ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study.PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of bracing on spinopelvic rotation and psychosocial parameters in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Complex three-dimensional deformity in AIS is proposed to influence the spinopelvic parameters and psychosocial condition in adolescents; however, few studies have quantitatively evaluated these parameters.METHODS: Thirty AIS who were prescribed a brace were included in the study. The patients’ standing postero-anterior and total spine radiographs were used to measure the primary curve Cobb angle, vertebral rotation, and pelvic rotation. Apical vertebral rotation (AVR), upper AVR, and lower AVR were measured using the Nash-Moe method. Pelvic rotation was determined using the left-to-right hemipelvic width ratio. The curve pattern was classified as per the Lenke classification system. In all, 14 patients had a type I curve, five had type II, six had type III, one had type IV, and four had type V curves. Brace compliance was subjectively evaluated by interviewing the patients and their parents. The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and stress level of the recruited patients were assessed using the Brace Questionnaire and Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire, respectively.RESULTS: The Cobb angle significantly decreased with at least 6 months of brace use. AVR correction changed significantly; however, no such results were observed for upper and lower AVR. Pelvic rotation and psychosocial parameters were not significantly affected by brace use. No statistically significant correlation was observed between brace compliance and curve correction.CONCLUSIONS: The Cobb angle and AVR are crucial measurements that help evaluate the treatment efficacy in AIS with small curves who undergo brace treatment. HRQOL and pelvic axial rotation are not influenced by the brace treatment.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Humans , Braces , Classification , Compliance , Congenital Abnormalities , Methods , Parents , Pelvis , Quality of Life , Retrospective Studies , Scoliosis , Spine , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Background: detecting Bence-Jones protein in urine is essential for determining plasma cell dyscrasia and multiple myeloma. Conventionally, acid-heat precipitation assay is used for detecting Bence-jones protein in most medical laboratories; however, because of the low accuracy of this test, other more sensitive tests like urine electrophoresis are recommended
Materials and Methods: in this study, the presence of Bence-jones protein in the urine of patients suspected to monoclonal gammopathies were compared using acid-heat precipitation, capillary immunoelectrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Moreover, the subsets of light chain [kappa and lamda] in capillary immunoelectrophoresis were determined
Results: our data showed high false negative results [77.7%] using acid-heat precipitation assay in comparison with polyacrylamide gel and capillary immunoelectrophoresis [0%]
Conclusion: collectively, in spite of advantages like easy performance and low cost, acid-heat precipitation assay is not reliable for determining Bence-jones proteinuria in medical laboratories due to its low sensitivity. Therefore, it is recommended to be replaced with more sensitive assays like electrophoresis
ABSTRACT
In the case of sensitive questions such as number of alcoholics known, majority of respondents might give an answer of zero. Poisson regression model [P] is the standard tool to analyze count data. However, P provides poor fit in the case of zero inflated counts, when over-dispersion exists. Therefore, the questions to be addressed are to compare performance of alternative count regression models; and to investigate whether characteristics of respondents affect their responses. A total of 700 participants were asked about number of people they know in hidden groups; alcoholics, methadone users, and Female Sex Workers [FSW]. Five regression models were fitted to these outcomes: Logistic, P, Negative Binomial [NB], Zero Inflated Poisson [ZIP], and Zero Inflated Negative Binomial [ZINB]. Models were compared in terms of Likelihood Ratio Test [LRT], Vuong, AIC and Sum Square of Error [SSE]. Percentages of zero were 35% for number of alcoholics, 50% for methadone users, and 65% for FSWs. ZINB provided the best fit for alcoholics, and NB provided the best fit for other outcomes. In addition, we noticed that young respondents, male and those with low education were more likely to know or reveal sensitive information. Although P is the first choice for modeling of count data in many cases, it seems because of over-dispersion of zero inflated counts in the case of sensitive questions, other models, specifying NB and ZINB, might have better goodness of fit