Epidemiological and retrospective clinical studies on cancer outcomes frequently adjust for patients' comorbid conditions. Despite the existence of multiple comorbidity indices, the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) is the most frequently applied. Indices are developed in specific settings and the extent of alignment between the development setting and subsequent study is unclear. The present study provides a contemporaneous snapshot of comorbidity indices used in retrospective observational cancer studies and the extent to which cancer type(s), data source(s) and outcome(s) matched the studies in which the indices were developed. A systematic literature search in PubMed identified retrospective, observational studies on outcomes in patients with cancer published between March 2015 and March 2020. Information including the cancer type, data source and outcome were extracted and compared to those used in the validation study of the comorbidity index used. Of 158 papers reviewed, 79 used the CCI, either alone or in combination with other indices. The cancer type matched to that used in the validation study of the comorbidity index in 16 of the 115 studies using an established index, whilst the data source matched in 27 studies and outcome in only two. Justification was rarely provided for index choice (15 of the 115 studies). It may be concluded that, while the CCI remains the dominant comorbidity index, it may not always align to key elements of the study design in terms of cancer type, data source and outcome. A range of indices exists and identification of the most appropriate measure has the potential to improve adjustment for comorbidity. The present study provided information about the indices used in included studies and encourages future studies to consider which comorbidity index offers the best alignment with the study population, data source and question addressed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2022.5457 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
December 2024
Medical School, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, SAU.
Background Cosmetic procedures have become increasingly popular worldwide; however, male participation remains relatively low, especially in conservative societies like Saudi Arabia. This study explores the awareness, attitudes, and experiences of men concerning aesthetic procedures in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on sociodemographic factors and sources of information. This study aimed to assess male awareness, attitudes, and experiences with aesthetic procedures in Saudi Arabia and identify factors influencing their engagement with these interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Fragility fractures, often caused by osteoporosis, are a major public health concern among the growing population of the United Kingdom (UK). In addition to being a major source of illness and mortality, the rising incidence of osteoporosis places a heavy strain on healthcare systems if it is not adequately managed. In order to lower the risk of additional fractures, current guidelines place a strong emphasis on the timely evaluation and treatment of fragility fractures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Neurol
December 2024
Department of Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College of Rzeszów University, Rzeszów, Poland.
Introduction: Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, influenced by various factors. Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder (PEPD) is a rare genetic condition characterized by sudden bouts of pain accompanied by autonomic symptoms.
Material Methods And Aim: This manuscript presents the case of a 9-year-old boy with paroxysmal extreme pain syndrome and provides a review of the literature.
Motivation: This study aims to develop an AI-driven framework that leverages large language models (LLMs) to simulate scientific reasoning and peer review to predict efficacious combinatorial therapy when data-driven prediction is infeasible.
Results: Our proposed framework achieved a significantly higher accuracy (0.74) than traditional knowledge-based prediction (0.
Background: Monitoring and treating diarrheal illness often rely on individuals seeking care at hospitals or clinics. Cases that seek care through pharmacies and community health workers (CHW) are frequently excluded from disease burden estimates, which are used to allocate mitigation resources. Studies on care seeking behavior can help identify these gaps but typically focus on children under five, even though diarrheal diseases like cholera and Enterotoxigenic E.
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