Choice of y-axis can mislead readers

Trimethylamine N-oxide as a potential prognostic biomarker for mortality in patients with COVID-19 disease

PURPOSE

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is suggested as a biomarker for inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases which are identified as risk factors for severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our primary aim was to assess prognostic potential of serum TMAO levels in predicting COVID-19-related mortality. The secondary aim was to examine the potential of various biochemical parameters, particularly those associated with inflammation or thrombosis, as predictors of mortality.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this prospective and single-centre study, COVID-19 patients were categorized as death (group 1) or discharged (group 2) based on their in-hospital mortality status. The characteristics of participants were documented, and clinical data, including TMAO, angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), were determined. The association of these independent variables with the COVID-19-related mortality, was assessed by calculation of crude odds ratios (OR) in bivariate and logistic regression analysis. Receiver operation characteristic (ROC) analysis was used for cut-off values.

RESULTS

The serum levels of TMAO, ACE2 and NLR were markedly higher in group 1 on the days of hospital admission (p ​< ​0.05, p ​< ​0.05, and p ​< ​0.01, respectively). Serum TMAO levels (OR 1.422; 95 ​% CI [1.067-1.894]; p ​= ​0.016) and NLR (OR 1.166; 95 ​% CI [1.012-1.343]; p ​= ​0.033) were determined as independent predictors for COVID-19-related mortality with after multivariate logistic regression analysis. The optimal cut-off values were detected as 7.9 ​ng/ml for TMAO (71 ​% sensitivity, 68 ​% specificity, AUC ​= ​0.701).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this initial study indicate that serum TMAO levels and NLR may be useful in predicting mortality in the early stages of COVID-19.

The user-centered design and development of a childhood and adolescent obesity Electronic Health Record tool, a mixed-methods study

Background

Childhood and adolescent obesity are persistent public health issues in the United States. Childhood obesity Electronic Health Record (EHR) tools strengthen provider-patient relationships and improve outcomes, but there are currently limited EHR tools that are linked to adolescent mHealth apps. This study is part of a larger study entitled, CommitFit, which features both an adolescent-targeted mobile health application (mHealth app) and an ambulatory EHR tool. The CommitFit mHealth app was designed to be paired with the CommitFit EHR tool for integration into clinical spaces for shared decision-making with patients and clinicians.

Objectives

The objective of this sub-study was to identify the functional and design needs and preferences of healthcare clinicians and professionals for the development of the CommitFit EHR tool, specifically as it relates to childhood and adolescent obesity management.

Methods

We utilized a user-centered design process with a mixed-method approach. Focus groups were used to assess current in-clinic practices, deficits, and general beliefs and preferences regarding the management of childhood and adolescent obesity. A pre- and post-focus group survey helped assess the perception of the design and functionality of the CommitFit EHR tool and other obesity clinic needs. Iterative design development of the CommitFit EHR tool occurred throughout the process.

Results

A total of 12 healthcare providers participated throughout the three focus group sessions. Two themes emerged regarding EHR design: (1) Functional Needs, including Enhancing Clinical Practices and Workflow, and (2) Visualization, including Colors and Graphs. Responses from the surveys (n = 52) further reflect the need for Functionality and User-Interface Design by clinicians. Clinicians want the CommitFit EHR tool to enhance in-clinic adolescent lifestyle counseling, be easy to use, and presentable to adolescent patients and their caregivers. Additionally, we found that clinicians preferred colors and graphs that improved readability and usability. During each step of feedback from focus group sessions and the survey, the design of the CommitFit EHR tool was updated and co-developed by clinicians in an iterative user-centered design process.

Conclusion

More research is needed to explore clinician actual user analytics for the CommitFit EHR tool to evaluate real-time workflow, design, and function needs. The effectiveness of the CommitFit mHealth and EHR tool as a weight management intervention needs to be evaluated in the future.

A comparison of urinary bladder weight in male and female mice across five models of diabetes and obesity

Introduction: Diabetes often leads to lower urinary tract dysfunction. The most frequently assessed parameter of urinary bladder dysfunction in animal models of diabetes is an enlargement of the bladder, which is consistently observed in type 1 and less consistently in type 2 diabetes. The vast majority of studies on bladder weight in animal models of diabetes and obesity has been performed in males, and no studies have directly compared this outcome parameter between sexes. Methods: Therefore, we have compared bladder weight and bladder/body weight ratio in five mouse models of obesity and diabetes (RIP-LCMV, db/db, ob/ob (two studies), insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) knock-out mice and mice on a high-fat diet; pre-specified secondary analysis of a previously reported study). Results: In a pooled analysis of the control groups of all studies, females exhibited slightly lower glucose levels, lower body weight, and lower bladder weight, but bladder/body weight ratio was similar in both sexes (0.957 vs. 0.986 mg/g, mean difference 0.029 [-0.06; 0.118]). Among the six diabetic/obese groups, bladder/body weight ratio was similar in both sexes in three but smaller in female mice in three other groups. The mRNA expression of a panel of genes implied in the pathophysiology of bladder enlargement and/or fibrosis and inflammation did not differ systematically between sexes. Conclusions: We conclude that sex differences in diabetes/obesity-associated bladder enlargement may be model dependent.

A teaching tool about the fickle p value and other statistical principles based on real-life data

A poor understanding of statistical analysis has been proposed as a key reason for lack of replicability of many studies in experimental biomedicine. While several authors have demonstrated the fickleness of calculated p values based on simulations, we have experienced that such simulations are difficult to understand for many biomedical scientists and often do not lead to a sound understanding of the role of variability between random samples in statistical analysis. Therefore, we as trainees and trainers in a course of statistics for biomedical scientists have used real data from a large published study to develop a tool that allows scientists to directly experience the fickleness of p values. A tool based on a commonly used software package was developed that allows using random samples from real data. The tool is described and together with the underlying database is made available. The tool has been tested successfully in multiple other groups of biomedical scientists. It can also let trainees experience the impact of randomness, sample sizes and choice of specific statistical test on measured p values. We propose that live exercises based on real data will be more impactful in the training of biomedical scientists on statistical concepts.