0000000000042473
AUTHOR
Bernd Röhrig
Health-related quality of life in elderly cancer patients, elderly non-cancer patients and an elderly general population
Health-related quality of life (QoL) is a major topic within the care for cancer patients (CP). Compared with the general population (GP), QoL of CP is worse in most dimensions; however, only few data comparing QoL of CP with that of other patients have been provided so far. We determined QoL with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire in hospitalized patients aged 60 years and older: 195 CP and 130 patients treated for other medical disorders (MP). In addition, data were compared with an age- and gender-stratified German GP. Explorative statistical analyses were performed. The CP aged >or=70 years compared with those aged 60-69 years had decrea…
Requestioning depression in patients with cancer: Contribution of somatic and affective symptoms to Beck's Depression Inventory
Background: Depressive symptoms are a major complaint reported by cancer patients. Somatic and affective symptoms can contribute to depression. Patients and methods: We investigated the prevalence of somatic and affective depressive symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in 213 hospitalized cancer patients prior to the start of chemotherapy. Results: Seventeen of 213 patients (8%) were screened positive for major depression; 40 (19%) had mild to moderate depressive symptoms. The corresponding figures for somatic and affective symptoms were 33.3% and 2.8% in the patients with major depression and 23.0% and 8.0% in those with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Female patients, p…
The effectiveness of a novel optical probe in subgingival calculus detection
: Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel optical calculus detection system under in vivo conditions. Methods: One hundred and seventy-six tooth surfaces from 44 adult teeth that were indicated for extraction were selected for the present study. The patients were randomly assigned to one of the two experimental groups. In group A (n = 96), clinical presence or absence of subgingival calculus deposits was determined using the light-emitting diode-based optical probe (OP). In group B (n = 80), the subgingival deposits were first recorded with the OP followed by root surface debridement until no subgingival deposits could be detected by the devi…
Depression and functional impairment independently contribute to decreased quality of life in cancer patients prior to chemotherapy
An inverse association either between depression or impaired functional status and quality of life (QoL) has been reported for cancer patients, but the independent effect of depression or depressive symptoms and of functional impairment on QoL is unclear.We investigated the prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the functional impairment with the ECOG-Performance-Status (ECOG-PS) and the QoL with the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire in a sample of 175 hospitalised cancer patients prior to the start of chemotherapy.Sixteen of 175 patients (9.1%) screened positive for major depression, 29 (16.6%) had mild to moderate depressive symptoms. In 11 of …
A comparison of micropore membrane inlet mass spectrometry–derived pulmonary shunt measurement with riley shunt in a porcine model
The multiple inert gas elimination technique was developed to measure shunt and the ratio of alveolar ventilation to simultaneous alveolar capillary blood flow in any part of the lung (V(A)'/Q') distributions. Micropore membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MMIMS), instead of gas chromatography, has been introduced for inert gas measurement and shunt determination in a rabbit lung model. However, agreement with a frequently used and accepted method for quantifying deficits in arterial oxygenation has not been established. We compared MMIMS-derived shunt (M-S) as a fraction of total cardiac output (CO) with Riley shunt (R-S) derived from the R-S formula in a porcine lung injury model.To allow a …
The determination of the initial straight length in root canals of mandibular premolars--an in vitro study.
Abstract The aim of the present roentgenographic in vitro study was to determine the initial straight length from the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) to the appearance of a root canal curvature in human mandibular premolars. A total number of 282 mandibular premolars were examined. Exclusion criteria comprised root caries, extensive restorations and endodontically treated teeth. The teeth were fixed and digitally radiographed by means of a specially developed fixation device with standardized and reproducible distances with the parallel technique (Heliodent MD; Merlin 2.1). The distances from the CEJ to the first curvature (> 5°) (distance I), from the first curvature to a second curvature (d…
Critical Appraisal of Scientific Articles
Despite the increasing number of scientific publications, many physicians find themselves with less and less time to read what others have written. Selection, reading, and critical appraisal of publications is, however, necessary to stay up to date in one’s field. This is also demanded by the precepts of evidence-based medicine (1, 2). Besides the medical content of a publication, its interpretation and evaluation also require understanding of the statistical methodology. Sadly, not even in science are all terms always used correctly. The word "significance," for example, has been overused because significant (or positive) results are easier to get published (3, 4). The aim of this article …
Induction of tolerogenic lung CD4+ T cells by local treatment with a pSTAT-3 and pSTAT-5 inhibitor ameliorated experimental allergic asthma.
Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 inhibitors play an important role in regulating immune responses. Galiellalactone (GL) is a fungal secondary metabolite known to interfere with the binding of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (pSTAT)-3 as well of pSTAT-6 dimers to their target DNA in vitro. Intra nasal delivery of 50 μg GL into the lung of naive Balb/c mice induced FoxP3 expression locally and IL-10 production and IL-12p40 in RNA expression in the airways in vivo. In a murine model of allergic asthma, GL significantly suppressed the cardinal features of asthma, such as airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilia and mucus production, after…
Study Design in Medical Research
Medical research studies can be split into five phases—planning, performance, documentation, analysis, and publication (1, 2). Aside from financial, organizational, logistical and personnel questions, scientific study design is the most important aspect of study planning. The significance of study design for subsequent quality, the relability of the conclusions, and the ability to publish a study are often underestimated (1). Long before the volunteers are recruited, the study design has set the points for fulfilling the study objectives. In contrast to errors in the statistical evaluation, errors in design cannot be corrected after the study has been completed. This is why the study design…
The combination of diffractive and refractive multifocal intraocular lenses to provide full visual function after cataract surgery.
PURPOSE To investigate if implantation of a far dominant refractive multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) in one eye and a near dominant diffractive multifocal IOL in the fellow eye improves range of vision following cataract surgery. METHODS This was a prospective, nonrandomized, case-control study involving 20 patients (40 eyes) scheduled for cataract surgery. Inclusion criteria were bilateral cataracts, minimum age 50 years, availability for follow-up visits, and informed consent. All patients received a far dominant refractive multifocal IOL (ReZoom, Abbott Medical Optics) in their dominant eye and a near dominant diffractive multifocal IOL (Tecnis ZM900, AMO) in their nondominant eye. Preo…
Radiographic Investigation of Frequency and Location of Root Canal Curvatures in Human Mandibular Anterior Incisors In Vitro
The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the degree and location of root canal curvatures of mandibular anterior incisors. A total of 396 extracted human permanent anterior incisors (248 central and 148 lateral) were included in this investigation. Exclusion criteria were teeth with extensive carious lesions, restorations, and root canal treatment. The specimens were fixed in a special device and digitally x-rayed (Heliodent MD; Sirona, Benzheim, Germany; Merlin 2.1, Olympus/PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA) with the parallel technique. The distances from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the first curvatures as well as the according angles were recorded. The results were analyzed de…
Clinical evaluation of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite paste in the treatment of human periodontal bony defects--a randomized controlled clinical trial: 6-month results.
The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of intrabony periodontal defects following treatment with a novel nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (NHA) paste to open flap debridement.Twenty-eight subjects, each displaying one intrabony defect with probing depth (PD)or =6 mm and radiographic evidence of an intraosseous componentor =3 mm participated in the present study. Subjects were allocated randomly to treatment with NHA paste (test group) or open flap debridement (control group). At baseline and at 6 months after surgery, the following clinical parameters were recorded by a masked examiner: plaque index, gingival index, PD, clinical attachment level (CAL), and gingival recessio…
Elective nephron sparing surgery for renal cell carcinoma larger than 4 cm.
Elective nephron sparing surgery is established as an alternative to radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma if tumors are small (4 cm or less, stage T1a). We compared outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma 4 cm or less (small) vs more than 4 cm (large) who were treated with nephron sparing surgery.Between 1979 and 2006, 618 patients underwent elective nephron sparing surgery at our institution. Of these patients 474 (76.7%) had renal cell carcinoma, which was 4 cm or less in 372 (78.5%) and more than 4 cm in 102 (21.5%). Followup was 4.7 (range 0.1 to 23.9) years for small and 4.7 (range 0.1 to 24.1) years for large tumors. Cancer specific survival and local recurrence free su…
Confidence Interval or P-Value?: Part 4 of a Series on Evaluation of Scientific Publications
An understanding of p-values and confidence intervals is necessary for the evaluation of scientific articles. This article will inform the reader of the meaning and interpretation of these two statistical concepts.The uses of these two statistical concepts and the differences between them are discussed on the basis of a selective literature search concerning the methods employed in scientific articles.P-values in scientific studies are used to determine whether a null hypothesis formulated before the performance of the study is to be accepted or rejected. In exploratory studies, p-values enable the recognition of any statistically noteworthy findings. Confidence intervals provide informatio…
Ability of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite paste to promote human periodontal ligament cell proliferation.
Recent studies indicate that nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nano-HA) paste represents a promising class of bone graft substitute. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of nano-HA function have not yet been determined. This study was conducted to investigate the proliferation of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells cultured in the presence of nano-HA paste and to characterize associated changes in intracellular signaling pathways. Cultured PDL cells were stimulated with nano-HA paste and enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in a soluble form. Proliferation of PDL cells was determined by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in the DNA of proliferating cells. In order to understand th…
Descriptive Statistics
A set of medical data is based on a collection of the data of individual cases or objects, also called observation units or statistical units. Every case, for example every study participant, patient, every experimental animal, every tooth or every cell shows comparable parameters (such as body weight, gender, erosion, pH). Each of these parameters, also called variables, has a specific parameter value (gender = male, age = 30 years, weight = 70 kg) for each observation unit (for example the patient). The aim of descriptive statistics is to summarize the data, so that they can be clearly illustrated (1–3). The property of a parameter is specified by its so-called scale of measure. Generally…