Cut-off points of neck and waist circumference as predictors of obstructive sleep apnea in the Colombian population: a comparison with polysomnography

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Neck circumference (NC) is a useful anthropometric measure for predicting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Ethnicity and sex also influence obesity phenotypes. NC cut-offs for defining OSA have not been established for the Latin American population. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate NC, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI) as predictors of OSA in the Colombian population and to determine optimal cut-off points. DESIGN AND SETTING: Diagnostic tests were conducted at the Javeriana University, Bogota. METHODS: Adults from three cities in Colombia were included. NC, WC, and BMI were measured, and a polysomnogram provided the reference standard. The discrimination capacity and best cut-off points for diagnosing OSA were calculated. RESULTS: 964 patients were included (57.7% men; median age, 58 years) and 43.4% had OSA. The discrimination capacity of NC was similar for men and women (area under curve, AUC 0.63 versus 0.66, P = 0.39) but better for women under 60 years old (AUC 0.69 versus 0.57, P < 0.05). WC had better discrimination capacity for women (AUC 0.69 versus 0.57, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in BMI. Optimal NC cut-off points were 36.5 cm for women (sensitivity [S]: 71.7%, specificity [E]: 55.3%) and 41 cm for men (S: 56%, E: 62%); and for WC, 97 cm for women (S: 65%, E: 69%) and 99 cm for men (S: 53%, E: 58%). CONCLUSIONS: NC and WC have moderate discrimination capacities for diagnosing OSA. The cut-off values suggest differences between Latin- and North American as well as Asian populations.

Invarianza factorial por sexo y puntos de corte del cuestionario de control de la imagen corporal en fotografías en población mexicana / Factorial invariance by sex and cut-off points of the body image control questionnaire in photographs in Mexican population

RESUMEN La imagen corporal varía a lo largo de la vida. Los cambios físicos que conlleva la adolescencia, pueden influir en el desarrollo de conductas de riesgo para trastornos alimentarios. Aunque los factores sociales y culturales afectan la imagen corporal, las formas de interacción modernas, mediante el uso de tecnología, en particular las redes sociales, permiten controlar la autopresentación de la imagen corporal en las fotografías que son publicadas, lo que podría servir como indicador de conductas de riesgo alimentarias. El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer la asociación de conductas alimentarias de riesgo con el control de la imagen corporal en fotografías, para analizar su invarianza factorial por sexo y proponer puntos de corte en población mexicana. La muestra estuvo conformada por 1 155 adolescentes (51.3 % hombres y 48.7 % mujeres), con una media de edad de 15.18 años. Se utilizó el cuestionario en español sobre el control de la imagen corporal en fotografías denominado BICP-S, además del cuestionario de conductas alimentarias de riesgo (CAR). Los resultados evidenciaron una relación entre las conductas alimentarias de riesgo y el control de la imagen en fotografías. La estructura factorial del BICP-S varía en función del sexo, por lo que se proponen diferentes puntos de corte del cuestionario, en donde aquellas ubicadas en el percentil 85 indican riesgo acerca de las preocupaciones por la imagen corporal en mujeres, mientras que en hombres se establece en el percentil 92, con una alta confiabilidad en el control de la imagen en ambos sexos (α > 0.90). El cuestionario tiene utilidad clínica para la detección de jóvenes con serias preocupaciones en torno a la imagen corporal que, de continuar, pueden constituirse en un factor de riesgo para trastornos de la conducta alimentaria.

ABSTRACT Body varies throughout life. Physical changes that take place during teenage years may influence the development of risky behaviors related to eating disorders. Although social and cultural factors affect body image, modern forms of interaction with technology, particularly social networks, allow controlling the self-presentation of body image in the photographs that are published, which could serve as an indicator of risky eating behaviors. The aim of this study was to establish the association of risky eating behaviors with the body image control in photographies, to analyze the factorial invariance by sex and to propose cut-off points in the Mexican population. The sample consisted of 1 155 adolescents (51.3 % males and 48.7 % females), with a mean age of 15.18 years. The BICP-S was used, in addition to the risky eating behaviors questionnaire (CAR). The results showed a relationship between risky eating behaviors and image control in photographs. The factorial structure of the BICP-S varies according to sex, so different cut-off points of the questionnaire are proposed, where those located at the 85th percentile indicate risk about body image concerns in women, while in men it is established at the 92nd percentile, with a high reliability in image control in both groups (α > 0.90). It is concluded that the questionnaire has clinical utility for the detection of at-risk youth who may have serious body image concerns, which if continued can be a risk factor for eating disorders.

PCorteSoft - Sistema para la determinación del punto de corte óptimo en escalas predictivas y la categorización de variables continuas

Al desarrollar modelos de predicción para su aplicación en la práctica clínica, los profesionales de la salud suelen categorizar las variables clínicas que son de naturaleza continua. En muchas ocasiones estos modelos constituyen la base para la confección de escalas predictivas, a partir de las cuales se estratifica a los pacientes en varias categorías atendiendo al fenómeno estudiado. En estos casos se requiere la determinación de uno o varios puntos de cortes que permitan dividir el recorrido de la variable, variables continuas o puntuaciones de una escala, en dos o más categorías. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo la automatización de diferentes métodos para dicotomizar variables continuas en modelos de predicción clínica, donde la variable respuesta es dicotómica, y determinar el punto de corte óptimo en la estratificación de pacientes en dos categorías, a partir de escalas de predicción. Para ello se elaboró un software en el lenguaje de programación R, que implementa diferentes métodos para la determinación del punto de corte óptimo, lo cual agiliza el trabajo investigativo de los especialistas de salud en el proceso de elaboración de modelos predictivos y/o escalas de predicción.

When developing predictive models for application in clinical practice, health professionals often categorize clinical variables that are continuous in nature. In many cases, these models are the basis for the development of predictive scales from which patients are stratified into various categories according to the phenomenon under study. In both cases, it is necessary to determine one or more cut-off points that allow dividing the path of the variable, continuous variables, or scores of a scale into two or more categories. The aim of the present work is to automate different existing methods for dichotomizing continuous variables in clinical prediction models where the response variable is dichotomous, as well as to determine the optimal cut-off point for stratifying patients into two categories, based on prediction scales. For this purpose, a software was developed in the R programming language, which implements different existing methods for the determination of the optimal cut-off point, speeding up the research work of health specialists in the process of developing predictive models and/or prediction scales.

Determinación de valores de corte de 17 hidroxiprogesterona ajustados por edad gestacional para la pesquisa neonatal de la hiperplasia suprarrenal congénita / Assessment of gestational age-adjusted 17-hydroxyprogesterone cut-off values for neonatal screening of congenital adrenal hyperplasia

La pesquisa neonatal de hiperplasia suprarrenal congénita se realiza mediante la determinación de 17 hidroxiprogesterona (17OHP) en gotas de sangre seca en papel de filtro. Los bebés prematuros presentan valores más elevados que los bebés de término, siendo de utilidad contar con límites de corte apropiados. Nuestro objetivo fue actualizar los valores de corte de 17OHP ajustados por edad gestacional para la metodología en uso a nivel nacional por las jurisdicciones asistidas por el "Programa Nacional de Fortalecimiento de la Detección Precoz de Enfermedades Congénitas". La 17OHP se determinó utilizando el kit comercial de enzimo-inmunoanálisis (ELISA competitivo), Elizen Neonatal 17OHP Screening (Zentech, Bélgica). Se obtuvieron límites de corte utilizando percentiles de la distribución de los valores de 17OHP para cada edad gestacional. La sensibilidad obtenida fue 100%, especificidad 98,76 %, tasa de falsos positivos 1,24 % y el valor predictivo positivo 1,12 %. Destacamos la importancia de disponer de límites de corte adecuados a la población. La armonización de los mismos permitirá resultados comparables entre los programas regionales de pesquisa neonatal (AU)

Newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia is performed by the measurement of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) in dried blood spots on filter paper. Premature infants have higher values than full-term infants, and appropriate cutoff values are useful. Our aim was to update the cut-off values of 17OHP adjusted for gestational age for the methodology used at a national level in regions assisted by the "National Program for Strengthening the Early Detection of Congenital Diseases". 17OHP was determined using the commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (competitive ELISA) kit, Elizen Newborn 17OHP Screening (Zentech, Belgium). Cut-off values were obtained using percentiles of the distribution of 17OHP values for each gestational age. Sensitivity was 100%, specificity 98.76%, false positive rate 1.24%, and positive predictive value 1.12%. It is important to have cut-off values that are adjusted to the population. Harmonization will allow for the comparison of results among regional newborn screening programs (AU)

Determination of a cut-off value for the serological diagnosis of scrub typhus by detecting anti-Orientia tsutsugamushi immunoglobulin M

Background & objectives: The diagnosis of scrub typhus (ST) is usually done using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) due to its ease of performance and reading objectivity. The cut-off value for ELISA needs to be calculated for each geographical location as it depends on zonal endemicity of the disease. This study was, therefore, undertaken to calculate the pan-India cut-off for anti-Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT) immunoglobulin M (IgM) by ELISA. Methods: Samples from cases (cases of ST) and controls (voluntary, consenting, healthy adults) were collected by a network of 29 laboratories across India and tested for anti-OT IgM by immunofluorescence assay (IFA), the considered gold standard test. These samples were retested by ELISA for anti-OT IgM and their optical densities (ODs) were used for cut-off estimation by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Anti-OT IgM ELISA ODs from 273 controls and 136 cases were used for the cut-off estimation. The ODs of the anti-OT IgM ELISA on healthy individuals and those of confirmed ST cases ranged from 0.1 to 0.75 and 0.5 to 4.718, respectively. ROC curve-based cut-off for ELISA was calculated as 0.554 at a sensitivity of 95.2 per cent and specificity of 95.1 per cent. A value of >1 was noted to have a specificity of 100 per cent in diagnosing ST. Interpretation & conclusions: The cut-off calculated for India was similar to the previous cut-off that was used until now.

Predictive validity and cut-off point of the Turkish version of the Infant Colic Scale in the diagnosis of colic

Abstract Objective: To investigate the predictive validity and cut-off point of the Turkish version of the Infant Colic Scale (ICS) in the diagnosis of colic. Methods: This methodological study was carried out in a pediatric outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Turkey with infants aged 6-16 weeks (n = 133). The data were collected using the Mother-Infant Description Form, the ICS, and the Rome IV criteria form. The scale is a 6-point Likert-type scale consisting of 19 items in total. A low total mean score obtained from it indicates that the probability of colic increases, while a high mean score indicates that the probability of colic decreases. The Rome IV criteria were used as the gold standard. Results: The mean score obtained from the ICS was 59.4 ± 13.7. According to the Rome IV criteria, 26.3% of the infants had colic. The area under the ROC curve was 87.4% (95% CI = 0.815-0.934, SE = 0.30, p = 0.001), and the cut-off point for the best sensitivity value (88.6%) and the best specificity value (70.5%) of the ICS was determined to be 60.5. According to the cut-off point, the positive predictive value was 51%, and the negative predictive value was 94%. Conclusion: The predictive validity of the Turkish version of the ICS was found to be at a good level with high sensitivity and acceptable specificity for a cut-off point of 60.5. Healthcare professionals working in the child field can use the ICS to exclude colic in infants.

Propuesta de Valores de Referencia para el Cuestionario de Evaluación del Apego Adulto: Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR-12), en población adulta chilena / Reference values for the Adult Attachment Assessment Questionnaire: Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR-12) in the Chilean Adult Population

El cuestionario de Experiencias en Relaciones Cercanas (ECR) es un instrumento de auto-reporte ampliamente utilizado para evaluar el apego en la adultez, a partir de dos dimensiones: la ansiedad y la evitación asociadas al apego. Este instrumento ha sido adaptado en múltiples contextos, incluyendo el chileno, del cual existe una versión abreviada (ECR-12), objeto de análisis del presente estudio. Si bien existe consenso en que la seguridad en el apego es mejor descrita en términos dimensionales, hay ámbitos, como en la práctica clínica donde contar con valores de referencia podría ser de utilidad. El objetivo de este estudio es proveer valores de referencia para la interpretación de los valores del ECR-12 en el contexto chileno. Para ello, una muestra de 6779 participantes respondió el ECR-12. Se utilizó el método de puntuación z con normalización para obtener los valores de referencia. Los análisis realizados evidenciaron la necesidad de construir baremos diferenciados por edad. Así, para el grupo de 29 años o menos, el punto de corte en la dimensión de ansiedad es de un promedio igual o superior a 4.4 puntos, y para la evitación, el punto de corte es de un promedio igual o superior a 2.5. En cambio, para el grupo de 30 años o más, el punto de corte en la dimensión de ansiedad es de un promedio igual o superior a 4.2, y para la evitación, es de un promedio igual o superior a 2.9. Estos hallazgos pueden ser relevantes no sólo para identificar a personas que puedan presentar niveles sustancialmente altos de ansiedad y/o evitación en el apego, sino, también puede constituirse como una herramienta clínica complementaria en contextos terapéuticos.

The Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire is a widely used self-report measure to assess adult attachment, based on two dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. This instrument has been adapted in multiple contexts, including the Chilean, for which there is an abbreviated version (ECR-12), that is the object of analysis in the present study. Although there is consensus that attachment security is best described in dimensional terms, there are areas, such as clinical practice, where having reference values could be useful. The aim of this study is to provide reference values for the interpretation of ECR-12 scores in the Chilean context. To do this, a sample of 6779 participants was evaluated using the ECR-12. The z-score normalization method was used to obtain the reference values. The analyzes carried out showed the need to build scales differentiated by age. Thus, for the group of 29 years or less, the cut-off point in the anxiety dimension is an average equal to or greater than 4.4 points, and for avoidance, the cut-off point is an average equal to or greater than 2.5. On the other hand, for the group aged 30 or older, the cut-off point in the anxiety dimension is an average equal to or greater than 4.2, and for avoidance, it is an average equal to or greater than 2.9. These findings can be relevant not only for identifying people who may present substantially high levels of anxiety and/or avoidance in attachment, but also as a complementary clinical tool in therapeutic contexts.

Clinical difference analysis and solution of lipid target and goal cut-off point determination of blood lipid management from different detection systems / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:The results of the three lipid detection systems were compared to analyze their influence on risk stratification and clinical treatment in lipid management, especially the target goal cut-off point determination, and to find ways to reduce the impact on target goal determination of various lipid measurement system.Methods:A total of 196 serum samples with triglyceride TG <4.5 mmol/L were collected from people undergoing physical examinations and in-patients in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from August to October 2022. Triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were directly detected with Hitachi-Woke (HW), Roche and Mindray detection systems, respectively. The non high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non HDL-C) was calculated by formula (TC-HDL-C) and LDL-C (F-LDL-C) was calculated by Friedewald formula, and results from various methodology were compared. The coefficient of variation ( CV) of these six indicators derived from the three detection systems were calculated to evaluate the consistency of the obtained results from different venders. In addition, the Pearson correlation coefficient was analyzed to evaluate the correlation of each indicator among different systems. According to the Chinese Guidelines for Blood Lipid Management, samples were divided into groups with LDL-C levels of <1.4, 1.4-<1.8, 1.8-<2.6, 2.6-<3.4 and ≥3.4 mmol/L according to the recommended LDL-C levels for different risk stratification levels. The sample size and percentage of LDL-C test results from different systems in the same group were counted to evaluate the impact of LDL-C differences between systems on clinical decision-making of blood lipid management. The correction factor was calculated through two methods: (1) The average deviation of LDL-C between systems was estimated by EP9-A3 method; (2) Multiple linear stepwise regression was used to establish the regression model of LDL-C difference and related indexes between systems. The two correction factors were used to correct the deviation of LDL-C value obtained from various systems, and Chi-square test was used to compare the difference of LDL-C grouping consistency rate before and after correction. Result:The average CV values of TG, TC, LDL-C, F-LDL-C, HDL-C, and non HDL-C among the three detection systems were 4.84%, 1.92%, 11.96%, 3.81%, 5.82% and 2.61%, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that when comparing the three systems in pairs, except for LDL-C derived from HW and Roche′s, and Mindray and Roche′s LDL-C ( R 2=0.938 and 0.947), the R 2 of other indicators were all greater than 0.97. The consistency rates of the three systems on LDL-C and F-LDL-C were 51.0% (100/196) and 90.8% (178/196), respectively, according to the risk stratification standard values and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). When comparing in pairs, the consistency rates of Roche and HW, Mindray and HW, Mindray and Roche system LDL-C grouping were 60.7% (119/196), 82.7% (162/196), and 54.1% (106/196), respectively. After adjusting for mean deviation, the group consistency rate of Roche and HW increased to 73.7%-79.4% ( P<0.05), and the group consistency rate of Roche and Mindray increased to 72.3%-79.0% ( P<0.05). After adjusting for difference regression model, the group consistency rate of Roche and HW increased to 82.5%-84.0%, and the group consistency rate of Roche and Mindray increased to 81.0%-89.2%. However, there was no significant change in the group consistency rate of Mindray and HW after adjusting for both correction methods ( P>0.05) .Conclusions:There are significant differences in LDL-C derived from different detection systems, and the consistency rate of grouping according to the lipid-lowering standard value is relatively low, which may affect clinical decision-making in lipid management. Adjusted by the correction factor, the consistency rate of grouping between Roche and HW, Roche and Mindray systems with large differences in LDL-C can be improved. Using the difference multiple linear regression model as a correction factor is superior to the average deviation.

Distribution characteristics of choroidal thickness in normal population and the diagnostic cut-off value for pachychoroid / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To characterize the distribution characteristics of choroidal thickness in healthy normal subjects and to define the diagnostic cut-off value for pachychoroid.Methods:A cross-sectional study design was carried out.Four hundred and forty-six eyes of 230 healthy subjects from the pachychoroid disease spectrum (PCD) cohort in Beijing Tongren Hospital from April 2018 to June 2021, were enrolled for the choroidal thickness distribution analysis.Three hundred and fourteen eyes of 274 patients with PCD including 149 eyes of 113 patients with central serous chorioretinopathy, 95 eyes of 81 patients with polypoid choroidal vasculopathy, 70 eyes of 60 patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, along with 382 eyes of 199 normal subjects matched for refractive error, age and gender with PCD were selected for likelihood ratio analysis.Routine eye examinations including the best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp microscopy, dilated fundus examination and color fundus photography were performed in all subjects.Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) of 9 mm×9 mm scanning mode was used to measure the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) automatically in nine macular regions according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study classification system using TOPCON Advanced Boundary Segmentation (TABS) software.Pearson linear correlation analysis and Spearman rank correlation analysis were adopted to evaluate the correlations between SFCT and age, diopter.Multiple linear regression was employed to analyze the factors affecting SFCT.After age and refractive error adjustment, the likelihood ratio test was used to determine the diagnostic cut-off value for pachychoroid.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital (No.TRECKY2016-054). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject prior to entering the cohort.Results:A negative correlation was found between SFCT and age in normal eyes ( r=-0.34, P<0.001), in both normal male and female subjects ( r=-0.43, P<0.001; r=-0.38; P<0.001). A weak positive correlation was found between SFCT and diopter ( rs=0.19, P<0.001). It was found that age and diopter were strongly correlated with SFCT (both at P<0.001). The cut-off values for pachychoroid in 20-39 years group, 40-59 years group, 60-79 years group and ≥80 years group were 320-330 μm, 330-340 μm, 250-275 μm and 200-225 μm, respectively.The percentages of eyes with pachychoroid in 20-39 years group, 40-59 years group and ≥60 years group were 14.71%(10/68), 24.48%(47/192) and 28.89%(55/184), respectively, showing statistically significant differences among them ( χ2=6.170, P=0.046; LR=6.579, P=0.037). The proportion of pachychoroid in ≥60 years group was significantly higher than that of 20-39 years group, showing a statistically significant difference ( χ2=5.982, P=0.014; LR=6.479, P=0.011). Conclusions:The distribution characteristics of pachychoroid vary in normal subjects over age.Age and diopter are the independent influencing factors of SFCT.

Exploration of cut-off values of amino acid levels in premature infants in Sichuan / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To detective the cut-off values of amino acid levels in premature infants in Sichuan.Methods:Data of newborns screening for inherited metabolic diseases (IMD) by tandem mass spectrometry in Sichuan Province from January 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.They were divided into premature infant group ( n=2 264, 1 312 males and 952 females) and full-term infant group ( n=53 275, 28 269 males and 25 006 females). The cut-off values of amino acids in dry blood spots were expressed as percentage ( P0.5 - P99.5), and rank sum test was used for comparison between preterm and full-term infants. Results:(1) The distribution of 11 amino acids [alanine (ALA), arginine (ARG), citrulline (CIT), glycine(GLY), leucine (LEU), methionine (MET), ornithine (ORN), phenylalanine (PHE), proline (PRO), tyrosine (TYR) and valine (VAL)] in premature infants were abnormal.(2) The cut-off values of amino acids in premature infants were as follows: ALA: 135.20-552.33 μmol/L, ARG: 1.34-47.04 μmol/L, CIT: 5.66-32.02 μmol/L, GLY: 181.48-909.93 μmol/L, LEU : 71.10-283.29 μmol/L, MET: 4.21-34.51 μmol/L, ORN: 40.58-293.76 μmol/L, PHE: 23.60-106.30 μmol/L, PRO: 77.76-358.24 μmol/L, TYR: 27.52-352.91 μmol/L, VAL: 53.74-228.37 μmol/L.(3) The cut-off values of amino acid in full-term infants were as follows: ALA: 135.20-552.33 μmol/L, ARG: 1.30-42.73 μmol/L, CIT: 5.92-30.35 μmol/L, GLY: 208.17-980.09 μmol/L, LEU: 72.91-287.49 μmol/L, MET: 4.27-33.90 μmol/L, ORN: 48.40-305.59 μmol/L, PHE: 27.63-92.27 μmol/L, PRO: 97.38-372.75 μmol/L, TYR: 40.19-276.54 μmol/L, VAL: 65.75-237.92 μmol/L.(4) Except for PHE ( Z=-0.58, P>0.05), the other indicators were significantly different between 2 groups [ALA ( Z=-15.32, P<0.05), ARG ( Z=-5.62, P<0.05), CIT ( Z=-5.86, P<0.05), GLY ( Z=-14.52, P<0.05), LEU ( Z=-5.62, P<0.05), MET ( Z=-5.22, P<0.05), ORN ( Z=-13.01, P<0.05), PRO ( Z=-22.09, P<0.05), TRY ( Z=-2.09, P<0.05), VAL ( Z=-17.82, P<0.05)]. Conclusions:The establishment of the cut-off values of amino acids in premature infants in Sichuan provides a theoretical basis for laboratory diagnosis of IMD screening, which enhances the accuracy of diagnosis and avoids excessive medical treatment.

Research progress of visual quality after SMILE / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Femtosecond laser small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE)is one of the most advanced corneal refractive operations at present. Different from other traditional corneal refractive operations, SMILE achieves minimally invasive and valveless operation. Therefore, the evaluation of postoperative visual quality of SMILE also has its own characteristics, at present, the latest research at home and abroad has confirmed that the naked eye vision can be significantly improved and the refractive status is stable after SMILE. However, there are different understandings of the objective visual quality indexes and their influencing factors, such as higher-order aberration, modulation transfer function cut off(MTF cut off)and objective scatter index(OSI)after SMILE. This paper reviews the postoperative visual quality and its influencing factors after SMILE to provide clinical help.

Research Progress of Early Recurrence and Cut-off Time of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Radical Hepatectomy / 肿瘤防治研究

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. Surgery is the most important way to treat HCC currently. The high recurrence rate after hepatectomy is the most important reason to affect its prognosis, and it is also the key clinical problem to be solved. According to the recurrence time, the recurrence can be divided into early recurrence and late recurrence. The prognosis of patients with early recurrence is worse than that of patients with late recurrence. Therefore, it is very important for surgical decision-making to identify the two kinds of recurrence. This article reviews the research progress of early recurrence cut-off time of hepatocellular carcinoma after radical hepatectomy.

The impact of routine transvaginal ultrasound measurement of the cervical length on the prediction of preterm birth: A retrospective study in a tertiary hospital / O impacto da medição por rotina do comprimento cervical por ecografia transvaginal na predição de parto pré-termo: Um estudo retrospetivo num hospital terciário

Abstract Pretermbirth (PTB) is a major obstetric problem associated with high rates of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of PTB has not changed in the last decade; thus, the establishment of a screening test and effective treatment are warranted. Transvaginal ultrasoundmeasurement of the cervical length (TUCL) has been proposed as an effective method to screen pregnant women at a higher risk of experiencing PTB. Objective To evaluate the applicability and usefulness of second-trimester TUCL to predict PTB in a cohort of Portuguese pregnant women. Methods Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study including all singleton pregnant women who performed their second-trimester ultrasound (between weeks 18 and 22þ6 days) from January 2013 to October 2017 at Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João. Results Our cohort included 4,481 women. The prevalence of spontaneous PTB was of 4.0%, with 0.7% occurring before the 34th week of gestation. The mean TUCL was of 33.8mm,and percentiles 3, 5 and 10 corresponded toTUCLs of 25.0mm, 27.0mmand 29.0mmrespectively. The multiple logistic regression analysis, including maternal age, previous PTB and cervical surgery showed a significant negative association between TUCL and PTB, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.92 (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 0.90-0.95; p<0.001). The use of a TUCL of 20mm is the best cut-off, when compared with the 25-mm cut-off, improving the prediction of risk. Conclusion The present study showed an inverse association between TUCL and PTB, and that the inclusion of other risk factors like maternal age, previous PTB and cervical surgery can improve the screening algorithm. Furthermore, it emphasizes that the TUCL cut-off that defines short cervix can differ according to the population.

Resumo O parto pré-termo (PPT) é uma grande complicação obstétrica que se associa a elevadas taxas de morbimortalidade neonatal. A sua prevalência não tem alterado na última década, sendo esencial determinar uma forma de rastreio e tratamento eficaz. A medição ecográfica transvaginal do comprimento cervical tem sido proposta como um método eficaz de rastreio das grávidas com risco aumentado de PPT. Objetivo Avaliar a aplicabilidade e utilidade da medição ecográfica transvaginal do comprimento cervical na previsão de PPT numa amostra de grávidas portuguesas. Método Estudo de coorte retrospectivo incluindo todas as grávidas com gestação unifetal que realizaram ecografia do 2° trimestre (de 18 a 22semanasþ6 dias) no Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João entre janeiro de 2013 e outubro de 2017. Resultados A nossa amostra incluiu 4.481 mulheres. A prevalência de PPT espontâneo foi de 4,0%, sendo que 0,7% ocorreu antes das 34 semanas de gestação. A média do comprimento cervical por ecografia transvaginal foi 33,8mm, e os percentis 3, 5 e 10 da amostra corresponderam a comprimentos cervicais de 25,0mm, 27,0mm e 29,0mm, respetivamente. A regressão logística múltipla, que incluiu a idade materna, PPT anterior e antecedentes de conização, demonstrou uma associação estatisticamente significativa entre o comprimento cervical e o risco de PPT, com um risco relativo de 0,92 (intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC95%]: 0.90-0.95; p<0.001). A utilização de um valor de referência de comprimento cervical de 20mm, quando comparado com o valor de referência de 25 mm, melhora a previsão do risco de PPT. Conclusão Este estudo demostra uma associação entre o comprimento cervical avaliado por ecografia tranasvaginal e o risco de PPT, e salienta que a inclusão de outros fatores de risco, como idade materna, PPT anterior e antecedentes de conização podem melhorar o algoritmo de rastreio. Realça ainda que o valor de comprimento cervical utilizado para definir "colo curto" varia de acordo com a população em estudo.

The Chinese version of the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment Tool applied in critically ill patients / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To explore the threshold and diagnostic value of Chinese version of the Chelsea Physical Function Assessment Tool (CPAx-Chi) for ICU acquired weakness(ICU-AW).Methods:To learn the details and precautions of the CPAx-Chi scale, and then two researchers used the CPAx-Chi scale and MRC-Score scale to independently evaluate 200 patients who come from a comprehensive ICU in a top first-class hospital in Gansu Province simultaneously. The best cut-off point and value of the CPAx-Chi scale in the diagnosis of ICU-AW were determined by calculating the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, the Youden index(YI) and the consistency test that are all based on the MRC-Score≤48.Results:The ROC Area Under Curve(AUC) of the CPAx-Chi scale diagnosis ICU-AW which based on the MRC-Score≤48 were as follows: ROC AUC of group A was 0.899 (95% CI 0.862-1.025); ROC AUC of group B was 0.874 (95% CI 0.824-0.925). When the best cut-off point of CPAx-Chi scale for diagnosis ICU-AW was 31.5, the maximum YI=0.643, the sensitivity was 87%, and the specificity was 77% in group A; and the maximum YI= 0.62, the sensitivity was 75%, and the specificity was 87% in group B. Meanwhile, when the best cut-off point of CPAx-Chi scale for diagnosis ICU-AW was 30.5, the maximum YI=0.62, the sensitivity was 79%, and the specificity was 83% in group B. Taking the CPAx -Chi≤31 as the best cut-off point, the score differences in ICU-AW group and the non-ICU-AW group were not detected, A group ( F value was 4.53, P=0.035) or B group ( F value was 6.51, P=0.011). The consistency of CPAx -Chi≤31 and MRC-Score≤48 in the diagnosis of ICU-AW was high, and the Kappa=0.845 ( P=0.02) in the group A; the Kappa=0.839( P=0.04) in the group B, and the group differences were detected. Conclusions:CPAx-Chi≤31 is the best cut-off point for diagnosing ICU-AW, and has good sensitivity and specificity. CPAx-Chi scale can be popularized and applied in the critical care medicine in China.

Translation and assessment about the Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory-Female / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To translate the English version of Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory-Female (SIDI-F) into Chinese, evaluate its reliability, validity and the proper cut-off point of diagnosis of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in China.Methods:Chinese version of SIDI-F was developed and 96 healthy women from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 in Taihe Hospital, Shiyan City, Hubei Province were selected to fill in the Chinese version of SIDI-F and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Next, analyzed the reliability, validity and the cut-off point of diagnosis of HSDD of the SIDI-F.Results:The Cronbach coefficient of the Chinese version of SIDI-F was 0.931, split-half reliability was 0.922, the intra-group correlation coefficient was 0.805. Analysis of content validity of the SIDI-F indicated that the average of scale-level content validity index was 1.00, the item-level content validity index was 1.00, and the Pearson correlation coefficient between the score of SIDI-F and the erotica score of the FSFI (FSFI-D) was 0.802. Factor analysis of the Chinese version of SIDI-F showed good construct validity. The area under ROC was 0.835. With the SIDI-F score and the best cut-off point of 26.5, Youden index was the largest, at 0.635. The validity indicators were 76.7% for sensitivity, 86.8% for specificity, 5.95 for positive likelihood ratio.Conclusions:The Chinese version of SIDI-F has high reliability and validity in Chinese population, and these show 26.5 point can be used as the best cut-off value of diagnose HSDD.

Waist circumference cut-off points in children aged 7-14 years and its correlation with obesity in Haikou / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To analyze the cut-off point of waist circumference (WC) for overweight and obesity in school children aged 7-14 in Haikou, and to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of prevention and treatment strategies for overweight and obesity in children. Methods Using the 2016-2019 “Student Health Record Management System in Hainan Province”, 220 primary and secondary schools in Haikou were sampled using the PPS sampling method, and the height, weight and waist circumference of children aged 7-14 were collected and analyzed. Results A total of 283 054 children aged 7-14 years old were investigated. The average WC and percentile WC values of children in each age group were lower the national average WC values, and the WC continued to increase with age. The WC of boys was higher than that of the girls in all age groups (P < 0.0001), and the WC of urban children was higher than that of rural children of the same age (P < 0.0001). The WC cut-off points were P75-P80 (56.50-71.75 cm) in boys and P80-P85 (54.50-68.50 cm) in girls for overweight. For obesity, the WC cut-off points in boys of 7-11 years old and 12-14 years old were P85 (58.5-72.50 cm) and P90 (75.50-79.50 cm), respectively, and the WC cut-off points in girls of 7 years old and 8-14 years old were P85 (56.50 cm) and P90 (59.85-71.50 cm), respectively. Conclusion The cut-off points of WC for overweight are 56.50-71.75 cm in boys and 54.50-68.50 cm in girls, respectively. The cut-off points of WC for obesity are 58.50-79.50 cm in boys and 56.50-71.50 cm in girls, respectively. Except for the cut-off points for overweight in 7-year-old boys and 9-year-old girls and the cut-off points for obesity in 8 to 10-year-old girls before puberty, the cut-off points for overweight and obesity in other age groups are consistent with the national values.

Analysis of Cut Off Value or Reference Interval of / 中国医疗器械杂志

The cut off value or reference interval is significant in clinical testing and diagnosis. If there is no scientific and reasonable cut off value or reference interval for

Lower Cut off Point for Blood Lead and Risk of Myocardial Infarction at a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia: A Case-Control Study

@#Introduction Lead (Pb) is one of the pollutants that can cause adverse effects on human health. Exposure to Pb has received much attention in the past decades due to its nearly persistent properties in the environment. Blood Pb measurement is the most convenient as well as most feasible to indicate toxicity exceeded the standard limit of 10 μg/dL. This study aimed to assess the association between blood Pb and myocardial infarction. Methods This was a case-control study conducted at a tertiary hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This study enrolled about 109 respondents; 71 cases of myocardial infarction and 38 non-cases of myocardial infarction. Study instruments include questionnaires on demographic factors (age, gender, and ethnicity), socioeconomic factors (education, household income, occupation), and venous blood lead level. The blood Pb was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results The median (IQR) of blood Pb among the case group was higher compared to the control groups, 3.72 (0.04 – 96.09) μg/dL and 2.81 (0.73 – 6.23) μg/dL respectively. No difference between high (> 10 μg/dL) and normal (<10 μg/dL) blood Pb with CVD. However, there was a significant association between high normal blood Pb concentration (≥ 5.00 µg/dL) and myocardial infarction (χ2 = 4.397; p = 0.036). Conclusions There is a relationship between lower blood Pb level and the occurrence of myocardial infarction. No difference was found between the blood Pb limit of 10 μg/dL and CVD. The findings of this study are very important and provide new information regarding the lower cut off point for blood Pb and outcome of CVD especially myocardial infarction..

Amino Acids and Acylcarnitines Reference Values for Neonatal Screening of Inborn Errors of Metabolism in Colombia by Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract Neonatal screening in Colombia has been carried out since 2000. The problem that most concerns is the absence of expanded screening. To stablish reference values for amino acids and acylcarnitines, in order to provide information to guide the implementation of expanded screening. Samples collected on Whatman 903 filter paper from 10284 newborns were processed by Tandem Mass Spectrometry System (Waters - Perkin Elmer), and the NeoBase™ non-derivatized MS/MS kit (PerkinElmer), which contains controls for 11 amino acids, and 31 acylcarnitine species. For each analyte the upper limit was set above the 99th percentile, while the lower limit was set below the 1st percentile. Comparison of full-term newborn amino acid concentrations with premature ones showed no significant differences in three of them: Glycine p-0.99574, Ornithine p=0.35274, Phenylalanine p=0.13499, neither in levels of 11 of the 31 acylcarnitines. Comparison of analyte concentrations in this study with previous reports showed significant differences for all amino acids and acylcarnitines (<0.05). Experience was gained in the pre-analytic stage of expanded screening and reference values were established, for the implementation of neonatal screening program in the country.

Valor de corte de los índices de ajuste en el análisis factorial confirmatorio

Resumen En las investigaciones psicológicas resulta de amplia relevancia conocer si los cuestionarios utilizados miden los constructos latentes de interés. A tal efecto, el Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio se emplea frecuentemente en la literatura especializada para aportar evidencias de validez a las escalas empleadas. Sin embargo, en la actualidad existe cierta disparidad de criterios respecto de los puntos de corte que deben tenerse en consideración. Por este motivo, el presente trabajo se propone revisar la literatura en torno a los diferentes puntos de corte tradicionales de los índices de ajuste más utilizados. Se concluye que para seleccionar los indices e interpretar los resultados se debe tener en cuenta que estos puntos de corte pueden cambiar por diferentes motivos, tales como el tamaño de la muestra.

Abstract In psychological research, it is of great relevance to know whether the questionnaires used measure the latent constructs of interest. For this purpose, Confirmatory Factor Analysis is frequently used in the specialized literature to provide evidence of validity to the scales used. However, there is currently a certain disparity in the criteria regarding the cut-off points to be taken into consideration. For this reason, this paper aims to review the literature on the different cut-off points for the most commonly used fit indexes. It is concluded that to select the indexes and interpret the results, it should be should take into account that these cut-off points may change for different reasons, such as sample size.