Search results for "Confidence Intervals"
showing 10 items of 111 documents
Case Control Study of Neuroblastoma in West-Germany after the Chernobyl Accident
1996
Background To explore possible causes of a 1988 incidence peak of infant neuroblastoma in west German regions which were contaminated with more than 6000 Bq/m2 Cs137 from the Chernobyl accident. The primary working hypothesis was that parents of the diseased children had been contaminated by an excessive intake of locally produced food, especially mushrooms or deer. Design Case control study with 1:2 (cases:controls) matching. Data were collected from the children's parents by questionnaires and telephone interviews. Setting Nation-wide study (former FRG) based on the German Childhood Cancer Registry. Subjects Cases born in 1988 and reported with a neuroblastoma to the registry until March …
Differences in axial segment reorientation during standing turns predict multiple falls in older adults
2011
Author's version of an article in the journal: Gait and Posture. Also available from the publisher at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.05.013 Background: The assessment of standing turning performance is proposed to predict fall risk in older adults. This study investigated differences in segmental coordination during a 360° standing turn task between older community-dwelling fallers and non-fallers. Methods: Thirty-five older adults age mean (SD) of 71 (5.4) years performed 360° standing turns. Head, trunk and pelvis position relative to the laboratory and each other were recorded using a Vicon motion analysis system. Fall incidence was monitored by monthly questionnaire over the…
Usefulness of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in predicting long-term mortality in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.
2007
Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N/L) has been associated with poor outcomes in patients who underwent cardiac angiography. Nevertheless, its role for risk stratification in acute coronary syndromes, specifically in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), has not been elucidated. We sought to determine the association of N/L maximum value (N/L max) with mortality in the setting of STEMI and to compare its predictive ability with total white blood cell maximum count (WBC max). We analyzed 515 consecutive patients admitted with STEMI to a single university center. White blood cells (WBC) and differential count were measured at admission and daily for the first 96 hour…
Efficacy of switching between tumor necrosis factor-alfa inhibitors in psoriasis: results from the Italian Psocare registry
2014
Background: Some studies have shown that switching patients from one tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alfa inhibitor to another may be beneficial when they have an inadequate response or an adverse event. Objective: We sought to assess the variables predicting the efficacy of the second TNF-alfa inhibitor in patients discontinuing the first TNF-alfa inhibitor. Methods: Data from all 5423 consecutive patients starting TNF-alfa inhibitor therapy for psoriasis between September 2005 and September 2010 who were included in the Italian Psocare registry were analyzed. Results: In 105 patients who switched to a second TNF-alfa inhibitor who had complete follow-up data, 75% improvement in the Psoriasis …
In vitro carious lesion detection on D-, E-, and F-speed radiographic films
2004
Abstract Objectives To compare the accuracy in detection of interproximal natural carious lesions in vitro between Ultraspeed (D), Ektaspeed Plus (E), and Insight (F) radiographic films. Study design Ten observers indicated on a 5-point scale their confidence in detecting an interproximal lesion in 240 surfaces (120 extracted teeth) with noncavitated carious lesions. Truth was assessed microscopically from hemisections. The areas (Az) beneath receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were pairwise compared and used for a 2-way analysis of variance. Results Az values were significantly correlated with observers ( P = .002; Eta = 0.671) and film type ( P = .003; Eta = 0.412). E differe…
Risk factors and interventional strategies for BK polyomavirus infection after renal transplantation.
2012
BK virus (BKV)-induced viraemia after renal transplantation can be associated with severe impairment of graft function. This study evaluated possible risk factors for BKV replication and examined the outcomes following various currently used treatment approaches.Fifty-seven renal transplant recipients with BKV viraemia were retrospectively compared with 71 BKV-negative recipients to identify risk factors for BKV viraemia. Furthermore, outcome and graft function in 14 patients with BKV replication, in whom mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) was discontinued with a dose reduction of the remaining immunosuppressants, were compared with 32 patients in whom both MMF and the additional immunosuppressant…
Economic impact of mepolizumab in uncontrolled severe eosinophilic asthma, in real life
2021
Abstract Background and aims Severe asthma is burdened by frequent exacerbations and use of oral corticosteroids (OCS) which worsen patients’ health and increase healthcare spending. Aim of this study was to assess the clinical and economic effect of adding mepolizumab (MEP) for the treatment of these patients. Methods Patients >18 years old, referred to 8 asthma clinics, starting MEP between May 2017 and December 2018, were enrolled and followed-up for 12 months. Information in the 12 months before mepolizumab were collected retrospectively. The evaluation parameters included: OCS use, number of exacerbations/hospitalizations, concomitant therapies, comorbidity, and annual number of workin…
Tissue factor and its procoagulant activity on cancer‐associated thromboembolism in pancreatic cancer
2021
Abstract Pancreatic cancer frequently involves cancer‐associated thromboembolism, which is strongly associated with poor prognosis. Tissue factor, a blood coagulation factor largely produced in cancer patients as a component of extracellular vesicles, plays a key role in the incidence of cancer‐associated thromboembolism in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, no prospective studies have been published on the relationship between tissue factor and cancer‐associated thromboembolism or patient clinical characteristics, including recent chemotherapy regimens. Thus, we aimed to address this in a Japanese cohort of 197 patients and 41 healthy volunteers. Plasma tissue factor levels were mea…
Apolipoprotein E genotype does not influence the progression of multiple sclerosis
2003
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphisms and the progression of MS. METHODS: We investigated 428 subjects affected by clinically defined MS, with a disease duration of at least three years. We collected data concerning the age at onset of MS, clinical type, disease duration and disability according to the expanded disability status scale (EDSS). We also calculated the progression index (PI) to evaluate disease progression. APOE genotyping and the -491 A/T polymorphism of the APOE promoter were determined. RESULTS: No association was observed between the APOE epsilon4 allele and clinical characteristics of our study population. We also investiga…
The association between dermoscopic features and BRAF mutational status in cutaneous melanoma: Significance of the blue-white veil.
2018
Background: The genetic basis of melanoma affects its clinicopathologic characteristics and increasingly influences its management. B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase gene (BRAF)-mutated melanoma may present with specific dermoscopic features. Objectives: To identify the dermoscopic features associated with BRAF mutation in cutaneous melanoma and to evaluate a model capable of predicting BRAF mutations on the basis of dermoscopic and clinicopathologic features that are easily accessible in normal clinical practice. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional, observational, and descriptive study was performed. A total of 93 cutaneous melanomas with dermoscopic images from 93 patients…