Prevalence Values Research Articles

Medical diagnostic accuracy measures: an innovative approach based on the area under predictive values curves

ABSTRACT Positive and negative estimates are commonly used by clinicians to evaluate the likelihood of a disease stage being present based on test results. The predicted values are dependent on the prevalence of the underlying illness. However, for certain diseases or clinical conditions, the prevalence is unknown or different from one region to another or from one population to another, leading to an erroneous diagnosis. This article introduces innovative post-test diagnostic precision measures for continuous tests or biomarkers based on the combined areas under the predictive value curves for all possible prevalence values. The proposed measures do not vary as a function of the prevalence of the disease. They can be used to compare different diagnostic tests and/or biomarkers’ abilities for rule-in, rule-out, and overall accuracy based on the combined areas under the predictive value curves. The relationship of the proposed measures to other diagnostic accuracy measures is discussed. We illustrate the proposed measures numerically and use a real data example on breast cancer.

Prevalence and Risk of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Purpose: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are understood to have neuroinflammatory/neuro-immunological basis in their etiopathogenesis. There are few studies synthesizing the association of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), a common immunological disorder. Data Collection and Analysis: We performed meta-analyses of studies assessing the prevalence and risk of schizophrenia and related disorders and bipolar disorder in individuals with T1DM. Fifteen studies consisting of a total sample of 9,768,028 (T1DM: 435,553; non-T1DM controls: 9,332,475) were included. Random-effects meta-analyses using the restricted maximum likelihood method for pooling logit transformed prevalence values and the Mantel–Haenszel test for pooling risk ratios were used. I2 statistic and the rank correlation test for Funnel plots’ asymmetry were used to assess heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively. Results: Pooled (transformed-back-transformed) prevalence for schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders was 0.37% (95%CI: 0.19–0.73), and for bipolar disorder it was 0.39% (95%CI: 0.05–2.99) (together: 0.38% (95%CI: 0.2–0.71)] in T1DM. The prevalence models showed significant heterogeneity but were statistically significant, had low publication bias, and survived sensitivity analysis. The pooled risk ratio for schizophrenia and related disorders together with bipolar disorder was 1.80 (95%CI: 0.64–5.03), and for schizophrenia and related disorders alone it was 1.19 (95%CI: 0.46–3.11), indicating higher rates of these disorders in T1DM. The pooled risk ratios were not statistically significant and did not survive sensitivity analysis. Trial sequential analysis suggested the need for more studies to confirm increased risk. Conclusion: With available studies, we could not provide convincing evidence for the hypothesis that the prevalence and risk of schizophrenia and related disorders and bipolar disorder are significantly greater in individuals with T1DM.

Racial-Ethnic disparities in stroke prevalence among patients with heart failure

Racial-ethnic disparities exist in the prevalence and outcomes of heart failure (HF) and are presumed to be related to differences in cardiovascular risk factor burden and control. There is little data on stroke disparities among patients with HF or the factors responsible. We hypothesized disparities in stroke prevalence exist among patients with HF in a manner not fully explained by burden of cardiovascular disease. We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2014). Cardiovascular profiles were compared by race/ethnicity. Using survey-weighted models, effect modification of the relationship between HF and stroke by race/ethnicity was examined adjusting for cardiovascular profiles. Of 40,437 participants, 2.5 % had HF. The HF cohort had a greater proportion of White and Black participants (77 % vs 74 % and 15 % vs 12 %, respectively) and fewer participants of Hispanic ethnicity (8 % vs 14 %). Stroke was 8 times more prevalent in HF (19.6 % vs 2.3 %, <0.001). Among individuals with HF, race-ethnic differences were identified in the prevalence and mean values of vascular risk factors but were largely driven by higher rates in Black participants. There was significant interaction between HF and race/ethnicity; HF increased the odds of stroke over 7-fold in participants of Hispanic ethnicity (aOR: 7.84; 95 % CI: 4.11–15.0) but to a lesser extent in Black and White participants (Black aOR: 2.49; 95 % CI: 1.72–3.60; White aOR: 3.36; 95 % CI: 2.57–4.40). People of Hispanic ethnicity with HF have a disproportionately higher risk of stroke in a manner not fully explained by differences in vascular risk profiles.

Infeksi Ektoparasit dan Korelasinya dengan Panjang, Berat, dan Faktor Kondisi Benih Ikan Mas Merah Najawa (Cyprinus carpio Linneaus)

One of the problems in commona carp farming activities is ectoparasite infection which is thought to correlate with length, weight and condition of the fish. The aims of the research were to determine the species, prevalence, intensity and dominance of ectoparasites and to determine the correlation between the number of ectoparasites and the length, weight and condition factors of Najawa red carp (Cyprinus carpio Linneaus) fingerling at BPTPB Cangkringan. The research used laboratory observation method on randomly selected fish samples. Sampling was carried out for 3 weeks and a total of 27 individuals were examined. Ectoparasite observations were carried out on mucus samples from the body surface and gill sheets microscopically. The length and weight of each fish sample were measured and the results were used to calculate the condition factor. The correlation relationship was calculated between the number of ectoparasites and the length, weight and condition factors of the fish. The research results showed that five ectoparasites were found to infect fish samples with varying prevalence and intensity values, namely Trichodina sp., Dactylogyrus sp., Gyrodactylus sp., Glochidium sp. and Vorticella sp. Trichodina sp. has the highest prevalence, intensity and dominance compared to other parasites. The number of ectoparasites has a positive correlation with the length and weight of fish in the low category. In addition, a low negative correlation was found between the number of ectoparasites and fish condition factor. The results of this study indicate that ectoparasites are a factor that can influence the productivity of Najawa red carp cultivation.

Evaluation of a Commercial Serum Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Neospora caninum-Specific Antibodies in Raw Milk of Ruminants

Bovine neosporosis is an infection caused by the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum and has substantial veterinary hazards. Neosporosis cannot be controlled by vaccination or chemotherapy. Thus, accurate diagnosis followed by isolation and culling of infected animals is regarded as the most efficient method of control. In vivo diagnosis often relies on serologic testing of the animals, and milk represents a non-invasive and easy-to-collect sample matrix. However, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specifically designed for antibody detection in milk are sometimes not easily available and it is tempting to use ELISA kits that are originally designed for use in serum in milk samples instead. Herein, we evaluated a widely used commercial ELISA (ID Screen® Neospora caninum competition Multispecies ELISA (ID. Vet, Grabels, France)), developed for detection of N. caninum antibodies in serum samples, for its performance on milk samples. Milk samples from dairy ruminants (cows, buffaloes, sheep, and goats; n = 149) were tested in parallel with the serum ELISA and a commercial milk ELISA as a standard test (Neospora caninum Milk Competitive ELISA, ID. Vet, Grabels, France). The detected prevalence values were 28.2% (42/149), 17.4% (26/149), and 17.4% (26/149) using milk ELISA, serum ELISA, and both ELISAs, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the serum ELISA used with milk samples were 61.9%, 100%, 100%, and 87%, respectively. The agreement and kappa value between the two ELISAs were 89.3% and 0.70, respectively, suggesting substantial agreement. High values of Pearson correlation coefficient (0.904, p ≥ 0.0001) and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (0.789, p ≥ 0.0001) demonstrated the high diagnostic performance of the serum ELISA in milk samples. Also, a Bland–Altman Plot and histogram describing the frequency of distribution of ELISA optical densities confirmed the high agreement of both serum and milk ELISAs. The current results revealed the high specificity but moderate sensitivity of the serum ELISA used for milk samples compared with the milk ELISA. However, the excellent positive predictive value of the serum ELISA makes it an alternative option in case of the unavailability of milk ELISAs. With this study, we provided additional evidence that a widely used serum ELISA test kit may also be used for the detection of N. caninum antibodies in milk samples.

A Five-Year Study on Infestation and Abundance of Bat Flies (Hippoboscoidea: Streblidae) Under Severe Dry Season Conditions in the Tropical Dry Forest of Yucatan, Mexico

In Mexico, few studies have explored how environmental conditions in tropical dry forests (TDF) influence bat fly load even though, according to climate change scenarios, this ecosystem will experience a drier and warmer climate. Such an extension of the dry season in these ecosystems could have dramatic consequences for biodiversity, particularly in regions with plains where animals do not have elevational climate shifts. The present study therefore evaluates the effect of prevailing environmental conditions during 2015–2019, as well as host body conditions, on the infestation and abundance of bat-specific ectoparasites and the composition and bat fly load in the dry season of a TDF in Yucatan. Since Yucatan has an essentially flat and low-lying topography, organisms cannot escape from the predicted extreme conditions with elevational shifts. This region is therefore an excellent location for assessment of the potential effects of warming. We collected 270 bat flies from 12 species. Three streblid species (Nycterophilia parnelli Wenzel, Trichobius johnsonae Wenzel, and Trichobius sparsus Kessel) are new records for Yucatan. Our overview of the dry season bat ectoparasite loads reveals low values of richness and prevalence, but high aggregation. Our models detected significant differences in ectoparasite infestation and abundance over the years, but the environmental and body host condition variables were unrelated to these. We report that pregnant females are parasitized to a greater extent by bat flies during the dry season, which generally represents the season of most significant nutritional stress.

Binary quantification and dataset shift: an experimental investigation

AbstractQuantification is the supervised learning task that consists of training predictors of the class prevalence values of sets of unlabelled data, and is of special interest when the labelled data on which the predictor has been trained and the unlabelled data are not IID, i.e., suffer from dataset shift. To date, quantification methods have mostly been tested only on a special case of dataset shift, i.e., prior probability shift; the relationship between quantification and other types of dataset shift remains, by and large, unexplored. In this work we carry out an experimental analysis of how current quantification algorithms behave under different types of dataset shift, in order to identify limitations of current approaches and hopefully pave the way for the development of more broadly applicable methods. We do this by proposing a fine-grained taxonomy of types of dataset shift, by establishing protocols for the generation of datasets affected by these types of shift, and by testing existing quantification methods on the datasets thus generated. One finding that results from this investigation is that many existing quantification methods that had been found robust to prior probability shift are not necessarily robust to other types of dataset shift. A second finding is that no existing quantification method seems to be robust enough to dealing with all the types of dataset shift we simulate in our experiments. The code needed to reproduce all our experiments is publicly available at https://github.com/pglez82/quant_datasetshift.

New molecular evidence on the members of the genus Ortholinea (Cnidaria, Myxozoa) and the description of Ortholinea hamsiensis n. sp. infecting the urinary bladder of European anchovy Engraulis engrasicolus in the Black Sea.

Members of the genus Ortholinea are among the worldwide distributed myxozoan parasites that mainly infect marine fish. In this study, a new myxosporean species, Ortholinea hamsiensis n. sp., was isolated from the urinary bladder of European anchovy Engraulis engrasicolus collected from the Sinop coasts of the Black Sea. The prevalence and density values of infection were 1.4% and 1–5 individuals in the field of view (1 + ), respectively. Mature myxospores are subspherical with slight tapering down to the less pronounced tip in the frontal view and subspherical in the sutural view. Myxospores measured 9.1 ± 0.25 (8.8–9.9) μm in length, 9.2 ± 0.11 (8.9–9.4) μm in thickness, and 8.4 ± 0.33 (8.2-9.1) μm in width. Two polar capsules equal in size measured 3.1 ± 0.11 (3.0–3.3) μm in length and 2.7 ± 0.11 (2.6–2.9) μm in width. The polar tubule had 3–4 coils. Along with morphological peculiarities, the results of the 18S rDNA also revealed it to be a new species for science compared to the other species of the genus. In this study, another myxosporean species O. gobiusi was also detected in round goby Neogobius melanostomus with a prevalence of infection value of 4.8% and a density of 1–5 individuals in the field of view (1 + ). The present study also provided the first data of 18S rDNA of O. gobiusi from N. melanostomus and type species of the genus O. divergens from Gobius niger and the phylogenetic relationships of these species with other Ortholinea species have been revealed.

Nematode fauna of fish in Armenia

The purpose of the research is to study the species composition of nematodes dwelling in fish in natural reservoirs and on artificial pond fish farms in Armenia.Materials and methods. The studies were performed at the Research Center for Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise of the Armenian National Agrarian University and at the Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology of the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology from March 2020 to December 2022. Traditional ichthyo-parasitological methods were used to study 246 fish of 10 species from fish farms in the Ararat and Armavir Regions, from Lake Sevan and the Sevjur, Hrazdan, Marmarik, Akhuryan and Debed Rivers, as well as the Yerevan, Aparan and Akhuryan reservoirs. The study results were statistically processed (descriptive statistics) using the BioStat software.Results and discussion. The fish were found to have four types of nematodes: Contracaecum microcephalum Rudolphi, 1819, Philometroides sanguineus Rudolphi, 1819, Rhabdochona fortunatowi Dinnik, 1933 and Cystidicola farionis Fischer, 1798. Parasites were found in the body, on the serosa, in the air bladder walls, the intestinal lumen and the caudal fin thickness. The total nematode infection rate in fish was 9.76%. The nematode infection rate in fish was characterized by low values of prevalence and intensity other than the infection by the species Rh. fortunatowi (up to 24 specimens per fish). Among the found nematodes, the species C. microcephalum posed a potential threat to human health.

Ecological and social factors influence interspecific pathogens occurrence among bees

The interspecific transmission of pathogens can occur frequently in the environment. Among wild bees, the main spillover cases are caused by pathogens associated with Apis mellifera, whose colonies can act as reservoirs. Due to the limited availability of data in Italy, it is challenging to accurately assess the impact and implications of this phenomenon on the wild bee populations. In this study, a total of 3372 bees were sampled from 11 Italian regions within the BeeNet project, evaluating the prevalence and the abundance of the major honey bee pathogens (DWV, BQCV, ABPV, CBPV, KBV, Nosema ceranae, Ascosphaera apis, Crithidia mellificae, Lotmaria passim, Crithidia bombi). The 68.4% of samples were positive for at least one pathogen. DWV, BQCV, N. ceranae and CBPV showed the highest prevalence and abundance values, confirming them as the most prevalent pathogens spread in the environment. For these pathogens, Andrena, Bombus, Eucera and Seladonia showed the highest mean prevalence and abundance values. Generally, time trends showed a prevalence and abundance decrease from April to July. In order to predict the risk of infection among wild bees, statistical models were developed. A low influence of apiary density on pathogen occurrence was observed, while meteorological conditions and agricultural management showed a greater impact on pathogen persistence in the environment. Social and biological traits of wild bees also contributed to defining a higher risk of infection for bivoltine, communal, mining and oligolectic bees. Out of all the samples tested, 40.5% were co-infected with two or more pathogens. In some cases, individuals were simultaneously infected with up to five different pathogens. It is essential to increase knowledge about the transmission of pathogens among wild bees to understand dynamics, impact and effects on pollinator populations. Implementing concrete plans for the conservation of wild bee species is important to ensure the health of wild and human-managed bees within a One-Health perspective.

Global prevalence of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae in sewage and sewage-related environments-systematic review with meta-analysis.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) include amphizoic microorganisms important in public health, widely isolated from air, water, and soil. However, its occurrence in sewage-related environments still needs to be systematically documented. This study summarizes the occurrence of FLA in sewage-related environments through a systematic review with meta-analysis. A total of 1983 scientific article were retrieved from different databases, of which 35 were selected and analyzed using a random effects forest plot model with a 95% confidence interval (IC). The pooled overall prevalence of FLA in sewage across 12 countries was 68.96% (95% IC = 58.5-79.42). Subgroup analysis indicates high prevalence in all environments analyzed, including sewage water from the sewage treatment plant (81.19%), treated sewage water (75.57%), sewage-contaminated water (67.70%), sediment contaminated by sewage (48.91%), and sewage water (47.84%). Prevalence values of Acanthamoeba spp., Hartmanella/Vermamoeba spp., and Naegleria spp. are 47.48%, 28.24%, and 16.69%, respectively. Analyzing the species level, the distribution is as follows: Acanthamoeba palestinensis (88%), A. castellanii (23.74%), A. astronyxis (19.18%), A. polyphaga (13.59%), A. culbertsoni (12.5%), A. stevensoni (8.33%), A. tubiashi (4.35%) and A. hatchetti (1.1%), Naegleria fowleri (28.4%), N. gruberi (25%), N. clarki (8.33%), N. australiensis (4.89%) and N. italica (4.29%), Hartmannella/Vermamoeba exundans (40%) and H.V. vermiform (32.61%). Overall, our findings indicate a high risk associated with sewage-related environments, as the prevalence of FLA, including pathogenic strains, is high, even in treated sewage water. The findings of this study may be valuable both for risk remediation actions against amoebic infections and for future research endeavors.

Intensity and Variation of Health Navigator Support: Addressing Medical and Social Needs of Diabetes Patients in East Oakland.

Healthcare systems are increasingly screening and referring patients for unmet social needs (e.g., food insecurity). Little is known about the intensity of support necessary to address unmet needs, how this support may vary by circumstance or time (duration), or the factors that may contribute to this variation. Describe health navigator services and the effort required to support patients with complex needs at a community health center in East Oakland, CA. Retrospective analysis of de-identified patient contact notes (e.g., progress notes). Convenience sample of patients (n = 27) enrolled in diabetes education and referred to health navigators. Navigators provide education on managing conditions (e.g., diabetes), initiate and track medical and social needs referrals, and navigate patients to medical and social care organizations. Descriptive statistics for prevalence, mean, median, and range values of patient contacts and navigation services. We described patterns and variation in navigation utilization (both contacts and navigation services) based on types of need. We identified 811 unmet social and medical needs that occurred over 710 contacts with health navigators; 722 navigation services were used to address these needs. Patients were supported by navigators for a median of 9months; approximately 25% of patients received support for > 1year. We categorized patients into 3 different levels of social risk, accounting for patient complexity and resource needs. The top tertile (n = 9; 33%) accounted for the majority of resource utilization, based on health navigator contacts (68%) and navigation services (75%). The required intensity and support given to meet patients' medical and social needs is substantial and has significant variation. Meeting the needs of complex patients will require considerable investments in human capital, and a risk stratification system to help identify those most in need of services.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Wild American Mink (Neogale vison): The First Serological Study in Germany and Poland.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis in warm-blooded animals. Although most infections in humans and animals are subclinical, an infection can nevertheless be fatal. One of the important characteristics in the epidemiology of this parasite is waterborne transmission. The American mink (Neogale vison), a mammal closely adapted to freshwater ecosystems, is a potential sentinel for T. gondii. We analysed meat juice from the heart of 194 wild minks collected between 2019 and 2022 in five study areas from Germany and Poland and tested for the presence of antibodies against T. gondii. The analysis was performed using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test (ELISA). Antibodies were detected in 45.36% (88/194, 95% confidence interval (CI): 38.39-52.41%) of the analysed animals. While the prevalence values ranged from 37.50% to 49.30%, there was no significant difference in seroprevalence between the study areas. Juveniles were less likely to carry T. gondii antibodies than adults (odds ratio: 0.216), whereas there was no significant difference in prevalence between the sexes (odds ratio: 0.933). The results of our study show that contact with T. gondii is widespread in minks, and the parasite is common in inland freshwater ecosystems in Germany and Poland. This indicates that watercourses play an important role in the spread of T. gondii oocysts.

Focal electroclinical features in generalized tonic-clonic seizures: Decision flowchart for a diagnostic challenge.

Bilateral tonic-clonic seizures with focal semiology or focal interictal electroencephalography (EEG) can occur in both focal and generalized epilepsy types, leading to diagnostic errors and inappropriate therapy. We investigated the prevalence and prognostic values of focal features in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), and we propose a decision flowchart to distinguish between focal and generalized epilepsy in patients with bilateral tonic-clonic seizures and focal EEG or semiology. We retrospectively analyzed video-EEG recordings of 101 bilateral tonic-clonic seizures from 60 patients (18 with IGE, 42 with focal epilepsy). Diagnosis and therapeutic response were extracted after ≥1-year follow-up. The decision flowchart was based on previous observations and assessed concordance between interictal and ictal EEG. Focal semiology in IGE was observed in 75% of seizures and 77.8% of patients, most often corresponding to forced head version (66.7%). In patients with multiple seizures, direction of head version was consistent across seizures. Focal interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) were observed in 61.1% of patients with IGE, whereas focal ictal EEG onset only occurred in 13% of seizures and 16.7% of patients. However, later during the seizures, a reproducible pattern of 7-Hz lateralized ictal rhythm was observed in 56% of seizures, associated with contralateral head version. We did not find correlation between presence of focal features and therapeutic response in IGE patients. Our decision flowchart distinguished between focal and generalized epilepsy in patients with bilateral tonic-clonic seizures and focal features with an accuracy of 96.6%. Focal semiology associated with bilateral tonic-clonic seizures and focal IEDs are common features in patients with IGE, but focal ictal EEG onset is rare. None of these focal findings appears to influence therapeutic response. By assessing the concordance between interictal and ictal EEG findings, one can accurately distinguish between focal and generalized epilepsies.

MODELING THE TRANSITION TO THE FOURTH EPIDEMIOLOGIC STAGE OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: PREVALENCE EQUILIBRIUM

Abstract BACKGROUND A theoretical framework for population-level transition across four epidemiologic stages has been proposed for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): 1. Emergence (low incidence/prevalence); 2. Acceleration in Incidence (rapid rising incidence); 3. Compounding Prevalence (stabilizing incidence, rapid rising prevalence); and 4. Prevalence Equilibrium (decelerated prevalence), which no region has entered yet. Many regions of the early-industrialized world (North America, Europe, Oceania) are currently in stage 3. AIM To model the transition to the 4th epidemiologic stage of IBD based on real-world data. METHODS Transition to stage 4 involves deceleration of prevalence after a period of rapid increase. Age-specific, population-based incidence and prevalence data from Canada (2007–2014, &amp;gt;97% of population) were used to model changing prevalence using a partial differential equation (PDE) derived from a compartment model (Figure 1). The PDE is built on an average historical incidence value (2007–2014) and accounts for changing population age distributions over time. The PDE prevalence output was internally validated by comparing observed historical prevalence values with model outputs. After validation, the model was used to forecast future age-stratified prevalence and provide an estimate for when the transition to stage 4 is expected. Although incidence is predicted to stabilize in stage 3, the PDE was run on five scenarios to account for variability in future incidence values; therefore, we modeled annual incidence increases of 2% and 1%, stable incidence, and annual incidence decreases of 1% and 2%. RESULTS Internal validation of the model compared observed to predicted prevalence values in 2014: The observed prevalence was 0.677%; the model output was 0.678%. The model predicts gradual prevalence deceleration across 2020–2043 (Figure 2). In 2043, prevalence is modeled to range between 1.101% and 1.293% across incidence scenarios (−2% to 2%). Assuming a stable incidence, as predicted by stage 3, the increase in prevalence slows from a difference in annual percent change of 0.021% in 2020 to 0.011% in 2043, signalling transition towards stage 4 (Figure 2). DISCUSSION Stage 3 (Compounding Prevalence) is characterized by a stabilizing incidence trend, and rapid growth in prevalence. Without a growing incidence rate, the IBD population continues to age until mortality approximates incidence, thereby allowing prevalence to stabilize (Stage 4). Understanding the markers of epidemiologic transition and predicting the future population distribution (age, prevalence) of IBD allows healthcare administrators to anticipate the future needs of gastroenterology clinics to continue offering timely, high-quality care and prepare for an aging IBD population with complications from long-standing disease, age-related comorbidities, and polypharmacy. Figure 1 Compartment model that feeds the partial differential equation. The compartment model has three states: healthy (H), diseased (S), and dead (D); the i = incidence; r = remission, and m0 = mortality rates are dependent on age (a) and time (i), where as m1 = mortality rate is dependent on age, time, and possibly duration of disease (d). Figure 2 Modeled time-dependent prevalence of IBD in Canada for 2%, 1%, 0%, −1%, and −2% change in annual incidence (2015–2043).

PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY OF INTRA-DISCAL VACUUM PHENOMENON IN A NORMAL AGEING POPULATION

Intra-Discal Vacuum Phenomenon (IDVP) represents an intradiscal nitrogen gas accumulation where a cavity opens in a supine position, lowering intra-discal pressure and generating a bubble. IDVP has been observed in up to 20% of elderly patients and reported in almost 50% of chronic LBP patients. With a highly accurate detection on CT, its significance lacks clarity and consideration within normative data. IDVP occurs with patterns of lumbar and/or lumbopelvic morphology and associated diagnoses. Over-60s population based sample of 2020 unrelated CT abdomen scans without acute spinal presentations, with sagittal reconstructions, inclusive of T12 to femoral heads, were analyzed for IDVP and pelvic incidence (PI). Subjects with diagnostic morphological associations of the lumbar spine, including previous fracture, autofusion, transitional vertebra and listhesis, were selected out and analyzed separately. Subjects were then equally grouped into low, medium and high PI. Prevalence of lumbar spine IDVP is 41.3%. 125 cases were excluded. 1603 subjects yielded 663 IDVP. This was increased in severity towards the lumbosacral junction (L1L2 9.4%, L2L3 10.9%, L3L4 13.7%, L4L5 19.9%, L5S1 28.5%) and those with low PI, while distribution was more even with high PI. 292 had positive diagnostic associations, which were more likely to occur at the level of isthmic spondylolisthesis, adjacent to a previous fracture or suprajacent to lumbosacral transitional vertebra (p&lt;0.05).This study has identified normative values for prevalence and severity of IDVP in a normal aging population. Morphological patterns that influence the pattern of IVDP such as pelvic incidence and diagnostic associations provide novel insights to the function of the aging spine.

Epidemiology and distribution of 207 rare diseases in China: A systematic literature review.

Epidemiological data on rare diseases in China are currently limited. The objective of this study was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and incidence of rare diseases by systematically analyzing the available epidemiological data. We conducted a comprehensive search of English and Chinese databases, the Incidence and Prevalence Database, the Chinese Rare Disease Guideline, and the Taiwan Health Promotion Administration from 2010 to 2023. We identified the top diseases and regions based on epidemiological data and present the maximum, minimum, and median prevalence and incidence values in tables and forest plots. 1,264 prevalence and incidence data were retrieved from 277 studies, guidelines and official websites, covering 110 rare diseases (53.1%) and 32 regions (94.1%). In terms of geographical regions, incidence or prevalence data were available for 32 regions (94.1%), excluding Tibet Hui Autonomous Region and Macao Special Administrative Region. In terms of rate, 60 and 77 out of 207 diseases (29.0% and 37.2%) had available incidence and prevalence data, respectively. Eight diseases had an incidence rate equal to or greater than that of 1,000 patients per million. The present study provides a comprehensive epidemiological analysis and valuable insights into the prevalence and incidence of rare diseases in China. Our findings underscore the pressing need for sustained drug research and medical support for individuals and families impacted by rare diseases.

Infection of Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) by the parasite Hematodinium sp.: insights from 30 years of field observations.

The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, is an important representative of the benthos and also supports valuable fisheries across Europe. Nephrops are susceptible to infection by Hematodinium sp., an endoparasitic dinoflagellate that causes morbidity and mortality. From an epizootiological perspective, the Clyde Sea Area (CSA; west of Scotland) is the best-studied Hematodinium-Nephrops pathosystem, with historical data available between 1988 and 2008. We have revisited this pathosystem by curating and updating prevalence values, differentiating host traits associated with disease exposure and progression, and comparing Hematodinium sp. disease dynamics in the CSA to other locations and to other decapod hosts (Cancer pagurus, Carcinus maenas). Prevalence from a 2018/2019 survey (involving 1739 lobsters) revealed Hematodinium sp. still mounts a synchronized patent infection in the CSA; hence this pathogen can be considered as enzootic in this location. We highlight for the first time that Nephrops size is associated with high severity infection, while females are more exposed to Hematodinium sp. More generally, regardless of the host (Norway lobster, brown and shore crabs) or the geographical area (Ireland, Wales, Scotland), Hematodinium sp. patent infections peak in spring/summer and reach their nadir during autumn. We contend that Hematodinium must be considered one of the most important pathogens of decapod crustaceans in temperate waters.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment in older adults in the Russian Federation

Dementia is one of the main challenges to modern society. According to estimated data, as of 2019, there were 1.949.811 people living In Russia with dementia of various etiology. At the same time, there have been no large epidemiological studies of dementia in the Russian Federation. The article provides an overview of the available data on the epidemiology of cognitive impairment (CI) In Russia given from various sources. Not only estimated, but also available clinical data were analyzed. In general, the obtained prevalence values for CI are comparable to global values. Thus, in an epidemiological study of people over 60 years of age in a separate district of Moscow, the prevalence of dementia was 10.4%, Alzheimer's disease 4.5%. A study of outpatients aged 60 years and older showed a high prevalence of both dementia and non-dementia CI at general medical appointments (incidence of dementia 7.8%, MCI 49.6%). It has been shown that the problem of non-dementia CI is already relevant in people of pre-retirement age (the prevalence of non-dementia CI in patients 55-64 years old is 36.8-44.8%). Unique data obtained in a population of institutionalized centenarians (prevalence of dementia 69%), as well as data on the relationship of CI with both somatic and demographic factors are presented.

Anxiety and depression: ten-year changes of prevalence and its association with demographic and socio-economic characteristics according to the ESSE-RF study

Aim. To analyze the prevalence of anxiety and depression in Russians using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) during the Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Diseases and their Risk Factors in Regions of Russian Federation (ESSE-RF) study. To study the associations of increased levels of anxiety and depression (HADS-A/ HADS-D ≥8+) with demographic and socio-economic characteristics according to the ESSE-RF3 study.Material and methods. In the ESSE-RF3 study, a representative sample of the population of 15 Russian regions aged 35-74 years was examined with a response &gt;70%. After removing respondents with missing data from the analysis, the final sample was 28716 people. The level of anxiety/depression was assessed by the sum of points &lt;8 — "normal", ≥8 &lt;11 — subclinical, ≥8+ — increased, ≥11 — clinical (high level). The changes in HADS-A/HADS-D over time were studied in a single age range of 35-64 years with the inclusion of materials from the ESSE-RF (2012-2014) and ESSE-RF2 (2017) studies. Statistical analysis was performed using the open-source R environment (version 4.1). Analysis of the association between factors and a binary variable was carried out using the logistic regression method. The significance level for all tested hypotheses was p≲0,05.Results. In the Russian cohort (ESSE-RF3), the average level of anxiety/depression was 4,3±3,7/3,9±3,4, respectively, while the prevalence of subclinical/clinical anxiety and depression was 19,3/6,8% and 15,9/4,5%, respectively. The prevalence rates of HADS-A/HADS-D ≥8 &lt;11 and HADS-A ≥11 in the ESSE-RF and ESSE-RF2 studies were significantly higher (p&lt;0,001) compared with data from the ESSE-RF3 study. Regression analysis of HADS-D ≥8+ in men and women in models (M1 and M2) showed a significant (p&lt;0,001) association with age 55-74 years, with secondary and less than secondary education and income, as well with diseases (men ≥2 and women ≥1) and women living in rural areas (p=0,019).Conclusion. Data analysis showed significant (p&lt;0,001) lower values of the standardized prevalence of anxiety and depression in men and women in ESSE-RF3 compared with the ESSE-RF and ESSE-RF2 studies. The exception were women with HADS-D ≥11, among which its prevalence in ESSE-RF3 did not differ significantly from that in ESSERF2. Regression analysis showed different associations of anxiety and depression with socioeconomic and demographic indicators in men and women.