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Additional file 1. Appendix A. Characteristics of subjects by age group for Asia standards. Appendix B. Nominal logistic regression models analyzing select subject characteristics by misperceived overweight and misperceived underweight. Appendix C. Main effects, interaction effects, and the total effect of gender and age on the misperception of overweight and underweight.

Tzu-Yi Wu,1 Tsai-Wang Chang,2 Sheng-Mao Chang,3 Yun-Ying Lin,4 Jung-Der Wang,5,6 Yao-Lung Kuo7 1Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan; 2Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tainan Municipal An-Nan Hospital - China Medical University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Department of Statistics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 4Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 5Departments of Internal Medicine and Occupational and Environmental Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; 6Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 7Department of Surgery, National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan and Dou-Liou, TaiwanCorrespondence: Yao-Lung KuoDepartment of Surgery, National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No.138, Sheng Li Road, Tainan 704, TaiwanTel +886-6-2353535 ext. 5224Email ylkuo@mail.ncku.edu.twPurpose: Dynamic changes of body image and quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer patients were not commonly investigated. We aimed to compare the dynamic changes in QoL and body image of breast cancer survivors receiving breast-conserving surgery or total mastectomy within 5–10 years after surgery.Methods: Patients with non-metastatic breast cancer who received surgery were invited to complete the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire and the Body Image Scale (BIS) within 10 years after surgery. We applied kernel smoothing methods to capture the dynamic changes of the patients’ QoL and body image within 5 years after surgery. We also constructed multiple linear regression models to identify predictive factors for QoL and body image.Results: A total of 581 patients were collected, and 211 of them received breast-conserving surgery. There were no statistically significant differences in QoL and body image for breast-conserving surgery versus total mastectomy, but the former showed fluctuating trends. BIS was a predictor of every item and domain in the WHOQOL-BREF in the multiple linear regression model, and explanatory of the trends of dynamic change over time. Patients without lymph node dissection seemed to have less positive feelings but were more satisfied with sexual activities.Conclusion: Body image is predictive of the QoL of breast cancer patients. Dynamic changes of body image and QoL would be useful for shared decision-making regarding surgery in breast cancer patients.Keywords: breast cancer survivors, body image, breast-conserving surgery, quality of life, total mastectomy

Background: Pollinex Quattro Grass (PQ Grass) is an effective, well-tolerated, short pre-seasonal subcutaneous immunotherapy to treat seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR) due to grass pollen. In this Phase II study, 4 cumulative doses of PQ Grass and placebo were evaluated to determine its optimal cumulative dose. Methods: Patients with grass pollen-induced SAR were randomised to either a cumulative dose of PQ Grass (5100, 14400, 27600 and 35600 SU) or placebo, administered as 6 weekly subcutaneous injections over 31–41 days (EudraCT number 2017-000333-31). Standardized conjunctival provocation tests (CPT) using grass pollen allergen extract were performed at screening, baseline and post-treatment to determine the total symptom score (TSS) assessed approximately 4 weeks after dosing. Three models were pre-defined (Emax, logistic, and linear in log-dose model) to evaluate a dose response relationship. Results: In total, 95.5% of the 447 randomized patients received all 6 injections. A highly statistically significant (p < 0.0001), monotonic dose response was observed for all three pre-specified models. All treatment groups showed a statistically significant decrease from baseline in TSS compared to placebo, with the largest decrease observed after 27600 SU (p < 0.0001). The full course of 6 injections was completed by 95.5% of patients. Treatment-emergent adverse events were similar across PQ Grass groups, and mostly mild and transient in nature. Conclusions: PQ Grass demonstrated a strong curvilinear dose response in TSS following CPT without compromising its safety profile.