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Phenotypic and genetic correlations among floral traits in two species of Thalictrum.

The evolution of dioecy in plants is expected to be followed by sex-specific selection, leading to sexual dimorphism. The extent of the response to selection depends on the genetic covariance structure between traits both within and between the sexes. Here I describe an investigation to determine phenotypic and genetic correlations between reproductive traits within cryptically dioecious Thalictrum pubescens and within morphologically dioecious T. dioicum. Females of T. pubescens produce flowers having stamens and pistils, appearing hermaphroditic. Genetic correlations were estimated as family-mean correlations among paternal half-sib families. Positive phenotypic and genetic correlations between parts of the same reproductive organs, as the anther and filament of the stamen, indicate developmental associations between these traits in both species. Negative genetic correlations were detected between pistil number and size of reproductive organs in T. dioicum and showed the same direction, but not significance, in T. pubescens. There was a negative phenotypic correlation between the number of stamens and the number of pistils within female flowers of T. pubescens. Within T. pubescens, there was a positive genetic correlation between the number of stamens in males and the number of pistils in females, indicating that floral evolution in males and females may not be independent in this species.

Magnoliopsida↗

Plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate concentration is correlated with functional vitamin B-6 indices in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and marginal vitamin B-6 status.

Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have low plasma pyridoxal-phosphate (PLP) but a normal erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activity coefficient (alpha EAST), a measure of vitamin B-6 status in the erythrocytes, compared with healthy subjects. The goal of the present study was to examine the correlations of PLP levels in these two compartments (plasma and erythrocytes) with other established indices of vitamin B-6 status, and to determine which indicator better reflects functional status of vitamin B-6 in patients with RA. Multiple indices of vitamin B-6 status were measured in 33 patients with RA. Plasma PLP, urinary 4-pyridoxic acid (4-PA), net increase in plasma total homocysteine after a methionine load (DeltatHcy) and net increase in urinary xanthurenic acid after a tryptophan load (DeltaXA) were log-transformed to reach normality for statistical analyses. We found that log-plasma PLP levels were inversely correlated with both log-DeltatHcy (r = -0.368, P = 0.035) and log-DeltaXA (r = -0.333, P = 0.05). Plasma PLP was not correlated with alpha EAST or urinary 4-PA excretion. In contrast, erythrocyte PLP was inversely correlated with alpha EAST (r = -0.431, P = 0.012) and positively correlated with log-4-PA (r = 0.475, P = 0.005), but erythrocyte PLP was not correlated with the outcomes of a methionine or tryptophan load test. Erythrocyte PLP and log-4-PA, but not plasma PLP, were correlated with dietary intake of vitamin B-6 after adjusting for protein intake (r = 0.420, P = 0.015 and r = 0.333, P = 0.05, respectively). We suggest that in patients with RA, plasma PLP levels are a better diagnostic indicator of functional vitamin B-6 status than erythrocyte PLP levels.

Adult↗

CorGen--measuring and generating long-range correlations for DNA sequence analysis.

CorGen is a web server that measures long-range correlations in the base composition of DNA and generates random sequences with the same correlation parameters. Long-range correlations are characterized by a power-law decay of the auto correlation function of the GC-content. The widespread presence of such correlations in eukaryotic genomes calls for their incorporation into accurate null models of eukaryotic DNA in computational biology. For example, the score statistics of sequence alignment and the performance of motif finding algorithms are significantly affected by the presence of genomic long-range correlations. We use an expansion-randomization dynamics to efficiently generate the correlated random sequences. The server is available at http://corgen.molgen.mpg.de.

Algorithms↗

Uric acid correlates with the severity of histopathological parameters in IgA nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin-A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common chronic glomerulonephritis worldwide. Many clinical and histopathological risk factors for progression have been found previously. Recently, metabolic risk factors, such as hyperuricaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia, also have been associated with the progression of IgAN. METHODS: In the present study we correlated clinical and metabolic risk factors with histopathological parameters in 202 patients with IgAN. Morphological changes in glomerular, tubulointerstitial and vascular tissue were semiquantitatively graded into three classes. Mesangial proliferation activity and the amount of inflammatory cells were also evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of Ki-67 (MIB-1), CD45 (LCA) and CD68 stainings. Serum uric acid, triglycerides and cholesterol, urine protein excretion (UPE), blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Smoking habits and occurrence of diabetes mellitus also were evaluated. The independent role of serum uric acid in the development of renal morphological changes was evaluated in multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Serum uric acid and UPE level correlated with several histological parameters. Uric acid level showed the strongest correlation with tubulointerstitial changes and UPE with glomerulosclerosis. The level of serum triglycerides correlated with interstitial fibrosis and hyaline arteriolosclerosis. Blood pressure correlated with hyaline arteriolosclerosis, glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial changes. BMI and diabetes mellitus correlated with both tubulointerstitial and vascular changes. We found no significant correlations between histopathological parameters and smoking habits or serum cholesterol level. Serum uric acid had independent associations with the presence of tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that many metabolic factors are univariately associated with renal morphological findings in IgAN. These same factors are central in the metabolic or insulin resistance syndrome and may have a pathogenetic role in the progression of IgAN. Serum uric acid may have an independent role in development of tubulointerstitial lesions as well as being associated with inflammation in renal tissue of patients with IgAN.

Adolescent↗

Estimation of the genetic parameters of meat characteristics and of their genetic correlations with growth and body composition in an experimental broiler line.

Genetic parameters of breast meat characteristics [pH 15 min postmortem (pH15min), ultimate pH (pHu), CIELAB color parameters (L*, lightness; a*, redness; b*, yellowness) and drip loss (DL)] as well as their genetic correlations with BW and body composition [breast yield (BRY) and abdominal fat percentage (AFP)] were estimated in an experimental meat-type chicken line. Heritability of the pH of meat was high for pHu (0.35 +/- 0.03) and even more so for pH15min (0.49 +/- 0.01). Color parameters appeared to be the most heritable traits, with heritability values ranging from 0.50 to 0.57. Drip loss heritability was estimated at 0.39 +/- 0.04. The rate and the extent of pH decline seemed to be controlled by different genes, as shown by the extremely low estimated genetic correlation (0.02 +/- 0.04) between pH15min and pHu. The ultimate pH of the meat was genetically very strongly related to its lightness (-0.91 +/- 0.02) and water-holding capacity (-0.83 +/- 0.04). These results suggest that selection for pHu could be exploited to prevent increased incidence of pale and exudative meat. The pH15min was poorly correlated with the other meat characteristics, with estimated correlations of 0.13, -0.23, 0.05, and -0.29 for L*, a*, b*, and DL, respectively. These results may be explained by the fact that, in our experimental conditions, pH15min remained high (between 6.01 and 6.75). Body weight and BRY exhibited poor genetic correlations (ranging from -0.06 to 0.13) with the pH of the meat at 15 min and 24 h postmortem. Both of the former traits were moderately negatively correlated with a* and b* values. A significant negative genetic correlation was observed between abdominal fatness and pHu. These results do not support the idea that selection for growth and breast development has a detrimental effect on breast meat quality even if, in the long term, the color intensity could be decreased.

Animals↗

A standard procedure enhances the correlation between subjective and objective measures of sleepiness.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to assess whether instituting a standard procedure to minimize transient activation prior to the subjective rating of sleepiness can improve the predictive value of the rating process. METHODS: Thirty young adults, aged 19 to 26 years, participated in the study. Subsequent to sleeping at home with bedtime restricted to 5 hours, they came to the sleep laboratory. They were instructed to rate their level of sleepiness on the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and visual analog scales (VAS). A "calm-down" procedure, sitting quietly with eyes closed for 1 minute, was instituted prior to sleepiness ratings for half of the subjects (experimental group) but not for the other half of the subjects (control group). A nap trial with polysomnographic recording was then conducted, followed by a vigilance test. RESULTS: For the experimental group, VAS results of "sleepiness" and "alertness" both correlated significantly with sleep-onset latency during the nap (SOL: r = -.62 and .64, respectively, P values < .05) and with reaction time (RT) on the vigilance test (r = .56 and -.54, P values < .05). The SSS ratings showed significant correlation with nap SOL (r = -.58, P < .05) but not with RT on the vigilance test (r = .19, p = .52). For the control group, none of the subjective ratings showed significant correlation with objective measures. The differences between the resultant correlations for the 2 groups were statistically significant for 2 sets of correlations: the correlation between VAS of "alertness" and nap SOL and the correlation between VAS of "sleepiness" and RT on the vigilance test. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the subjective ratings of the sleepiness state for individuals with mild sleep restriction more faithfully reflect a physiologic tendency to fall asleep as well as cognitive attentiveness when the ratings are conducted subsequent to sitting still with eyes closed for a sufficient time to minimize transient activation.

Adult↗

Correlation of GP53 and P-selectin expression in myeloproliferative disorders and normal controls.

Platelet degranulation occurs when platelets are activated. Alpha degranulation releases P-selectin whereas lysosomal degranulation releases GP53. A correlation between these two markers might therefore be expected. We studied the correlation between P-selectin and GP53 in 50 patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), 35 normal controls and 105 disease controls (patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD, n = 52], rheumatoid arthritis [RA, n = 26] and coronary artery disease [CAD, n = 27]) by flow cytometry before and after stimulation with thrombin ex vivo. There was no significant correlation between percentage expression of P-selectin and GP53 in unstimulated samples in normal individuals; r = 0.13, P = 0.3, n = 34. Mild thrombin stimulation (10 mU/ml) led to both alpha and lysosomal degranulation with a strong correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.001, n = 35). Disease controls (IBD, RA and CAD) showed similar trends. In patients with MPD, in contrast, a strong correlation between the expression of these platelet activation markers was demonstrable in unstimulated samples (r = 0.37, P = 0.007, n = 50). P-selection and GP53 expression in stimulated samples also correlated well. The data support the existence of different control pathways for the steady state expression of P-selection and GP53. Heterogeneous steady state responses of P-selectin and GP53 may be physiological and loss of this heterogeneity may be a hitherto unreported and pathologically important feature of MPD. This lack of correlation appears to be specific to MPD and is not simply a function of increased in vivo platelet activation.

Antigens, CD↗

Smoking as a confounder in ecologic correlations of cancer mortality rates with average county radon levels.

Cohen has reported a negative correlation between lung cancer mortality and average radon levels by county. In this paper, the correlation of U.S. county mortality rates for various types of cancers during the period 1970-1994 with Cohen's radon measurements is examined. In general, quantitatively similar, strongly negative correlations are found for cancers strongly linked to cigarette smoking, weaker negative correlations are found for cancers moderately increased by smoking, whereas no such correlation is found for cancers not linked to smoking. The results indicate that the negative trend previously reported for lung cancer can be largely accounted for by a negative correlation between smoking and radon levels across counties. Hence, the observed ecological correlation provides no substantial evidence for a protective effect of low level radon exposure.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

MUC4 and ErbB2 expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract: correlation with clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Expression of the membrane mucin MUC4 has been associated with a variety of malignancies, including squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. MUC4 modulates cell signaling pathways as an intramembrane ligand of ErbB2. The hypotheses of the study were that MUC4 expression would correlate with ErbB2 expression and that MUC4 expression would correlate with clinical outcomes in squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review was combined with immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded tumor specimens from patients treated with initial definitive surgical resection at an academic tertiary care medical center. METHODS: MUC4 and ErbB2 receptor expression was localized by immunohistochemical studies using archival formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue. A limited number of fresh-frozen tissues were further analyzed by Western blot. Clinical outcomes and histopathological parameters were determined by retrospective chart review and correlated with immunohistochemical findings. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-four patients were analyzed with a median follow-up of 12 months among 54 patients who died and 49 months among 100 surviving patients. Membrane expression of MUC4 and ErbB2 was seen in 12% and 13% of tumors, respectively. MUC4 expression was not correlated with pathological grade. A significant correlation was found between MUC4 expression and ErbB2 expression. Multivariate survival analyses revealed that patients whose tumors exhibited MUC4 membrane expression had statistically significant improvement in survival and longer time to recurrence compared with patients whose tumors did not express MUC4 as defined by immunohistochemical staining patterns. No correlations between ErbB2 expression and survival or recurrence were observed. CONCLUSION: Patients with tumors that retain MUC4 expression exhibit improved survival and decreased recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. Correlations between MUC4 expression patterns and ErbB2 expression are also observed, suggesting that MUC4-ErbB2 mediated cell signaling pathways may provide insights into this clinical result.

Adult↗

A spurious correlation between hospital mortality and complication rates: the importance of severity adjustment.

OBJECTIVES: When two outcome measures, such as mortality and complication rates, are intended to measure the same underlying quantity (in this case hospital quality of care), one expects they will be highly correlated. In addition, as data quality improves, one expects the correlation will increase. The authors show that these expectations are, in a significant way, mistaken. METHODS: The authors study two outcomes (hospital mortality and complication rates after surgery) using three predictive models that vary in adjustment for severity of illness. RESULTS: Two hospital rankings, based on each of the two outcomes, are well correlated when not adjusted for severity. However, as clinical data are added to the models, the correlation tends to disappear. The authors explain this based on assumptions regarding the relative size of the partial correlations between mortality, complication rate, and severity covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Before claims of construct validity can be made, investigators must show that correlations between outcomes purporting to measure quality of care are sustained after adequate correction for severity. Most importantly, it should be recognized that inadequately controlled confounding variables may lead to a spurious high correlation between an accepted and a new outcome measure, and a false sense of adequate construct validity.

Adult↗

Elastance correlates with outcome after endoscopic third ventriculostomy in adults with hydrocephalus caused by primary aqueductal stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study prospectively the correlation between clinical outcome after endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and resistance to the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid (R(out)) and elastance in adults with hydrocephalus caused by primary aqueductal stenosis (AS). METHODS: R(out) and elastance were measured in the subarachnoid space and intraventricularly before ETV in 15 consecutive patients. Three months after the ETV, the clinical effect was evaluated by standardized indices, and R(out) and elastance were measured. If symptoms persisted and the ETV was patent, shunt surgery was offered. The effect of the shunt operation and R(out) were measured after 3 months. RESULTS: Four patients experienced excellent improvement, six improved slightly, and five had unchanged or deteriorated symptoms after ETV. R(out) before ETV did not correlate with outcome. R(out) decreased after ETV with correlation to the clinical effect; in the six patients who had shunt surgery, R(out) decreased further. High preoperative elastance correlated strongly with a good outcome and reduction of ventricle size. Elastance did not change after ETV. CONCLUSION: R(out) intraventricularly and in the subarachnoid space could not predict the outcome of the ETV, but the reduction in R(out) correlated positively with clinical improvement. Preoperative elastance correlated positively with clinical improvement, and elastance was unchanged after ETV. Clinical improvement correlated positively with reduction in ventricle size.

Adolescent↗

Examining test-retest reliability: an intra-class correlation approach.

BACKGROUND: There are limitations of inter-class correlation (usually, the Pearson's product-moment correlation) in evaluating reliability of an instrument. An intra-class correlation approach would be appropriate to examine the test-retest reliability of an instrument. OBJECTIVES: To introduce an intra-class correlation approach to examine the test-retest reliability of an instrument. METHOD: The method of constructing an intra-class correlation coefficient was presented. RESULTS: The instrument with visual analog scales to measure the perceived competence to practice breast self-examination and perceived barriers to breast self-examination was tested. The intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.640. CONCLUSION: The intra-class correlation is an alternative to test the reliability of an instrument and it is more sensitive to the detection of systematic error.

Breast Self-Examination↗

Correlations of spinal mobility with degree of chronic low back pain after correction for age and anthropometric factors.

Correlations of age, height, weight, lordosis, and kyphosis with noninvasive spinal mobility measurements were studied in 301 men and 175 women, aged 35-55 years, who suffered from chronic or recurrent low back pain (LBP). Correlations of the different spinal movements with the degree of LBP were analyzed, with corrections for these relationships. Age had significant indirect correlations with most of the mobility measurements, but the effect of height was minor. Weight had considerable negative correlations with the mobility measurements, except lateral flexion. Lordosis and kyphosis had significant relationships with mobility in the sagittal and frontal planes. Correction for the factors analyzed only slightly reduced the correlations between spinal mobility and LPB. Thoracolumbar mobility had higher correlations with LBP than mobility of the lumbar spine. Thoracal spinal mobility alone also correlated with LBP. Lateral flexion and rotation, except for rotation in women, had stronger relationships than forward flexion and extension with LBP.

Adult↗

Do radiographic parameters correlate with clinical outcomes in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

STUDY DESIGN: A radiographic assessment has been developed to include coronal, sagittal, and axial parameters. OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of postoperative radiographic results and percentage postoperative radiographic improvement with patient clinical self-assessment. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: With the increasing interest in outcome studies, the authors wanted to determine whether Scoliosis Research Society clinical questionnaire results would correlate with objective radiographic improvement. METHODS INCLUSION CRITERIA: adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with anterior or posterior instrumentation, a solid fusion, minimum 2-year follow-up, and a completed postoperative Scoliosis Research Society questionnaire. Seventy-eight patients met the criteria. Measurements included in the radiographic score: Cobb angles of the coronal curve, C7 to the center sacral vertical line, apical translation, apical vertebral rotation, T1 rib angle, end-instrumented vertebrae angulation, angulation of the disc below the end-instrumented vertebra, and curve type. Sagittal measurements included T2-T12, T5-T12, T2-T5, T12-L2, and L1-S1. RESULTS: The preoperative radiographic score of these 78 patients was mean 60.1 +/- 9.7 (range 41-88, maximum radiographic score, 100). The 2-year postoperative radiographic score was mean 83.8 +/- 8.8 (range, 65-100). The median Scoliosis Research Society questionnaire score was 98 +/- 12.3 (range, 58-116, maximum score, 125, showing that the patient is highly satisfied and asymptomatic). The postoperative radiographic score versus the questionnaire score showed a Spearman rank correlation of 0.04 (P = 0.68, little or no correlation throughout). Percentage improvement of the radiographic score versus the questionnaire score showed a Spearman rank correlation of 0.1 (P = 0.38, little or no correlation throughout). CONCLUSION: In this initial group of patients, the radiographic assessment shows a significant improvement between preoperative and 2-year postoperative scores. However, little correlation between the radiographic assessment and the questionnaire scores was found in this adolescent population, suggesting that separate analyses of radiographic and clinical outcome data are required when evaluating results of postoperative scoliosis surgery.

Adolescent↗

Correlation of automated visual field parameters and peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by scanning laser polarimetry.

PURPOSE: To correlate Humphrey visual field mean sensitivity and peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness as measured by scanning laser polarimetry. METHODS: The authors studied 54 eyes of 34 patients who visited a university-based glaucoma clinic and had undergone scanning laser polarimetry and Humphrey perimetry within 6 months. The study population included normal patients and those with glaucoma, ocular hypertension, and glaucoma suspect. The authors correlated visual field sensitivity with peripapillary nerve fiber thickness, and visual field mean deviation with the average deviation from the normal nerve fiber layer thickness. They also correlated the visual field mean deviation with all available GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer parameters. RESULTS: The visual field mean sensitivity and deviation showed a bilinear correlation to peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness. The visual field mean sensitivity changed little when the nerve fiber layer thickness was greater than 70 microm. The nerve fiber layer thickness below this level was associated with a rapid decrease in the visual field sensitivity. Similarly, the visual field mean deviation was close to 0 dB when the nerve fiber layer was within -10 microm of the normal value; below this thickness, the mean deviation became substantially more negative. There was a large individual variability around the bilinear fit. Of the scanning laser polarimetry parameters, a calculated index, referred to as the number, had the highest correlation with the Humphrey mean deviation. CONCLUSION: The bilinear correlation and its variability between the scanning laser polarimetry and visual field parameters make it difficult to predict the result of one from the other. In general, the correlation between the two is better when there is a significant visual field defect than when the visual field is close to normal.

Adult↗

Quantification of interpoint topographic correlations of threshold values in glaucomatous visual fields.

PURPOSE: The authors sought to quantify neighboring and distant interpoint correlations of threshold values within the visual field in patients with glaucoma. METHODS: Visual fields of patients with confirmed or suspected glaucoma were analyzed (n = 255). One eye per patient was included. Patients were examined using the 32 program of the Octopus 1-2-3. Linear regression analysis among each of the locations and the rest of the points of the visual field was performed, and the correlation coefficient was calculated. The degree of correlation was categorized as high (r(2) > 0.66), moderate (0.66 > or = r(2) > 0.33), or low (r(2) < or = 0.33). The standard error of threshold estimation was calculated. RESULTS: Most locations of the visual field had high and moderate correlations with neighboring points and with distant locations corresponding to the same nerve fiber bundle. Locations of the visual field had low correlations with those of the opposite hemifield, with the exception of locations temporal to the blind spot. The standard error of threshold estimation increased from 0.6 to 0.9 dB with an r(2) reduction of 0.1. CONCLUSION: Locations of the visual field have highest interpoint correlation with neighboring points and with distant points in areas corresponding to the distribution of the retinal nerve fiber layer. The quantification of interpoint correlations may be useful in the design and interpretation of visual field tests in patients with glaucoma.

Female↗

Correlation of patient satisfaction with symptom severity and walking ability after surgical treatment for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective follow-up of 83 patients who had decompressive laminotomy with or without fusion for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis between September 1992 and September 1998. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the significance of the correlation between patient satisfaction and both the severity of postoperative symptoms and walking ability. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In clinical studies of surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, patient satisfaction often is an item in the outcome questionnaire. However, little is known about the relationship of patient satisfaction to postoperative symptoms or functioning. METHODS: Patients completed standardized preoperative and follow-up questionnaires about symptom severity, walking ability, and their satisfaction with the results of surgical treatment. The significance of the correlation of patient satisfaction with the severity of postoperative symptoms and walking ability was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean length of follow-up was 39 months (range 12-84 months). The final questionnaire of a series was answered by 77 patients (93% of the cohort). By univariate analysis, the correlations of patient satisfaction with postoperative back pain, leg pain, numbness, subjective difficulty in walking, and walking ability were statistically significant (Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient: 0.58, 0.57, 0.53, 0.64, and 0.43, respectively). Postoperative walking ability was a weaker correlate of patient satisfaction than the severity of postoperative symptoms. By multivariate regression analysis, the only independent correlate was subjective difficulty in walking. CONCLUSIONS: In the evaluation of patient satisfaction as an outcome in patients operated on for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, we should keep in mind that postoperative functioning is a weak correlate of satisfaction.

Aged↗

Bispectral Index monitoring correlates with sedation scales in brain-injured patients.

OBJECTIVE: Monitoring critically ill, brain-injured patients with a decreased level of consciousness is challenging. Our goal is to determine in this population the correlation between the Bispectral Index (BIS) and three commonly used sedation agitation scales: the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), the Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. DESIGN: Prospective, single-blinded observational study. SETTING: Eight-bed neurology-neurosurgery intensive care unit at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. PATIENTS: Thirty critically ill patients admitted to the neurointensive care unit with primary brain injury and a decreased level of consciousness. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients were prospectively evaluated for level of consciousness using the RASS, SAS, and GCS every hour and simultaneously were monitored continuously with a BIS monitor for 6 hrs. A Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to correlate the BIS scores with clinical scales. In 15 patients monitored with the newer BIS XP version, the BIS values correlated significantly with the RASS (R2 = .810; p < .0001), SAS (R2 = .725; p < .0001), and GCS (R2 = .655; p < .0001). In 15 patients monitored with the older BIS 2.1.1 software, the correlation was as follows: for RASS, R2 = .30 (p < .008), for SAS: R2 = .376 (p < .001), and for GCS: R2 = .274 (p < .015). This correlation was maintained in patients who received sedative medications. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant correlation existed between BIS values and the RASS, SAS, and GCS scores in critically ill brain-injured patients, with and without sedation. The newer BIS XP software package may be a useful adjunctive tool in objective assessment of level of consciousness in brain-injured patients.

Aged↗