Reliability and validity of the PHQ-8 in first-time mothers who used assisted reproductive technology.

STUDY QUESTION: Is the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) a valid and reliable measure of depression in first-time mothers who conceived via ART? SUMMARY ANSWER: The results from this study provide initial support for the reliability and validity of the PHQ-8 as a measure of depression in mothers who have conceived using ART. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Women who achieved a clinical pregnancy using ART experience many stressors and may be at an increased risk of depression. The PHQ-8 is a brief measure designed to detect the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. It has been validated in many populations; however, it has not been validated for use in this population. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: This is a cross-sectional study of 171 first-time mothers in the USA, recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: The reliability of the PHQ-8 was measured through a Cronbach's alpha, the convergent validity was measured through the correlation between the PHQ-8 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) measure of anxiety symptoms, and the structural validity was measured through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The Cronbach's alpha for the total PHQ-8 was acceptable (α = 0.922). The correlation between the PHQ-8 and the GAD-7 was large (r = 0.88) indicating good convergent validity. Ultimately, a bifactor model provided the best model fit ( χ 2 (13) = 23.8, P = 0.033; Comparative Fit Index = 0.987; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.07, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.972). LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: The results are limited by: the predominantly white and well-educated sample, a lack of causation between the use of artificial reproductive technology and depressive symptoms, including mothers with children up to 5 years old, convergent validity being based on associations with a related construct instead of the same construct, lack of test-retest reliability, divergent validity and criterion-related validity, data collected through MTurk, and the fact that the measures used were all self-report and therefore may be prone to bias. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Consistent with previous literature, a bifactor model for the PHQ-8 was supported. As such, when assessing depression in first-time mothers who conceived via ART, using both the PHQ-8 total score and subdomain scores may yield the most valuable information. The results from this study provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the PHQ-8 as a measure of depression in first-time mothers who conceived using ART. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: No specific funding was used for the completion of this study. Throughout the study period and manuscript preparation, the authors were supported by the department funds at Baylor University. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

[Molecular factors associated with regression of liver fibrosis of alcoholic etiology].

Liver fibrosis develops as a result of chronic liver damage of various etiologies, is characterized by excessive synthesis of connective tissue by activated stellate liver cells. The toxic effect of alcohol is one of the most significant and common etiological factors worldwide. Stellate cell activation results from the interaction of multiple molecular fibrogenic pathways triggered by intracellular and extracellular, hepatic and extrahepatic stimuli. Data analysis showed that knowledge about these abnormal pathways and biomolecular processes may further contribute to the improvement of approaches to assessment of disease prognosis and treatment of alcoholic liver disease.

[Unsolved issues of pregnancy in liver cirrhosis].

Pregnancy in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension occurs very rare, because of their significantly derailed reproductive functions. Тhe risks for the mother and the fetus are connected with worsening of the portal hypertension, progression of decompensated liver cirrhosis and development of its complications: liver failure, ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy and variceal hemorrhage, and with increased incidence of spontaneous abortions and abnormal uterine bleeding. The decision for continuation of the pregnancy in cirrhotic patients must be based on individual approach and a multidisciplinary team consisting of obstetricians, hepatologists, anesthesiologists, surgeons and hematologists must participate in the therapy. We are presenting a clinical case with 34 years old pregnant woman with Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis and untreated chronic viral hepatitis C. The patient was admitted in emergency with abortus imminens, vaginal bleeding, anemia, thrombocytopenia and impaired hemostasis. The pregnancy was interrupted in the Department of obstetrics and gynecology due to the high risk for mother's life. Later the patient developed severe disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) syndrome with life-threatening uterine bleeding. The DIC syndrome and the bleeding were resolved after therapy in intensive care unit and the patient was discharged from the hospital with stable vital signs.

[Glucocorticosteroids for people with alcoholic hepatitis (Cochrane review)].

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a form of alcoholic liver disease. Glucocorticosteroids (GCS) are used as anti - inflammatory drugs for people with alcoholic hepatitis. AIM: To assess the benefits and harms of GCS in people with AH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We identified trials through electronic searches in Cochrane Hepato-Biliary's (CHB) Controlled Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, and Science Citation Index Expanded. We considered for inclusion randomised clinical trials (RCTs) assessing GCS versus placebo/no intervention in adult participants with AH. We allowed co - interventions in the trial groups if they were similar. We followed Cochrane methodology, CHB Group methodology using Review Manager 5 and Trial Sequential Analysis(TSA) to perform meta - analysis (M-A), assessed bias risk of the trials, certainty of evidence using GRADE. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Sixteen trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fifteen trials provided data for analysis (927 participants received GCS, 934 - placebo/no intervention). The GCS were administered to adult participants at different stages of AH orally or parenterally for a median of 28 days. There was no evidence of effect of GCCs on our primary outcomes all - cause mortality up to 3 months following randomisation (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.70-1.15; n=1861), on health - related quality of life (MD - 0.04 points; 95% CI -0.11-0.03; n=377; trial = 1) (EQ-5D-3L scale), on the occurrence of serious adverse events during treatment (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.85-1.29; n=1861). We found no evidence of a difference between the intervention groups. The risk of bias was high in all the trials except one. The certainty of evidence was very low or low. One of the trials seems to be not industry - funded. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence of a difference between GCS and placebo or no intervention on all - cause mortality, health - related quality of life, and serious adverse events during treatment. We cannot exclude increases in adverse events and cannot rule out significant benefits and harms of GCSs. Future trials ought to report depersonalised individual participant data.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography for staging of fibrosis in people with alcoholic liver disease.

BACKGROUND: The progression of hepatic fibrosis into cirrhosis is a main prognostic factor for survival in people with alcoholic liver disease. The range of cut-off values characterising the stage of hepatic fibrosis seems to be dependent on the aetiology of the liver disease. AIMS: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of transient elastography (the index test) for diagnosis of fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease when compared with liver biopsy (the reference standard), using the METAVIR scoring system. To establish the optimal cut-off values for the hepatic fibrosis stages. METHODS: We followed Cochrane Methodology for diagnostic test accuracy reviews. We identified 14 studies. Among the study participants with alcoholic liver disease, 834 provided numerical data for analysis (August 2014). Only half of the studies were monoaetiology studies. We used the bivariate model and estimated the summary sensitivities and summary specificities. Hence, we calculated the summary likelihood ratios (LRs) to rule in or rule out hepatic fibrosis. We investigated pre-defined sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Severe fibrosis (F3 or worse): summary (95% CI) sensitivity 0.92(0.89-0.96) and specificity 0.70(0.61-0.79); LR+ 3.1(2.1-4.1), LR- 0.11(95% CI 0.06-0.16). Cirrhosis (F4): summary (95% CI) sensitivity of 0.95(0.87-0.98) and specificity 0.71(0.56-0.82); LR+ 3.3(2.1-5.0); LR- 0.07(0.03-0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Transient elastography may be used as a diagnostic method to exclude cirrhosis or severe fibrosis when the test is negative. Cut-off values of around 12.5 kPa for cirrhosis may be used in clinical practice, but caution is needed, as the values reported in the review are not yet prospectively validated.