Significant Predictor Of Treatment Outcome Research Articles

Changes in harm avoidance and incompleteness across group CBT for OCD and their relationship with symptom change.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms are hypothesized to be driven by two core motivations: harm avoidance and incompleteness. While cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for OCD, many posit that OCD presentations characterized by high incompleteness may be harder to treat. The relationship between the core motivations and treatment outcomes remains to be further explored. To investigate if harm avoidance and incompleteness decrease across group CBT and to examine the relationship between treatment outcomes and both baseline and changes in harm avoidance and incompleteness throughout treatment. A naturalistic sample of 65 adult out-patients with OCD completed self-report questionnaires measuring OCD symptom severity and the core motivations before, during, and after 12 weeks of group CBT for OCD. Harm avoidance and incompleteness scores significantly decreased from pre- to post-treatment. Pre-treatment harm avoidance and incompleteness levels did not predict post-treatment symptom severity, but changes in the core motivations throughout treatment were significant predictors of treatment outcome. Specifically, reductions in harm avoidance across treatment and reductions in incompleteness early in treatment, were associated with better treatment outcomes. Participants who completed group CBT for OCD experienced modest reductions in the core motivations thought to maintain OCD symptoms and these changes predicted better outcomes. However, pre-treatment levels of harm avoidance and incompleteness do not appear to moderate treatment outcome.

Emotions in search of words: Does alexithymia predict treatment outcome in chronic musculoskeletal pain?

Chronic pain, with its complex and multidimensional nature, poses significant challenges in identifying effective long-term treatments. There is growing scientific interest in how psychopathological and personality dimensions may influence the maintenance and development of chronic pain. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate whether alexithymia can predict the improvement of pain severity following a treatment-as-usual programme for chronic musculoskeletal pain over and above psychological cofactors (emotional distress, catastrophizing, and self-efficacy). A consecutive sample of 129 patients with diagnosed chronic musculoskeletal pain referred to two tertiary care centres was recruited and treated for 16weeks. Clinical pain, psychological distress, self-efficacy, catastrophizing, and alexithymia were assessed with validated self-report measures at the first medical visit (T0) and at 16-week follow-up (T1). Compared with non-responder patients (n=72, 55.8%), those who responded (i.e., reduction of >30% in pain severity; n=57, 44.2%) reported an overall improvement in psychological variables except alexithymia. Alexithymia showed relative stability between baseline and follow-up within the entire sample and remained a significant predictor of treatment outcome even when other predictive cofactors (i.e., pain interference, depressive symptoms, and catastrophizing) were considered simultaneously. Our results suggest that identifying patients with a co-occurrence between alexithymia, depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and the stressful experience of chronic pain can be clinically relevant in pain prevention and intervention programs.

Early symptom change contributes to the outcome prediction of cognitive behavioral therapy for depression patients: A machine learning approach

BackgroundLimited evidence exists regarding the association between early symptom change and later outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This study aimed to apply machine learning algorithms to predict continuous treatment outcomes based on pre-treatment predictors and early symptom changes and to uncover whether additional variance could be explained compared to regression methods. Additionally, the study examined early subscale symptom changes to determine the most significant predictors of treatment outcome. MethodsWe investigated CBT outcomes in a large naturalistic dataset (N = 1975 depression patients). The sociodemographic profile, pre-treatment predictors, and early symptom change, including total and subscale scores were used to predict the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ)48 score at the 10th session as a continuous outcome. Different machine learners were compared to linear regression. ResultsEarly symptom change and baseline symptom score were the only significant predictors. Models with early symptom change explained 22.0 % to 23.3 % more variance than those without early symptom change. Specifically, the baseline total symptom score, and the early symptom score changes of the subscales pertaining to depression and anxiety were the top three predictors of treatment outcome. LimitationExcluded patients with missing treatment outcomes had slightly higher symptom scores at baseline, indicating possible selection bias. ConclusionEarly symptom change improved the prediction of treatment outcomes. The prediction performance achieved is far from clinical relevance: the best learner could only explain 51.2 % of the variance in outcomes. Compared to linear regression, more sophisticated preprocessing and learning methods did not substantially improve performance.

Does fear reduction predict treatment response to exposure for social anxiety disorder?

Background and objectivesFear activation and reduction have traditionally been considered important mechanisms of exposure therapy. Evidence to date is mixed and impeded by inadequate methodology. This study examined the extent to which fear activation and reduction within and across exposures predicted treatment outcomes for social anxiety disorder within a paradigm suitable for their measurement. MethodsSixty-eight adults with social anxiety disorder and fear of public speaking completed seven exposure sessions, each consisting of seven speeches conducted in virtual reality. Exposures were identical in duration, task requirements, and virtual public speaking situation. Fear was measured with skin conductance and subjective distress ratings. At baseline and post-treatment, participants completed a public speaking behavioral approach test with a panel of confederate judges; subjective fear was measured. A standardized questionnaire of anxiety symptoms was administered at baseline, post-treatment, and one-month follow-up. ResultsNo indices of within- or between-session fear reduction, measured by subjective distress and skin conductance response, predicted treatment outcome. One measure of fear activation was associated with outcomes such that less activation predicted greater symptom reduction; remaining indices did not predict outcomes. LimitationsData were collected in the context of a randomized controlled trial of scopolamine; drug group was included in analytic models to account for drug influence. VR exposures elicited mild levels of distress that may underestimate levels of distress in clinical settings. ConclusionsFindings failed to support fear activation or reduction within or across exposure sessions as significant predictors of treatment outcome for social anxiety. Treatment implications are discussed.

The Efficiency of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) in the Treatment of Distal Ureteral Stones: An Unjustly Forgotten Option?

IntroductionThe optimal management of distal ureteral stones remains a matter of debate since current guidelines favor ureteroscopy over extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of ESWL for distal ureteral stones and to identify factors that affect treatment outcomes.Materials and methodsThe retrospective study included records of 115 patients with distal ureteral stones, 5 mm to 18 mm in size, undergoing 223 ESWL sessions as an outpatient procedure. Early fragmentation and three-month follow-up stone-free rate (SFR) was assessed through radiographic imaging. Treatment was successful if there were no residual fragments or they were ≤4 mm, three months after the last session.ResultsThe mean ±standard deviation (range) stone size was 9.68 ±3.10 (5.00-18.0) mm. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.3 ±2.67 (18.4-29.8) kg/m² with a significant correlation between BMI and stone size (r2 =0.324, p <0.001). Patients underwent ESWL an average of 1.7 ±1.36 times (1-5), while 68 patients (59.1%) became stone-free after one session. The overall SFR was 82.6%; for patients with stone sizes ≤10 mm and >10 mm, it was 99% and 9.4%, respectively. Cumulative SFR after the second session was 77%. In 20 (17%) patients the treatment was a failure. Complications occurred in 10.4%, while auxiliary procedures were needed in 8.7% of cases, both significantly affected by the stone size (p <0.001). The efficiency quotient (EQ) was 0.76. Treatment outcome was significantly different depending on stone size, BMI, number of sessions, complications, and auxiliary procedures (p <0.001, p =0.022, p <0.001, p <0.001, p <0.001, respectively). Univariate regression analysis identified stone size and BMI as significant predictors of treatment outcome (odds ratio (OR) 3.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.31-8.97, p =0.001, and OR 1.25, 95% CI: 1.04-1.54, p =0.024, respectively).ConclusionsExtracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy continues to be a safe and effective option for managing simple calculi in distal ureters with a diameter of ≤10 mm. The stone size and BMI remain significant predictors of treatment outcome.

Functional Polymorphism of MMP9 and BDNF as Potential Biomarker of Auditory Neuroplasticity in Prelingual Deafness Treatment With Cochlear Implantation-A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

Genetic biomarkers of neuroplasticity in deaf children treated with cochlear implantation (CI) might facilitate their clinical management, especially giving them better chances of developing proficient spoken language. We investigated whether carrying certain variants of the genes encoding matrix metalloproteinase MMP9 and neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), involved in synaptic plasticity, can be taken as prognostic markers of how well auditory skills might be acquired. Association analysis of functional MMP9 rs3918242 and BDNF rs6265 variants and the child’s auditory development measured at CI activation and 1, 5, 9, 14, and 24 months post CI activation with LittlEARS Questionnaire (LEAQ) was conducted in a group of 100 children diagnosed with DFNB1-related deafness, unilaterally implanted before the age of 2 years. Statistical analysis in the subgroup implanted after 1 year of life (n = 53) showed significant association between MMP9 rs3918242 and LEAQ scores at 1 month (p = .01), at 5 months (p = .01), at 9 months (p = .01), and at 24 months (p = .01) after CI activation. No significant associations in the subgroup implanted before 1 year of life were observed. No significant associations between the BDNF rs6265 and LEAQ score were found. Multiple regression analysis (R2 = .73) in the subgroup implanted after 1 year of life revealed that MMP9 rs3918242 was a significant predictor of treatment outcome. In conclusion, C/C rs3918242 MMP9 predisposes their deaf carriers to better CI outcomes, especially when implanted after the first birthday, than carriers of C/T rs3918242MMP9.

Predictors and Moderators of Treatment Efficacy in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT Objective The heterogeneous symptom presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires clinicians to consider each child’s unique constellation of symptoms and tailor intervention accordingly. Treatment moderators, though necessary to guide evidence-based treatment decisions, are significantly under-studied. This brief report aims to expand on previous literature by providing an overview of characteristics which may influence treatment outcome and specifying future directions to build on this preliminary evidence base. Method A subset of treatment modalities was identified from the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team’s most recent report including discrete trial early intensive behaviorally based treatment, social skills training, and cognitive behavioral interventions. Within these treatment modalities, individual interventions with significant support were specifically discussed. Due to the lack of research on treatment moderators, a discussion of significant predictors of treatment outcome is also included. Results Preliminary evidence suggests that overall, treatment intensity, duration, and parent involvement are the most consistently identified predictors (and in some studies, moderators) of treatment outcome; sessions which occur more frequently, continue for longer periods of time, and include parent training or coaching may yield the best outcomes. Other characteristics, including age and IQ, have been widely debated, with differing results found across treatment modalities. Conclusions The sparsity of research demonstrates a clear need for continued research on moderators to guide clinical judgment. Future studies that recruit larger samples targeting specific ASD symptoms at specific ages may be more adequately powered to detect these moderating effects.

Measuring Alliance Toward Embodied Virtual Therapists in the Era of Automated Treatments With the Virtual Therapist Alliance Scale (VTAS): Development and Psychometric Evaluation.

BackgroundAutomated virtual reality exposure therapies (VRETs) are self-help treatments conducted by oneself and supported by a virtual therapist embodied visually and/or with audio feedback. This simulates many of the nonspecific relational elements and common factors present in face-to-face therapy and may be a means of improving adherence to and efficacy of self-guided treatments. However, little is known about alliance toward the virtual therapist, despite alliance being an important predictor of treatment outcome.ObjectiveIn this study, we aimed to evaluate the first alliance instrument developed for use with embodied virtual therapists in an automated treatment format—the Virtual Therapist Alliance Scale (VTAS)—by (1) assessing its psychometric properties, (2) verifying the dimensionality of the scale, and (3) determining the predictive ability of the scale with treatment outcome.MethodsA psychometric evaluation and exploratory factor analysis of the VTAS was conducted using data from two samples of spider-fearful patients treated with VRET and the help of an embodied, voice-based virtual therapist (n=70). Multiple regression models and bivariate correlations were used to assess the VTAS relationship with treatment outcome, according to self-reported fear and convergence with presence and user-friendliness process measures.ResultsThe VTAS showed a sound two-factor solution composed of a primary factor covering task, goal, and copresence; adequate internal consistency; and good convergent validity, including moderate correlation (r=.310, P=.01) with outcomes over follow-up.ConclusionsThese preliminary results suggest that alliance toward a virtual therapist is a significant predictor of treatment outcome, favors the importance of a task-goal over bond-factor, and should be explored in studies with larger sample sizes and in additional forms of embodiment.

Dental Factors Influencing Treatment Choice For Maxillary Lateral Incisor Agenesis: A Retrospective Study.

Maxillary Lateral Incisor Agenesis (MLIA) pose significant orthodontic and restorative challenges. The aim of this study was to evaluate dental factors and their effect on decision making for MLIA. This is a retrospective study of patients who attended the Edinburgh Dental Institute between 2007 and 2016. Patients with unilateral or bilateral MLIA were included. Excusion criteria: inadequate pre-treatment records, hypodontia of additional teeth as well as MLIA, a craniofacial syndrome, previous orthodontic treatment. Archived records were used to record relevant dental features and treatment decisions. The independent variables were age, gender, overjet, molar relationship, space availability for lateral incisors, and canine aesthetics. The dependent variable was treatment outcome (orthodontic space opening or closing). Multiple regression models were used to identify predictors of treatment outcome. 44 patients were included in the study (30 female and 14 male). Mean age was 13.7 (SD 2.3) years. Fifteen patients (34.1%) had space closure and 29 patients (65.9%) received space opening. Space availability was the only significant predictor of treatment outcome within the regression model (p=0.02). Presence of adequate space in the maxillary arch is associated with orthodontic space opening for MLIA.

Moderators and predictors of outcome in metacognitive and cognitive behavioural therapy for co-morbid anxiety disorders.

This study aimed to investigate whether two theoretically derived moderators of treatment, degree of worry and avoidance at pretreatment, moderated anxiety from pretreatment to post-treatment in a randomized controlled trial comparing metacognitive therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. Personality problems, degree of co-morbidity, and demographic characteristics (work status and education) were also investigated. Seventy-four patients with a primary diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, or panic disorder with and without agoraphobia were analysed using multilevel modelling. There were no significant predictors of treatment outcome, indicating that the slope was not dependent on worry, avoidance, personality problems, degree of co-morbidity, and demographic characteristics. Furthermore, no interaction with treatment condition was found. Due to the sample size, the results of the moderator analysis should be interpreted with caution and replicated. Worry, avoidance, personality problems, degree of co-morbidity, and demographic variables did not moderate the effect of metacognitive therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy or predict treatment outcome for co-morbid anxiety disorders. Clinical implications are discussed.

The prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma related to immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment regulated by IL-6 signaling

Evasion of immune surveillance is a significant factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) carcinogenesis. IL-6 signaling is a critical mechanism for the induction of dysfunctional immune responses. In the present study, we examined the role of IL-6 in the prognosis of HNSCC regarding the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of HNSCC patients and examined its correlation with the levels of IL-6 in tumors and circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in peripheral blood. Furthermore, the relationships between IL and 6, programmed death ligand (PD-L1) expression, and immune response were examined in vitro and in vivo. Our data revealed that IL-6 overexpression was associated with the increased risk of developing disease failure and poor prognosis for HNSCC. The immunoreactivity of IL-6 in HNSCC specimens was positively linked to the staining of PD-L1 and the level of circulating MDSCs. By cellular and animal experiments, there were augmented radiation-induced increases in the expression of PD-L1 and the activation of MDSCs noted in IL-6-positive tumors. When IL-6 signaling was inhibited, the levels of PD-L1 and MDSC recruitment were significantly down-regulated. Furthermore, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was positively correlated with the levels of IL-6 and PD-L1 in tumor, and circulating MDSCs. In conclusion, IL-6 is a significant predictor of treatment outcome in HNSCC patients, and plays an important role in the induction of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment mediated by increased MDSCs and PD-L1 expression. Furthermore, IL-6 combined with NLR can assist the clinician to make an informed decision regarding treatment options.

Outcomes and prognostic factors in intermediate-risk prostate cancer: multi-institutional analysis of the Spanish RECAP database.

To retrospectively assess outcomes and to identify prognostic factors in patients diagnosed with intermediate-risk (IR) prostate cancer (PCa) treated with primary external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Data were obtained from the multi-institutional Spanish RECAP database, a population-based prostate cancer registry in Spain. All IR patients (NCCN criteria) who underwent primary EBRT were included. The following variables were assessed: age; prostate-specific antigen (PSA); Gleason score; clinical T stage; percentage of positive biopsy cores (PPBC); androgen deprivation therapy (ADT); and radiotherapy dose. The patients were stratified into one of three risk subcategories: (1) favourable IR (FIR; GS 6, ≤ T2b or GS 3 + 4, ≤ T1c), (2) marginal IR (MIR; GS 3 + 4, T2a-b), and (3) unfavourable IR (UIR; GS 4 + 3 or T2c). Biochemical relapse-free survival (BRFS), disease-free survival (DFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed. A total of 1754 patients from the RECAP database were included and stratified by risk group: FIR, n = 781 (44.5%); MIR, n = 252 (14.4%); and UIR, n = 721 (41.1%). Mean age was 71years (range 47-86). Mean PSA was 10.4ng/ml (range 6-20). The median radiotherapy dose was 74Gy, with mean doses of 72.5Gy (FIR), 73.4Gy (MIR), and 72.8Gy (UIR). Most patients (88%) received ADT for a median of 7.1months. By risk group (FIR, MIR, UIR), ADT rates were, respectively, 88.9, 86.5, and 86.9%. Only patients with ≥ 24months of follow-up post-EBRT were included in the survival analysis (n = 1294). At a median follow-up of 52months (range 24-173), respective 5- and 10-year outcomes were: OS 93.6% and 79%; BRFS 88.9% and 71.4%; DFS 96.1% and 89%; CSS 98.9% and 94.6%. Complication rates (≥ grade 3) were: acute genitourinary (GU) 2%; late GU 1%; acute gastrointestinal (GI) 2%; late GI 1%. There was no significant association between risk group and BRFS or OS. However, patients with favourable-risk disease had significantly better 5- and 10-year DFS than patients with UIR: 98.7% vs. 92.4% and 92% vs. 85.8% (p = 0.0005). CSS was significantly higher (p = 0.0057) in the FIR group at 5 (99.7% vs. 97.3%) and 10 years (96.1% vs. 93.4%). On the multivariate analyses, the following were significant predictors of survival: ADT (BRFS and DFS); dose ≥ 74Gy (BRFS); age (OS). This is the first nationwide study in Spain to report long-term outcomes of patients with intermediate-risk PCa treated with EBRT. Survival outcomes were good, with a low incidence of both acute and late toxicity. Patients with unfavourable risk characteristics had significantly lower 5- and 10-year disease-free survival rates. ADT and radiotherapy dose ≥ 74Gy were both significant predictors of treatment outcomes.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in patients with depression: current perspectives.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was developed to prevent relapse in individuals with depressive disorders. This widely used intervention has garnered considerable attention and a comprehensive review of current trends is warranted. As such, this review provides an overview of efficacy, mechanisms of action, and concludes with a discussion of dissemination. Results provided strong support for the efficacy of MBCT despite some methodological shortcomings in the reviewed literature. With respect to mechanisms of action, specific elements, such as mindfulness, repetitive negative thinking, self-compassion and affect, and cognitive reactivity have emerged as important mechanisms of change. Finally, despite a lack of widespread MBCT availability outside urban areas, research has shown that self-help variations are promising. Combined with findings that teacher competence may not be a significant predictor of treatment outcome, there are important implications for dissemination. Taken together, this review shows that while MBCT is an effective treatment for depression, continued research in the areas of efficacy, mechanisms of action, and dissemination are recommended.

Motor Retraining (MoRe) for Functional Movement Disorders: Outcomes From a 1-Week Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program

BackgroundFunctional movement disorders (FMDs) are conditions of abnormal motor control thought to be caused by psychological factors. These disorders are commonly seen in neurologic practice, and prognosis is often poor. No consensus treatment guidelines have been established; however, the role of physical therapy in addition to psychotherapy has increasingly been recognized. This study reports patient outcomes from a multidisciplinary FMD treatment program using motor retraining (MoRe) strategies. ObjectiveTo assess outcomes of FMD patients undergoing a multidisciplinary treatment program and determine factors predictive of treatment success. DesignRetrospective chart review. SettingUniversity-affiliated rehabilitation institute. PatientsThirty-two consecutive FMD patients admitted to the MoRe program from July 2014–July 2016. InterventionPatients participated in a 1-week, multidisciplinary inpatient treatment program with daily physical, occupational, speech therapy, and psychotherapy interventions. Main Outcome MeasurementsPrimary outcome measures were changes in the patient-rated Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) and the physician-rated Psychogenic Movement Disorder Rating Scale (PMDRS) based on review of standardized patient videos. Measurements were taken as part of the clinical evaluation of the program. ResultsTwenty-four of the 32 patients were female with a mean age of 49.1 (±14.2) years and mean symptom duration of 7.4 (±10.8) years. Most common movement phenomenologies were abnormal gait (31.2%), hyperkinetic movements (31.2%), and dystonia (31.2%). At discharge, 86.7% of patients reported symptom improvement on the CGI, and self-reported improvement was maintained in 69.2% at the 6-month follow-up. PMDRS scores improved by 59.1% from baseline to discharge. Longer duration of symptoms, history of abuse, and comorbid psychiatric disorders were not significant predictors of treatment outcomes. ConclusionsThe majority of FMD patients experienced improvement from a 1-week multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program. Treatment outcomes were not negatively correlated with longer disease duration or psychiatric comorbidities. The results from our study are encouraging, although further long-term prospective randomized studies are needed. Level of EvidenceIII

Can disability predict treatment outcome among traumatized refugees?

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of disability on changes in symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression among treatment-seeking traumatized refugees. Eighty-one refugees participated in different rehabilitation programs. PTSD symptomatology was assessed by the HTQ-IV and symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed by the HSCL-25. Disability was assessed by the WHODAS 2.0 before treatment. Following treatment, no statistically significant changes in PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptom scores were observed. Disability in the domain 'getting along' was a significant predictor of PTSD scores following treatment, when controlling for baseline scores. Neither total disability nor individual disability domains predicted any other symptom changes. Living with one's partner did, however, seem to be a consistent and significant predictor of treatment outcome. The results are discussed in terms of clinical implications and future research needs.

Predictors of Clinically Significant Outcome for Adolescents with Temporomandibular Disorders.

To evaluate and identify baseline characteristics of the adolescent patients included in two previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that may predict a clinically significant outcome after treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) with an occlusal appliance (OA) or relaxation training (RT) in a clinical sample of adolescents. This study combined two patient samples from the earlier RCTs for a total of 167 adolescents with frequent TMD pain (once a week or more often), diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. They were treated with OA, RT, or received information only (control). Outcome (response to treatment vs nonresponse) was assessed using four measures: the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC), pain intensity rated on a numeric rating scale (NRS), pain frequency levels, and pain severity levels prospectively recorded in a pain diary. Predictors of outcome were evaluated posttreatment for the whole sample and at 6 months follow-up for participants from the first trial. Associations and differences between groups obtained in the bivariate analyses were further examined in subsequent multivariate logistic regression analyses. At posttreatment, treatment condition (OA being more effective than RT/control), gender (boys being more responsive than girls), arthralgia (predicting lower response), lower levels of somatic complaints (predicting better response), and shorter TMD pain history (predicting better response) emerged as significant predictors of a clinical response. At 6-month follow-up, lower consumption of analgesics and shorter TMD pain history emerged as significant predictors of treatment outcome, while treatment condition approached significance after multivariate analysis. This study revealed that treatment condition and gender were the most consistent predictors of a clinically significant outcome across outcome measures in a clinical sample of adolescents with TMD. Treatment with OA reduced TMD pain in the adolescents.

Real-world effectiveness of peginterferon α-2b plus ribavirin in a Canadian cohort of treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients with genotypes 2 or 3: results of the PoWer and RediPEN studies.

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the real-life effectiveness of pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) α-2b with ribavirin (RBV) in a cohort of treatment-naïve patients with chronic genotypes 2 (G2) or 3 (G3) hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A post-hoc pooled analysis of two Canadian multicenter, observational studies, RediPEN and PoWer, was carried out. A total of 1242 G2- or G3-infected patients were included. The primary outcome was sustained virologic response (SVR). Secondary endpoints included early virologic response (EVR), end-of-treatment (EOT) response, and relapse. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of treatment response. SVR in G2 and G3 was 74.4 % and 63.6 %, respectively. Relapse occurred in 12.7 % and 19.1 % of G2- and G3-infected patients achieving EOT response, respectively. Overall, G3 was found to independently predict reduced SVR [odds ratio (OR) = 0.20; p = 0.007] and increased relapse (OR = 6.84; p = 0.022). Among G3-infected patients, increasing fibrosis score was the most important factor predicting reduced SVR [F2 vs. F0/F1 (OR = 0.41; p = 0.009); F3 vs. F0/F1 (OR = 0.72; p = 0.338); F4 vs. F0/F1 (OR = 0.27; p = 0.001)]. Male gender (OR = 13.16; p = 0.020) and higher fibrosis score [F2 vs. F0/F1 (OR = 9.72; p = 0.016); F3/F4 vs. F0/F1 (OR = 4.23; p = 0.113)] were associated with increased relapse in G3 patients. These results support the real-life effectiveness of peg-IFN α-2b plus ribavirin in HCV G2- and G3-infected patients. Overall, genotype was identified as the most significant predictor of treatment outcome. Fibrosis score and gender were key outcome predictors in the G3-infected population. In clinical settings, peg-INF/RBV offers an alternative for patients without access to all oral direct-acting antivirals.

Feedback and therapist effects in the context of treatment outcome and treatment length

Objective: This study estimates feedback and therapist effects and tests the predictive value of therapists’ and patient attitudes toward psychometric feedback for treatment outcome and length. Methods: Data of 349 outpatients and 44 therapists in private practices were used. Separate multilevel analyses were conducted to estimate predictors and feedback and therapist effects. Results: Around 5.88% of the variability in treatment outcome and 8.89% in treatment length were attributed to therapists. There was no relationship between the average effectiveness of therapists and the average length of their treatments. Initial impairment, early alliance, number of diagnoses, feedback as well as therapists’ and patients’ attitudes toward feedback were significant predictors of treatment outcome. Treatments tended to be longer for patients with a higher number of approved sessions by the insurance company, with higher levels of interpersonal distress at intake, and for those who developed negatively (negative feedback) over the course of their treatment. Conclusions: Therapist effects on treatment outcome and treatment length in routine care seem to be relevant predictors in the context of feedback studies. Therapists’ attitudes toward and use of feedback as well as patients’ attitudes toward feedback should be further investigated in future research on psychometric feedback.

Behavioral Training as New Treatment for Adult Amblyopia: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

New behavioral treatment methods, including dichoptic training, perceptual learning, and video gaming, have been proposed to improve visual function in adult amblyopia. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of these methods to investigate the factors involved in amblyopia recovery and their clinical significance. Mean and individual participant data meta-analyses were performed on 24 studies using the new behavioral methods in adults. Studies were identified using PubMed, Google Scholar, and published reviews. The new methods yielded a mean improvement in visual acuity of 0.17 logMAR with 32% participants achieving gains ≥ 0.2 logMAR, and a mean improvement in stereo sensitivity of 0.01 arcsec-1 with 42% of participants improving ≥2 octaves. The most significant predictor of treatment outcome was visual acuity at the onset of treatment. Participants with more severe amblyopia improved more on visual acuity and less on stereo sensitivity than those with milder amblyopia. Better initial stereo sensitivity was a predictor of greater gains in stereo sensitivity following treatment. Treatment type, amblyopia type, age, and training duration did not have any significant influence on visual and stereo acuity outcomes. Our analyses showed that some participants may benefit from the new treatments; however, clinical trials are required to confirm these findings. Despite the diverse nature of the new behavioral methods, the lack of significant differences in visual and stereo sensitivity outcomes among them suggests that visual attention-a common element among the varied treatment methods-may play an important role in amblyopia recovery.

Evaluating changes in judgmental biases as mechanisms of cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder

Reductions in judgmental biases concerning the cost and probability of negative social events are presumed to be mechanisms of treatment for SAD. Methodological limitations of extant studies, however, leave open the possibility that, instead of causing symptom relief, reductions in judgmental biases are correlates or consequences of it. The present study evaluated changes in judgmental biases as mechanisms explaining the efficacy of CBT for SAD. Participants were 86 individuals who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for a primary diagnosis of SAD, participated in one of two treatment outcome studies of CBT for SAD, and completed measures of judgmental (i.e., cost and probability) biases and social anxiety at pre-, mid-, and posttreatment. Treated participants had significantly greater reductions in judgmental biases than not-treated participants; pre-to-post changes in cost and probability biases statistically mediated treatment outcome; and probability bias at midtreatment was a significant predictor of treatment outcome, even when modeled with a plausible rival mediator, working alliance. Contrary to hypotheses, cost bias at midtreatment was not a significant predictor of treatment outcome. Results suggest that reduction in probability bias is a mechanism by which CBT for SAD exerts its effects.