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The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Sep 2017Hepatorenal syndrome is defined as severe renal failure occurring in people with cirrhosis and ascites. Systematic reviews of randomised clinical trials found that,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Hepatorenal syndrome is defined as severe renal failure occurring in people with cirrhosis and ascites. Systematic reviews of randomised clinical trials found that, compared with placebo, terlipressin may reduce mortality and improve renal function in people with hepatorenal syndrome, but we need current evidence from systematic reviews on the benefits and harms of terlipressin versus other vasoactive drugs.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the beneficial and harmful effects of terlipressin versus other vasoactive drugs for people with hepatorenal syndrome.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Science Citation Index Expanded; conducted manual searches of references in relevant literature; and wrote to experts and pharmaceutical companies (date of last search November 2016).
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised clinical trials comparing terlipressin versus any other type of vasoactive drugs for hepatorenal syndrome. We allowed albumin and other cointerventions if provided equally in the comparison groups.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Three authors independently extracted data. The primary outcomes were mortality, hepatorenal syndrome (persistent hepatorenal syndrome despite treatment), and serious adverse events. We conducted meta-analyses and present the results as risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We performed sensitivity, subgroup, and Trial Sequential Analyses and evaluated bias control based on the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group domains.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 10 randomised clinical trials with 474 participants. The trials compared terlipressin versus noradrenaline (seven trials), octreotide (one trial), midodrine and octreotide (one trial), or dopamine (one trial). All participants in both groups received albumin as cointervention. We classified two trials at low risk of bias and eight trials at high risk of bias in the assessment of mortality and all trials at high risk of bias for remaining outcomes. In five trials, investigators specifically stated that they did not receive funding from for-profit organisations. We had no information about the funding source from the remaining five trials.Terlipressin was not superior or inferior compared with other vasoactive drugs in regard to mortality when including the two trials with a low risk of bias (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.36; 94 participants, very low quality evidence) or when including all 10 trials (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.06; 474 participants; I² = 0%; very low quality evidence). One meta-analysis including nine trials suggested a beneficial effect of terlipressin on hepatorenal syndrome (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.99; 394 participants; I² = 26%; very low quality evidence). Due to the high mortality of hepatorenal syndrome, the registration of other serious adverse events is uncertain, but comparing terlipressin and other vasoactive drugs we found no significant difference (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.06; 474 participants; I² = 0%; very low quality evidence). Several trials did not report systematically of adverse events, but terlipressin seemed to increase the risks of diarrhoea or abdominal pain, or both (RR 3.50, 95% CI 1.19 to 10.27; 221 participants; 5 trials, I² = 0%). However, Trial Sequential Analyses found insufficient evidence to support or refute any differences between interventions for all outcomes. Considering reversal of hepatorenal syndrome, subgroup analyses on the type of other vasoactive drugs found that terlipressin was superior compared with midodrine and octreotide (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.72) or octreotide alone (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.96), but each subgroup only included one small trial. None of the remaining subgroup or sensitivity analyses found differences between terlipressin and other vasoactive drugs. We downgraded the evidence to very low quality because of the high risk of bias, imprecision, and the results of the Trial Sequential Analyses.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
This review found insufficient evidence to support or refute beneficial or harmful effects of terlipressin and albumin versus other vasoactive drugs and albumin. Additional research is needed to evaluate if clinically meaningful differences exist between interventions.
Topics: Antihypertensive Agents; Dopamine; Hepatorenal Syndrome; Humans; Lypressin; Midodrine; Norepinephrine; Octreotide; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Terlipressin; Vasoconstrictor Agents
PubMed: 28953318
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011532.pub2 -
Medicine Oct 2018Vasoactive drugs and endoscopic therapy have been widely used in the management of acute variceal bleeding of cirrhosis patients. The current standard regimen of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Vasoactive drugs and endoscopic therapy have been widely used in the management of acute variceal bleeding of cirrhosis patients. The current standard regimen of vasoactive drugs is in combination with endoscopic therapy and continues for up to 5 days; however, the necessity of vasoactive drugs after endoscopic hemostasis was still controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and optimal duration of adjuvant vasoactive drugs after hemorrhage control by endoscopic therapy.
METHODS
A search was conducted of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases until June, 2018. Lan DeMets sequential monitoring boundary was constructed to assess the reliability and conclusiveness of our major results.
RESULTS
Seven studies (639 patients) and 4 studies (435 patients) were included in the analyses to evaluate the efficacy and optimal duration of adjuvant vasoactive drugs therapy, respectively. Our analyses showed that adjuvant vasoactive drugs facilitated endoscopic hemostasis and reduced very early re-bleeding rate both in sclerotherapy (risk ratio [RR] 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.34-0.78, P = .23, I = 31%) and band ligation (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.27-0.83, P = .07, I = 62%). However, the 3 to 5-day therapy duration was not superior to a shorter course in very early re-bleeding rate and mortality rate in 42 days (RR 1.77, 95% CI 0.64-4.89, P = .70, I = 0%; RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.43-2.13, P = .81, I = 0%, respectively).
CONCLUSION
Additional 5-day vasoactive drug after endoscopic hemostasis may significantly ameliorate very early re-bleeding rate, However, the 3 to 5 days' adjuvant regimen was not superior to a shorter course.
Topics: Drug Administration Schedule; Esophageal and Gastric Varices; Hemostasis, Endoscopic; Humans; Ligation; Reproducibility of Results; Sclerotherapy; Vasoconstrictor Agents
PubMed: 30313117
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000012826 -
American Journal of Epidemiology Aug 2014Severe preeclampsia is a common cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity worldwide. The disease clusters in families; however, individual genetic studies have produced... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Severe preeclampsia is a common cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity worldwide. The disease clusters in families; however, individual genetic studies have produced inconsistent results. We conducted a review to examine relationships between maternal genotype and severe preeclampsia. We searched the MEDLINE and Embase databases for prospective and retrospective cohort and case-control studies reporting associations between genes and severe preeclampsia. Four reviewers independently undertook study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction. We performed random-effects meta-analyses by genotype and predefined functional gene group (thrombophilic, vasoactive, metabolic, immune, and cell signalling). Fifty-seven studies evaluated 50 genotypes in 5,049 cases and 16,989 controls. Meta-analysis showed a higher risk of severe preeclampsia with coagulation factor V gene (proaccelerin, labile factor) (F5) polymorphism rs6025 (odds ratio = 1.90, 95% confidence interval: 1.42, 2.54; 23 studies, I(2) = 29%), coagulation factor II (thrombin) gene (F2) mutation G20210A (rs1799963) (odds ratio = 2.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.14, 3.55, 9 studies, I(2) = 0%), leptin receptor gene (LEPR) polymorphism rs1137100 (odds ratio = 1.75, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 2.65; 2 studies, I(2) = 0%), and the thrombophilic gene group (odds ratio = 1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.43, 2.45, I(2) = 27%). There were no associations with other gene groups. There was moderate heterogeneity between studies and potential for bias from poor-quality genotyping and inconsistent definition of phenotype. Further studies with robust methods should investigate genetic factors that might potentially be used to stratify pregnancies according to risk of complications.
Topics: Female; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Humans; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Risk Factors; Thrombophilia
PubMed: 25028703
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwu151 -
Eye (London, England) Apr 2024Amacrine cells (ACs) are the most structurally and functionally diverse neuron type in the retina. Different ACs have distinct functions, such as neuropeptide secretion... (Review)
Review
Amacrine cells (ACs) are the most structurally and functionally diverse neuron type in the retina. Different ACs have distinct functions, such as neuropeptide secretion and inhibitory connection. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) -ergic -ACs are retina gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) -ergic -ACs that were discovered long ago. They secrete VIP and form connections with bipolar cells (BCs), other ACs, and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). They have a specific structure, density, distribution, and function. They play an important role in myopia, light stimulated responses, retinal vascular disease and other ocular diseases. Their significance in the study of refractive development and disease is increasing daily. However, a systematic review of the structure and function of retinal VIP-ACs is lacking. We discussed the detailed characteristics of VIP-ACs from every aspect across species and providing systematic knowledge base for future studies. Our review led to the main conclusion that retinal VIP-ACs develop early, and although their morphology and distribution across species are not the same, they have similar functions in a wide range of ocular diseases based on their function of secreting neuropeptides and forming inhibitory connections with other cells.
Topics: Humans; Amacrine Cells; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; Retina; Retinal Ganglion Cells; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
PubMed: 38066110
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-023-02844-x -
Critical Care and Resuscitation :... Sep 2016The cardiac output (CO) response to sepsis is typically measured in the intensive care unit after modification by fluid and/or vasoactive drug resuscitation and found to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The cardiac output (CO) response to sepsis is typically measured in the intensive care unit after modification by fluid and/or vasoactive drug resuscitation and found to be hyperdynamic. In contrast, the native (preresuscitation) CO in human sepsis is poorly defined.
DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES
Systematic literature review of studies reporting the cardiac index (CI) of patients with sepsis before resuscitation, using searches of PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase.
RESULTS
We identified 5667 citations from 1929 to 2014. Of 179 articles meeting inclusion criteria, only four studies reported CO measurements before any treatment, in a total of 181 patients. Only two of the four studies reported age distribution (mean age, 72 years) for a total of 159 patients. We calculated the mean CI in these four studies to be 2.68 L/ min/m(2) (SD, 0.42 L/min/m(2); median, 2.52 L/min/m(2); range, 2.36-3.3 L/min/m(2)). Only one study presented mixed venous oxygen saturation data as an estimate of the adequacy of perfusion, and in three studies there was evidence of reduced cardiac performance.
CONCLUSION
Data about the native CO in human sepsis are scant because therapeutic intervention usually precedes measurement. From the limited data available, it appears that most patients are in a normodynamic haemodynamic state at presentation, and cardiac performance also seems to be impaired at the earliest stage of sepsis. As initial resuscitation is partly predicated on assumptions about the underlying cardiovascular physiology, our findings suggest the need to address this knowledge deficit in the management of patients with severe sepsis.
Topics: Cardiac Output; Humans; Sepsis
PubMed: 27604328
DOI: No ID Found -
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2020Kinins, bradykinin and kallidin are vasoactive peptides that signal through the bradykinin B1 and B2 receptors (B1R and B2R). B2R is constitutively expressed in healthy... (Review)
Review
Kinins, bradykinin and kallidin are vasoactive peptides that signal through the bradykinin B1 and B2 receptors (B1R and B2R). B2R is constitutively expressed in healthy tissues and mediates responses such as vasodilation, fluid balance and retention, smooth muscle contraction, and algesia, while B1R is absent in normal tissues and is induced by tissue trauma or inflammation. B2R is activated by kinins, while B1R is activated by kinins that lack the C-terminal arginine residue. Perturbations of the kinin system have been implicated in inflammation, chronic pain, vasculopathy, neuropathy, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. In general, excess activation and signaling of the kinin system lead to a pro-inflammatory state. Depending on the disease context, agonism or antagonism of the bradykinin receptors have been considered as therapeutic options. In this review, we summarize molecular imaging agents targeting these G protein-coupled receptors, including optical and radioactive probes that have been used to interrogate B1R/B2R expression at the cellular and anatomical levels, respectively. Several of these preclinical agents, described herein, have the potential to guide therapeutic interventions for these receptors.
PubMed: 32824565
DOI: 10.3390/ph13080199 -
Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2012) Oct 2023Portal hypertension, a major complication of chronic liver disease, often leads to life-threatening variceal bleeding, managed effectively with vasoactive drugs like... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Portal hypertension, a major complication of chronic liver disease, often leads to life-threatening variceal bleeding, managed effectively with vasoactive drugs like terlipressin. However, the most optimal method of terlipressin administration, continuous versus intermittent infusion, remains a subject of debate, necessitating this systematic review and meta-analysis for evidence-based decision-making in managing this critical condition.
METHODS
This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to the PRISMA standards and explored multiple databases until 6 April 2023, such as MEDLINE through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL. Independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met specific inclusion criteria. After assessing study quality and extracting necessary data, statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan), with results presented as risk ratios (RR) or mean differences.
RESULTS
Five RCTs (=395 patients) were included. The continuous terlipressin group had a significantly lower risk of rebleeding (RR=0.43, =0.0004) and treatment failure (RR=0.22, =0.02) and fewer total adverse effects (RR=0.52, <0.00001) compared to the intermittent group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in mean arterial pressure (=0.26), length of hospital stays (=0.78), and mortality rates (=0.65).
CONCLUSION
This study provides robust evidence suggesting that continuous terlipressin infusion may be superior to intermittent infusions in reducing the risk of rebleeding, treatment failure, and adverse effects in patients with portal hypertension. However, further large-scale, high-quality RCTs are required to confirm these findings and to investigate the potential benefits of continuous terlipressin infusion on mortality and hospital stays.
PubMed: 37811089
DOI: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001261 -
Experimental Physiology Jun 2021What is the topic of this review? We have conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the current evidence for the effect of heat therapy on blood pressure and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
NEW FINDINGS
What is the topic of this review? We have conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the current evidence for the effect of heat therapy on blood pressure and vascular function. What advances does it highlight? We found that heat therapy reduced mean arterial, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We also observed that heat therapy improved vascular function, as assessed via brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation. Our results suggest that heat therapy is a promising therapeutic tool that should be optimized further, via mode and dose, for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease risk factors.
ABSTRACT
Lifelong sauna exposure is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Recent studies have investigated the effect of heat therapy on markers of cardiovascular health. We aimed to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to determine the effects of heat therapy on blood pressure and indices of vascular function in healthy and clinical populations. Four databases were searched up to September 2020 for studies investigating heat therapy on outcomes including blood pressure and vascular function. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) was used to assess the certainty of evidence. A total of 4522 titles were screened, and 15 studies were included. Healthy and clinical populations were included. Heat exposure was for 30-90 min, over 10-36 sessions. Compared with control conditions, heat therapy reduced mean arterial pressure [n = 4 studies; mean difference (MD): -5.86 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI): -8.63, -3.10; P < 0.0001], systolic blood pressure (n = 10; MD: -3.94 mmHg, 95% CI: -7.22, -0.67; P = 0.02) and diastolic blood pressure (n = 9; MD: -3.88 mmHg, 95% CI: -6.13, -1.63; P = 0.0007) and improved flow-mediated dilatation (n = 5; MD: 1.95%, 95% CI: 0.14, 3.76; P = 0.03). Resting heart rate was unchanged (n = 10; MD: -1.25 beats/min; 95% CI: -3.20, 0.70; P = 0.21). Early evidence also suggests benefits for arterial stiffness and cutaneous microvascular function. The certainty of evidence was moderate for the effect of heat therapy on systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate and low for the effect of heat therapy on mean arterial pressure and flow-mediated dilatation. Heat therapy is an effective therapeutic tool to reduce blood pressure and improve macrovascular function. Future research should aim to optimize heat therapy, including the mode and dose, for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.
Topics: Blood Pressure; Cardiovascular Diseases; Hot Temperature; Humans; Systole; Vascular Stiffness
PubMed: 33866630
DOI: 10.1113/EP089424 -
F1000Research 2021: Acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) is a surgical emergency which has an associated high mortality. The mainstay of active treatment includes early surgical...
: Acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) is a surgical emergency which has an associated high mortality. The mainstay of active treatment includes early surgical intervention, with resection of non-viable bowel, and revascularisation of the ischaemic bowel where possible. Due to the physiological insult of AMI however, perioperative care often involves critical care and the use of vasoactive agents to optimise end organ perfusion. A number of these vasoactive agents are currently available with varied mechanism of action and effects on splanchnic blood flow. However, specific guidance on which is the optimal vasoactive drug to use in these settings is limited. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the current evidence comparing vasoactive drugs in AMI. : A systematic search of Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review was performed on the 5th of November 2020 to identify randomised clinical trials comparing different vasoactive agents in AMI on outcomes including mortality. The search was performed through the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSEng) search support library. Results were analysed using the Rayyan platform, and independently screened by four investigators. : 614 distinct papers were identified. After screening, there were no randomised clinical trials meeting the inclusion criteria. : This review identifies a gap in literature, and therefore recommends an investigation into current practice and clinician preference in relation to vasoactive agents in AMI. Multicentre randomised controlled trials comparing these medications on clinical outcomes will therefore be required to address this question.
Topics: Critical Care; England; Humans; Mesenteric Ischemia
PubMed: 34621507
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.52782.2 -
Medicine Nov 2023Severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) is characterized by severe symptoms and a poor prognosis, especially with the recent global impact of novel coronavirus in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) is characterized by severe symptoms and a poor prognosis, especially with the recent global impact of novel coronavirus in recent years. The use of glucocorticoids in sCAP is currently a subject of debate. To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids and provide guidance for their rational use in clinical practice, we conducted this study.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure using the following search terms: "pneumonia", "pneumonias", "Pulmonary Inflammation", "Pulmonary Inflammations", "Lung Inflammation", and "Lung Inflammations". The primary outcomes included mortality and the length of hospital stay. The secondary outcomes included the duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of vasoactive drug use, gastrointestinal bleeding, and multiple infections. The Cochrane Collaboration was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. Stata/MP14 was used for meta-analysis.
RESULTS
These studies contained information on 1252 patients who received glucocorticoids and 1280 patients who did not. Meta-analysis showed that there was no difference in terms of mortality [risk ratio (RR) = 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81-1.07, P > .05], gastrointestinal bleeding (RR = 1.38, 95% CI: 0.83-2.30, P < .05), multiple infections (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.90-1.53, P > .05) and length of hospital stay (mean difference [MD] = -0.87, 95% CI: -2.35 to 0.61, P > .05) between the hormonal and nonhormonal groups. However, there was a significant difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD = -1.54; 95% CI, -1.89 to -1.12, P < .05) and the duration of use of vasoactive drugs (MD = -14.09, 95% CI: -15.72 to -12.46, P < .05).
CONCLUSION
Glucocorticoids reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation duration and vasoactive drug use in sCAP patients without increasing the risk of adverse events including hyperglycemia and multiple infections. However, there was no significant difference in mortality or length of hospital stay in sCAP patients between glucocorticoid and non-glucocorticoid groups. Glucocorticoids could be recommended for patients with sCAP with respiratory failure or hemodynamic instability.
Topics: Humans; Glucocorticoids; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Pneumonia; Community-Acquired Infections; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Inflammation
PubMed: 37986401
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000036047