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Preventive Veterinary Medicine Jan 2015Companion-animal relinquishment is a worldwide phenomenon that leaves companion animals homeless. Knowing why humans make the decision to end their relationship with a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Companion-animal relinquishment is a worldwide phenomenon that leaves companion animals homeless. Knowing why humans make the decision to end their relationship with a companion-animal can help in our understanding of this complex societal issue and can help to develop preventive strategies. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to summarize reasons why dogs are surrendered, and determine if certain study characteristics were associated with the reported proportions of reasons for surrender. Articles investigating one or more reasons for dog surrender were selected from the references of a published scoping review. Two reviewers assessed the titles and abstracts of these articles, identifying 39 relevant articles. From these, 21 articles were further excluded because of ineligible study design, insufficient data available for calculating a proportion, or no data available for dogs. Data were extracted from 18 articles and meta-analysis was conducted on articles investigating reasons for dog surrender to a shelter (n=9) or dog surrender for euthanasia (n=5). Three studies were excluded from meta-analysis because they were duplicate populations. Other reasons for excluding studies from meta-analysis were, (1) the study only investigated reasons for dog re-relinquishment (n=2) and (2) the study sample size was <10 (n=1). Two articles investigated reasons for both dog surrender to a shelter and dog surrender for euthanasia. Results of meta-analysis found owner health/illness as a reason for dog surrender to a shelter had an overall estimate of 4.6% (95% CI: 4.1%, 5.2%). For all other identified reasons for surrender there was significant variation in methodology among studies preventing further meta-analysis. Univariable meta-regression was conducted to explore sources of variation among these studies. Country was identified as a significant source of variation (p<0.01) among studies reporting behavioural problems as a reason for dog surrender for euthanasia. The overall estimate for studies from Australia was 10% (95% CI: 8.0%, 12.0%; I(2)=15.5%), compared to 16% (95% CI: 15.0%, 18.0%; I(2)=20.2%) for studies from other countries. The present systematic review and meta-analysis highlights the need for further research and standardization of data collection to improve understanding of the reasons for dog relinquishment.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cats; Dogs; Euthanasia, Animal; Human-Animal Bond; Humans; Ownership; Pets; Regression Analysis
PubMed: 25466216
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.11.002 -
Acta Bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis Mar 2022The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature on clinical outcomes of patients who have undergone infiltrative therapy for treatment of Morton's...
The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature on clinical outcomes of patients who have undergone infiltrative therapy for treatment of Morton's neuroma. As many kinds of substances are injected, the main outcome defines which treatment provides the best results in term of patient's satisfaction and pain relief, so that it would be possible to choose the best option. Many electronic databases were searched on July 2021; we have included prospective and retrospective case series, and randomized controlled trials of infiltrative treatments in patients with primary diagnosis of Morton's neuroma. The search returned 25 studies which met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 2243 cases. The incidence of outcomes was extracted and analyzed. Although many studies demonstrated favorable results in terms of pain relief and patient's satisfaction employing different substances for infiltration, alcohol injection appears results on long run.
Topics: Humans; Morton Neuroma; Pain Management; Patient Satisfaction; Prospective Studies; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35604266
DOI: 10.23750/abm.v92iS3.12545 -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Dec 2022Sleep disturbance is a common clinical concern throughout the menopausal transition. However, the pathophysiology and causes of these sleep disturbances remain poorly... (Review)
Review
Sleep disturbance is a common clinical concern throughout the menopausal transition. However, the pathophysiology and causes of these sleep disturbances remain poorly understood, making it challenging to provide appropriate therapy. Our goal was to i) review the literature about the influence of ovarian hormones on sleep in perimenopausal women, ii) summarize the potential underlying pathophysiology of menopausal sleep disturbances and iii) evaluate the implications of these findings for the therapeutic approach to sleep disturbances in the context of menopause. A systematic literature search using the databases Embase, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library was conducted. Keywords relating to ovarian hormones, sleep disturbances and menopause were used. Ultimately, 86 studies were included. Study Quality Assessment Tools of the National Institutes of Health were used for quality assessment. Results from good-quality studies demonstrated that the postmenopausal decline in estrogen and progesterone contributes to sleep disturbances in women and that timely treatment with estrogen and/or progesterone therapy improved overall sleep quality. Direct and indirect effects of both hormones acting in the central nervous system and periphery, as well as via secondary effects (e.g. reduction in vasomotor symptoms), can contribute to improvements in sleep. To strengthen external validity, studies examining neurobiological pathways are needed.
Topics: United States; Female; Humans; Progesterone; Sleep; Estrogens
PubMed: 36356400
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101710 -
Indian Heart Journal 2024There is conclusive evidence for relief of pulmonary valve obstruction immediately after balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) and at follow-up. Development of... (Review)
Review
There is conclusive evidence for relief of pulmonary valve obstruction immediately after balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) and at follow-up. Development of infundibular obstruction is seen in more severe PS cases and in older subjects. Reappearance of PS was observed in approximately 10 % of patients following BPV. The reasons for recurrence were found to be balloon/annulus ratio less than 1.2 and immediate post-BPV pulmonary valve peak gradients greater than 30 mmHg. Recurrent stenosis is successfully addressed by repeating BPV with lager balloons than used initially. Long-term results revealed continue relief of obstruction, but with development of pulmonary insufficiency, some patients requiring replacement of the pulmonary valve. It was concluded that BPV is the treatment of choice in the management valvar PS and that balloon/annuls ratio used for BPV should be lowered to 1.2 to 1.25. It was also suggested that strategies should be developed to prevent/reduce pulmonary insufficiency at long-term follow-up.
Topics: Humans; Balloon Valvuloplasty; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis; Pulmonary Valve; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38147974
DOI: 10.1016/j.ihj.2023.12.007 -
Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine... May 2020: The aim of the study was to determine the association between pet ownership and cardiovascular risk factors and mortality. Electronic search was conducted through nine... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
: The aim of the study was to determine the association between pet ownership and cardiovascular risk factors and mortality. Electronic search was conducted through nine databases including PubMed for relevant publications reporting cardiovascular events and mortality among pet owners. Meta-analysis was used to pool the results. Of a total of 2818 reports screened, 26 studies were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis. Higher survival rate was observed in the pet owners group after pooling nonadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for cardiovascular mortality at 0.73 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62-0.86] and 0.81 (0.68-0.97), respectively. A similar trend was observed for the pooled nonadjusted hazard ratio for overall mortality 0.73 (0.62-0.87) but not the adjusted hazard ratio 0.40 (0.04-3.78). Cat owners have a reduction in cardiovascular mortality but not overall mortality after pooling the adjusted hazard ratio 0.79 (0.63-0.99) and 1.04 (0.90-1.21), respectively. However, no significant association between dog owners and survival rate was observed for overall and cardiovascular-specific mortality. Pet owners had significantly lower heart rate (mean difference 95% CI: -2.32 (-3.07 to -1.57), mean arterial pressure -2.60 (-4.25 to -0.95) and SBP -1.69 (-3.06 to -0.31) but not DBP -0.23 (-1.05 to 0.60). No significant difference was observed between pet owners and nonpet owners in prevalence of hypertension. Our study draws attention to the beneficial effects of the human--pet bond; therefore, we recommend pet acquisition for better cardiovascular outcomes after controlling for zoonotics and pet-induced allergies.
Topics: Animals; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cats; Dogs; Health Status; Heart Disease Risk Factors; Human-Animal Bond; Humans; Ownership; Pets; Prognosis; Protective Factors; Quality of Life; Risk Assessment; Risk Reduction Behavior
PubMed: 31815850
DOI: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000000920 -
Pediatric Neurosurgery 2023Peri-insular hemispherotomy (PIH) is a hemispheric separation technique under the broader hemispherotomy group, a surgical treatment for patients with intractable...
INTRODUCTION
Peri-insular hemispherotomy (PIH) is a hemispheric separation technique under the broader hemispherotomy group, a surgical treatment for patients with intractable epilepsy. Hemispherotomy techniques such as the PIH, vertical parasagittal hemispherotomy (VPH), and modified-lateral hemispherotomy are commonly assessed together, despite significant differences in anatomical approach and patient selection. We aim to describe patient selection, outcomes, and complications of PIH in its own right.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, was conducted, with searches of the PubMed and Embase databases. A local series including patients receiving PIH and followed up at the Queensland Children's Hospital between 2014 and 2020 was included.
RESULTS
Systematic review of the literature identified 393 patients from 13 eligible studies. Engel class 1 outcomes occurred in 82.4% of patients, while 8.6% developed post-operative hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus was most common in the youngest patient cohorts. Developmental pathology was present in 114 (40.8%) patients, who had fewer Engel 1 outcomes compared to those with acquired pathology (69.1% vs. 83.7%, p = 0.0167). The local series included 13 patients, 11/13 (84.6%) had Engel class 1 seizure outcomes. Post-operative hydrocephalus occurred in 2 patients (15.4%), and 10/13 (76.9%) patients had worsened neurological deficit.
CONCLUSION
PIH delivers Engel 1 outcomes for over 4 in 5 patients selected for this procedure, greater than described in combined hemispherectomy analyses. It is an effective technique in patients with developmental and acquired pathologies, despite general preference of VPH in this patient group. Finally, very young patients may have significant seizure and cognitive benefits from PIH; however, hydrocephalus is most common in this group warranting careful risk-benefit assessment. This review delivers a dedicated PIH outcomes analysis to inform clinical and patient decision-making.
Topics: Child; Humans; Treatment Outcome; Seizures; Drug Resistant Epilepsy; Hemispherectomy; Hydrocephalus
PubMed: 36693334
DOI: 10.1159/000529098 -
Telemedicine Journal and E-health : the... Jan 2023In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined. The United States Preventive Services Task Force...
In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that average risk adults have regular CRC screening to detect and prevent CRC. Despite published CRC screening guidelines, national CRC screening rates remain suboptimal. With the exponential increase in technology use and device ownership, many mobile health applications (apps) have been developed to improve health outcomes. There is great potential for smartphone or tablet apps to help improve CRC screening uptake, with the ultimate goal of reducing CRC morbidity and mortality. To date, there are no systematic reviews that have examined the publicly available, free apps that are related to CRC screening, and therefore, the quality and the content of these apps remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to systematically review smartphone and tablet apps that could be used to improve CRC screening uptake. Apps available on the Google Play and Apple App stores that were compatible with smartphones and tablets were reviewed. Of the 2,790 apps reviewed, 20 met inclusion criteria. Of the 20 apps that met inclusion criteria, most were informational in nature. Approximately half of the apps focused on colonoscopies and did not discuss other CRC screening options. Furthermore, more than half of the apps did not include video/audio content and the majority of the apps did not provide navigation support (e.g., reminders, instructions, maps). There are multiple free, publicly available apps that may encourage CRC screening uptake. Despite their promise, there is a paucity of empirical evidence evaluating the efficacy and usability of these apps. Future research efforts can evaluate the content, usability, accessibility, and potential impact of these apps.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Colorectal Neoplasms; Early Detection of Cancer; Mobile Applications; Smartphone; Telemedicine; United States; Computers, Handheld
PubMed: 35612435
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0337 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that are verified using blockchain technology to ensure authenticity and ownership. NFTs have the potential to...
INTRODUCTION
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are digital assets that are verified using blockchain technology to ensure authenticity and ownership. NFTs have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by addressing various issues in the industry.
METHOD
The goal of this study was to identify the applications of NFTs in healthcare. Our scoping review was conducted in 2023. We searched the Scopus, IEEE, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Cochrane scientific databases using related keywords. The article selection process was based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
RESULTS
After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 13 articles were chosen. Then extracted data was summarized and reported. The most common application of NFTs in healthcare was found to be in health data management with 46% frequency, followed by supply chain management with 31% frequency. Furthermore, Ethereum is the main blockchain platform that is applied in NFTs in healthcare with 70%.
DISCUSSION
The findings from this review indicate that the NFTs that are currently used in healthcare could transform it. Also, it appears that researchers have not yet investigated the numerous potentials uses of NFTs in the healthcare field, which could be utilized in the future.
Topics: Humans; Data Management; Databases, Factual; Industry; Research Personnel; Technology
PubMed: 38074727
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1266385 -
Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2012) May 2021Excessive tool-tissue interaction forces often result in tissue damage and intraoperative complications, while insufficient forces prevent the completion of the task.... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Excessive tool-tissue interaction forces often result in tissue damage and intraoperative complications, while insufficient forces prevent the completion of the task. This review sought to explore the tool-tissue interaction forces exerted by instruments during surgery across different specialities, tissues, manoeuvres and experience levels.
MATERIALS & METHODS
A PRISMA-guided systematic review was carried out using Embase, Medline and Web of Science databases.
RESULTS
Of 462 articles screened, 45 studies discussing surgical tool-tissue forces were included. The studies were categorized into 9 different specialities with the mean of average forces lowest for ophthalmology (0.04N) and highest for orthopaedic surgery (210N). Nervous tissue required the least amount of force to manipulate (mean of average: 0.4N), whilst connective tissue (including bone) required the most (mean of average: 45.8). For manoeuvres, drilling recorded the highest forces (mean of average: 14N), whilst sharp dissection recorded the lowest (mean of average: 0.03N). When comparing differences in the mean of average forces between groups, novices exerted 22.7% more force than experts, and presence of a feedback mechanism (e.g. audio) reduced exerted forces by 47.9%.
CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of tool-tissue forces is a novel but rapidly expanding field. The range of forces applied varies according to surgical speciality, tissue, manoeuvre, operator experience and feedback provided. Knowledge of the safe range of surgical forces will improve surgical safety whilst maintaining effectiveness. Measuring forces during surgery may provide an objective metric for training and assessment. Development of smart instruments, robotics and integrated feedback systems will facilitate this.
PubMed: 33898035
DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102268 -
The International Journal on Drug Policy Oct 2021Drug-related deaths globally are increasing year on year, with the largest proportion of these being opioid-related. The opioid antagonist naloxone distributed for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Drug-related deaths globally are increasing year on year, with the largest proportion of these being opioid-related. The opioid antagonist naloxone distributed for take-home use ('Take-Home Naloxone (THN)') has been championed as one method of tackling this public health crisis, however to be effective it must be available at an opioid overdose. Ownership and carriage are therefore fundamental to THN success. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ownership and carriage of THN internationally among people who use drugs (PWUD).
METHODS
NHS Scotland Journals, AMED, EMBASE, HMIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Complete, PubMed, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO and grey literature were searched for articles which measured prevalence of THN ownership or carriage between 1996 and 2020. Ownership was defined as report of a personal supply of THN. Carriage was defined as the participant carrying THN on their person at time of data collection or reporting a frequency of how often they carry THN. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Checklist for Prevalence Studies.
RESULTS
Systematic search yielded 6363 papers, with ten eligible papers identified. Eight articles were included in ownership prevalence and five articles included for carriage prevalence, with an overlap of three studies between both measures. Pooled prevalence indicated moderate ownership levels (57%, CI 47-67%) but lower carriage levels (20%, CI 12-31%). Analysis was complicated by the limited number of available studies and lack of standardised terminology and measurement.
CONCLUSION
Understanding naloxone ownership and carriage globally is hampered by limited evidence and heterogeneity across studies. From the available data, prevalence of THN carriage overall appears low, despite moderate ownership. Given the variation across studies, future research should seek to utilise more standardised terminology and methods of measurement. Furthermore, services distributing THN must ensure the importance of regular carriage of naloxone is consistently emphasised.
Topics: Drug Overdose; Humans; Naloxone; Narcotic Antagonists; Opioid-Related Disorders; Ownership; Prevalence
PubMed: 34078563
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103298