Search results for "Reproducibility"
showing 10 items of 1976 documents
Simplified criteria for the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis
2008
Diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) may be challenging. However, early diagnosis is important because immunosuppression is life-saving. Diagnostic criteria of the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG) were complex and purely meant for scientific purposes. This study of the IAIHG aims to define simplified diagnostic criteria for routine clinical practice. Candidate criteria included sex, age, autoantibodies, immunoglobulins, absence of viral hepatitis, and histology. The training set included 250 AIH patients and 193 controls from 11 centers worldwide. Scores were built from variables showing predictive ability in univariate analysis. Diagnostic value of each score was assesse…
Reliability and Validity of a New Objective Tool for Low Back Pain Functional Assessment
2011
Study design Classification and functional assessment model for nonspecific low back pain (LBP) patients and controls on the basis of kinematic analysis parameters. Objective Develop a logistic regression model using kinematic analysis variables to (1) discriminate between LBP patients and controls and (2) obtain objective parameters for LBP functional assessment. Summary of background data Functional assessment of spinal disorders has been carried out traditionally by means of subjective scales. Objective functional techniques have been developed, which usually involve the application of external loads or the analysis of highly standardized trunk flexion-extension maneuvers. Few studies ha…
Quantitative anatomical differences in central corneal thickness values determined with scanning-slit corneal topography and noncontact specular micr…
2005
PURPOSE This study was designed to analyze the differences in central corneal thickness values determined with noncontact specular microscopy and scanning-slit corneal topography. The measurements were performed on the same eye. METHODS We analyzed the central corneal thickness values of 93 patients (n = 93) by means of noncontact specular microscopy (Topcon SP-2000P noncontact specular microscope, Topcon Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and scanning-slit corneal topography (Orbscan Topography System II, Orbscan Inc., Salt Lake City, UT). One experienced physician performed 3 consecutive central corneal thickness measurements with both devices. RESULTS The central corneal thickness values obtained by m…
Confounding factors of transvaginal ultrasound accuracy in endometrial cancer.
2020
Endometrial cancer is the most frequently diagnosed gynecological tumour. Transvaginal ultrasound has a leading role in the preoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer patients. The study aimed to identify factors that can worsen the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound in endometrial cancer patients. We retrospectively analysed 290 patients with histological diagnosis of endometrial adenocarcinoma. Two-dimensional (2D) gray-scale ultrasound and power Doppler imaging were performed. Age, menopause status, obesity, parity, Figo stage and benign uterine disorders were evaluated as possible factors worsening the diagnostic accuracy of the ultrasonography. FIGO stage IB was the main…
Development and testing of new screening method for keratan sulfate in mucopolysaccharidosis IVA.
2004
Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA), a progressive lysosomal storage disease, causes skeletal dysplasia through excessive storage of keratan sulfate (KS). We developed an ELISA-sandwich assay that used a MAb specific to KS. Forty-five blood and 59 urine specimens from MPS IVA patients (ages 1–65 y) were analyzed to determine whether KS concentration is a suitable marker for early diagnosis and longitudinal assessment of disease severity. Blood specimens were obtained from patients categorized as phenotypically severe (n = 36) and milder (n = 9). Urine specimens were also analyzed from patients categorized as severe (n = 56) and milder (n = 12), respectively. Blood KS levels (101–1525 ng/mL)…
Revealing deterministic structures in click-evoked otoacoustic emissions.
2000
Click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) were studied by means of recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) and were found to be endowed with a relevant amount of deterministic structuring. Such a structure showed highly significant correlation with the clinical evaluation of the signal over a data set including 56 signals. Moreover, 1) one of the RQA variables, Trend, was very sensitive to phase transitions in the dynamical regime of CEOAEs, and 2) appropriate use of principal component analysis proved able to isolate the individual character of the studied signals. These results are of general interest for the study of auditory signal transduction and generation mechanisms.
A laparoscopic risk-adjusted model to predict major complications after primary debulking surgery in ovarian cancer: A single-institution assessment
2016
Abstract Objective To develop and validate a simple adjusted laparoscopic score to predict major postoperative complications after primary debulking surgery (PDS) in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC). Methods From January 2006 to June 2015, preoperative, intraoperative, and post-operative outcome data from patients undergoing staging laparoscopy (S-LPS) before receiving PDS (n=555) were prospectively collected in an electronic database and retrospectively analyzed. Major complications were defined as levels 3 to 5 of MSKCC classification. On the basis of a multivariate regression model, the score was developed using a random two-thirds of the population (n=370) and was validated on …
Psychological assessment of patients with temporomandibular disorders: confirmatory analysis of the dimensional structure of the Brief Symptoms Inven…
2006
Abstract Objective This article analyzes the psychometric and structural properties of the Brief Symptoms Inventory 18 in a sample of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), given the convenience of a brief evaluation of distress in these patients. Methods Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out in a sample of 114 patients with TMDs. Two models were tested: the theoretical model with the original structure proposed—which considers three dimensions—and the empirical model obtained through the exploratory factor analysis initially carried out by Leonard R. Derogatis—which consists of the four-factor structure. Results Both models reached satisfactory indexes in confirmatory fac…
Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Evaluating Cancer Symptoms: A Systematic Review.
2021
Abstract Objectives This systematic review aims to evaluate the psychometric properties and the methodologic quality of studies describing smartphone-, tablet- or computer-based questionnaires for Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) evaluating symptoms in oncology and hematology patients. Data Sources A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Cinahl, Cuiden, Lilacs, and PsycINFO. Criteria for inclusion were (i) primary studies evaluating scales for symptoms assessment, (ii) developed in adult population (>18 years) with an oncology or hematology malignancy diagnosis, (iii) validations tested via phone or computer, and (iv) describing at least one psychometric prope…
Imaging of sarcopenia.
2016
Sarcopenia is currently considered a geriatric syndrome increasing in older people. The consequences of sarcopenia – in terms of impaired mobility, limited self-sufficiency and disability – have been amply demonstrated, increasing the need to develop methods to identify muscle mass loss as early as possible. Although sarcopenia involves a reduction in both muscle mass and function, loss of muscle mass remains the essential criterion for diagnosing this condition in daily practice. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging represent the gold standard for studying body composition, and can identify quantitative and qualitative changes in muscle mass. These techniques are costly, time…