Search results for "case-control"
showing 10 items of 1685 documents
Auditory Late Cortical Response and Speech Recognition in Digisonic Cochlear Implant Users
2002
Objective The purpose of the study was to test for differences in late electrically evoked auditory potentials between subjects exhibiting “good” versus “poor” speech recognition performances with their cochlear implants. Methods Late auditory evoked responses were measured in 30 subjects equipped with the Digisonic (MXM, Antibes, France) cochlear implant, 15 of whom had “good” speech recognition scores (i.e., more than 89% correct phoneme identification without lip reading). The 15 other subjects had poorer speech recognition scores (i.e., less than 85%). Results Differences in N1P2 amplitude, as well as P1, N1, and P2 latencies, and N1-P1 and N1-P2 latency intervals were tested. Wave P2 l…
Relationship of transforming growth factor-beta(1) with tumour necrosis factor-alpha and endothelial activation in patients with stable renal transpl…
2008
SUMMARY: Aim: To evaluate whether or not transforming growth factor-beta1 is related to inflammation markers and to intercellular and vascular cell adhesion molecules in patients with stable renal transplantation. Methods: Serum concentrations of transforming growth factor-beta1, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein and adhesion molecules were analysed in 33 renal transplanted patients, 33 patients with chronic renal insufficiency (matched to the transplanted group for level of renal function), and 33 hypertensives with normal renal function. anova, Student's t-test and simple regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results: Transplanted patients showed higher valu…
Discoidin domain receptor 1 gene variants are associated with decreased white matter fractional anisotropy and decreased processing speed in schizoph…
2019
Abstract DDR1 has been linked to schizophrenia (SZ) and myelination. Here, we tested whether DDR1 variants in people at risk for SZ influence white matter (WM) structural variations and cognitive processing speed (PS). First, following a case-control design (Study 1), SZ patients (N = 1193) and controls (N = 1839) were genotyped for rs1264323 and rs2267641 at DDR1, and the frequencies were compared. We replicated the association between DDR1 and SZ (rs1264323, adjusted P = 0.015). Carriers of the rs1264323AA combined with the rs2267641AC or CC genotype are at risk to develop SZ compared to the other genotype combinations. Second, SZ patients (Study 2, N = 194) underwent an evaluation of PS …
Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Results of intratympanic steroids as salvage treatment
2012
Objective: The aim of the present study was to verify the efficacy and the safety of intratympanic dexamethasone to treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss as salvage therapy. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted on patients affected by idiopathic sudden hearing loss who were treated before with some systemic therapy, but without recovery of the hearing The patients able to undergo the study, but who refused salvage treatment were considered as control group. A solution of Dexamethasone 4 mg/ml was then injected through the posterior–inferior quadrant filling completely the middle ear. The follow-up in the following 6 months included an audiogram every month. Results: Th…
A low resting metabolic rate is associated with metabolic syndrome
2007
Background & aims: The metabolic syndrome is associated with central accumulation of fat. Previous studies showed that some obese subjects are characterized by a sparing energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate whether obese subjects with metabolic syndrome have a lower resting metabolic rate than obese subjects without metabolic syndrome. Methods: Forty obese subjects were divided into three groups according to the presence of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes; 15 non-obese healthy control subjects were also enrolled. Body composition (bio-impedance analysis) and resting metabolic rate (indirect calorimetry) were performed. Results: The group with metabolic syndrome…
Statin therapy and plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations—A systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials
2015
Statin therapy may lower plasma coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) concentrations, but the evidence as to the significance of this effect is unclear. We assessed the impact of statin therapy on plasma CoQ10 concentrations through the meta-analysis of available RCTs. The literature search included selected databases up to April 30, 2015. The meta-analysis was performed using either a fixed-effects or random-effect model according to I(2) statistic. Effect sizes were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The data from 8 placebo-controlled treatment arms suggested a significant reduction in plasma CoQ10 concentrations following treatment with statins (WMD: -0.44 μmol/…
Prevalence, Incidence Estimation, Risk Factors and Characterization of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Urological Hospital Outpat…
2007
Abstract: Purpose: We evaluated the prevalence and estimated the incidence and risk factors of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in urological hospital outpatients in Italy. Materials and Methods: From January to June 2006 patients from 28 Italian urological centers who were between 25 and 50 years old with symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome were consecutively enrolled in this prospective epidemiological case-control study. A total of 152 subjects of similar age, race and area of origin who were investigated for infertile couples but were otherwise healthy served as controls. All subjects provided a medical history and underwent different symptom sco…
The PFO anatomy evaluation as possible tool to stratify the associated risks and the benefits arising from the closure
2010
Aims According to the current guidelines, the patent foramen ovale (PFO) is still considered a qualitative factor and, as a consequence, its closure is recommended just on the basis of its ‘presence’. Methods and results In the year 2008, we evaluated 25 patients (mean age 62.7) with acute cerebrovascular event and 92 patients (mean age 27.3) suffering from migraine with aura. No PFO was reported in 79 patients. A venous-to-arterial circulation shunt had been shown in 38 patients (29 subjects with migraine and 9 subjects with prior stroke). According to the number of microbubbles arrived during the Valsava manoeuvre, we found: 25 small PFO, 6 moderate PFO, and 6 severe PFO. In the baseline …
Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials in "vestibular migraine" and Menière's disease: a sign of an electrophysiological link?
2009
Characterizations of the signs and symptoms of "vestibular migraine" and of Meniere's disease seem to overlap, suggesting that both diseases might be due to a common peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) in both disorders to determine whether there might be an electrophysiological link between the two disorders. The amplitude and latency of VEMPs were measured from the sternocleidomastoid muscle in 63 patients with vestibular migraine (median age 47 years, range 24-70 years) and in 16 patients with Meniere's disease (median age 52 years, range 36-72 years), and compared with those of 63 sex- and age-…
Guided implant surgery with modification of the technique involving the raising of a semicircular miniflap: a preliminary study.
2010
Objective: An evaluation is made of pain, swelling and peri-implant attached mucosal width after implant-based rehabilitation involving guided surgery and a modification of the technique with the raising of a semicircular miniflap, in single and partial replacements. Study design: A case-control study was carried out. The study group consisted of 12 patients with the placement of 19 implants using a guided surgery and miniflap technique. The control group consisted of 12 patients with the placement of 22 implants using the conventional technique. Each patient scored postoperative swelling and pain by means of a visual analog scale (VAS). Attached vestibular mucosa width was evaluated 12 wee…