Tag: statistics

Turk Neurosurg. 2020 Jun 30. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.30774-20.4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: One of the main complications caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) is intracerebral hemorrhage, and if we can somehow prevent the expansion of intracerebral hemorrhage, it reduces mortality and also the need for surgical intervention. This study aimed to determine the effect of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid (TXA) on a traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage Material and Methods: 94 cases of TBI with intracerebral hemorrhage, admitted to the emergency department, who did not need surgical intervention, were randomly assigned into two groups of 47 patients. In the treatment group Intravenous TXA was administered every 6 hours for 48 hours, and in the control group, the placebo was administered in the same way. After 6, 24, and 48 hours all the cases underwent a brain CT scan. Scans were examined for the size and diameter of hematoma and the midline shift. The information regarding the level of consciousness, hematoma volume, and diameter on CT scan were recorded on arrival and 48h later Results: Statistical results depicts that while there was no considerable difference in the demographic aspect of the two groups, volume and diameter of hematoma and the midline shift in the first CT scans and also their level of consciousness, the diameter and volume of hematoma and also the amount of hematoma expansion in follow up have significant differences in the two groups.

CONCLUSION: This study showed that the prescription of TXA would reduce the amount of hematoma expansion in traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage, and the medicine can be introduced to reduce the morbidity and complications.

PMID:33624275 | DOI:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.30774-20.4

Turk Neurosurg. 2020 Oct 16. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.31668-20.1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: We sought to evaluate the usefulness of the rostral line (R-line) as a new index for determining the degree of C2 lamina decompression in the context of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) extending to the C2 level.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The R-line was devised based on the mechanism by which the cord is shifted backward following cervical posterior decompression. According to their R-line status, 36 patients with cervical OPLL extending to the C2 level were divided into two groups of R-line (+)and R-line (-) cases, where the R-line touched the upper half of the posterior C2 lamina in the R-line (+) group and the inferior half of the posterior C2 lamina in the R-line (-) group, respectively.

RESULTS: Eighteen patients were classified as R-line (+) and 18 patients were classified as R-line (-). Total laminectomy of the C2 lamina was more common in the R-line (+) group, while dome-shape C2 laminectomy was more common in the R-line (-) group. All patients requiring reoperation were included in the R-line (+) group. Only the operation type showed a statistically significant difference according to the need for reoperation in the R-line (+) group; specifically, all patients who underwent reoperation in the R-line (+) group had dome-shape C2 laminectomy. It was determined that the risk factor for reoperation in the R-line (+) group was a history of dome-shape C2 laminectomy.

CONCLUSION: If the R-line touches the upper half of the posterior C2 lamina, total decompression of the C2 lamina should be performed.

PMID:33624283 | DOI:10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.31668-20.1

J Adv Nurs. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1111/jan.14805. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To test a theoretical model aiming to understand which characteristics of the professional nursing practice environment most affect patients, professionals and institution outcomes.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional and correlational study, using a structural equation model.

METHODS: One thousand seven hundred and seventy-three staff nurses were recruited using convenience sampling in five Brazilian hospitals from November 2017 to July 2018. Structural equation modelling was used to assess the relationship between the characteristics of the nursing work environment and patients (climate of safety and quality of care), nursing professionals (job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion) and institutions (intention to leave the job) outcomes. The model was tested using the partial least squares method, considering the bootstrapping technique to estimate the results. The path coefficients and their respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The quality of fit of the structural model was assessed by calculating the coefficient of determination (R² ), the predictive validity coefficient (Q² ) and the effect size (f² ).

RESULTS: The characteristics that most affected the outcomes for patients were Nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses (λ=0.27), and Staffing and resource adequacy (λ=0.26); for nursing professionals, Staffing and resource adequacy (λ=-0.19), and Collegial nurse-physician relations (λ=0.19); and for institutions, Nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses (λ=-0.10), and Collegial nurse-physician relations (λ=-0.10).

CONCLUSION: The characteristics of the professional nursing practice environment that most contribute to achieving better outcomes include nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses, staffing and resource adequacy, and collegial nurse-physician relations.

IMPACT: This study allowed us to assess which strategies should be prioritized in the professional nursing practice environment to achieve better results. Thus, investment in the training of leadership, in the adequacy of resources, and in physician-nurse relations will bring better results for patients, nursing professionals, and institutions.

PMID:33624302 | DOI:10.1111/jan.14805

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-12942-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Most studies focused on the temporal trend of mortality risk associated with temperature exposure. The relative role of heat, cold, and temperature variation (TV) on morbidity and its temporal trends are explored insufficiently. This study aims to investigate the temporal trends of emergency ambulance dispatch (EAD) risk and the attributable burden of heat, cold, and hourly temperature variation (HTV). We collected time-series data of daily EAD and ambient temperature in Shenzhen from 2010 to 2017. HTV was calculated as the standard deviation of the hourly temperatures between 2 consecutive days. Quasi-Poisson generalized additive models (GAM) with a time-varying distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) were applied to examine temporal trends of the HTV-, heat-, and cold-EAD association. The temporal variation of the attributable fraction (AF%) and attributable number (AN) for different temperature exposures was also calculated. The largest RR was observed in extreme cold [1.30 (95% CI: 1.18, 1.43)] and moderate cold [1.25 (95% CI: 1.17, 1.34)]. Significant increasing trends in HTV-related effects and burden were observed, especially for the extreme HTV effects (P for interaction < 0.05). Decreasing trends were observed in the heat-related effect and burden, though it showed no significance (P for interaction = 0.46). There was no clear change pattern of cold-related effects and burdens. Overall, the three temperature exposure caused 13.7% of EAD, of which 4.1%, 4.3%, and 5.3% were attributed to HTV, heat, and cold, respectively. All the temperature indexes in this study, especially the cold effect, are responsible for the increased risk of EAD. People have become more susceptible to HTV over the recent decade. However, there is no clear evidence to support the temporal change of the population’s susceptibility to heat and cold. Thus, in addition to heat and cold, the emergency ambulance service department should pay more attention to HTV under climate change.

PMID:33624238 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-021-12942-6

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-12896-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The defensibility of field sampling data collected in support of natural resource damage assessments and other environmental investigations depends on rigorous quality assurance and control both in the field and laboratory. One important step in field procedures is the cleaning of sampling equipment between samples to minimize the carryover of contaminants. Large-scale sampling efforts during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event have highlighted the importance of understanding how multiple equipment cleaning protocols affect interstation cross-contamination and the resulting chemical data quality. In this study, six field cleaning techniques were tested on metal sampling equipment using two different sediment types spiked with crude oil in order to understand their relative and absolute effectiveness in reducing chemical carryover. The complexity of the cleaning protocols ranged from a simple water and scrub brush application to protocols that included soap and/or solvent. In this study, percent residual hydrocarbon transfer, relative to total loading in sediments, never exceeded 0.032%. The least labor-intensive protocol, water and scrub brush application, had the highest potential for hydrocarbon transfer (0.011-0.032%). Statistical differences were observed among treatments, and it was found that protocols containing a solvent step were more effective than protocols without solvents. Depending on the data quality objectives, the differences may not be meaningful, and choosing a cleaning technique should be governed by health, safety, and environmental factors. The residual hydrocarbons measured after equipment cleanings for all techniques in this study were negligible when compared with other variables that occur during routine sampling and laboratory activities.

PMID:33624247 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-021-12896-9

J Sleep Res. 2021 Feb 23:e13278. doi: 10.1111/jsr.13278. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Primary insomnia is often considered a disorder of 24-hr hyperarousal. Numerous attempts have been made to investigate nocturnal heart rate (HR) and its variability (HRV) as potential pathophysiological hallmarks of altered arousal levels in insomnia, with mixed results. We have aimed to overcome some of the pitfalls of previous studies by using a young, medication-free, age- and gender-matched population consisting of 43 students aged 18-30 years half with a subthreshold insomnia complaint. We employed at-home ambulatory polysomnography and compared this attenuated insomnia group to a good sleeping group. The poor sleepers had significantly higher wake after sleep onset, arousal count, mean HR in all sleep stages (with the exception of Stage 1) and lower sleep efficiency. Consistent with previous research, we also found a significant group-by-sleep stage interaction in the prediction of nocturnal HR, highlighting the insomnia group to have a lower wake-sleep HR reduction compared to good sleepers. When restricting our analyses to insomnia with objectively determined short sleep duration, we found significantly lower standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN; a measure of HRV) compared to good sleepers. Taken together, this lends credence to the hyperarousal model of insomnia and may at least partially explain the increased prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality observed in patients with insomnia.

PMID:33622029 | DOI:10.1111/jsr.13278

Med J Aust. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.5694/mja2.50960. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of a pro-active, absolute cardiovascular risk-guided approach to opportunistically modifying cardiovascular risk factors in patients without coronary ischaemia attending a chest pain clinic.

DESIGN: Prospective, randomised, open label, blinded endpoint study.

SETTING: The rapid access chest pain clinic of Royal Hobart Hospital, a tertiary hospital.

PARTICIPANTS: Patients who presented to the chest pain clinic between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2017 who had intermediate to high absolute cardiovascular risk scores (5-year risk ≥ 8%). Patients with known cardiac disease or from groups with clinically determined high risk of cardiovascular disease were excluded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was change in 5-year absolute risk score (Australian absolute risk calculator) at follow-up (at least 12 months after baseline assessment). Secondary endpoints were changes in lipid profile, blood pressure, smoking status, and body mass index, and major adverse cardiovascular events.

RESULTS: The mean change in risk at follow-up was +0.4 percentage points (95% CI, -0.8 to 1.5 percentage points) for the 98 control group patients and -2.4 percentage points (95% CI, -1.5 to -3.4 percentage points) for the 91 intervention group patients; the between-group difference in change was 2.7 percentage points (95% CI, 1.2-4.1 percentage points). Mean changes in lipid profile, systolic blood pressure, and smoking status were larger for the intervention group, but not statistically different from those for the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: An absolute cardiovascular risk-guided, pro-active risk factor management strategy employed opportunistically in a chest pain clinic significantly improved 5-year absolute cardiovascular risk scores.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12617000615381 (retrospective).

PMID:33622026 | DOI:10.5694/mja2.50960

Vet Clin Pathol. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1111/vcp.12980. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The accessibility of thromboelastography (TEG) to general practitioners is limited by short sample storage times (30 minutes) and storage temperatures (20-23°C).

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the stability of canine and equine citrated blood samples when stored for extended periods of time, both at room temperature (RT) (20-23°C) and refrigerator temperature (FT) (2-7.5°C).

METHODS: Citrated whole blood samples from healthy dogs and horses (n = 10 for each) were stored for 30 minutes (baseline) at RT before TEG analysis. Baseline values for TEG variables R, K, α, MA, LY30, and LY60 were compared with those from samples stored for 2, 8, and 22.5 h, at RT and FT. Results were compared using an ANOVA (P < .05). Total allowable analytical error (TE_a ) based on biological variation data was used to evaluate stability.

RESULTS: In dogs, statistically significant differences included shorter R, longer K, decreased MA, and increased LY60 at various time points and storage temperatures from 2 h onward. Only samples stored for 2 h at FT showed acceptable stability compared with TE_a . In horses, statistically significant differences included shorter R and K, and decreased α, LY30, and LY60 at various time points and storage temperatures from 2 h onward. Samples were not stable at any time compared with TE_a , regardless of the temperature.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study, canine samples could be stored for up to 2 h at FT without affecting TEG results; equine samples should be stored for 30 minutes at RT.

PMID:33622027 | DOI:10.1111/vcp.12980

Eur J Dent. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1723065. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of additional apical preparation using the ProDesign Logic (PDL) 50/.01 rotary heat-treated nickel-titanium (NiTi) file with a larger diameter and minimal taper for retreatment of curved root canals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mesial curved root canals of 12 mandibular molars were prepared using PDL 25/.06 and filled using the continuous wave of condensation technique and AH Plus sealer. After retreatment using ProDesign S (PDS) 25/.08, PDL 25/.06 and PDL 35/05, a complementary procedure was performed with PDL 50/.01. Microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) scanning was performed before and after retreatment procedures. The cyclic fatigue resistance of unused PDS 25/.08, PDL 25/.06, PDL 35/.05 and PDL 50/.01 instruments (n = 12) was evaluated in a stainless-steel device.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data on the volumes of the root canals and the remaining filling materials were submitted to the paired t-test. Cyclic fatigue resistance data was submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s tests (α = 0.05).

RESULTS: Use of PDL 50/.01 decreased the remaining filling materials in the apical third (p < 0.05). The root canal volume was similar in the cervical and middle thirds before and after preparation using PDL 50/.01 (p > 0.05). PDL 50/.01 presented the highest cyclic fatigue resistance (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Use of the PDL 50/.01 instrument as an additional apical preparation for retreatment of curved root canals improved filling material removal in the apical third, while maintaining the dentin in the cervical and middle thirds. In addition, PDL 50/.01 presented high-flexural resistance.

PMID:33622011 | DOI:10.1055/s-0041-1723065

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1002/jmri.27575. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are both capable of predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, which modality is better is unknown.

PURPOSE: To intraindividually compare CT and MRI for predicting MVI in solitary HCC and investigate the added value of radiomics analyses.

STUDY TYPE: Retrospective.

SUBJECTS: Included were 402 consecutive patients with HCC (training set:validation set = 300:102).

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging MRI at 3.0T and contrast-enhanced CT.

ASSESSMENT: CT- and MR-based radiomics signatures (RS) were constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. CT- and MR-based radiologic (R) and radiologic-radiomics (RR) models were developed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The performance of the RS/models was compared between two modalities. To investigate the added value of RS, the performance of the R models was compared with the RR models in HCC of all sizes and 2-5 cm in size.

STATISTICAL TESTS: Model performance was quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and compared using the Delong test.

RESULTS: Histopathologic MVI was identified in 161 patients (training set:validation set = 130:31). MRI-based RS/models tended to have a marginally higher AUC than CT-based RS/models (AUCs of CT vs. MRI, P: RS, 0.801 vs. 0.804, 0.96; R model, 0.809 vs. 0.832, 0.09; RR model, 0.835 vs. 0.872, 0.54). The improvement of RR models over R models in all sizes was not significant (P = 0.21 at CT and 0.09 at MRI), whereas the improvement in 2-5 cm was significant at MRI (P < 0.05) but not at CT (P = 0.16).

DATA CONCLUSION: CT and MRI had a comparable predictive performance for MVI in solitary HCC. The RS of MRI only had significant added value for predicting MVI in HCC of 2-5 cm.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

PMID:33622022 | DOI:10.1002/jmri.27575