scholarly journals Cluster analysis in 975 patients with current cough identifies a phenotype with several cough triggers, many background disorders, and low quality of life

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heikki Olavi Koskela ◽  
Tuomas A Selander ◽  
Anne M Lätti

Abstract Background: Recognition of disorder phenotypes may help to estimate prognosis and to guide the clinical management. Current cough management guidelines classify patients according to the duration of the cough episode. However, this classification is not based on phenotype analyses. The present study aimed to identify cough phenotypes by clustering.Methods: An email survey among employed, working-age subjects identified 975 patients with current cough. All filled in a comprehensive 80-item questionnaire including the Leicester Cough Questionnaire. Phenotypes were identified utilizing K-means partitional clustering. A subgroup filled in a follow-up questionnaire 12 months later to investigate the possible differences in the prognosis between the phenotypes.Results: Two clusters were found. The cluster A included 608 patients (62.4 % of the population) and the cluster B 367 patients (37.6 %). The three most important variables to separate the clusters were the number of the triggers of cough (mean 2.63 (SD 2.22) vs. 6.95 (2.30), respectively, p<0.001), the number of the cough background disorders (chronic rhinosinusitis, current asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, 0.29 (0.50) vs. 1.28 (0.75), respectively, p<0.001), and the Leicester Cough Questionnaire physical domain (5.33 (0.76) vs. 4.25 (0.84), respectively, p<0.001). There were significant interrelationships between these three variables (each p<0.001). Duration of the episode was not among the most important variables to separate the clusters. At 12 months, 27.0 % of the patients of the cluster A and 46.1 % of the patients of the cluster B suffered from cough that had continued without interruptions from the first survey (p<0.001).Conclusions: Two cough phenotypes could be identified. Cluster A represents phenotype A, which includes the majority of patients and has a tendency to heal by itself. The authors propose that cluster B represents phenotype TBQ (Triggers, Background disorders, Quality of life impairment). Given the poor prognosis of this phenotype, it urges a prompt and comprehensive clinical evaluation regardless of the duration of the cough episode.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heikki Olavi Koskela ◽  
Tuomas A Selander ◽  
Anne M Lätti

Abstract Background Recognition of disorder phenotypes may help to estimate prognosis and to guide the clinical management. Current cough management guidelines classify patients according to the duration of the cough episode. However, this classification is not based on phenotype analyses. The present study aimed to identify cough phenotypes by clustering. Methods An email survey among employed, working-age subjects identified 975 patients with current cough. All filled in a comprehensive 80-item questionnaire including the Leicester Cough Questionnaire. Phenotypes were identified utilizing K-means partitional clustering. A subgroup filled in a follow-up questionnaire 12 months later to investigate the possible differences in the prognosis between the phenotypes. Results Two clusters were found. The cluster A included 608 patients (62.4% of the population) and the cluster B 367 patients (37.6%). The three most important variables to separate the clusters were the number of the triggers of cough (mean 2.63 (SD 2.22) vs . 6.95 (2.30), respectively, p<0.001), the number of the cough background disorders (chronic rhinosinusitis, current asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, 0.29 (0.50) vs . 1.28 (0.75), respectively, p<0.001), and the Leicester Cough Questionnaire physical domain (5.33 (0.76) vs . 4.25 (0.84), respectively, p<0.001). There were significant interrelationships between these three variables (each p<0.001). Duration of the episode was not among the most important variables to separate the clusters. At 12 months, 27.0% of the patients of the cluster A and 46.1% of the patients of the cluster B suffered from cough that had continued without interruptions from the first survey (p<0.001). Conclusions Two cough phenotypes could be identified. Cluster A represents phenotype A, which includes the majority of patients and has a tendency to heal by itself. The authors propose that cluster B represents phenotype TBQ (Triggers, Background disorders, Quality of life impairment). Given the poor prognosis of this phenotype, it urges a prompt and comprehensive clinical evaluation regardless of the duration of the cough episode.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thy Thy Vanem ◽  
Svend Rand-Hendriksen ◽  
Cathrine Brunborg ◽  
Odd Ragnar Geiran ◽  
Cecilie Røe

Abstract Background Marfan syndrome, a rare hereditary connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in fibrillin-1, can affect many organ systems, especially the cardiovascular system. Previous research has paid less attention to health-related quality of life and prospective studies on this topic are needed. The aim of this study was to assess changes in health-related quality of life after 10 years in a Norwegian Marfan syndrome cohort. Methods Forty-seven Marfan syndrome patients ≥ 18 years were investigated for all organ manifestations in the 1996 Ghent nosology and completed the self-reported questionnaire, Short-Form-36 Health Survey, at baseline in 2003–2004 and at follow-up in 2014–2015. Paired sample t tests were performed to compare means and multiple regression analyses were performed with age, sex, new cardiovascular and new non-cardiovascular pathology as predictors. Results At 10-year follow-up: a significant decline was found in the physical domain. The mental domain was unchanged. Older age predicted a larger decline in physical health-related quality of life. None of the chosen Marfan-related variables predicted changes in any of the subscales of the Short-Form 36 Health Survey or in the physical or the mental domain. Conclusion Knowledge of decline in the physical domain, not related to organ affections, may be important in the follow-up of Marfan syndrome patients.


Author(s):  
Ángela Ros-Sanjuán ◽  
Sara Iglesias-Moroño ◽  
Bienvenido Ros-López ◽  
Francisca Rius-Díaz ◽  
Andrea Delgado-Babiano ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEThe objectives of this study were to determine the quality of life of a pediatric cohort with hydrocephalus treated by endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), using the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire–Spanish version (HOQ-Sv), and study the clinical and radiological factors associated with a better or worse functional status.METHODSThis cross-sectional study was undertaken between September 2018 and December 2019. It comprised a series of 40 patients ranging from 5 to 18 years old with hydrocephalus treated by ETV. ETV was considered to be successful if there was no need for surgery for the treatment of hydrocephalus after a minimum follow-up of 6 months. The clinical variables included gender, age at hydrocephalus diagnosis, age at the time of ETV, age at completion of the questionnaire, etiology and type of hydrocephalus (communicating or not), prior shunt, repeat ETV, number of neurosurgical procedures, number of epileptic seizures, presenting signs, and follow-up duration until last office revision. The radiological variables were the Evans Index and the pre- and posttreatment frontooccipital horn ratio. An analysis was conducted of the association between all these variables and the various dimensions on the HOQ-Sv, completed by the parents of the patients via telephone or in the outpatient offices.RESULTSThe mean age of the children at ETV was 7 years (range 7–194 months), and on completing the questionnaire was 12 years (range 60–216 months). The mean HOQ scores were as follows: overall 0.82, physical domain 0.86, social-emotional (SE) domain 0.84, cognitive domain 0.75, and utility score 0.90. A history of epileptic crises was a predictive factor for a worse score overall and in the SE and cognitive domains. Factors related to a worse score in the physical domain were a previous shunt, the number of procedures, and the etiology and type of hydrocephalus. The mean follow-up duration from ETV to the last office visit was 5 years (64.5 months). No association was found between the degree of ventricular reduction and the quality of life.CONCLUSIONSThe factors related to a worse score in the different dimensions of the HOQ were a history of epileptic seizures, the number of procedures, communicating hydrocephalus, and having had a previous valve. No association was found between the reduction in ventricular size and the quality of life as measured on the HOQ-Sv.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Grundtvig ◽  
T Vollnes-Eriksen ◽  
T Hole

Abstract Studies report relation between quality of life and outcome. However, less is known about how various aspects of quality of life relates to mortality and admissions for heart failure. Method Mortality was examined in 7001 patients with completed Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLWHFQ) at the first visit to specialised hospital outpatient clinics included in our registry. A subset of 4264 patients with a second MLWHFQ at a late follow-up visit was assessed for the number of admissions and days in hospital for reason of heart failure during a six months period prior to the late visit. Results In multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model for time to death after the first visit with a median 19 months follow-up and 1001 deaths, the MLWHFQ score for the subset of the “physical domain” (question 2 to 9) was a significant independent predictor for mortality (P=0.002) adjusted for gender, NYHA-class, blood pressure, s-sodium, stroke, obstructive lung disease, eGFR, anemia, age, daily dose diuretic, and ischemic cause for heart failure. The total MLWHFQ score and the Minnesota “emotional domain” (question 17–21) were not significant variables when the MLWHFQ “physical domain” was entered in the analysis. The number of admissions for heart failure and the number of days in hospital for these admissions in a six months period prior to the late visit were analysed by linear regression for related variables. The total MLWHFQ score at the late visit was highly significant for the number of admissions in the six months period (p<0.001) adjusted for the daily dose diuretic, NYHA functional class and proBNP. The MLWHFQ “physical domain” and the MLWHFQ “emotional domain” were not significant variables when the total score was entered. The number of days in hospital was related to the daily dose diuretic, NYHA functional class, proBNP, and in addition anaemia at the late visit again with the MLWHFQ total score being a significant predictor (=0.001) Conclusions Disease specific quality of life measured with MLWHFQ “physical domain” was a highly significant predictor for mortality after the first visit. The late total MLWHFQ score was a better predictor for heart failure related admissions and days in hospital than the subset domains in multivariate analysis. Acknowledgement/Funding None


Crisis ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Sarfati ◽  
Blandine Bouchaud ◽  
Marie-Christine Hardy-Baylé

Summary: The cathartic effect of suicide is traditionally defined as the existence of a rapid, significant, and spontaneous decrease in the depressive symptoms of suicide attempters after the act. This study was designed to investigate short-term variations, following a suicide attempt by self-poisoning, of a number of other variables identified as suicidal risk factors: hopelessness, impulsivity, personality traits, and quality of life. Patients hospitalized less than 24 hours after a deliberate (moderate) overdose were presented with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression and Impulsivity Rating Scales, Hopelessness scale, MMPI and World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire (abbreviated versions). They were also asked to complete the same scales and questionnaires 8 days after discharge. The study involved 39 patients, the average interval between initial and follow-up assessment being 13.5 days. All the scores improved significantly, with the exception of quality of life and three out of the eight personality traits. This finding emphasizes the fact that improvement is not limited to depressive symptoms and enables us to identify the relative importance of each studied variable as a risk factor for attempted suicide. The limitations of the study are discussed as well as in particular the nongeneralizability of the sample and setting.


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