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Predicting Factors (predicting + factor)
Selected AbstractsJob-related risk of latent tuberculosis infection in a homogeneous population of hospital workers in a low incidence area,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009Alberto Franchi MD Abstract Background Few comprehensive tuberculin surveys were carried out in a homogeneous population of health care workers (HCWs) in a low incidence area to assess the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection by different occupational groups and units. Methods Community and occupational factors and tuberculin skin test (TST) reactivity were determined in 1,755 HCWs. Results The overall prevalence of tuberculin reactivity was 6%. Predicting factors for TST reactivity were age >47 years (OR,=,2.88), history of household TB contact (OR,=,2.41), years of work as HCW (OR,=,2.57), physician (OR,=,1.88), and working in microbiology (OR,=,4.94), dialysis/nephrology (OR,=,2.00), gynecology/obstetrics (OR,=,2.01). In a multiple regression model working in microbiology [OR,=,4.16 (1.27,13.6)], dialysis/nephrology [OR,=,2.52 (1.36,4.65)], gynecology/obstetrics [OR,=,2.46 (1.24,4.86)] and age >47 years [OR,=,1.98 (1.14,3.46)] were significant predictors for infection. Conclusions A higher risk of latent infection can be demonstrated in well-defined groups of HCWs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:297,303, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Involvement of apoptosis in patients with diabetic nephropathy: A study on plasma soluble Fas levels and pathological findingsNEPHROLOGY, Issue 2 2004KAORI BABA SUMMARY: Aims: We investigated the relationship between levels of plasma soluble Fas (sFas) and stages of diabetic nephropathy, with special reference to apoptosis and clinical features of diabetic nephropathy in 168 patients with diabetic nephropathy. Results: There was a positive correlation between plasma sFas and creatinine levels, between sFas levels and urinary protein levels, and between sFas levels and urinary albumin. There was a negative correlation between plasma sFas levels and creatinine clearance. Plasma sFas levels in the early stage (stages 1, 2, 3A) and advanced stage (stages 3B and 4) were 2.6 ± 0.1 and 5.4 ± 0.5 ng/mL, respectively. Plasma sFas level of the advanced stage was significantly higher than that of the early stage. The number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive cells was significantly lower in the advanced stage than in the early stage. The number of in situ nick-end labelling (TUNEL) positive cells was also significantly lower in the advanced stage than in the early stage, suggesting the suppression of apoptosis. Conclusion: These data suggest that apoptosis is involved in the advancement of diabetic nephropathy, and that plasma sFas level might be a predicting factor for prognosis. [source] Serum albumin level predicts initial intravenous immunoglobulin treatment failure in Kawasaki diseaseACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2010Ho-Chang Kuo Abstract Objectives:, Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis primarily affecting children who are <5 years old. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the standard therapy for KD. However, many patients with KD still show poor response to initial IVIG treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for initial IVIG treatment failure in KD. Methods:, Children who met KD diagnosis criteria and were admitted for IVIG treatment were retrospectively enrolled for analysis. Patients were divided into IVIG-responsive and IVIG-resistant groups. Initial laboratory data before IVIG treatment were collected for analysis. Results:, A total of 131 patients were enrolled during the study period. At 48 h after completion of initial IVIG treatment, 20 patients (15.3%) had an elevated body temperature. Univariate analysis showed that patients who had initial findings of high neutrophil count, abnormal liver function, low serum albumin level (,2.9 g/dL) and pericardial effusion were at risk for IVIG treatment failure. Multivariate analysis with a logistic regression procedure showed that serum albumin level was considered the independent predicting factor of IVIG resistance in patients with KD (p = 0.006, OR = 40, 95% CI: 52.8,562). There was no significant correlation between age, gender, fever duration before IVIG treatment, haemoglobin level, total leucocyte and platelet counts, C-reactive protein level, or sterile pyuria and initial IVIG treatment failure. The specificity and sensitivity for prediction of IVIG treatment failure in this study were 96% and 34%, respectively. Conclusion:, Pre-IVIG treatment serum albumin levels are a useful predictor of IVIG resistance in patients with KD. [source] Large-volume leukapheresis using femoral venous access for harvesting peripheral blood stem cells with the Fenwal CS 3000 Plus from normal healthy donors: Predictors of CD34+ cell yield and collection efficiencyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL APHERESIS, Issue 1 2003Sang Kyun Sohn Abstract The current paper reports on the predicting factors associated with satisfactory peripheral blood stem cell collection and the efficacy of large-volume leukapheresis (LVL) using femoral vein catheterization to harvest PBSCs with Fenwal CS 3000 Plus from normal healthy donors for allogeneic transplantation. A total of 113 apheresis procedures in 57 patients were performed. The median number of MNCs, CD3+ cells, and CD34+ cells harvested per apheresis was 5.3 × 108/kg (range, 0.3,11.0 × 108/kg), 3.0 × 108/kg (range, 0.2,6.6 × 108/kg), and 7.9 × 106/kg (range, 0.1,188.9 × 106/kg), respectively. The median collection efficiency of MNCs and CD34+ cells was 49.8% and 49.7%, respectively. A highly significant correlation was found between the collected CD34+ cell counts and the pre-apheresis WBC counts in the donors (P = 0.013), and between the collected CD34+ cell counts and the pre-apheresis peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cell counts (P<0.001). Harvesting at least >4 × 106/kg CD34+ cells from the 1st LVL was achieved in 44 (77.2%) out of 57 donors and in 19 (90.5%) out of 21 donors with a PB-CD34+ cell count of >40/,l. There was no significant difference in the harvested MNC and CD34+ cell counts between the 1st and 2nd apheresis. The catheter-related complications included catheter obstruction (n = 2) and hematoma at the insertion site (n = 3). Accordingly, LVL using femoral venous access for allogeneic PBSC collection from normal healthy donors would appear to be safe and effective. J. Clin. Apheresis 18:10,15, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Relationship between organizational climate and empowerment of nurses in Hong KongJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2002Esther Mok RN Aims,The authors explore the relationship between organizational climate and empowerment among the nursing staff of a regional hospital in Hong Kong. The main purpose of the study was to apply the modified Spreitzer measure of empowerment in a hospital and to examine the relationship of organizational climate to perceptions of empowerment. Methods,From 658 questionnaires sent out, 331 nurses participated in the study with a response rate of 50.3%. Survey measures administered included the modified Litwin and Stringer Organizational Climate Questionnaire (LSOCQ) and the modified Spreitzer empowerment instrument. The relationships between organizational climate and empowerment were examined in a series of bivariate correlational analyses. The final section of the questionnaire asked the respondents to list three elements in the organizational climate that they perceived would further increase their feelings of empowerment. Findings,Exploratory factor analysis of the modified LSOCQ resulted in six factors: leadership, working harmony, challenge, recognition, teamwork and decision making. There was a positive correlation between organizational climate and psychological empowerment. Using multiple regression analysis, all the six derived climate factors significantly accounted for 44% of the variance. Among the six predicting factors, leadership and teamwork showed the most positive relationship with psychological empowerment. Responses from the open questions on perception of organizational climate that further enhance nurses' feelings of empowerment were categorized into eight areas. They include leadership, communication, working relationship, recognition, structure, training, teamwork and stress management. Conclusion,The study echoes previous studies in finding that organizational climate and, in particular, supportive leadership and teamwork are related to empowerment. The findings also suggest that the nurses in the study did not put much emphasis on the importance of participative decision making. [source] Predictors of depression in multiple sclerosis patientsACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2010M-C. Gay Gay M-C, Vrignaud P, Garitte C, Meunier C. Predictors of depression in multiple sclerosis patients. Acta Neurol Scand: 2010: 121: 161,170. © 2010 The Authors Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Munksgaard. Depression is one of the major problems associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Several physical and psychological factors tend to interact and make it difficult to pinpoint the predictors of the depression. It seemed particularly important to examine how anxiety and illness evolution (characterized by the functional status) influence the appearance of depression symptoms. Thus, the aim of this article was to clarify the relationship between depression and the factors associated with it. One hundred and fifteen participants living at home recruited through various associations and MS clinics answered socio demographic, medical and psychological questions and questionnaires (depression, anxiety, coping, social support, locus of control, alexithymia, self-esteem). Results show that functional status (EDSS), trait anxiety, alexithymia and satisfaction with social support system are the predicting factors of depression. Trait anxiety and functional status are two predictors that independently and simultaneously lead to the appearance of depression symptoms, with trait anxiety playing a predominant role. Alexithymia and social support indirectly influence the appearance of these symptoms. [source] | ||||||||||