Search results for "case-control"
showing 10 items of 1685 documents
Gray matter alteration in dyslexia: converging evidence from volumetric and voxel-by-voxel MRI analyses.
2004
Affecting up to 4-10% of the population, dyslexia is a highly prevalent, childhood onset developmental disorder adversely influencing multiple domains of adaptive functioning throughout the lifespan. The present brain imaging study was conducted in order to investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of developmental dyslexia. The MRI brain scans of 10 males with dyslexia and 14 matched controls were analyzed with (1) a classical volumetric method measuring gray and white matter lobar volumes and (2) a voxel-by-voxel method. The voxel-by-voxel method identifies changes in tissue density and localizes morphologic alterations without limiting the analyses to predefined regions. Subsequent corr…
Requestioning depression in patients with cancer: Contribution of somatic and affective symptoms to Beck's Depression Inventory
2007
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…
Pulmonary emphysema in cystic fibrosis detected by densitometry on chest multidetector computed tomography.
2013
BackgroundHistopathological studies on lung specimens from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and recent results from a mouse model indicate that emphysema may contribute to CF lung disease. However, little is known about the relevance of emphysema in patients with CF. In the present study, we used computationally generated density masks based on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) of the chest for non-invasive characterization and quantification of emphysema in CF.MethodsVolumetric MDCT scans were acquired in parallel to pulmonary function testing in 41 patients with CF (median age 20.1 years; range 7-66 years) and 21 non-CF controls (median age 30.4 years; range 4-68 years), and subj…
Less but better: cardioprotective lipid profile of patients with GCK-MODY despite lower HDL cholesterol level
2014
Patients with diabetes caused by single-gene mutations generally exhibit an altered course of diabetes. Those with mutations of the glucokinase gene (GCK-MODY) show good metabolic control and low risk of cardiovascular complications despite paradoxically lowered high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. In order to investigate the matter, we analyzed the composition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL subpopulations in such individuals. The LipoPrint(©) system (Quantimetrix, USA) based on non-denaturing, linear polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to separate and measure LDL and HDL subclasses in fresh-frozen serum samples from patients with mutations of glucokinase or …
Combined evaluation of resting IGF-I, N-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) and C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collag…
2004
To verify whether combined measurements of GH-dependent parameters might be useful in detecting exogenous recombinant GH (rGH) administration in male athletes from different disciplines.Sixty-six athletes (control group) were sampled for the evaluation of resting IGF-I, N-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) and telopeptide type I collagen (ICTP). Cut-off values (mean + 2 SD) for IGF-I, PIIINP and ICTP were calculated and arbitrary scores (1.5, 2.0) were assigned to abnormal parameters. By using the sum of individual parameter scores, positive (or = 3) or negative (3) scores were obtained. In addition, a subgroup of six athletes was treated for 3 weeks with rGH (0.09 IU/kg b…
Limitations of the trail making test part-B in assessing frontal executive dysfunction.
2015
AbstractPart B of the Trail Making Test (TMT-B) is one of the most widely used neuropsychological tests of “executive” function. A commonly held assumption is that the TMT-B can be used to detect frontal executive dysfunction. However, so far, research evidence has been limited and somewhat inconclusive. In this retrospective study, performance on the TMT-B of 55 patients with known focal frontal lesions, 27 patients with focal non-frontal lesions and 70 healthy controls was compared. Completion time and the number of errors made were examined. Patients with frontal and non-frontal lesions performed significantly worse than healthy controls for both completion time and the number of errors.…
Surface electrical stimulation of the quadriceps femoris in patients affected by haemophilia A.
2006
Eighteen sessions of surface electrical stimulation was applied to the quadriceps femoris of the left leg of ten male subjects affected by severe haemophilia A, while ten healthy subjects constituted the control group. The isometric strength, the electromyographic activity and the diameter of the rectus femoris were measured in both legs before and after a six-week treatment period. After the treatment, the people affected by haemophilia showed a gain in strength by 13.8% in the stimulated leg and by 17.1% in the non-stimulated one. No changes were detected in the electromyographic activity. On the contrary, the diameter of the rectus femoris of the stimulated leg increased in 24.34%, while…
Salivary cortisol and immunoglobulin A: responses to stress as predictors of health complaints reported by caregivers of offspring with autistic spec…
2012
In the caregiving model of chronic stress, few studies have been conducted with young middle-aged samples and no data exists about acute stress response in this population. To extend knowledge in this issue, health complaints and psychological, endocrine, and immunological responses to stress have been assessed in a cross-sectional sample of 41 parents of offspring with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison with 37 non-caregiver parents. Salivary cortisol and immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels were measured before, during, and after a mental psychosocial stressor, while mood and state anxiety were evaluated before and after the stress. Health complaints, personality traits, socio-econom…
Prenatal adversity: a risk factor in borderline personality disorder?
2012
BackgroundPatients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show a high prevalence of early adversity, such as childhood trauma. It has also been reported that prenatal adverse conditions, such as prenatal maternal stress, drug taking, tobacco smoking or medical complications, may be associated with an increased risk of mental disorders in the offspring. Prenatal adversity is investigated here for the first time as a potential risk factor in the diagnosis of BPD.MethodA total of 100 patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BPD and 100 matched healthy controls underwent semi-structured interviews about the course of pregnancy, maternal stressors, birth complications and childhood trauma. Furthe…
Effectiveness of the 2010–2011 seasonal influenza vaccine in preventing confirmed influenza hospitalizations in adults: A case–case comparison, case-…
2012
Highlights ► We perform a case–case comparison as an improvement of the test-negative design. ► We report IVE estimates with a low probability of bias. ► Influenza vaccination halved the risk of confirmed influenza hospitalization. ► This effect was consistent regardless of age over 60. ► The measured effect was specific for confirmed influenza hospitalizations.