) and gender of caregivers (p = 0.006) were significant factors, female caregivers and civil servants were more willing to accept malaria vaccination for their wards.

CONCLUSION: Despite a strong willingness among caregivers to vaccinate their children, awareness of the malaria vaccine was inadequate. Targeted awareness campaigns, especially addressing safety concerns and spousal engagement, are urgently needed to translate high willingness into actual uptake.

PMID:42035050 | DOI:10.1186/s12936-026-05919-8

BMC Pediatr. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s12887-026-06703-y. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42035047 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-026-06703-y

BMC Nephrol. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s12882-026-04983-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the association between early statin use and acute kidney injury (AKI) risk in septic patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS: This study analyzed septic patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Patients were divided into AKI and non-AKI groups based on whether they developed AKI during ICU stay. AKI was defined according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. The primary exposure variable was early statin use, defined as administration within the first 24 h of ICU admission. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between early statin use and AKI risk, adjusting for demographic characteristics, clinical parameters, laboratory values, disease severity scores, and treatment-related factors. Subgroup analyses were performed across clinically relevant patient characteristics. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the primary findings.

RESULTS: A total of 5102 septic patients were analyzed, with 2424 (47.51%) developing AKI during their ICU stay. Early statin therapy was administered to 1934 (37.91%) patients. The crude AKI incidence was 49.7% in the statin group and 46.1% in the non-statin group. After full adjustment for covariates, early statin use was associated with significantly lower odds of AKI (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-0.99, P = 0.045). Among individual statins, simvastatin demonstrated the most consistent association (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62-0.95, P = 0.014). Subgroup analyses revealed that the association was observed in patients aged ≥ 60 years (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.72-0.99, P = 0.042) and male patients (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.96, P = 0.016), although no formal interaction tests reached statistical significance.

CONCLUSION: Early statin use within 24 h of ICU admission may be associated with modestly lower odds of AKI in septic patients, with simvastatin showing the most consistent association across subgroups. Given the modest effect size, borderline statistical significance, and observational study design, these findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and require confirmation in prospective studies.

PMID:42035000 | DOI:10.1186/s12882-026-04983-1

BMC Pulm Med. 2026 Apr 25. doi: 10.1186/s12890-026-04269-0. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42034990 | DOI:10.1186/s12890-026-04269-0

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2026 May;70:101479. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2026.101479. Epub 2026 Mar 29.

ABSTRACT

Neosporosis is caused by Neospora caninum, an obligate intracellular protozoan with a wide range of intermediate hosts, including goats, in which it can cause reproductive and neurological disorders. Despite its importance in goats, to date, there are no epidemiological data on neosporosis in this animal species in the state of Goiás, Brazil, a fact that motivated the present study. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the seroprevalence, spatial distribution, and risk factors associated with N. caninum infection in goats in the state of Goiás, Brazilian cerrado region. For this purpose, 781 blood serum samples obtained from goats from the five mesoregions of the state were analyzed using the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the detection of anti-N. caninum IgG antibodies. At the time of sampling, epidemiological data regarding animal sex and age, breed, farm size, rearing system, type of farming, purpose of the herd, water source, carcass disposal, veterinary assistance, herd replacement, slaughter location, and presence of domestic or wild canids were collected and analyzed as potential risk factors. Statistical analyses included odds ratio (OR) calculations using Statistica software, version 10. The overall seroprevalence found was 18.56% (145/781), ranging from 10.96% (16/146) in the East mesoregion to 27.83% (32/115) in the Northwest mesoregion, and from 0% in the Pires do Rio microregion to 41.86% in the Rio Vermelho microregion. The following factors were identified as statistically associated with seropositivity (p ≤ 0.05): purpose of the herd (subsistence and reproduction), carcass disposal (abandoned in the pasture and buried), slaughter location (at the abattoir), and the absence of veterinary assistance. Caprine neosporosis is widely distributed across all regions of the state of Goiás, which reinforces the need for the adoption of biosecurity measures to control the disease in the locality.

PMID:42034961 | DOI:10.1016/j.vprsr.2026.101479

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2026 May;70:101477. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2026.101477. Epub 2026 Mar 20.

ABSTRACT

Plasmodium huffi was first described in toucans of Brazil and was mistakenly believed to be a species exclusive to the order Piciformes. However, subsequent molecular and morphological studies conducted in red-legged seriemas, along with the diverse range of lineages identified in Anseriformes, Charadriiformes, Cathartiformes, Columbiformes, Galliformes, Pelecaniformes, Struthioniformes, Psittaciformes, and Passeriformes, have revealed that this parasite is, in fact, a generalist. Here, we provide new molecular and morphological data on P. huffi infecting previously unreported avian hosts in Brazil: one black vulture (Coragyps atratus, Cathartiformes, sample size = 29) and one yellow-headed caracara (Daptrius chimachima, Falconiformes, sample size = 6). Additionally, infections were detected in two red-legged seriemas (Cariama cristata, Cariamiformes, sample size = 14), reinforcing the high susceptibility of the species to this parasite. Reports of haemosporidian infections in Cathartiformes are rare. To date, only Haemoproteus catharti, Plasmodium elongatum, and Leucocytozoon toddi have been documented in New World vultures-birds that are widely distributed and abundant across multiple ecosystems. This study marks the first report of haemosporidian infection in black vultures in South America. Although D. chimachima harbors a diverse and abundant haemosporidian community, this is the first record of P. huffi infecting a species within Falconiformes. These findings confirm that P. huffi is highly adapted to a broad range of avian hosts, which can sustain the infection and potentially transmit it to dipteran vectors, as evidenced by the presence of gametocytes in peripheral blood. Additionally, statistical comparisons of the parasite’s morphometry across different hosts revealed high phenotypic plasticity, both within and between host species.

PMID:42034959 | DOI:10.1016/j.vprsr.2026.101477