26 research outputs found
The psychological science accelerator’s COVID-19 rapid-response dataset
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments. Data were provided by 73,223 participants with varying completion rates. Participants completed the survey from 111 geopolitical regions in 44 unique languages/dialects. The anonymized dataset described here is provided in both raw and processed formats to facilitate re-use and further analyses. The dataset offers secondary analytic opportunities to explore coping, framing, and self-determination across a diverse, global sample obtained at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be merged with other time-sampled or geographic data
Imatinib in patients with severe COVID-19: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial
Background The major complication of COVID-19 is hypoxaemic respiratory failure from capillary leak and alveolar oedema. Experimental and early clinical data suggest that the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor imatinib reverses pulmonary capillary leak.Methods This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was done at 13 academic and non-academic teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Hospitalised patients (aged >= 18 years) with COVID-19, as confirmed by an RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2, requiring supplemental oxygen to maintain a peripheral oxygen saturation of greater than 94% were eligible. Patients were excluded if they had severe pre-existing pulmonary disease, had pre-existing heart failure, had undergone active treatment of a haematological or non-haematological malignancy in the previous 12 months, had cytopenia, or were receiving concomitant treatment with medication known to strongly interact with imatinib. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either oral imatinib, given as a loading dose of 800 mg on day 0 followed by 400 mg daily on days 1-9, or placebo. Randomisation was done with a computer-based clinical data management platform with variable block sizes (containing two, four, or six patients), stratified by study site. The primary outcome was time to discontinuation of mechanical ventilation and supplemental oxygen for more than 48 consecutive hours, while being alive during a 28-day period. Secondary outcomes included safety, mortality at 28 days, and the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. All efficacy and safety analyses were done in all randomised patients who had received at least one dose of study medication (modified intention-to-treat population). This study is registered with the EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT 2020-001236-10).Findings Between March 31, 2020, and Jan 4, 2021, 805 patients were screened, of whom 400 were eligible and randomly assigned to the imatinib group (n=204) or the placebo group (n=196). A total of 385 (96%) patients (median age 64 years [IQR 56-73]) received at least one dose of study medication and were included in the modified intention-to-treat population. Time to discontinuation of ventilation and supplemental oxygen for more than 48 h was not significantly different between the two groups (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.95 [95% CI 0.76-1.20]). At day 28, 15 (8%) of 197 patients had died in the imatinib group compared with 27 (14%) of 188 patients in the placebo group (unadjusted HR 0.51 [0.27-0.95]). After adjusting for baseline imbalances between the two groups (sex, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) the HR for mortality was 0.52 (95% CI 0.26-1.05). The HR for mechanical ventilation in the imatinib group compared with the placebo group was 1.07 (0.63-1.80; p=0.81). The median duration of invasive mechanical ventilation was 7 days (IQR 3-13) in the imatinib group compared with 12 days (6-20) in the placebo group (p=0.0080). 91 (46%) of 197 patients in the imatinib group and 82 (44%) of 188 patients in the placebo group had at least one grade 3 or higher adverse event. The safety evaluation revealed no imatinib-associated adverse events.Interpretation The study failed to meet its primary outcome, as imatinib did not reduce the time to discontinuation of ventilation and supplemental oxygen for more than 48 consecutive hours in patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen. The observed effects on survival (although attenuated after adjustment for baseline imbalances) and duration of mechanical ventilation suggest that imatinib might confer clinical benefit in hospitalised patients with COVID-19, but further studies are required to validate these findings. Copyright (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Pathogenesis and treatment of chronic pulmonary disease
Congenital oval or round window anomaly with or without abnormal facial nerve course: surgical results for 15 ears.
Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVES: To describe the audiometric results in a consecutive series of patients with congenital ossicular aplasia (Class 4a) or dysplasia of the oval and/or round window (Class 4b), which might include a possible anomalous course of the facial nerve. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: A tertiary referral center study with a total of 14 patients with congenital minor ear anomalies as part of a consecutive series (n = 89) who underwent exploratory tympanotomies (15 ears). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Audiometric results. RESULTS: In 8 of 15 ears, ossicular reconstruction was attempted. In the short term (1 mo), there was a serviceable hearing outcome (air-bone gap closure to within 25 dB) in 4 ears. However, the long-term results showed deterioration because of an increased air-bone gap in all but 1 ear. No facial nerve lesion was observed postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Congenital dysplasia or aplasia of the oval and/or round window is an uncommon congenital minor ear anomaly. Classical microsurgical opportunities are rare in this group of anomalies. Newer options for hearing rehabilitation, such as the osseointegrated passive bone conduction devices, have become viable alternatives for conventional air conduction hearing devices. In the near future, upcoming active bone conduction devices might become the most preferred surgical option. In cases in which the facial nerve is only partially overlying the oval window, a type of malleostapedotomy procedure might result in a serviceable postoperative hearing level.1 juli 201
The diagnostic accuracy of non-imaging screening protocols for vestibular schwannoma in patients with asymmetrical hearing loss and/or unilateral audiovestibular dysfunction: a diagnostic review and meta-analysis
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178000.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Currently, all patients presenting with asymmetrical sensorineural hearing loss and/or unilateral audiovestibular dysfunction (i.e. tinnitus, dizziness) undergo MRI, leading to a substantial amount of MRIs with negative findings as the incidence of vestibular schwannoma (VS) in this screening population varies between 1% and 4.7% (i.e. more than 95% of MRIs are negative for VS). OBJECTIVE OF REVIEW: The aim was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of different non-imaging screening protocols that can be used prior to MRI to select patients at high risk of VS. TYPE OF REVIEW: Diagnostic review and meta-analysis. SEARCH STRATEGY: We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase and The Cochrane Library as from inception up to 28 July 2016. We included studies that compared non-imaging screening protocols to MRI as gold reference standard. EVALUATION METHOD: Methodological quality was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Data necessary to complete 2 x 2 tables were obtained, and patient, study, screening and imaging characteristics were extracted. We calculated sensitivity and specificity of all tests and obtained pooled estimates using a bivariate random effects model. RESULTS: We analysed 12 studies (4969 patients) of poor to moderate quality according to the quality assessment. Most studies tested diagnostic accuracy of multiple screening protocols. Five pure-tone audiometry (PTA) protocols were studied by multiple authors; pooled estimates for sensitivity ranged from 88% [95% CI: 84-91] to 91% [95% CI: 52-99] and specificity from 31% [95% CI: 10-66] to 58% [95% CI: 49-65]. Due to heterogeneity, we were unable to pool other tests. In five studies testing auditory brainstem response, sensitivity values ranged from 37% [95% CI: 23-52] to 100% [95% CI: 40-100] and specificity from 57% to 96% [95% CI: 87-100]. Two authors studied PTA shape as a screening test. Presenting symptoms, electronystagmography, caloric irrigation and hyperventilation test were assessed by one study each. All reported low diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: All identified studies had a moderate-to-high risk of bias, and none of the currently available non-imaging screening protocols appear to be accurate in detecting VSs
An international comparison of diagnostic and management strategies for vestibular schwannoma
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201038.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access
Features of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing impairment: a review to serve as a reference
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165635.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)OBJECTIVE: Non-syndromic sensorineural hearing impairment is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion in 75-85% of cases. To date, 61 genes with this type of inheritance have been identified as related to hearing impairment, and the genetic heterogeneity is accompanied by a large variety of clinical characteristics. Adequate counselling on a patient's hearing prognosis and rehabilitation is part of the diagnosis on the genetic cause of hearing impairment and, in addition, is important for the psychological well-being of the patient. TYPE OF REVIEW: Traditional literature review. DATA SOURCE: All articles describing clinical characteristics of the audiovestibular phenotypes of identified genes and related loci have been reviewed. CONCLUSION: This review aims to serve as a summary and a reference for counselling purposes when a causative gene has been identified in a patient with a non-syndromic autosomal recessively inherited sensorineural hearing impairment
Repeated Postoperative Follow-up Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Detect Residual or Recurrent Cholesteatoma
Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVE: In our institution, follow-up diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) after cholesteatoma surgery is performed at least twice. The aim of this study was to determine the yield of the second follow-up DWI (D-W MRI-2) in patients in whom the first postoperative DWI (D-W MRI-1) was negative for residual or recurrent cholesteatoma. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Patients were included if 1) they had at least two postoperative DWI examinations after a canal wall up procedure with apparently complete cholesteatoma resection; 2) D-W MRI-1 was performed between 6 and 24 months after surgery and D-W MRI-2 performed at least 6 months after D-W MRI-1; 3) both DWI examinations were of good quality and covering the whole mastoid-middle ear region; 4) D-W MRI-1 was unequivocally negative for cholesteatoma; and 5) there was no clinical suspicion on otoscopy of recurrent cholesteatoma nor a surgical intervention between these two postoperative DWI examinations. In total, 45 separate ears in 44 patients were included. RESULTS: In 14 ears (31%) D-W MRI-2 was positive (n = 8) or equivocal (n = 6) for cholesteatoma. In six of eight patients with positive D-W MRI-2, follow-up surgery was performed. Cholesteatoma was found in five of them. None of the patients with equivocal findings on D-W MRI-2 was operated on. Patients with positive D-W MRI-2 were of young age. There were no observable differences for sex, side, time between surgery and D-W MRI-1, time between surgery and D-W MRI-2, or time between D-W MRI-1 and D-W MRI-2, or for the location of cholesteatoma at surgery. In the study period there was a trend to perform D-W MRI-1 and D-W MRI-2 earlier after initial surgery. In the same period, there was an evident decrease in average age of the patient population. CONCLUSION: Despite cholesteatoma surgery without macroscopic residue, clinical follow-up and routine first follow-up DWI without any signs of residual or recurrent disease, repeat follow-up DWI showed evidence of cholesteatoma in 31% of patients. On the basis of the findings in this study, repeated follow-up DWI is recommended
Potential savings in the diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma
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184097.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access
Variable degrees of hearing impairment in a Dutch DFNX4 (DFN6) family.
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