quote:

Multivariable analysis: a primer for readers of medical research

Abstract

Many clinical readers, especially those uncomfortable with mathematics, treat published multivariable models as a black box, accepting the author's explanation of the results. However, multivariable analysis can be understood without undue concern for the underlying mathematics. This paper reviews the basics of multivariable analysis, including what multivariable models are, why they are used, what types exist, what assumptions underlie them, how they should be interpreted, and how they can be evaluated. A deeper understanding of multivariable models enables readers to decide for themselves how much weight to give to the results of published analyses.

quote:

Originally posted by wtg:
Friend sent me this WSJ link. I think it's a gift link that bypasses the paywall. Let me know if it does/doesn't work for you.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a...share_mobilewebshare

Seemed to be some things worth considering, but I could have done without the editorial/political commentary, things like:

quote:

The Biden administration’s monomaniacal focus on vaccines over new treatments has left the highest-risk Americans more vulnerable to new variants. Why doesn’t that seem to worry the experts?

I need to go back and look at the individual studies that are linked to in the article; the Cleveland Clinic study is one of them but there are several others that looked pretty interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by big al:

quote:

Originally posted by wtg:
For me, the Cleveland Clinic study is just one more data point to be considered in a broader context. Other things I'm interested in include how the vaccine protects people in my age cohort; study participants are much younger than I am and we know COVID affects people differently depending upon age. And I'd like to see more data on protection against severe illness or death. And, just for good measure, a look at whether vaccines and/or Paxlovid provide protection against long COVID. Throw in my individual risk profile (prior reaction to vaccine but otherwise excellent health for someone my age) and it gets fairly complicated.

The journey continues.

This is important to me. Given my recent diagnosis of COVID infection while I was hospitalized for other reasons and my current vaccination status (original two vaccinations plus one booster), I discussed what my best strategy should be with the doctors providing my hospital care.

The general consensus was that since I had had COVID in the recent past without any significant symptoms, I probably had a fairly high level of antibodies and that it would be best to delay receiving the bivalent booster for at least a couple of months. That is the advice that I intend to follow unless new information of a fairly definitive nature emerges in the meantime.

I do think that the commentary from the person in the medical sciences field makes very valid points that may not have been fully recognized in the population of the study.

Big Al

quote:

The bivalent vaccine booster outperforms

A review of the cumulative body of evidence

quote:

The Bottom Line

Bivalent boosters work well to prevent severe Covid, as manifest by reduction of hospitalizations and deaths. They are not a panacea, by any means—their efficacy against infections is limited and of short duration, which has been the case for shots since the Omicron variant came along in late 2021.

The spike protein of the BA.5 bivalent more closely resembles XBB.1.5 than the Wuhan ancestral spike. The lab studies with live virus assays are strongly supportive. The clinical data are unequivocal. While it would be far better to have a “universal” pan-β-coronavirus vaccine that worked against all SARS-CoV-2 variants, and nasal vaccines to help block infections, the bivalent BA.5 booster has helped to bridge the big antigenic distance gap from the Wuhan strain to current Omicron subvariants. We’re lucky in the United States to have a big supply and it’s frankly disappointing to see the divisiveness, cherry picking of data, and detractors that defy the body of evidence that has now accumulated. The bivalent booster impact of broadening our immune response has exceeded expectations.