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The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2014Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is widely managed according to size with interventional techniques based on practice guidelines. Interventional management is not... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
BACKGROUND
Primary spontaneous pneumothorax is widely managed according to size with interventional techniques based on practice guidelines. Interventional management is not without complications and observational data suggest conservative management works. The current guidelines are based on expert consensus rather than evidence, and a systematic review may help in identifying evidence for this practice.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the review is to compare conservative and interventional treatments of adult primary spontaneous pneumothorax for outcomes of clinical efficacy, tolerability and safety.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), (The Cochrane Library, Issue 6, 2014); MEDLINE via Ovid SP (1920 to 26th June 2014); EMBASE via Ovid SP (1947 to 26th June 2014); CINAHL via EBSCO host (1980 to 26th June 2014); and ISI Web of Science (1945 to 26th June 2014). We searched ongoing trials via the relevant databases and contacted authors. We also searched the 'grey literature'.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and we accepted quasi-RCTs if a systematic method of allocation was used. Participants were limited to adults aged 18 to 50 years, with their first symptomatic primary spontaneous pneumothorax with radiological evidence and no underlying lung disease.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two of five authors independently reviewed all studies in the search criteria and made inclusions and exclusions according to the selection criteria. No statistical methods were necessary as there were no included trials.
MAIN RESULTS
We identified 358 studies with duplicates removed. There were three potentially relevant studies that we excluded as they were not randomized controlled trials. There was one ongoing trial that was relevant and we contacted the authors and confirmed the study is ongoing at June 2014. We will update this review when this ongoing study is completed.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
There are no completed randomized controlled trials comparing conservative and interventional management for primary spontaneous pneumothorax in adults. There is a lack of high-quality evidence for current guidelines in management and a need for randomized controlled trials comparing conservative and interventional management for this condition.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Pneumothorax
PubMed: 25519778
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010565.pub2 -
Therapeutic Advances in Infectious... 2019Cervical spinal epidural abscess (CSEA) is a localized infection between the thecal sac and cervical spinal column which may result in neurological deficit and death if... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Cervical spinal epidural abscess (CSEA) is a localized infection between the thecal sac and cervical spinal column which may result in neurological deficit and death if inadequately treated. Two treatment options exist: medical management and surgical intervention. Our objective was to analyze CSEA patient outcomes in order to determine the optimal method of treatment.
METHODS
An electronic literature search for relevant case series and retrospective reviews was conducted through June 2016. Data abstraction and study quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. A lack of available data led to a post hoc decision not to perform meta-analysis of the results; study findings were synthesized qualitatively.
RESULTS
927 studies were identified, of which 11 were included. Four studies were ranked as good quality, and seven ranked as fair quality. In total, data from 173 patients were included. Mean age was 55 years; 61.3% were male. Intravenous drug use was the most common risk factor for CSEA development. was the most commonly cultured pathogen. 140 patients underwent initial surgery, an additional 18 patients were surgically treated upon failure of medical management, and 15 patients were treated with antibiotics alone.
CONCLUSION
The rates of medical management failure described in our review were much higher than those reported in the literature for thoracolumbar spinal epidural abscess patients, suggesting that CSEA patients may be at a greater risk for poor outcomes following nonoperative treatment. Thus, early surgery appears most viable for optimizing CSEA patient outcomes. Further research is needed in order to corroborate these recommendations.
PubMed: 31367375
DOI: 10.1177/2049936119863940 -
International Journal of Qualitative... Dec 2023This systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies provides an overview of barriers and facilitators that breast cancer patients experience in weight... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
This systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies provides an overview of barriers and facilitators that breast cancer patients experience in weight management interventions.
METHODS
We included qualitative studies describing barriers and facilitators for weight management interventions as experienced by adult breast cancer patients after the completion of initial treatment . The data was extracted and using thematic analysis.
RESULTS
After analysis, eleven themes were determined. Six of those themes could be linked to the Attitude, Social Influence and self Efficacy (ASE)-model. Physical and mental benefits, anticipated regret and a lack of motivation were linked to attitude. Integrating a weight management programme in daily life, stigma and fears were linked to self-efficacy. With regard to the social influence determinant, encouragement and discouragement by family members were developed as a theme. Four additional themes were conducted related to weight management behaviour; external barriers, economic barriers, cultural barriers and physical barriers. In addition, integrating weight management in cancer care was described as a separate theme.
CONCLUSIONS
Several disease specific issues, including feeling stigmatized after cancer treatment and treatment-related side effects and peer-support should be given specific attention to maximize adherence of weight management programmes.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Health Behavior; Attitude; Motivation; Social Stigma; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 37840321
DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2259290 -
Nursing Open Mar 2023To summarize the use of machine learning (ML) for hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) prediction and to systematically assess the performance and construction... (Review)
Review
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To summarize the use of machine learning (ML) for hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) prediction and to systematically assess the performance and construction process of ML models to provide references for establishing high-quality ML predictive models.
BACKGROUND
As an adverse event, HAPI seriously affects patient prognosis and quality of life, and causes unnecessary medical investment. At present, the performance of various scales used to predict HAPIs is still unsatisfactory. As a new statistical tool, ML has been applied to predict HAPIs. However, its performance has varied in different studies; moreover, some deficiencies in the model construction process were observed in each study.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
METHODS
Relevant articles published between 2010-2021 were identified in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase and CINHAL databases. Study selection was performed in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines. The quality of the included articles was assessed using the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool.
RESULTS
Twenty-three studies out of 1793 articles were considered in this systematic review. The sample size of each study ranged from 149-75353; the prevalence of pressure injuries ranged from 0.5%-49.8%. ML showed good performance for HAPI prediction. However, some deficiencies were observed in terms of data management, data pre-processing and model validation.
CONCLUSIONS
ML, as a powerful decision-making assistance tool, is helpful for the prediction of HAPIs. However, existing studies have been insufficient in terms of data management, data pre-processing and model validation. Future studies should address these issues to establish ML models for HAPI prediction that can be widely used in clinical practice.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
This review highlights that ML is helpful in predicting HAPI; however, in the process of data management, data pre-processing and model validation, some deficiencies still need to be addressed. The ultimate goal of integrating ML into HAPI prediction is to develop a practical clinical decision-making tool. A complete and rigorous model construction process should be followed in future studies to develop high-quality ML models that can be applied in clinical practice.
Topics: Humans; Pressure Ulcer; Quality of Life; Prognosis; Machine Learning; Hospitals
PubMed: 36310417
DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1429 -
JMIR Human Factors Mar 2023Technological advancements have opened the path for many technology providers to easily develop and introduce eHealth tools to the public. The use of these tools is... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Technological advancements have opened the path for many technology providers to easily develop and introduce eHealth tools to the public. The use of these tools is increasingly recognized as a critical quality driver in health care; however, choosing a quality tool from the myriad of tools available for a specific health need does not come without challenges.
OBJECTIVE
This review aimed to systematically investigate the literature to understand the different approaches and criteria used to assess the quality and impact of eHealth tools by considering sociotechnical factors (from technical, social, and organizational perspectives).
METHODS
A structured search was completed following the participants, intervention, comparators, and outcomes framework. We searched the PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest databases for studies published between January 2012 and January 2022 in English, which yielded 675 results, of which 40 (5.9%) studies met the inclusion criteria. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions were followed to ensure a systematic process. Extracted data were analyzed using NVivo (QSR International), with a thematic analysis and narrative synthesis of emergent themes.
RESULTS
Similar measures from the different papers, frameworks, and initiatives were aggregated into 36 unique criteria grouped into 13 clusters. Using the sociotechnical approach, we classified the relevant criteria into technical, social, and organizational assessment criteria. Technical assessment criteria were grouped into 5 clusters: technical aspects, functionality, content, data management, and design. Social assessment criteria were grouped into 4 clusters: human centricity, health outcomes, visible popularity metrics, and social aspects. Organizational assessment criteria were grouped into 4 clusters: sustainability and scalability, health care organization, health care context, and developer.
CONCLUSIONS
This review builds on the growing body of research that investigates the criteria used to assess the quality and impact of eHealth tools and highlights the complexity and challenges facing these initiatives. It demonstrates that there is no single framework that is used uniformly to assess the quality and impact of eHealth tools. It also highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach that balances the social, organizational, and technical assessment criteria in a way that reflects the complexity and interdependence of the health care ecosystem and is aligned with the factors affecting users' adoption to ensure uptake and adherence in the long term.
PubMed: 36843321
DOI: 10.2196/45143 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2016Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a disease characterized by protracted and potentially debilitating oral inflammation in cats, the etiology of which is... (Review)
Review
Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a disease characterized by protracted and potentially debilitating oral inflammation in cats, the etiology of which is currently unknown. The purpose of this review is to apply an evidence-based medicine approach to systematically review and critically evaluate the scientific literature reporting the outcome of medical and surgical management of FCGS. Those articles meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed and assigned an "Experimental Design Grade" (EDG) and an "Evidence Grade" (EG) in order to score relative strength of study design and produced data. Studies were evaluated and compared, especially highlighting the treatments, the outcomes, and the therapeutic success rates. This review found a lack of consistency between articles' data, rendering direct comparison of results unreliable. The field of FCGS research, and ultimately patient care, would benefit from standardizing studies by adopting use of a consistent semi-quantitative scoring system and extending follow-up duration. Future researchers should commit to large prospective studies that compare existing treatments and demonstrate the promise of new treatments.
PubMed: 27486584
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00054 -
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive &... Sep 2020Vascularised composite allotransplantation (VCA) permits like-for-like reconstruction following extensive soft tissue injuries. The initial management of extensive soft...
INTRODUCTION
Vascularised composite allotransplantation (VCA) permits like-for-like reconstruction following extensive soft tissue injuries. The initial management of extensive soft tissue injury can lead to the development of anti-HLA antibodies through injury-related factors, transfusion and cadaveric grafting. The role of antibody-mediated rejection, donor-specific antibody formation and graft rejection in the context of VCA remains unclear. This systematic review aimed to determine whether pre-transplant management strategies influence immunological outcome following VCA.
METHODS
A systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL using a PRISMA-compliant methodology up to February 2019 was conducted. Pre-transplant, procedural and long-term outcome data were collected and recorded for all VCA recipients on an individual patient basis.
RESULTS
The search revealed 3,847 records of which 114 met inclusion criteria and reported clinical data related to 100 patients who underwent 129 VCA transplants. Trauma (50%) and burns (15%) were the most frequent indications for VCA. Of all 114 studies, only one reported acute resuscitative management. Fifteen patients were sensitised prior to reconstructive transplantation with an 80%%incidence of acute rejection in the first post-operative year. Seven patients demonstrated graft vasculopathy, only one of whom had demonstrated panel reactive antibodies.
CONCLUSIONS
Currently employed acute management strategies may predispose to the development of anti-HLA antibodies, adding to the already complex immunological challenge of VCA. To determine whether association between pre-transplant management and outcomes exists, further refinement of international registries is required.
Topics: Burns; Graft Rejection; HLA Antigens; Humans; Immune Tolerance; Soft Tissue Injuries; Surgical Wound Infection; Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation
PubMed: 32475735
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2020.05.010 -
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Jul 2017Abdominal pain is frequently reported by people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including in remission. Pain is an under-treated symptom. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Abdominal pain is frequently reported by people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including in remission. Pain is an under-treated symptom.
AIM
To systematically review evidence on interventions (excluding disease-modifying interventions) for abdominal pain management in IBD.
METHODS
Databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library) were searched (February 2016). Two researchers independently screened references and extracted data.
RESULTS
Fifteen papers were included: 13 intervention studies and two cross-sectional surveys. A variety of psychological, dietary and pharmacological interventions were reported. Four of six studies reported pain reduction with psychological intervention including individualised and group-based relaxation, disease anxiety-related Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and stress management. Both psychologist-led and self-directed stress management in inactive Crohn's disease reduced pain compared with controls (symptom frequency reduction index=-26.7, -11.3 and 17.2 at 6-month follow-up, respectively). Two dietary interventions (alcoholic drinks with high sugar content and fermentable carbohydrate with prebiotic properties) had an effect on abdominal pain. Antibiotics (for patients with bacterial overgrowth) and transdermal nicotine patches reduced abdominal pain. Current and past cannabis users report it relieves pain. One controlled trial of cannabis reduced SF-36 and EQ-5D pain scores (1.84 and 0.7, respectively). These results must be treated with caution: data were derived from predominantly small uncontrolled studies of moderate to low quality.
CONCLUSIONS
Few interventions have been tested for IBD abdominal pain. The limited evidence suggests that relaxation and changing cognitions are promising, possibly with individualised dietary changes. There is a need to develop interventions for abdominal pain management in IBD.
Topics: Abdominal Pain; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Pain Management; Tobacco Use Cessation Devices
PubMed: 28470846
DOI: 10.1111/apt.14108 -
BMJ Open Mar 2023COVID-19 has strained healthcare systems, requiring the redesign of their structure, human resource management and clinical approach. Countries have adopted... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
COVID-19 has strained healthcare systems, requiring the redesign of their structure, human resource management and clinical approach. Countries have adopted implementation strategies and maximise field hospital functionality to address the issue of overflow of patients with COVID-19. This scoping review was based on the main research question, 'What are the implementation strategies, challenges and opportunities in managing the field hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic?', and aimed to consolidate all recent evidence on COVID-19 field hospital implementation approaches, challenges and potentialities.
DESIGN
Scoping review, following the Arksey and O'Malley's framework, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched from 1 January 2020 through 31 December 2021.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Original articles, reviews, case studies and reports written in English were included. Works without full article and articles that did not answer the research questions were excluded.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Data were extracted using a standardised data extraction form in Microsoft Excel. The findings of all included articles were synthesised narratively.
RESULTS
Eighty-five records were reviewed and 25 studies were included. For the field hospital implementation strategies, 'surge capacity', namely space, human resource, supply and system, was discussed in addition to the preparation and workflow of other services such as pharmacy, rehabilitation, food and nutrition. The management of COVID-19 field hospitals is challenging with respect to staff and resource shortages, inability to anticipate patient load and poor communication. The opportunities and recommendations for improvement of management were also highlighted.
CONCLUSIONS
The compilation of lessons learnt may help improve the future management of field hospitals, administratively and clinically.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Mobile Health Units; Pandemics; Delivery of Health Care
PubMed: 36918252
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067227 -
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision... Nov 2022Today, the use of data in administrative and clinical processes is quite challenging due to the large volume of data, data collection from various sources, and lack of...
BACKGROUND
Today, the use of data in administrative and clinical processes is quite challenging due to the large volume of data, data collection from various sources, and lack of data structure. As a data management tool, dashboards play an important role in timely visual display of critical information on key performances.
OBJECTIVES
This systematic review aimed to identify functional and non-functional requirements, as well as challenges of using dashboards in hospitals.
METHODS
In this systematic review, four databases, including the Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus, were searched to find relevant articles from 2000 until May 30, 2020. The final search was conducted on May 30, 2020. Data collection was performed using a data extraction form and reviewing the content of relevant studies on the potentials and challenges of dashboard implementation.
RESULTS
Fifty-four out of 1254 retrieved articles were selected for this study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The functional requirements for dashboards included reporting, reminders, customization, tracking, alert creation, and assessment of performance indicators. On the other hand, the non-functional requirements included the dashboard speed, security, ease of use, installation on different devices (e.g., PCs and laptops), integration with other systems, web-based design, inclusion of a data warehouse, being up-to-data, and use of data visualization elements based on the user's needs. Moreover, the identified challenges were categorized into four groups: data sources, dashboard content, dashboard design, implementation, and integration in other systems at the hospital level.
CONCLUSION
Dashboards, by providing information in an appropriate manner, can lead to the proper use of information by users. In order for a dashboard to be effective in clinical and managerial processes, particular attention must be paid to its capabilities, and the challenges of its implementation need to be addressed.
Topics: Humans; Hospitals; Databases, Factual
PubMed: 36348339
DOI: 10.1186/s12911-022-02037-8