scholarly journals Relationship between corticosteroid effect on dyspnea, prognosis prediction, and actual survival

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideki Katayama ◽  
Masahiro Tabata ◽  
Yusuke Mimura ◽  
Katsuyuki Kiura ◽  
Junji Matsuoka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Prognostic Score ◽  
Corticosteroid Treatment ◽  
Prognostic Indicators ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Corticosteroid Administration ◽  
Prognosis Prediction ◽  
Patient Prognosis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Actual Survival

Abstract Background and Aim: The effect of corticosteroids on dyspnea in patients with advanced cancer is expected to be associated with patient prognosis, though details about this are unclear. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between prognostic indicators, actual survival, and the effect of corticosteroid administration on dyspnea in patients with advanced cancer.Method: We predicted the prognosis using the PaP score (palliative prognostic score) at the time of corticosteroid administration in 56 consecutive patients with cancer who started corticosteroid treatment for dyspnea at a single palliative care unit, and compared it with the actual survival. In addition, we investigated the relationship between the effect of corticosteroids on dyspnea, the prognostic score before administration, the actual survival, and other background factors.Results: The effect of corticosteroids strongly correlated with the actual survival, but not the prognostic score before corticosteroid administration, although it was correlated with prognostic score and actual survival. In addition, the effect of corticosteroids on dyspnea was less associated with other factors.Conclusion: The corticosteroid effect strongly associated with actual survival, but not the prognostic score. It was suggested that the effect of corticosteroids in patients could be predicted by using a more accurate prognosis prediction in the future.

scholarly journals Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Cancer: Differential Association With Performance Status and Systemic Inflammatory Response

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (23) ◽  
pp. 2769-2775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry J.A. Laird ◽  
Marie Fallon ◽  
Marianne J. Hjermstad ◽  
Sharon Tuck ◽  
Stein Kaasa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Inflammatory Response ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Systemic Inflammation ◽  
Prognostic Score ◽  
Performance Status ◽  
Systemic Inflammatory Response ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Quality of life is a key component of cancer care; however, the factors that determine quality of life are not well understood. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between quality of life parameters, performance status (PS), and the systemic inflammatory response in patients with advanced cancer. Methods An international biobank of patients with advanced cancer was analyzed. Quality of life was assessed at a single time point by using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). PS was assessed by using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) classification. Systemic inflammation was assessed by using the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), which combines C-reactive protein and albumin. The relationship between quality of life parameters, ECOG PS, and the mGPS was examined. Results Data were available for 2,520 patients, and the most common cancers were GI (585 patients [22.2%]) and pulmonary (443 patients [17.6%]). The median survival was 4.25 months (interquartile range, 1.36 to 12.9 months). Increasing mGPS (systemic inflammation) and deteriorating PS were associated with deterioration in quality-of-life parameters (P < .001). Increasing systemic inflammation was associated with deterioration in quality-of-life parameters independent of PS. Conclusion Systemic inflammation was associated with quality-of-life parameters independent of PS in patients with advanced cancer. Further investigation of these relationships in longitudinal studies and investigations of possible effects of attenuating systemic inflammation are now warranted.

Mediation of Coping Strategies among Patients with Advanced Cancer

2021 ◽  
pp. 105477382110032
Author(s):  
Nurul Huda ◽  
Yun-Yen ◽  
Hellena Deli ◽  
Malissa Kay Shaw ◽  
Tsai-Wei Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Correlational Research ◽  
Resampling Procedure ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of this study was to test the mediating effects of coping on relationships of psychological distress and stress with anxiety, depression, and quality of life. A cross-sectional and correlational research study was used to recruit a sample of 440 patients with advanced cancer in Indonesia. A bootstrap resampling procedure was used to test the significance of the total and specific indirect effects of coping. Data analysis showed that problem-focused coping (PFC) mediated relationships of psychological distress and stress on depression, anxiety and functional well-being. PFC also mediated the relationship between stress and social well-being. Emotional-focused coping (EFC) mediated the relationship of stress with physical and emotional well-being. EFC also mediated the relationships between psychological distress and physical well-being. Thus, proper assessments and interventions should be tailored and implemented for patients in order to facilitate their use of coping strategies when needed in stressful situations.

scholarly journals Effects of early corticosteroid use in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong Hoon Hyun ◽  
Moo Hyun Kim ◽  
Yujin Sohn ◽  
Yunsuk Cho ◽  
Yae Jee Baek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Corticosteroid Treatment ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Steroid Use ◽  
Corticosteroid Administration ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Early Use

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome, and corticosteroids have been considered as possible therapeutic agents for this disease. However, there is limited literature on the appropriate timing of corticosteroid administration to obtain the best possible patient outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study including patients with severe COVID-19 who received corticosteroid treatment from March 2 to June 30, 2020 in seven tertiary hospitals in South Korea. We analyzed the patient demographics, characteristics, and clinical outcomes according to the timing of steroid use. Twenty-two patients with severe COVID-19 were enrolled, and they were all treated with corticosteroids. Results Of the 22 patients who received corticosteroids, 12 patients (55%) were treated within 10 days from diagnosis. There was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics. The initial PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 168.75. The overall case fatality rate was 25%. The mean time from diagnosis to steroid use was 4.08 days and the treatment duration was 14 days in the early use group, while those in the late use group were 12.80 days and 18.50 days, respectively. The PaO2/FiO2 ratio, C-reactive protein level, and cycle threshold value improved over time in both groups. In the early use group, the time from onset of symptoms to discharge (32.4 days vs. 60.0 days, P = 0.030), time from diagnosis to discharge (27.8 days vs. 57.4 days, P = 0.024), and hospital stay (26.0 days vs. 53.9 days, P = 0.033) were shortened. Conclusions Among patients with severe COVID-19, early use of corticosteroids showed favorable clinical outcomes which were related to a reduction in the length of hospital stay.

scholarly journals An analysis of Italian university students’ performance through segmented regression models: gender differences in STEM courses

Genus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Priulla ◽  
Nicoletta D’Angelo ◽  
Massimo Attanasio
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
First Year ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Segmented Regression ◽  
Freshmen Students ◽  
Female Performance ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Better Than

AbstractThis paper investigates gender differences in university performances in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses in Italy, proposing a novel application through the segmented regression models. The analysis concerns freshmen students enrolled at a 3-year STEM degree in Italian universities in the last decade, with a focus on the relationship between the number of university credits earned during the first year (a good predictor of the regularity of the career) and the probability of getting the bachelor degree within 4 years. Data is provided by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR). Our analysis confirms that first-year performance is strongly correlated to obtaining a degree within 4 years. Furthermore, our findings show that gender differences vary among STEM courses, in accordance with the care-oriented and technical-oriented dichotomy. Males outperform females in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science, while females are slightly better than males in biology. In engineering, female performance seems to follow the male stream. Finally, accounting for other important covariates regarding students, we point out the importance of high school background and students’ demographic characteristics.

scholarly journals Calcium Channel Autoantibodies Predicted Sudden Cardiac Death and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Ischemic and Nonischemic Chronic Heart Failure

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyun Yu ◽  
Juanhui Pei ◽  
Xiaoyan Liu ◽  
Jingzhou Chen ◽  
Xian Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Death ◽  
Chronic Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiac Death ◽  
Independent Predictor ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Patient Prognosis ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether CC-AAbs levels could predict prognosis in CHF patients. A total of 2096 patients with CHF (841 DCM patients and 1255 ICM patients) and 834 control subjects were recruited. CC-AAbs were detected and the relationship between CC-AAbs and patient prognosis was analyzed. During a median follow-up time of 52 months, there were 578 deaths. Of these, sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurred in 102 cases of DCM and 121 cases of ICM. The presence of CC-AAbs in patients was significantly higher than that of controls (bothP<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that positive CC-AAbs could predict SCD (HR 3.191, 95% CI 1.598–6.369 for DCM; HR 2.805, 95% CI 1.488–5.288 for ICM) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.733, 95% CI 1.042–2.883 for DCM; HR 2.219, 95% CI 1.461–3.371 for ICM) in CHF patients. A significant association between CC-AAbs and non-SCD (NSCD) was found in ICM patients (HR = 1.887, 95% CI 1.081–3.293). Our results demonstrated that the presence of CC-AAbs was higher in CHF patients versus controls and corresponds to a higher incidence of all-cause death and SCD. Positive CC-AAbs may serve as an independent predictor for SCD and all-cause death in these patients.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Frailty and Emotional Health in Older Patients with Advanced Cancer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikesha Gilmore ◽  
Lee Kehoe ◽  
Jessica Bauer ◽  
Huiwen Xu ◽  
Bianca Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
The Relationship

How biases in sperm storage relate to sperm use during oviposition in female yellow dung flies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Demont ◽  
Paul I Ward ◽  
Wolf U Blanckenhorn ◽  
Stefan Lüpold ◽  
Oliver Y Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Sperm Storage ◽  
Adaptive Plasticity ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Scathophaga Stercoraria ◽  
General Importance ◽  
Copula Duration ◽  
Mixed Paternity ◽  
Paternity Success ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Precise mechanisms underlying sperm storage and utilization are largely unknown, and data directly linking stored sperm to paternity remain scarce. We used competitive microsatellite PCR to study the effects of female morphology, copula duration and oviposition on the proportion of stored sperm provided by the second of two copulating males (S2) in Scathophaga stercoraria (Diptera: Scathophagidae), the classic model for sperm competition studies. We genotyped all offspring from potentially mixed-paternity clutches to establish the relationship between a second male’s stored sperm (S2) and paternity success (P2). We found consistent skew in sperm storage across the three female spermathecae, with relatively more second-male sperm stored in the singlet spermatheca than in the doublet spermathecae. S2 generally decreased with increasing spermathecal size, consistent with either heightened first-male storage in larger spermathecae, or less efficient sperm displacement in them. Additionally, copula duration and several two-way interactions influenced S2, highlighting the complexity of postcopulatory processes and sperm storage. Importantly, S2 and P2 were strongly correlated. Manipulation of the timing of oviposition strongly influenced observed sperm-storage patterns, with higher S2 when females laid no eggs before being sacrificed than when they oviposited between copulations, an observation consistent with adaptive plasticity in insemination. Our results identified multiple factors influencing sperm storage, nevertheless suggesting that the proportion of stored sperm is strongly linked to paternity (i.e., a fair raffle). Even more detailed data in this vein are needed to evaluate the general importance of sperm competition relative to cryptic female choice in postcopulatory sexual selection.

Random serum free cortisol and total cortisol measurements in pediatric septic shock

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 757-762
Author(s):  
Kusum Menon ◽  
Dayre McNally ◽  
Anand Acharya ◽  
Katharine O’Hearn ◽  
Karen Choong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Septic Shock ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Illness Severity ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Prism Score ◽  
Total Cortisol ◽  
Free Cortisol ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Strong Agreement

Abstract Background The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between serum total cortisol (TC) and free cortisol (FC) levels in children with septic shock and the relationship of these levels with baseline illness severity. Methods A sub-study of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of hydrocortisone vs. placebo in pediatric septic shock conducted in seven academic pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Canada on children aged newborn to 17 years. Thirty children with septic shock had serum sent for TC and FC measurement within 6 h of meeting the study eligibility criteria. Results Baseline FC and TC levels were strongly correlated with baseline Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) score (R2=0.759, p<0.001; R2=0.717, p<0.001) and moderately correlated with admission Vasotropic Inotropic Score (VIS) (R2=0.489, p<0.001; R2=0.316, p<0.001). Serum TC levels were highly correlated with FC levels (R2=0.92, p<0.001) and showed strong agreement (R2=0.98, p<0.001 on a Bland-Altman plot). The ratio of FC to TC moderately correlated with TC levels (R2=0.46, p<0.001) but did not correlate with baseline albumin levels (R2=0.19, p=0.13). Conclusions Random TC and FC levels are strongly correlated, show strong agreement and are reflective of illness severity in children with septic shock. As such, isolated FC measurement does not appear to provide added information relative to TC in acutely ill children with septic shock.

Meat qualities in the sheep with special reference to Scottish breeds and crosses. I

1939 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 544-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Pálsson
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Accurate Estimate ◽  
Quantitative Composition ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Precise Measure ◽  
Total Fat ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Relationship

1. By establishing the relationship between linear carcass measurements and the quantitative composition of the carcass in terms of bone, muscle and fat, we have provided a scientific basis for the use of many measurements hitherto only presumed to provide an index to carcass quality.2. External carcass measurements are correlated with weight of the skeleton. The most useful for this purpose are length of tibia + tarsus and length of the fore-cannon.3. As indices of muscle, external measures are only of indirect value. Thus, both F – T and G/F × 100 are strongly correlated with weight of muscle as a percentage of skeletal weight.4. Similarly, F provides an index of fat, being negatively correlated with fat as a percentage of bone.5. For muscle and fat internal measures permit a more precise estimate to be made. A + B is the best index of the former while C + J + Y provide the most accurate estimate of the weight of fat.6. Still better indices for muscle and fat are provided by suitable combinations of external and internal measurements. Thus L/10 + A + B is very highly correlated with the weight of muscle, and L/10 × (C + J + Y) is the best index of fat in the hoggets. For bone, a most efficient single index is shown to be the weight of the fore-cannon bone.7. The weight of the skeleton can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy from the weight of the bones in either one leg or loin. Both these joints combined, however, provide a still better estimate.8. The muscle in one leg or loin + leg provides an excellent index of the weight of muscle in the whole carcass.9. The fat in one leg, loin, or both these joints combined provides a good index of the weight of the total fat in the carcass. Both joints combined give the most precise measure.10. The value of certain measurements which are not necessarily associated with the quantity of the major tissues of the carcass, but which nevertheless have important qualitative significance, is emphasized.

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