METHODS: In this three-arm randomised controlled trial we recruited individuals in the USA using Facebook and multimedia advertisements. Included participants were 18 years or older, smoked at least weekly in the preceding year, and vaped at least weekly in the preceding month. We used computer generated randomisation with balanced-permuted blocks (block size 10, with 2-4-4 ratio) to allocate participants to assessment only (ASSESS group), generic smoking cessation self-help booklets (GENERIC group), or booklets targeting dual users (eTARGET group). Individuals in the generic or targeted intervention groups received monthly cessation materials for 18 months, with assessments every 3 months for 24 months. The main outcome was self-reported 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence at each assessment point. All randomly allocated participants were included in primary analyses using generalised estimating equations for each of 20 datasets created by multiple imputation. Analysis of the χ2s produced an F test. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02416011, and is now closed.
FINDINGS: Between July 12, 2016, and June 30, 2017, we randomly assigned 2896 dual users (575 to assessment, 1154 to generic intervention, and 1167 to targeted self-help). 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence increased from 14% at 3 months to 42% at 24 months (F7,541·7=67·1, p<0·0001) in the overall sample. Targeted self-help resulted in higher smoking abstinence than did assessment alone throughout the treatment period (F1,973·8=10·20, p=0·0014 [α=0·017]). The generic intervention group had abstinence rates between those of the assessment and targeted groups, but did not significantly differ from either when adjusted for multiple comparisons (GENERIC vs eTARGET F1,1102·5=1·79, p=0·18 [α=0·05]; GENERIC vs ASSESS F1,676·7=4·29, p=0·039 [α=0·025]). Differences between study groups attenuated after the interventions ended.
INTERPRETATION: A targeted self-help intervention with high potential for dissemination could be efficacious in promoting smoking cessation among dual users of combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
FUNDING: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this bibliometric study was to analyze the characteristics of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry between 1970 and 2019.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection was used to retrieve 9 categories of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, including keywords and terms used, cited documents published, the countries and organizations of the authors, references, and sources cited during this period. Data were exported to a software program and analyzed for each 10-year period and for the entire 50 years. The highest 10 in each category were reported. Co-occurrence, couthorships, and linkage were also reported.
RESULTS: A total of 11 989 records were reached by the search on the Web of Science Core Collection database; of which, 10 638 (92.9%) were included in the analysis. Articles made up 91.1%, of all records, with 217 review documents (1.8%). The most productive decade was 1980 to 1989 with 2936 documents. The total number of citations of all documents (available period 1980 to 2019) including self-citations was 155 112. During the period 1970 to 2019, 14 837 terms were used. The total number of keywords was 4933 (available period 1990 to 2019). There were 15 382 authors, 82 countries, and 2113 organizations identified in articles published in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry during this period, with most from the United States. There were 43 027 authors, 95 324 references, and 14 594 sources cited in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry during the period surveyed.
CONCLUSIONS: This bibliometric analysis provided a comprehensive overview of the impactful role of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry in contemporary dentistry, particularly in the field of prosthodontics.
METHODS: We used the Autoregressive Moving Average Models (ARIMA) to forecast the number of cases in the upcoming 14 days and the Spearman correlation analysis to analyze the relationship between B.1.1.7 cases and meteorological variables such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, sunshine, and wind speed.
RESULTS: The results of the study showed the fitted ARIMA models forecasted there was an increase in the daily cases in three provinces. The total cases in three provinces would increase by 36% (West Java), 13.5% (South Sumatra), and 30% (East Kalimantan) as compared with actual cases until the end of 14 days later. The temperature, rainfall and sunshine factors were the main contributors for B.1.1.7 cases with each correlation coefficients; r = -0.230; p < 0.05, r = 0.211; p < 0.05 and r = -0.418; p < 0.01, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: We recapitulated that this investigation was the first preliminary study to analyze a short-term forecast regarding COVID-19 and B.1.1.7 cases as well as to determine the associated meteorological factors that become primary contributors to the virus spread.
Methodology: We conducted a comparative case-control study involving 28 T2DM patients with a history of SH within the last 5 years with no documented ACAD, and matched them with 28 T2DM patients with no history of SH. All subjects underwent coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) with or without coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to evaluate the severity of ACAD.
Results: A history of SH in T2DM was associated with a higher prevalence of significant ACAD (79% versus 46%, p=0.026). A high CACS (≥100) was seen in a greater number of patients with a history of SH compared to those without (75% versus 43%, p=0.029). Similarly, there was a higher prevalence of obstructive CAD in those with a history of SH compared to those without (72% versus 39%, p=0.036). Median C-reactive protein level was also higher among patients with a history of SH (0.41 mg/dL versus 0.16 mg/dL, p=0.029).
Conclusion: In patients with T2DM, a history of SH is significantly associated with ACAD compared to those without SH. A history of SH warrants screening for ACAD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study was undertaken in adult age population >18 years, admitted in a dedicated COVID hospital in South India. A total of 50 patients with severe disease (cases) were compared with 143 mild or asymptomatic cases (controls). Those demographic and laboratory parameters that were found to be significant on univariate analysis were used for multiple logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS: Univariate analysis of demographic and laboratory data showed higher age, male sex, presence of diabetes mellitus, higher values of C-reactive protein, ferritin, D-dimer, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lactate dehydrogenase to be significantly associated with cases. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of these significant variables showed NLR and ferritin to be the independent predictors of the requirement of admission to a critical care unit. The receiver-operating characteristic curve showed an NLR value of 5.2 and a ferritin value of 462 μg/L that were able to predict the requirement of admission in critical care units.
CONCLUSION: High ferritin and NLR were independent predictors of the requirement of admission in critical care units. NLR is a simple tool that can be used in resource-limited settings for triage and early referral to higher levels of care.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Maddani SS, Gupta N, Umakanth S, Joylin S, Saravu K. Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with COVID-19 as a Simple Tool to Predict Requirement of Admission to a Critical Care Unit. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(5):535-539.
Main body: In light of the higher vulnerability of men to COVID-19 than women, there is rising concerns on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male fertility and possibilities of seminal contamination and transmission. The pandemic has attributed to the brief suspension of many fertility clinics and pathology laboratories, though many remained functional. Few reports reflect that SARS-CoV-2 can contaminate the semen of COVID-19 patients as well as that of recovering patients. The viral invasion into the testis may be due to the disrupted anatomical barriers of the testis by the inflammatory responses, and the persistence of the virus in the semen may be facilitated by the testicular immune privilege. Since SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped RNA virus, it is also theoretically possible that this virus can remain viable in the semen samples even after cryopreservation with liquid nitrogen.
Conclusion: The present review emphasizes the possibilities of seminal dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 and thereby the chances of its sexual transmission. These perceptions and predictions are to facilitate immediate necessary actions to improvise the standard precautionary procedures for laboratory practices, including semen analysis or processing the semen sample for fertility treatments.
METHODS: We derived data from the Global School Health Survey (GSHS) 2012 and GSHS 2017, which was carried out in Malaysia using multistage sampling to select representative samples of secondary school-going adolescents. Both surveys used similar questionnaires to measure SHS exposure. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the prevalence and factors associated with SHS exposure.
RESULTS: Approximately four in ten respondents were exposed to SHS in the past week in both surveys (41.5% in GSHS 2012 and 42.0% in GSHS 2017, respectively). Both surveys revealed a significantly higher SHS exposure among respondents who smoked than among non-smokers and higher among males compared to females. The likelihood of SHS exposure in both surveys was also similar, with a higher likelihood of SHS exposure among smoking adolescents and non-smoking adolescents who had at least one smoking parent/guardian, regardless of their own smoking status. Male adolescents had a higher risk of SHS exposure compared to their female counterparts. Meanwhile, SHS risk also increased with age, regardless of smoking status.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that there were no changes in the prevalence of SHS exposure and recorded only a slight change in the factors associated with exposure to SHS among school-going adolescents in Malaysia between the years 2012 and 2017. A more pro-active, extensive and comprehensive programme should be implemented to address the problem of SHS exposure. Parents should be advised to stop smoking or abstain from smoking in the presence of their children, and smoking cessation interventions are necessary for smoking adolescents and their parents.