Did domestic travel restrictions slow down the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia? A joinpoint regression analysis

Abstract Background Several trend analyses on liver transplantation (LT) indications have been published in the U.S. and in other countries, but there are limited data on LT indication trends in Saudi Arabia (SA), especially since the availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study aimed to analyze trends in the frequency of LT indications among LT recipients in SA over a 19-year period and examine associations between etiologic-specific trends and clinicodemographic characteristics. Methods This retrospective study analyzed clinical and surgical data of adult patients (n = 1009) who underwent LT at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center (Riyadh, SA) between 2001 and 2019. Spearman’s rank correlation, Poisson regression, and Joinpoint regression analysis were employed to assess changes in LT etiologic trends. Results In the first period (2001–2010), the main LT indications were HCV (41.9%) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) (21.1%), but nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (29.7%) surpassed HCV (23.7%) as the leading LT indication in the second period (2011–2019); and the trends were significant in correlation analyses [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.09 (1.06–1.13) for NASH; IRR = 0.93 (0.91–0.95) for HCV]. In the Joinpoint regression analysis, increases in NASH from 2006 to 2012 (+ 32.1%) were statistically significant, as were the decreases in HCV from 2004 to 2007 (− 19.6%) and from 2010 to 2019 (− 12.1%). Similar patterns were observed in LT etiological comparisons before and after the availability of DAAs and within hepatocellular carcinoma stratifications. Conclusions Trends in the epidemiology of LT indications among LT recipients in SA have changed over a 19-year period. Most notably, NASH has eclipsed HCV in the country due to the effective treatment strategies for HCV. These trends in NASH now need an aggressive public health response to minimize and avert future onset of additional clinical and economic strains on health care systems and LT centers in SA.

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Changing trends in age-adjusted pulmonary fibrosis mortality in the USA: a joinpoint regression analysis

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/13993003.00364-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 1900364 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Evans R. Fernández Pérez

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Joinpoint Regression ◽

Changing Trends ◽

Joinpoint Regression Analysis ◽

The Usa

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Increases of suicide rates in Kansas: results from 2009-2018

Journal of Public Mental Health ◽

10.1108/jpmh-04-2020-0027 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Jason D. Lloyd ◽

David W. Oakley

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Percentage Change ◽

Sex Characteristics ◽

Annual Percentage Change ◽

Joinpoint Regression ◽

Content Type ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Joinpoint Regression Analysis ◽

The Difference

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the increase in suicide rates for Kansas residents, as well as quantify the difference in suicide rates between men and women across the State of Kansas. Design/methodology/approach To evaluate increases in suicide rates, a joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to calculate the annual percentage change in suicide rates. To evaluate differences between sex characteristics, a one-way analysis of variance was conducted. Findings Results of a joinpoint regression analysis found that the annual percentage change in the suicide rates of Kansas did increase significantly between 2009 and 2018. Furthermore, the rate of suicide increase among women was greater than the suicide rate increases of men. Originality/value The value of this study provides context to the suicide literature that could allow for better local and statewide policy decisions.

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Temporal Trends in Apparent Food Consumption in Bangladesh: A Joinpoint Regression Analysis of FAO’s Food Balance Sheet Data from 1961 to 2013

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11081864 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1864 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Syed Mahfuz Al Hasan ◽

Jennifer Saulam ◽

Kanae Kanda ◽

Tomohiro Hirao

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Vegetable Oils ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Balance Sheet ◽

Joinpoint Regression ◽

Annual Percent Change ◽

Dietary History ◽

Joinpoint Regression Analysis

We analyzed the temporal trends and significant changes in apparent food consumption or availabilityin Bangladesh from 1961 to 2013. Due to the lack of a long-term national dietary intake dataset, this study used data derived from the FAO’s food balance sheets. We used joinpoint regression analysis to identify significant changes in the temporal trends. The annual percent change (APC) was computed for each segment of the trends. Apparent intake of starchy roots, eggs, fish, vegetables, milk, and vegetable oils significantly has increased (p < 0.05) in the Bangladeshi diet since 1961; whereas cereals changed by merely 4.65%. Bangladesh has been experiencing three structural changes in their dietary history after the Liberation War, though the intake level has been grossly inadequate. Initially, since the late-1970s, apparent vegetable oils intake increased at a market rate (APC = 7.53). Subsequently, since the early-1990s, the real force behind the structural change in the diet has been the increasing trends in the apparent intake of fish (APC = 5.05), eggs (APC = 4.65), and meat (APC = 1.54). Lastly, since the early 2000s, apparent intakes of fruits (APC = 20.44), vegetables (APC = 10.58), and milk (APC = 3.55) increased significantly (p <0.05). This study result reveals and quantifies the significant secular changes in the dietary history of Bangladesh from 1961 to 2013. Bangladesh has experienced inadequate but significant structural changes in the diet in the late-1970s, early-1990s, and early-2000s. Overabundance of cereals and inadequate structural changes in the diet may have caused the increasing prevalence of overweightness and emergence of diet-related, non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh.

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