Plos One
-
To in detail delineate sex differences in non-small cell lung cancer outcome and investigate possible underlying drivers. ⋯ Men with non-small cell lung cancer have a consistently poorer prognosis, even after careful adjustments for a wide range of prognostic factors. While the pattern was similar in both squamous cell and adenocarcinoma, it was larger and more consistent in the latter.
-
Observational Study
Over-triage occurs when considering the patient's pain in Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS).
The Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) was developed based on the Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale. In patients with pain, to determine the KTAS level, the pain scale is considered; however, since the degree of pain is subjective, this may affect the accuracy of KTAS. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of KTAS in predicting patient's severity with the degree of pain used as a modifier. ⋯ Considering the degree of pain with KTAS led to overestimation of patient severity and had a negative impact on the predictability of KTAS for urgent patients.
-
The Quansys multiplex (Q-Plex) measures ferritin (Fer), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), C-reactive protein (CRP), α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), and retinol-binding protein (RBP). We compared Q-Plex results with reference-type assays and evaluated Q-Plex performance. Pearson correlation and Lin's concordance coefficients between the Q-Plex and reference assay were: Fer 0.98 and 0.91, sTfR 0.88 and 0.35, CRP 0.98 and 0.98, AGP 0.82 and 0.81, and RBP 0.68 and 0.31, respectively. ⋯ The Q-Plex measures multiple biomarkers simultaneously, is easy to perform, and uses small sample volumes. With some improvements in accuracy and precision (i.e., sTfR and RBP), this assay could be a useful tool for low-resource laboratories conducting micronutrient surveys for epidemiologic screening applications. These findings need to be verified using other populations, particularly those with inadequate micronutrient status.
-
Population trends of disease prevalence and incidence over time measure burden of disease and inform healthcare planning. Neuromuscular disorders (NMD) affect muscle and nerve function with varying degrees of severity and disease progression. ⋯ In both adults and children, NMD prevalence is rising and mortality rates are declining. In adults incidence is decreasing while in children it remains stable. This confirms on a population-based level the increased survival of children and adults with NMD.
-
To investigate the probability of marriage and divorce among Swedish military veterans deployed to Afghanistan relative to non-deployed matched comparators. ⋯ Military veterans were more likely to divorce and less likely to marry after deployment compared with matched non-deployed comparators.