Tag: statistics

Psychol Health Med. 2022 Apr 5:1-10. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2061719. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The objective of this paper was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Poles and the availability of psychiatric and psychological support during the pandemic. A prospective, cross-sectional web-based survey design was adopted. It was carried out on a sample of 1080 Polish citizens above 18 years old. The majority of Poles (70%) experienced symptoms of mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep disturbance (63.79%), anxiety (48.79%), low mood for most of the day (44.63%), sadness, tearfulness (41.29%), and concentration disorders (35.93%) were the mental disorder symptoms reported most often by the survey subjects. To reduce the potential acute and long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, decision-makers of the Polish health system should implement stepped multilevel and multi-target psychological support services.

PMID:35380074 | DOI:10.1080/13548506.2022.2061719

Otolaryngol Pol. 2021 Sep 30;76(1):6-12. doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0015.3207.

ABSTRACT

<br><b>Introduction:</b> Introduction of the coupler devices for anastomoses of neck vessels changes planning and performance of the surgical procedures. The Rigid ring of the coupling devices keeps a vein open and less prone to occlusion. Therefore, this should improve the flap survival rate and surgery duration.</br> <br><b>Aim:</b> The aim of the study was to point out the differences in surgery planning between couplers and sutures for venous microsurgical anastomoses.</br> <br><b>Methods:</b> The medical records of 209 patients who underwent 212 microvascular free flap reconstructions from January 2011 till December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed; 103 received radial forearm free flap (RFFF); 43 – anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF); 51 – fibula free flap (FFF); 15 – iliac crest free flap (ICFF). In 189 cases, reconstruction was performed simultaneously with tumor resection and in 23 cases, reconstruction was secondary, after previous oncological treatment. Among 443 anastomoses, suturing was used for 212 arteries and 127 venous anastomoses, while coupling was used for 104 venous anastomoses.</br> <br><b>Results:</b> The mean surgery duration for suturing was 452.82 min vs 358.88 min for coupling (P<0.05). Differences in flap survival and partial necrosis rates between coupling and suturing groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Donor vessel distribution in the neck was significantly different in both groups. Estimated costs of the surgical procedures performed with and without coupler devices were not equal.</br> <br><b>Conclusions:</b> The use of couplers for venous anastomosis in free flap head and neck reconstructions impacts the surgery process by shortening surgery duration which leads to cost reduction.</br&gt.

PMID:35380117 | DOI:10.5604/01.3001.0015.3207

Ann Saudi Med. 2022 Mar-Apr;42(2):96-106. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2022.96. Epub 2022 Apr 7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a common cutaneous disorder of the skin and hair caused by a systemic depigmentation disorder that affects 1% of the population or less due to its onset in early adulthood. Meta-analyses have documented a linkage between vitiligo and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the relationship between the ApaI, BsmI, FokI and TaqI genetic variants in the VDR gene with vitiligo in a Saudi population.

DESIGN: Case-control.

SETTING: Single tertiary care center.

PATIENT AND METHODS: The case-control study was carried out between January 2015-December 2015 in Saudi vitiligo patients and healthy controls. VDR genetic variants or polymorphisms (ApaI, BsmI, FokI and TaqI) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length analysis followed by 3% agarose gel electrophoresis. Applicable statistical methods were used to assess relationships between vitiligo cases and controls.

MAIN OUTCOM MEASURE: Effect of genotype distribution among four single nucleotide polymorphisms.

SAMPLE SIZE: 152 vitiligo (median [IQR] 23 [19] years) patients and 159 healthy controls (45 [28.5] years).

RESULTS: We found an association of vitiligo with ApaI and BsmI polymorphisms (P<.05). However, a decreased risk was noted in vitiligo patients with FokI and TaqI polymorphisms and in the diplotype and haplotype analysis within males and females. A positive association with vitiligo was observed in ACAC and AC (adjusted by gender) haplotypes (P<.05). The strongest linkage disequilibrium was observed between rs79785232 (ApaI) and rs731236 (TaqI) polymorphisms (r²=.83), followed by rs2228570 (FokI) and rs1544410 (BsmI) polymorphisms (r²=.53).

CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm an association of vitiligo with ApaI and BsmI polymorphisms and fail to show an association in TaqI and FokI polymorphism with vitiligo. Additional studies need to be carried out in different Arab populations to determine whether the polymorphisms are present.

LIMITATIONS: Controls not age matched, small sample size, lack of biochemical parameters.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

PMID:35380061 | DOI:10.5144/0256-4947.2022.96

J Korean Med Sci. 2022 Apr 4;37(13):e68. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e68.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Denosumab (DEN) and zoledronic acid (ZOL) currently represent the most potent antiresorptive agents for the treatment of osteoporosis. Despite similar effects on bone resorption, these agents have distinct mechanisms of action. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of DEN and ZOL after two-year administration on bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone score (TBS), bone turnover markers, and persistence.

METHODS: A total of 585 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who did not use osteoporosis medications were retrospectively reviewed. 290 patients were administered 60 mg DEN subcutaneously every 6 months from 2017 to 2018, and 295 patients were treated with 5 mg ZOL intravenously yearly from 2015 to 2017. BMD, TBS, and C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX) measurements were obtained at baseline and two-year after DEN injection or ZOL infusion.

RESULTS: After two-year follow-up, 188 patients in the DEN group and 183 patients in the ZOL group were compared. BMD change from baseline at two years was significantly greater in the DEN group compared with the ZOL group (P < 0.001). The changes of TBS in the DEN group were statistically significant compared with baseline (P < 0.001) and the ZOL group (P < 0.001). The DEN group led to significantly greater reduction of CTX compared with ZOL group (P = 0.041).

CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, DEN was associated with greater BMD increase at all measured skeletal sites, greater increase of TBS, and greater inhibition of bone remodeling compared with ZOL.

PMID:35380023 | DOI:10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e68

J Breast Cancer. 2022 Mar 3. doi: 10.4048/jbc.2022.25.e10. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the imaging and pathological findings in axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer who received concurrent ipsilateral coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Of the 19 women with breast cancer who received concurrent COVID-19 vaccination shot in the arm ipsilateral to breast cancer, axillary lymphadenopathy was observed in 84.2% (16 of 19) of patients on ultrasound (US) and 71.4% (10 of 14) of patients on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 21.0% (4 of 19) of patients were diagnosed with metastasis. Abnormal US and MRI findings of cortical thickening, effacement of the fatty hilum, round shape, and asymmetry in the number or size relative to the contralateral side were noted in more than half of the non-metastatic and metastatic lymph nodes; however, statistical significance was not noted. Axillary lymphadenopathy is commonly observed in patients with breast cancer who receive concurrent ipsilateral COVID-19 vaccination without specific differential imaging features. Thus, understanding the limitations of axillary imaging and cautious interpretation is necessary to avoid overestimation or underestimation of the axillary disease burden.

PMID:35380019 | DOI:10.4048/jbc.2022.25.e10

J Breast Cancer. 2022 Mar 17. doi: 10.4048/jbc.2022.25.e13. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This corrects the article on p. 218 in vol. 24, PMID: 33913277.

PMID:35380022 | DOI:10.4048/jbc.2022.25.e13

Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2022 Apr 5. doi: 10.5603/FM.a2022.0033. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There are developmental variations in the paranasal sinuses. Our objective is to determine their dimensions and volume stratified by age and sex and define the expected growth pattern.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational study was performed including computed tomography (CT) of patients between 1 and 20 years of age. The volumes of the frontal, sphenoid, and maxillary sinuses were obtained.

RESULTS: A total of 210 CT were included with a mean age of 10±6.1 years, 106(50.5%) were female. Groups were categorized in ranges of 5 years. Spearman correlation coefficients between the right and left sides were 0.843, 0.711, 0.916 for the frontal, sphenoid and maxillary sinuses. Post-hoc for the categorical age groups demonstrated statistically significant differences with values of p < 0.01, except between age groups 11-15 against ≥ 16 years of age (p = 0.8). Gender-related differences were evident with a higher air volume in girls in the 5-10-year-old group, while boys predominated in the rest of the groups.

CONCLUSIONS: CT is ideal for pre-surgical sinus assessment. The maximum volume of paranasal sinuses is reached at age 15. There is a clear volumetric difference between age and gender groups. There is a direct relationship between a volume and its contralateral counterpart.

PMID:35380013 | DOI:10.5603/FM.a2022.0033

Hosp Pediatr. 2022 Apr 5:e2021005939. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2021-005939. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a group of infectious diseases that cause acute illness and lifelong health effects. Half of the diagnosed cases occur in adolescents and young adults, ages 15 to 24. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide guidelines for STI screening for sexually active adolescents. Despite this, screening rates in adolescents admitted to our hospital are low. The purpose of this study is to use quality improvement methodology to improve the percent of adolescent patients who had documentation of sexual histories from 49% to 69% and STI testing from 29% to 49%.

METHODS: Eligible patients included adolescents ages 14 to 18 admitted to our hospital’s academic general pediatric service. After baseline data collection, we introduced a series of 6 interventions; percentages of sexual history documentation and STI screening were recorded monthly. Interventions included resident education on STI screening, history, and physical form prompts for sexual history documentation, “badge buddy” sexual history templates, faculty development, and an electronic medical record template. Data were interpreted by using statistical process control to show process change.

RESULTS: Before the interventions, 48.7% of patients ages 14 to 18 had sexual histories documented; 29.1% of patients were tested for STIs. After interventions, there was a special cause variation resulting in new center lines of 67.1% and 49.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Simple interventions to normalize and standardize adolescent sexual history discussions cumulatively led to a significant increase in sexual history documentation and STI screening in an inpatient adolescent population.

PMID:35380002 | DOI:10.1542/hpeds.2021-005939

Rhinology. 2022 Apr 1;60(2):118-127. doi: 10.4193/Rhin21.284.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Changes in the nasal function following total laryngectomy resulted in histopathological alterations of the nasal mucosa. We aimed to evaluate the long-term histopathological changes and the mucociliary clearance (MCC) of the nasal mucosa after total laryngectomy.

METHODS: We performed a histological examination of inferior turbinate biopsy, and saccharine test to assess the MCC time for patients who were candidates for total laryngectomy before the procedure, 6-12 months after surgery, and at least two years postoperatively.

RESULTS: Seventy-five patients scheduled for total laryngectomy were initially enrolled in our study. We excluded patients who received postoperative radiotherapy or were lost during the follow-up period. Eventually, 63 and 54 patients were available for assessment 6-12 months after surgery and at least two years postoperatively, respectively. Except for ciliary and goblet cell destruction, which were significantly reduced 6-12 months postoperatively, there were no statistically significant differences in the histopathological findings of the nasal mucosa before surgery and 6-12 months postoperatively. After two years, the histopathological alterations of the nasal mucosa were statistically more evident than those before surgery and 6-12 months postoperatively; the most common histopathological findings were mononuclear cell infiltration and stromal fibrosis. The mean MCC time preoperatively was 12.56 minutes that statistically significantly decreased to 11.81 minutes 6-12 months after surgery; then, it significantly increased to 20.98 minutes at least two years postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS: After total laryngectomy, the nasal mucosa showed histopathological alterations and early enhancement of the MCC, which was later impaired due to nasal mucosal atrophy and the saprophytic infection.

PMID:35379996 | DOI:10.4193/Rhin21.284

Br Dent J. 2022 Apr 4. doi: 10.1038/s41415-022-4138-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Aims To report the oral surgery referral to treatment waiting times in hospitals in England and to identify any trends in the percentage of patients seen within 18 weeks.Materials and methods Data published by the NHS statistics team was analysed from 2016-2020.Results Pre-COVID-19, the best performing month was February 2016, with 91.5% of patients seen within 18 weeks. The worst performing month was September 2019, with 79.3% of patients seen within 18 weeks. Oral surgery was the worst performing speciality for 8% of months (4/50). Post-COVID-19, oral surgery was the worst performing speciality for 70% of months (7/10). In July 2020, the percentage of patients seen within 18 weeks of an oral surgery referral dropped to 24%.Discussion Over the last five years, there has been a steady decline in the number of patients who have been seen within 18 weeks of their oral surgery referral. There has also been an increase in oral surgery referrals to secondary care which needs to be addressed.Conclusion Improvements to undergraduate and postgraduate training, combined with enhanced commissioning of primary care services, is required.

PMID:35379925 | DOI:10.1038/s41415-022-4138-5