Tag: statistics

Malar J. 2021 Nov 10;20(1):436. doi: 10.1186/s12936-021-03971-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The currently used malaria vaccine, RTS,S, is designed based on the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). The pfcsp gene, besides having different polymorphic patterns, can vary between P. falciparum isolates due to geographical origin and host immune response. Such aspects are essential when considering the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine in a certain region. Therefore, this study assessed the genetic diversity of P. falciparum in Sudan based on the pfcsp gene by investigating the diversity at the N-terminal, central repeat, and the C-terminal regions.

METHODS: A cross-sectional molecular study was conducted; P. falciparum isolates were collected from different health centres in Khartoum State between January and December 2019. During the study period, a total of 261 febrile patients were recruited. Malaria diagnosis was made by expert microscopists using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. DNA samples were examined by the semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Single clonal infection of the confirmed P. falciparum cases, were used to amplify the pfcsp gene. The amplified amplicons of pfcsp have been sequenced using the Sanger dideoxy method. The obtained sequences of pfcsp nucleotide diversity parameters including the numbers of haplotypes (Hap), haplotypes diversity (Hapd), the average number of nucleotide differences between two sequences (p), and the numbers of segregating sites (S) were obtained. The haplotype networks were constructed using the online tcsBU software. Natural selection theory was also tested on pfcsp using Fuand Li’s D, Fuand Li’s F statistics, and Tajima’s D test using DnaSP.

RESULTS: In comparison with the different pfcsp reference strains, the Sudanese isolates showed high similarity with other African isolates. The results of the N-terminal region showed the presence of 2 different haplotypes with a Hapd of 0.425 ± 0.00727. The presence of the unique insertion of NNNGDNGREGKDEDKRDGNN was reported. The KLKQP motif was conserved in all the studied isolates. At the central repeat region, 11 haplotypes were seen with a Hapd of 0.779 ± 0.00097. The analysis of the genetic diversity in the C-terminal region showed the presence of 10 haplotypes with a Hapd of 0.457 ± 0.073. Several non-synonymous amino acids changes were also seen at the Th2R and the Th3R T-cell epitope regions including T317K, E317K, Q318E, K321N, I322K, T322K, R322K, K324Q, I327L, G352N, S354P, R355K, N356D, Q357E, and E361A.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the results indicated a high conservation at the pfcsp gene. This may further contribute in understanding the genetic polymorphisms of P. falciparum prior to the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine in Sudan.

PMID:34758827 | DOI:10.1186/s12936-021-03971-0

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021 Nov 10;22(1):942. doi: 10.1186/s12891-021-04793-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a complex procedure due to associated anatomical abnormalities. We studied the extent to which preoperative digital templating is reliable when performing cementless THA in patients with DDH.

METHODS: We templated and compared the pre- and postoperative sizes of the acetabular and femoral components and the center of rotation (COR), and analysed the postoperative cup coverage, leg length discrepancy (LLD), and stem alignment in 50 patients (56 hips) with DDH treated with THA.

RESULTS: The implant size exactly matched the template size in 42.9% of cases for the acetabular component and in 38.2% of cases for the femoral component, whereas the templated ±1 size was used in 80.4 and 81.8% of cases for the acetabular and femoral components, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between templated and used component sizes among different DDH severity levels (acetabular cup: p = 0.30 under the Crowe classification and p = 0.94 under the Hartofilakidis classification; femoral stem: p = 0.98 and p = 0.74, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between the planned and postoperative COR (p = 0.14 horizontally and p = 0.52 vertically). The median postoperative LLD was 7 (range 0-37) mm.

CONCLUSION: Digital preoperative templating is reliable in the planning of cementless THA in patients with DDH.

PMID:34758811 | DOI:10.1186/s12891-021-04793-6

Respir Res. 2021 Nov 10;22(1):289. doi: 10.1186/s12931-021-01880-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: For children and adults, the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is the delivery of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Though effective, CPAP masks can be uncomfortable to patients, contributing to adherence concerns. Recently, nasal high flow (NHF) therapy has been investigated as an alternative, especially in CPAP-intolerant children. The present study aimed to compare and contrast the positive airway pressures and expired gas washout generated by NHF versus CPAP in child nasal airway replicas.

METHODS: NHF therapy was investigated at a flow rate of 20 L/min and compared to CPAP at 5 cmH₂O and 10 cmH₂O for 10 nasal airway replicas, built from computed tomography scans of children aged 4-8 years. NHF was delivered with three different high flow nasal cannula models provided by the same manufacturer, and CPAP was delivered with a sealed nasal mask. Tidal breathing through each replica was imposed using a lung simulator, and airway pressure at the trachea was recorded over time. For expired gas washout measurements, carbon dioxide was injected at the lung simulator, and end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO₂) was measured at the trachea. Changes in EtCO₂ compared to baseline values (no intervention) were assessed.

RESULTS: NHF therapy generated an average positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5.17 ± 2.09 cmH₂O (mean ± SD, n = 10), similar to PEEP of 4.95 ± 0.03 cmH₂O generated by nominally 5 cmH₂O CPAP. Variation in tracheal pressure was higher between airway replicas for NHF compared to CPAP. EtCO₂ decreased from baseline during administration of NHF, whereas it increased during CPAP. No statistical difference in tracheal pressure nor EtCO₂ was found between the three high flow nasal cannulas.

CONCLUSION: In child airway replicas, NHF at 20 L/min generated average PEEP similar to CPAP at 5 cm H₂O. Variation in tracheal pressure was higher between airway replicas for NHF than for CPAP. The delivery of NHF yielded expired gas washout, whereas CPAP impeded expired gas washout due to the increased dead space of the sealed mask.

PMID:34758818 | DOI:10.1186/s12931-021-01880-z

BMC Public Health. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):2059. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12133-5.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D (Vit D) deficiency/insufficiency is an important risk factor for several chronic conditions. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge and behavior of female adolescents with respect to the association between sunlight exposure, sunscreen use, and Vit D status.

METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was performed in northeastern Iran, among 940 female adolescents in January 2015. Each subject completed a questionnaire containing items about demographic characteristics, knowledge about Vit D and their use of sunscreen. Serum Vit D levels were measured using an electrochemiluminescence method and dietary intake of Vit D was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Few of the participants were aware of the biological functions of Vit D (8.8%), the causes of Vit D deficiency (16.7%), and the sources of Vit D (9.3%). Less than half of the participants used sunscreen during the day. The serum levels of Vit D in subjects who used sunscreen were significantly lower than those who did not (p = 0.004). However, there was no significant association between their knowledge about Vit D and serum Vit D, or dietary intake of Vit D.

CONCLUSION: There appears to be a lack of coherence between lifestyle, behavior and knowledge that may affect the Vit D status of adolescent girls in northeastern Iran. This information provides a basis for developing public health planning (workshops or training at the college level) for the prevention of Vit D deficiency especially in adolescent girls.

PMID:34758788 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-021-12133-5

BMC Oral Health. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):574. doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01937-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This review evaluates, as a primary outcome, which surgical technique (open vs. closed) and which type of material used for the auxiliaries (elastic vs. metallic) were preferable in terms of periodontal results during the treatment of palatal-impacted canines. The timing of the evaluation of the results was also assessed as a secondary outcome.

METHODS: An electronic search of the literature up to March 2021 was performed on Pubmed, MEDLINE (via Pubmed), EMBASE (via Ovid), Cochrane Reviews and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (RCTs) (CENTRAL). The risk of bias evaluation was performed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB 2) for RCTs and the ACROBAT NRSI tool of Cochrane for non-RCTs.

RESULTS: 11 articles met the inclusion criteria. Only one RCT was assessed as having a low risk of bias and all the non-RCTs were assessed as having a serious risk of bias. This review revealed better periodontal results for the closed technique and metallic auxiliaries. In addition, it revealed that the timing of the evaluation of the results affects the periodontal results with better results obtained 2 years after the end of treatment.

CONCLUSION: In the treatment of a palatal-impacted canine, the closed technique and metallic auxiliaries should be preferred in terms of better periodontal results. The timing of the evaluation of the results affects the periodontal results.

PMID:34758795 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-021-01937-x

BMC Cancer. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):1195. doi: 10.1186/s12885-021-08958-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aim to establish the inhibitors of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) as second-line therapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS: Published clinical trials in the PubMed, Medline, Embase databases on PD-1 inhibitors for the treatment of ESCC were searched, along with an additional search on abstracts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) from inception to September 2021. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were synthesized using STATA.

RESULTS: A total of 1970 patients (PD-1 inhibitors: 987; chemotherapy: 983) were enrolled in five randomized controlled trials. Compared with conventional chemotherapy, second-line PD-1 inhibitors significantly improved the OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66-0.81; P < 0.001) and ORR (relative risk [RR] = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.16-3.05; P = 0.01) of advanced ESCC patients, especially significantly prolonged the OS in the patients with positive programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status (HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.53-0.77; P < 0.001); but did not better PFS (HR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.68-1.14; P = 0.330) and DCR (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.59-1.37; P = 0.603). Moreover, PD-1 inhibitors were associated with statistically lower incidences of grade 3-5 TRAEs.

CONCLUSION: Second line PD-1 inhibitors significantly improved the OS and ORR of patients with advanced ESCC, especially the OS of those with positive PD-L1 expression, and did not result in significant improvement in PFS and DCR. Compared to chemotherapy, second-line PD-1 inhibitors had superior safety profiles for the treatment of advanced ESCC.

PMID:34758782 | DOI:10.1186/s12885-021-08958-3

BMC Neurol. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):443. doi: 10.1186/s12883-021-02466-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of migraine headaches varied from 2.4 to 48.5% worldwide among university students. As per the knowledge of the investigators, the study of migraine headaches is not done in this study area. Hence, this study aimed to assess determinates of migraine headaches among regular undergraduate students, of Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia, 2020.

METHOD: Institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from November 15-30 /2020 by using a self-administered questionnaire among 371 regular undergraduate students at Wollo University. A multistage sampling technique was employed to represent our study population. Identity migraine test, Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire, perceived stress scale, and Oslo social support scale was used. Descriptive statistics, binary and multiple logistic regression were employed. The adjusted odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval and level of significance (p-value < 0.05) was used to interpret the findings.

RESULTS: From 371 participants, the prevalence of migraine headache in this study was 34% (95% CI: 29.2, 38.5). Variables statistically associated with migraine headache, were a family history of headache (AOR = 3.83, CI: 2.313, 6.366), suicidal thoughts in the past 3 months (AOR = 10.76, CI: 2.117, 54.74), and had low perceived stress 62.6% (AOR = 0.374, CI: 0.205, 0.683).

CONCLUSION: In this study, the prevalence of migraine headaches was very high. Family history of headache, suicidal thoughts, and low perceived stress were determinates for migraine headache. So special emphasis shall be given to those participants who had high perceived stress, a family history of migraine headache, and suicidal thoughts.

PMID:34758771 | DOI:10.1186/s12883-021-02466-4

BMC Cancer. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):1193. doi: 10.1186/s12885-021-08946-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the type of anesthesia and the survival outcomes of gastric cancer patients is uncertain. This study compared the overall outcome of gastric cancer patients after surgery with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) or inhalation anesthesia (IHA).

METHODS: Clinicopathological variables of gastric cancer patients were retrieved from the database of the Surgical Gastric Cancer Patient Registry in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Patients were grouped according to whether they received TIVA or IHA during the operation. Propensity score (PS) matching was used to balance the baseline variables, and survival outcomes were compared between these two groups. In addition, studies comparing survival outcomes between TIVA and IHA used for gastric cancer surgery and published before April 20th, 2020, were identified, and their data were pooled.

RESULTS: A total of 2827 patients who underwent surgical treatment from Jan 2009 to Dec 2016 were included. There were 323 patients in the TIVA group and 645 patients in the IHA group, with 1:2 PS matching. There was no significant difference in overall survival outcomes between the TIVA and IHA groups before matching the cohort (p = 0.566) or after matching the cohort (p = 0.679) by log-rank tests. In the Cox hazard regression model, there was no significant difference between the TIVA and IHA groups before (HR: 1.054, 95% CI: 0.881-1.262, p = 0.566) or after (HR: 0.957, 95% CI: 0.779-1.177, p = 0.679) PS matching. The meta-analysis of survival outcomes between the TIVA and IHA groups found critical statistical value in the before PS matching cohort (HR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57-0.96 p < 0.01) and after PS matching cohort (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46-0.94, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Combined with the results of previous studies, total intravenous anesthesia has been shown to be superior to inhalation anesthesia in terms of overall survival for gastric cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment. The selection of intravenous or inhalation anesthesia for gastric cancer surgery should take into account the long-term prognosis of the patient.

PMID:34758772 | DOI:10.1186/s12885-021-08946-7

BMC Pediatr. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):499. doi: 10.1186/s12887-021-02980-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A technology-based intervention, such as a mobile application, was a growing interest and potentially effective modality for treating obesity. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the OBEST, a new mobile/tablet-based application in reducing weight and encouraging healthy eating behaviors and quality of life in children with obesity. The application could assist healthcare professionals to treat children and adolescents with obesity.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the hospital and school settings in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Seventy-seven children and adolescents with obesity were randomized into two groups; one received standard care combined with the OBEST application, and the other received only standard care. The outcomes were changes in weight, healthy eating behaviors, and quality of life assessed by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) from baseline to six-month follow-up between the two groups.

RESULTS: The results showed that the intervention group reduced more body mass index (BMI) and had a higher number of participants engaging in healthy eating behaviors than the standard care group but did not reach a statistically significant level, except for less frequent consumption of fast food. The participants in the intervention group had 4.5 times higher odds of decreased engaging in fast-food consumption than the standard care group at 6 months follow-up (odds ratio, 4.5 [95% CI, 1.41 to 14.35]). There were no statistically significant changes in PedsQL scores over 6 months in between groups.

CONCLUSIONS: The current study was unable to detect a significant effect of the OBEST application as an adjunct tool to the standard treatment on reducing weight in obese children and adolescents. However, the mobile application might help to increase engaging in healthy eating behaviors. Further studies with a larger sample are needed to confirm our findings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was retrospectively registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (trial registration number: TCTR20200604008 , on June 4, 2020).

PMID:34758761 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-021-02980-x

BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Nov 10;21(1):554. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03534-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the leading contributors to the global burden of cancer, and the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Recently, there has been a growing interest in understanding modifiable psychosocial risk factors, particularly depression, to prevent EC and reduce morbidity and mortality. However, related research is sparse and has been ignored. The study was designed to assess the association between depression and EC in China.

METHODS: From 2017 to 2019, a population-based multicenter study was conducted in high-risk regions of EC. Participants underwent a free endoscopy screening. If the endoscopic results were suspicious, a pathological biopsy was applied to confirm. Depression was measured with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). In addition, information on demographic characteristics and risk factors was collected from participants by trained interviewers using uniform questionnaires.

RESULTS: After Endoscopy and pathologic diagnosis, 15,936 participants in high-risk regions of EC (ECHRRs) were enrolled, 10,907 (68.44%) of which were diagnosed health, 4048 (25.40%) with esophagitis, 769 (4.83%) with low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN), 157 (0.99%) with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN), and 55 (0.35%) with EC, respectively. The overall prevalence of depression symptoms of participants was 4.16% (health: 4.63%, esophagitis: 2.99%, LGIN: 2.99%, HGIN: 5.73%, and EC: 9.09%). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the unadjusted OR (95% CI) between depression and each esophageal pathology grades were esophagitis 0.93 (0.92-0.95), LGIN 0.97 (0.94-0.99), HGIN 1.05 (1.00-1.10), and EC 1.04 (0.97-1.14), respectively. However, after adjustment for potential confounders (age, gender, region, alcohol consumption, BMI), no statistically significant associations between depression and EC (adjusted OR = 1.10, 0.99-1.21) and esophageal lesions (esophagitis: adjusted OR = 1.02, 0.99-1.04; LGIN: adjusted OR = 0.98, 0.95-1.01; HGIN: adjusted OR = 1.04, 0.98-1.11) were observed in this study.

CONCLUSIONS: No significant association was observed between depression and EC in the study. Future prospective cohort studies are needed to verify this preliminary finding.

PMID:34758767 | DOI:10.1186/s12888-021-03534-2