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International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2021Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most common cause of disability worldwide, affecting about 12% to 30% of the adult population. Psychological factors play an... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most common cause of disability worldwide, affecting about 12% to 30% of the adult population. Psychological factors play an important role in the experience of pain, and may be predictive of pain persistence, disability, and long-term sick leave. The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify and to describe the most common psychological approaches used to treat patients who suffer from CLBP. A systematic search was performed on PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Central. Overall, 16 studies with a total of 1058 patients were included in the analysis. Our results suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions are both associated with an improvement in terms of pain intensity and quality of life when singularly compared to usual care. Disability also improved in both groups when compared to usual care. Significant differences in fear-avoidance beliefs were noted in the CBT group compared to usual care. Therefore, psychological factors are related to and influence CLBP. It is crucial to develop curative approaches that take these variables into account. Our findings suggest that CBT and MBSR modify pain-related outcomes and that they could be implemented in clinical practice.
Topics: Adult; Chronic Pain; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Humans; Low Back Pain; Mindfulness; Quality of Life
PubMed: 35010319
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010060 -
Cells Mar 2023Androgenetic alopecia is a condition that results in hair loss in both men and women. This can have a significant impact on a person's psychological well-being, which... (Review)
Review
Androgenetic alopecia is a condition that results in hair loss in both men and women. This can have a significant impact on a person's psychological well-being, which can lead to a decreased quality of life. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of using stem cells in androgenic alopecia. The search was conducted in MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The review was performed on data pertaining to the efficacy of using different types of stem cells in androgenic alopecia: quantitative results of stem cell usage were compared to the control treatment or, different types of treatment for female and male androgenetic alopecia. Of the outcomes, the density of hair was analyzed. Fourteen articles were selected for this review. During and after treatment with stem cells, no major side effects were reported by patients with alopecia. The use of stem cells in androgenic alopecia seems to be a promising alternative to the standard treatment or it could play the role of complementary therapy to improve the effect of primary treatment. However, these results should be interpreted with caution until they can be reproduced in larger and more representative samples.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Quality of Life; Alopecia; Hair; Stem Cells
PubMed: 36980291
DOI: 10.3390/cells12060951 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... 2019Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent mood disorder estimated to affect 20%-40% of women worldwide after childbirth. In recent studies, the effect of vitamin D on...
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent mood disorder estimated to affect 20%-40% of women worldwide after childbirth. In recent studies, the effect of vitamin D on prevention of mood disorders and depression has been investigated, but it is still unclear how vitamin D may affect PPD. The evidence on the relevance between vitamin D deficiency and PPD is inconsistent, and assessment of the recent literature has not previously been carried out. Moreover, there are few clinical studies on PPD and vitamin D supplementation. Five studies have so far assessed the relationship between the levels of vitamin D and PPD. Findings from cohort studies suggest that vitamin-D deficiency is related to the incidence of PPD and vitamin D may play a significant role in the recovery of women with PPD, but it is uncertain whether these actions are the effect of vitamin D on the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the levels of estradiol, serotonin, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and/or of other mechanisms involved in PPD.
Topics: Depression, Postpartum; Dietary Supplements; Female; Humans; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency
PubMed: 29393662
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1423276 -
OTJR : Occupation, Participation and... Apr 2020Play in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often atypical, yet consensus regarding effective occupational therapy strategies for improving play is not...
Play in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often atypical, yet consensus regarding effective occupational therapy strategies for improving play is not established. To examine the efficacy of strategies used in occupational therapy to improve play in ASD, authors completed a systematic review of papers from January 1980 through January 2019. Search terms included autism, Asperger's, ASD, autistic in combination with play, playfulness, pretend, imagination, praxis, creativity, and generativity. Twenty papers met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Reviewed interventions included parent education, modified play materials or environments, imitation of the child, and modeling by an adult, a peer, or video. Moderate to strong support exists for the specific strategies of imitation of the child and modeling for the child, with lesser or mixed support for other strategies. Certain strategies commonly used in occupational therapy may be effective in improving the occupation of play in ASD.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Imitative Behavior; Occupational Therapy; Play and Playthings
PubMed: 31642399
DOI: 10.1177/1539449219880531 -
The American Journal of Occupational... 2020Children and youth are often challenged to maintain well-being, positive behavior, and social participation.
IMPORTANCE
Children and youth are often challenged to maintain well-being, positive behavior, and social participation.
OBJECTIVE
To identify evidence for occupational therapy interventions for children and youth with and at risk for mental health concerns.
DATA SOURCES
Articles published in English-language peer-reviewed journals between January 2010 and March 2017 identified through searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, OTseeker, and Cochrane databases.
STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTIO
: The methodology in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses was used to complete the review. Of 5,310 articles screened by title and abstract, 357 were retrieved for full-text review, and 62 met inclusion criteria. Articles describing interventions that were activity or occupation based were included. Conference proceedings, non-peer reviewed publications, dissertations, theses, and presentations were excluded.
FINDINGS
Of the 62 studies included in the review, 20 (32%) were Level I studies, 22 (36%) were Level II studies, and 20 (32%) were Level III studies. Articles were categorized by type: outdoor camps, video and computer games, productive occupations and life skills, meditation, animal-assisted interventions, creative arts, play, sports, and yoga. Moderate to strong evidence supports the use of yoga and sports. Moderate-strength evidence supports the use of play and creative arts. Evidence for the use of animal-assisted interventions, meditation, video and computer games, and productive occupations was of low strength.
CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE
Substantial evidence exists to support the use of activity- and occupation-based interventions to address the mental health, behavioral, and social participation concerns of children and youth. Occupational therapy practitioners should match the desired outcome of therapy with the appropriate intervention to provide the best and most effective services to their clients.
WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS
This review provides additional support for the use of activity- and occupation-based interventions (i.e., those that involve active participation) to improve the behavior, social participation, and mental health of children and youth.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Humans; Mental Health; Occupational Therapy; Social Participation
PubMed: 32204773
DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2020.038687 -
Journal of Attention Disorders Feb 2019Exercise has attracted attention as a potential helpful intervention in children with ADHD. Effects are emphasized on cognition, social-emotional, and motor development.
OBJECTIVE
Exercise has attracted attention as a potential helpful intervention in children with ADHD. Effects are emphasized on cognition, social-emotional, and motor development.
METHOD
A systematic literature search was conducted using the electronic databases Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and ERIC to analyze the efficacy of different types of exercise interventions in children and adolescents with ADHD. Seven studies examining the acute and 14 studies examining the long-term effects were included.
RESULTS
The largest effects were reported for mixed exercise programs on ADHD symptomatology and fine motor precision. However, because of the large differences in the study designs, the comparability is limited.
CONCLUSION
At this time, no evidence-based recommendation can be formulated regarding frequency, intensity, or duration of exercise. Nevertheless, some first trends regarding the effects of certain types of exercise can be identified. When focusing on long-term health benefits in children and adolescents with ADHD, qualitative exercise characteristics might play an important role.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Attention; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Cognition; Data Management; Emotions; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Psychomotor Disorders
PubMed: 25964449
DOI: 10.1177/1087054715584053 -
Saudi Medical Journal Oct 2020Food containing gluten and casein could play a role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) symptoms. The present review aimed to update the evidence about the role of the...
Food containing gluten and casein could play a role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) symptoms. The present review aimed to update the evidence about the role of the gluten- and casein-free diet (GCFD) on the management of ASD. Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases were used to search for randomized controlled trials (RCT) conducted between January 2000 and February 2020. In total, 9 RCT were included (521 participants) with age range between 2 to 18 years. Four of these studies did not show a significant improvement regarding the symptoms of ASD. The rest of these studies (n=5) showed improvement in communication, stereotyped movements, aggressiveness, language, hyperactivity, tantrums, and signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder compared to control group. Hence, the data remains insu cient to support the use of GCFD to improve the symptoms of ASD in children.
Topics: Adolescent; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Caseins; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Decision-Making; Diet, Gluten-Free; Diet, Protein-Restricted; Dietary Proteins; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 33026043
DOI: 10.15537/smj.2020.10.25308 -
The Physician and Sportsmedicine Nov 2020: Recent research demonstrates a connection between psychological factors and return to play following a musculoskeletal sports injury. Although it has been shown that... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
: Recent research demonstrates a connection between psychological factors and return to play following a musculoskeletal sports injury. Although it has been shown that psychological factors can influence when and if an athlete returns to play, it is unclear if the implementation of psychosocial interventions during the recovery process can address these factors and potentially increase the likelihood of return to play after physical recovery from injury. : To examine the efficacy of interventions designed to address psychosocial factors that influence return to play after sports injuries. : A systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were searched from the earliest entry through May 2018. Search terms included 'psychology,' 'sports injury,' 'anterior cruciate ligament injury,' 'anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,' 'intervention,' 'return to play,' and 'return to sport.' Studies were included and reviewed if they reported on the efficacy of a psychosocial intervention program in injured athletes. : Initial searches of Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar databases identified 560 articles, 329 articles, and 34,400 hits, respectively. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, eight articles remained that met inclusion criteria. Interventions of relaxation/guided imagery, positive self-talk, goal setting, counseling, emotional/written disclosure, and modeling videos were found to be effective interventions for promoting recovery after a musculoskeletal sports injury. These interventions facilitated positive mood changes, pain management, exercise compliance, and rehabilitation adherence. No study examined the effect of psychosocial interventions on return to play. : This systematic review demonstrates that psychosocial interventions can facilitate post-injury recovery in athletes by promoting a positive emotional state and rehabilitation adherence. Further research is necessary to determine the most effective psychosocial interventions for specific psychological factors, the ideal duration of interventions, the best method of implementation following a sports injury, and the impact of these interventions on return to play.
Topics: Affect; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Athletic Injuries; Humans; Pain Management; Patient Compliance; Psychosocial Intervention; Return to Sport
PubMed: 32186423
DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2020.1744486 -
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology :... Jan 2021This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to critically evaluate and summarise all available evidence derived from randomised clinical trials (RCTs) regarding... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to critically evaluate and summarise all available evidence derived from randomised clinical trials (RCTs) regarding aromatherapy's effects on labour pain and anxiety relief. Literature search was performed in MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Scopus since their respective inception to January 2019. Additionally, Google Scholar was also searched to explore citations of eligible final studies which were subsequently included in the systematic review. The search strategy used was: (pregnancy or pregnant or prenatal or antenatal or perinatal or maternal) AND (aromatherapy or essential oils or aroma therapy). Per inclusion and exclusion criteria established by the current study, nine RCTs were included in the systematic review. Results from the current study suggested that aromatherapy significantly decreased pain and anxiety in the first stage of labour.IMPACT STATEMENT Several studies have shown aromatherapy's effectiveness in relieving pain and anxiety for hospitalised patients and on relieving nausea and vomiting for women during pregnancy. Some results have further indicated that aromatherapy was effective in facilitating episiotomy healing and in reducing pain, fatigue and distress. Aromatherapy was also found to play a role in improving maternal moods; reducing post-caesarean pain; and preventing or mitigating stress, anxiety and depression after childbirth. Though most non-pharmaceutical pain management options were considered non-invasive and presumably safe for mothers and their foetuses, their exact efficacies remained unclear due to a lack of high quality evidence. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises all evidence derived from RCTs wherein aromatherapy was performed as a supportive analgesic method during labour. Results of this meta-analysis identified more credible evidence validating that aromatherapy could significantly decrease labour pain both in early active and late active phases. Availability of credible evidence supporting aromatherapy's effectiveness on reducing physiological and psychological stress during pregnancy and childbirth would be useful, both theoretically and practically, for all stakeholders concerned, such as pregnant women, medicine and midwifery students, midwives, nurses, gynaecologists and health policymakers.
Topics: Adult; Anxiety; Aromatherapy; Female; Humans; Labor Pain; Labor Stage, First; Obstetric Labor Complications; Parity; Pregnancy; Young Adult
PubMed: 32666866
DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2019.1673707 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022The high morbidity, mortality, and disability rates associated with cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) pose a severe danger to human health. Gut bacteria significantly...
The high morbidity, mortality, and disability rates associated with cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) pose a severe danger to human health. Gut bacteria significantly affect the onset, progression, and prognosis of CeVD. Gut microbes play a critical role in gut-brain interactions, and the gut-brain axis is essential for communication in CeVD. The reflection of changes in the gut and brain caused by gut bacteria makes it possible to investigate early warning biomarkers and potential treatment targets. We primarily discussed the following three levels of brain-gut interactions in a systematic review of the connections between gut microbiota and several cerebrovascular conditions, including ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, intracranial aneurysm, cerebral small vessel disease, and cerebral cavernous hemangioma. First, we studied the gut microbes in conjunction with CeVD and examined alterations in the core microbiota. This enabled us to identify the focus of gut microbes and determine the focus for CeVD prevention and treatment. Second, we discussed the pathological mechanisms underlying the involvement of gut microbes in CeVD occurrence and development, including immune-mediated inflammatory responses, variations in intestinal barrier function, and reciprocal effects of microbial metabolites. Finally, based on the aforementioned proven mechanisms, we assessed the effectiveness and potential applications of the current therapies, such as dietary intervention, fecal bacterial transplantation, traditional Chinese medicine, and antibiotic therapy.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain; Microbiota; Bacteria
PubMed: 36389714
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.975921