ArticlePloS one2022
The importance of effect sizes when comparing cycle threshold values of SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeWe aimed to elaborate whether cycle threshold (Ct) values differ significantly between wild type SARS-CoV-2 (wtV) and certain viral variants and how strong or weak a potential significant effect might be.
methodsIn a retrospective study, we investigated 1873 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples for the occurrence of viral marker mutations. Age, gender, clinical setting, days after onset of symptoms, and Ct values were recorded. Statistical analysis was carried out with special consideration of effect sizes.
resultsDuring the study period wtV was detected in 1013 samples (54%), while 845 (45%) patients carried the Alpha variant of concern (VOC), and 15 (1%) the Beta VOC. For further analysis, only wtV and the Alpha VOC were included. In a multi-factor ANOVA and post-hoc test with Bonferroni-correction for the age groups we found significant main-effects for Ct values of the viral variant (wtV mean 26.4 (SD 4.27); Alpha VOC mean 25.0 (SD 3.84); F (1,1850) = 55.841; p < .001) and the clinical setting (outpatients: mean 25.7 (SD 4.1); inpatients: mean 27.0 (SD 4.2); F (1,1850) = 8.520, p = .004). However, since the effect sizes were very small (eta squared for the Alpha VOC = .029 and the clinical setting = .004), there was only a slight trend towards higher viral loads of the Alpha VOC compared to wtV.
conclusionsIn order to compare different variants of SARS-CoV-2 the calculation of effect sizes seems to be necessary. A combination of p-values as estimates of the existance of an effect and effect sizes as estimates of the magnitude of a potential effect may allow a better insight into transmission mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.