Tag: statistics

J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2025 Sep;35(9):1083-1087. doi: 10.29271/jcpsp.2025.09.1083.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), evaluate its impact on mortality and morbidity, and analyse demographic and comorbid variables associated with its onset.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational cohort study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkiye, from June 2020 to December 2022.

METHODOLOGY: Patients who underwent isolated CABG were included in the study. Those diagnosed with valvular heart disease on echocardiography were excluded, as were those with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF).

RESULTS: Statistical analysis was conducted on data from 489 patients. Among the demographic factors examined, only age (p = 0.021) exhibited a significant correlation with the development of POAF. Chronic renal disease (p = 0.044) and reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) levels (p = 0.020) were significantly associated with POAF. Regarding perioperative factors, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) duration (p = 0.104) was not significantly related to POAF, whereas prolonged cross-clamp time was (p = 0.009). POAF was associated with postoperative complications, including acute kidney damage (p = 0.002), extended intubation (p = 0.003), infection (p <0.001), the need for intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or inotropic support (p = 0.004), and mortality (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: POAF is a common complication after isolated CABG and is significantly associated with advanced age, reduced GFR, chronic kidney disease, and prolonged cross-clamp time. Its occurrence is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. These findings emphasise the importance of perioperative risk factors in predicting adverse outcomes.

KEY WORDS: Atrial fibrillation, Coronary artery bypass, Acute kidney injury, Mortality, Morbidity, Intra-aortic balloon pumping.

PMID:40948152 | DOI:10.29271/jcpsp.2025.09.1083

Hypertension. 2025 Sep 15. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.125.25022. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The sFlt-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1) and PlGF (placental growth factor) ratio holds significant value in the early identification of preeclampsia and risk stratification. However, its application within the Chinese population remains under-researched. This study evaluates the predictive performance of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in hospitalized Chinese patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

METHODS: This prospective single-center cohort study (December 2023-June 2024) enrolled East Asian women aged ≥18 years with singleton pregnancies (23 weeks to 36 weeks and 6 days of gestation) and signs or symptoms of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. A serum sFlt-1/PlGF level of 38 was selected as the critical value to differentiate risk levels. Maternal outcomes and fetal parameters were assessed within 2 weeks post-enrollment and statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: The study included 132 hospitalized patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, among whom 44 (33.3%) had an sFlt-1/PlGF ratio ≥38. The interval to delivery detected in the high-ratio group was significantly shorter (0.8 weeks compared with 4 weeks; P<0.001), and the risk of delivery within 2 weeks after detection was significantly increased (adjusted hazard ratio, 5.36 [95% CI, 3.42-8.39]; P<0.001). The sFlt-1/PlGF ≥38 had an area under the curve of 0.88 for predicting delivery within 2 weeks. This indicator also demonstrated good negative predictive performance in excluding maternal-fetal adverse outcomes (negative predictive values: severe preeclampsia, 0.93; severe small for gestational age, 0.93).

CONCLUSIONS: The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio demonstrates strong predictive value for short-term delivery in hospitalized hypertensive disorders of pregnancy patients in China. Its high negative predictive value is particularly useful in excluding the risk of maternal-fetal adverse outcomes.

REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.medicalresearch.org.cn; Unique identifier: MR-44-23-049132.

PMID:40948128 | DOI:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.125.25022

Community Dent Health. 2025 Sep 15:265539X251379611. doi: 10.1177/0265539X251379611. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Children with special needs face restrictions in dental hygiene due to disabilities. Dental education and preventive measures can significantly improve oral health among children with special needs. This study aims to assess the oral health status of children with Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Down Syndrome and to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventional programs on oral health status in Karnataka, India.

METHODS: A quantitative, interventional study with a repeated measures design was conducted among 135 children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Down Syndrome. Data were gathered using a Demographic Proforma, the WHO Oral Health Status Questionnaire and WHO Oral Health Assessment Form (2013). The intervention included weekly sessions over 3 months, featuring supervised tooth brushing training, individualised dental counselling for caregivers, interactive educational modules, and distribution of a Pictorial Information Manual in local languages. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 29.0, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS: The study consisting 135 children, oral health status scores as evidenced by statistically significant changes (p < 0.001) indicating improvement in dental health. The Oral health of children shows substantial changes, which were statistically significant (p < 0.001), confirming the positive impact of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: The study interventions were enriching for caregivers with sufficient information and skill on dental care. The development of the Pictorial Information Manual is a unique manual enriched with of attractive pictures and relevant information on oral health, which was made copyrighted and distributed to caregivers.

PMID:40948109 | DOI:10.1177/0265539X251379611

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2025 Sep 15. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.70536. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a goal attainment program using the LINE OA application, Teen Mom Care (GAP-LINE OA: TMC), on self-care behaviors and hematocrit levels among pregnant adolescents with anemia.

METHODS: A quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-posttest design was used. The study included 54 pregnant adolescents receiving antenatal care at six hospitals in southern Thailand from April to June 2024. Participants were divided into a control group (n = 27), receiving standard care, and an experimental group (n = 27), receiving standard care combined with GAP-LINE OA: TMC. Data were collected twice: at baseline (before 28 weeks of gestation with hematocrit < 33%) and at four weeks post-intervention. Instruments included GAP-LINE OA: TMC, a demographic questionnaire, and a self-care behavior questionnaire for pregnant adolescents with anemia. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS: In the experimental group, self-care behavior scores and hematocrit levels significantly improved after the intervention compared with baseline (P < 0.001). Inter-group analysis showed significantly greater increases in self-care behavior scores and hematocrit levels in the experimental group compared with the control group (P = 0.044).

CONCLUSION: The GAP-LINE OA: TMC program effectively enhances self-care behaviors and improves hematocrit levels in pregnant adolescents with anemia. The GAP-LINE OA: TMC program can enhance antenatal care by providing targeted support, goal-setting interventions, and improved communication for pregnant adolescents with anemia via the LINE OA platform.

PMID:40948108 | DOI:10.1002/ijgo.70536

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2025 Sep 15. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.70435. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of routine screening for chronic endometritis (CE) through endometrial biopsy and immunohistochemical staining among patients first receiving in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.

METHODS: A total of 2108 patients first receiving IVF/ICSI treatment from July 2021 to June 2022 were enrolled in the retrospective cohort study. Patients enrolled were assigned into two groups: the routine screening group (N = 882) and the non-routine screening group (N = 838). Every patient in the routine screening group underwent routine CE screening during hysteroscopy while patients in the non-routine screening group underwent CE screening when suspicious CE manifestations were observed under hysteroscopy. Clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates were compared between groups. Pregnancy outcomes were also compared between CE (N = 630) and non-CE (N = 755).

RESULTS: The routine screening group had 395 clinical pregnancies (44.8%) and 356 live births (40.4%), while the non-routine screening group had 375 clinical pregnancies (44.7%) and 325 live births (38.8%). Single-factor regression analysis showed no statistically significant differences in clinical pregnancy (0.99 [0.83-1.0], P = 0.988) and live birth (0.96 [0.78-1.17], P = 0.647) between the two groups. Multivariate regression analysis yielded similar results for clinical pregnancy (1.07 [0.88-1.30], P = 0.503) and live birth (0.97 [0.94-1.00], P = 0.228) between the groups.

CONCLUSION: It is recommended to conduct CE screening only when suspicious CE manifestations were observed under hysteroscopy in infertile patients first receiving IVF/ICSI treatment and to administer standardized antibiotic treatment when pathological immunohistochemical staining indicates a positive result.

PMID:40948100 | DOI:10.1002/ijgo.70435

Sex Abuse. 2025 Sep 15:10790632251377703. doi: 10.1177/10790632251377703. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The report presents study on child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Poland from 1950 to 2021, using data collected in three comprehensive queries conducted between 2014 and 2021. The analysis is based on notifications reported to dioceses and male religious congregations, processed by the Institute for Catholic Church Statistics. The study categorizes cases based on the credibility of allegations and tracks the evolution of data collection methodologies, moving from handwritten questionnaires to more detailed online surveys. The research explores variables such as victim demographics (age, gender, and Church affiliation), perpetrator profiles, forms and circumstances of abuse, and reporting patterns. Over the analyzed period, 1,193 minors were identified as victims in notifications, with 1,018 credible allegations. Boys constituted 56% of victims, with an average age of abuse rising from 11 to nearly 15 years. Of 838 accused clergy, 394 were credibly implicated, primarily priests. Most offenders harmed a single victim, though 20% had multiple victims. Findings indicate a significant increase in abuse cases from the 1970s to the 1980s. Despite the detailed data, the study emphasizes limitations, including the inability to fully ascertain the prevalence of abuse due to underreporting and varied motivations for disclosure. The results highlight the need for continuous monitoring to comprehensively understand and address this issue. This research contributes to broader efforts to enhance transparency, accountability, and preventive measures within the Church.

PMID:40948096 | DOI:10.1177/10790632251377703

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2025 Sep 15. doi: 10.1111/cen.70034. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to review the long-term outcome of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and whether patient- or treatment-related factors impact the outcomes, especially focusing on the initial Levothyroxine dose.

METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional study of the children diagnosed with CH who received Levothyroxine at Ajou University Hospital between 2003 and 2024. Comparative analysis was performed between the low (<10 mcg/kg) and high (≥10 mcg/kg) initial dose groups. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was employed to evaluate longitudinal changes in growth outcomes, and multivariate linear regression was utilised to evaluate the effects of clinical factors on the intelligence quotient (IQ).

RESULTS: Among the study population, 84 of 144 children were prescribed an initial low dose of Levothyroxine. Most children in both initial dose groups showed appropriate growth within the normal range in the biennial growth evaluation from ages four to eight and in the Wechsler IQ exam. The initial dose seemed to not significantly affect the growth outcomes over time, as no significant differences between the low- and high-dose groups were observed (p values: 0.545, 0.609, 0.532, and 0.501 for bone age-chronological age, height z-score, weight z-score, and BMI z-score, respectively). The effect of the initial dose group on the full-scale IQ was also not statistically significant (p = 0.362).

CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the favourable long-term outcomes in linear growth and neurodevelopment among children with CH, even in lower initial Levothyroxine doses.

PMID:40948059 | DOI:10.1111/cen.70034

Brain Connect. 2025 Sep 15. doi: 10.1177/21580014251376722. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and machine learning (ML) can be used to identify therapeutic targets and evaluate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in neural networks in tobacco use disorder. We investigated whether large-scale network connectivity can predict the rTMS effect on smoking cessation. Methods: Smoking cue exposure task-fMRI (T-fMRI) and resting-state fMRI (Rs-fMRI) scans were acquired before and after the 10 sessions of active or sham rTMS (10 Hz, 3000 pulses per session) over the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex in 42 treatment-seeking smokers. Five large-scale networks (default model network, central executive network, dorsal attention network, salience network [SN], and reward network) were compared before and after 10 sessions of rTMS, as well as between active and sham rTMS conditions. We performed neural network and regression analysis on the average connectivity of large-scale networks and the effectiveness of rTMS induced by rTMS. Results: Regression analyses indicated higher salience connectivity in T-fMRI and lower reward connectivity in Rs-fMRI, predicting a better outcome of TMS treatment for smoking cessation (p < 0.01, Bonferroni corrected). Neural Network analyses suggested that SN was the most important predictor of rTMS effectiveness in both T-fMRI (0.33 of feature importance) and Rs-fMRI (0.37 feature importance). Conclusions: Both T-fMRI and Rs-fMRI connectivity in SN predict a better outcome of TMS treatment for smoking cessation, but in opposite directions. The work shows that ML models can be used to target TMS treatment. Given the small sample size, all ML findings should be replicated in a larger cohort to ensure their validity.

PMID:40948026 | DOI:10.1177/21580014251376722

Scand J Caring Sci. 2025 Sep;39(3):e70115. doi: 10.1111/scs.70115.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of nurses’ quality of care ensures that care is structured in a qualified manner.

AIMS: This study was conducted to determine the relationship between satisfaction with life in nurses and the quality of care provided by nurses.

METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study included 515 nurses working in state hospitals in two provincial centres in Eastern Turkey. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Caring Behaviours Inventory-24. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0, AMOS 24.0, and G*Power 3.1 programmes.

RESULTS: Satisfaction with life was higher in females, married individuals, bachelor’s degree graduates, and nurses who willingly chose the profession. Working time had a significant relationship with the quality of care. The relationships between the scales were tested using structural equation modelling. All path coefficients were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The mean scores of nurses’ satisfaction with life and quality of care were found to be at a moderate level. Furthermore, it was observed that as nurses’ satisfaction with life increased, their quality of care also improved. Based on these findings, it is recommended that health policies aimed at enhancing nurses’ life satisfaction be developed.

PMID:40947512 | DOI:10.1111/scs.70115