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Journal of Hypertension Jan 2017Member states of the WHO, including India, have adopted a target 30% reduction in mean population salt consumption by 2025 to prevent noncommunicable diseases. Our aim... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Member states of the WHO, including India, have adopted a target 30% reduction in mean population salt consumption by 2025 to prevent noncommunicable diseases. Our aim was to support this initiative by summarizing existing data that describe mean salt consumption in India.
METHOD
Electronic databases - MEDLINE via Ovid, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews - were searched up to November 2015 for studies that reported mean or median dietary salt intake in Indian adults aged 19 years and older. Random effects meta-analysis was used to obtain summary estimates of salt intake.
RESULTS
Of 1201 abstracts identified, 90 were reviewed in full text and 21 were included: 18 cross-sectional surveys (n = 225 024), two randomized trials (n = 255) and one case-control study (n = 270). Data were collected between 1986 and 2014, and reported mean salt consumption levels were between 5.22 and 42.30 g/day. With an extreme outlier excluded, overall mean weighted salt intake was 10.98 g/day (95% confidence interval 8.57-13.40). There was significant heterogeneity between the estimates for contributing studies (I = 99.97%) (P homogeneity ≤0.001), which was likely attributable to the different measurement methods used and the different populations studied. There was no evidence of a change in intake over time (P trend = 0.08).
CONCLUSION
The available data leave some uncertainty about exact mean salt consumption in India but there is little doubt that population salt consumption far exceeds the WHO-recommended maximum of 5 g per person per day.
Topics: Adult; Diet; Female; Humans; India; Male; Sodium Chloride, Dietary; Young Adult
PubMed: 27755388
DOI: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000001141 -
Malaria Journal Jul 2022Interleukin (IL)-4 had been linked to malaria severity, but the findings are controversial, and the evidence is inconsistent and imprecise. In the current investigation,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Interleukin (IL)-4 had been linked to malaria severity, but the findings are controversial, and the evidence is inconsistent and imprecise. In the current investigation, data on IL-4 levels in patients with severe and uncomplicated malaria were compiled.
METHODS
The systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022323387). Searches for relevant articles on IL-4 levels in patients with severe malaria and studies that examined IL-4 levels in both uncomplicated malaria and healthy controls were performed in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus using the search strategy without limitation to publication years or language. The quality of all included studies was evaluated using The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: standards for reporting observational studies. Qualitative and quantitative data syntheses were performed. The random-effects model, which weights each study according to its between- and within-study variance, was used to pool the mean difference (MD) of individual studies. The degree of heterogeneity was determined using Cochran's Q and I statistics. Additionally, meta-regression and subgroup analyses were perfomed to investigate possible sources of heterogeneity. The outliers were identified using the leave-one-out method and assessed publication bias using funnel plots, Egger's test, and a contour-enhanced funnel plot.
RESULTS
A total of 2300 studies were identified through database searches, and 36 were included for analyses. The meta-analysis results showed lower mean IL-4 levels in severe malaria (434 cases) than in uncomplicated malaria (611 cases) (P = 0.01, pooled MD: -3.36 pg/mL, 95% confidence intervals CI -5.55 to -1.16 pg/mL, I: 98.15%, 11 studies). The meta-analysis results showed no difference in mean IL-4 levels between cerebral malaria (96 cases) and noncerebral severe malaria (108 cases) (P = 0.71, pooled MD: 0.86 pg/mL, 95% CI -3.60 to 5.32 pg/mL, I 92.13%, four studies). Finally, no difference was found in mean IL-4 levels between uncomplicated malaria (635 cases) and healthy controls (674 cases) (P = 0.57, pooled MD: 0.79 pg/mL, 95% CI -1.92 to 3.50 pg/mL, I: 99.89%, 11 studies).
CONCLUSION
The meta-analysis revealed lower IL-4 levels in patients with severe malaria than in those with uncomplicated malaria, though a trend toward comparable IL-4 levels between both groups was more likely because several sources of heterogeneities were observed. Based on the limited number of studies included in the meta-analysis, until additional investigations have been conducted, IL-4 consideration as an alternative prognostic factor for malaria severity is not warranted.
Topics: Humans; Interleukin-4; Malaria, Cerebral
PubMed: 35820892
DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04237-z -
Mindfulness May 2023Positive effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on occupational health have been demonstrated by several systematic review studies during the last two... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Positive effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on occupational health have been demonstrated by several systematic review studies during the last two decades. So far, existing reviews excluded mindfulness-informed interventions (MIIs) that build on informal approaches or mixed techniques aiming at improving mindfulness indirectly. To address this research gap, the present comprehensive meta-analysis synthesizes the results of RCTs of MBIs and MIIs conducted in various workplace settings.
METHOD
A systematic literature search was conducted in five electronic databases complemented by manual search. Random-effects models were used to synthesize standardized mean differences () for 25 outcomes and seven overarching categories of outcomes, and to detect various temporal effects. Meta-regressions were run to elucidate average between mindfulness intervention types and intervention and population characteristics, with the goal of detecting sources of heterogeneity and help guide the selection of the most appropriate mindfulness intervention type.
RESULTS
Based on 91 eligible studies (from 92 publications), including 4927 participants and 4448 controls, the synthesis shows that MBIs and MIIs significantly improve mindfulness ( = 0.43; 95%- [0.33;0.52]), well-being ( = 0.63; 95%- [0.34;0.93]), mental health ( = 0.67; 95%- [0.48;0.86]), stress ( = 0.72; 95%- [0.54;0.90]), resilience ( = 1.06; 95%- [-0.22;2.34]), physical health ( = 0.45; 95%- [0.32;0.59]), and work-related factors ( = 0.62; 95%- [0.14;1.10]). Sensitivity analyses demonstrate a tendency towards smaller effect sizes due to extreme outliers. Effect sizes are stable in short-term follow-up assessments (1-12 weeks) for most outcomes, but not for long-term follow-up assessments (13-52 weeks). Meta-regressions suggest that observable intervention characteristics (e.g., online delivery) and population characteristics (e.g., age of participants), as well as study quality, do not explain the prevalence of heterogeneity in effect sizes.
CONCLUSIONS
Generally effective, mindfulness interventions are a useful tool to enhance aspects of employee health. However, because of heterogeneity and risk of bias, studies aiming at high-quality data collection and thorough reporting are necessary to draw firm conclusions.
PREREGISTRATION
A protocol of this systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (Registration-No. CRD42020159927).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-023-02130-7.
PubMed: 37362186
DOI: 10.1007/s12671-023-02130-7 -
Iranian Journal of Parasitology 2016The aim of the study was assessment of defaults and conducted meta-analysis of the efficacy of single-dose oral albendazole against infection. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was assessment of defaults and conducted meta-analysis of the efficacy of single-dose oral albendazole against infection.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Science Direct, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and WHO library databases between 1983 and 2014. Data from 13 clinical trial articles were used. Each article was included the effect of single oral dose (400 mg) albendazole and placebo in treating two groups of patients with infection. For both groups in each article, sample size, the number of those with infection, and the number of those recovered following the intake of albendazole were identified and recorded. The relative risk and variance were computed. Funnel plot, Beggs and Eggers tests were used for assessment of publication bias. The random effect variance shift outlier model and likelihood ratio test were applied for detecting outliers. In order to detect influence, DFFITS values, Cook's distances and COVRATIO were used. Data were analyzed using STATA and R software.
RESULTS
The article number 13 and 9 were outlier and influence, respectively. Outlier is diagnosed by variance shift of target study in inferential method and by RR value in graphical method. Funnel plot and Beggs test did not show the publication bias (=0.272). However, the Eggers test confirmed it (=0.034). Meta-analysis after removal of article 13 showed that relative risk was 1.99 (CI 95% 1.71 - 2.31).
CONCLUSION
The estimated RR and our meta-analyses show that treatment of with single oral doses of albendazole is unsatisfactory. New anthelminthics are urgently needed.
PubMed: 28127355
DOI: No ID Found -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Apr 2024This systematic review and meta-analysis (MA) aimed to evaluate the diagnostic validity of portable electromyography (EMG) diagnostic devices compared to the reference... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
This systematic review and meta-analysis (MA) aimed to evaluate the diagnostic validity of portable electromyography (EMG) diagnostic devices compared to the reference standard method polysomnography (PSG) in assessing sleep bruxism. This systematic review was completed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement and was registered with PROSPERO prior to the accomplishment of the main search. Ten clinical studies on humans, assessing the diagnostic accuracy of portable instrumental approaches with respect to PSG, were included in the review. Methodological shortcomings were identified by QUADAS-2 quality assessment. The certainty of the evidence analysis was established by different levels of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. A meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy was performed with multiple thresholds per study applying a two-stage random effects model, using the thresholds offered by the studies and based on the number of EMG bruxism events per hour presented by the participants. Five studies were included. The MA indicated that portable EMG diagnostic devices showed a very good diagnostic capacity, although a high variability is evident in the studies with some outliers. Very low quality of evidence due to high risk of bias and high heterogeneity among included studies suggests that portable devices have shown high sensitivity and specificity when diagnosing sleep bruxism (SB) compared to polysomnography. The tests performed in the MA found an estimated optimal cut-off point of 7 events/hour of SB with acceptably high sensitivity and specificity for the EMG portable devices.
Topics: Humans; Sleep Bruxism; Polysomnography; Electromyography
PubMed: 38295573
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2024.101906 -
Clinical Kidney Journal Apr 2022Patients receiving dialysis for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) commonly co-exhibit risk factors for hepatic impairment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed...
BACKGROUND
Patients receiving dialysis for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) commonly co-exhibit risk factors for hepatic impairment. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify the coexistence of chronic liver disease (CLD) and characterize risk factors and outcomes.
METHODS
We searched the following databases from inception to May 2021: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, Kings Fund Library, MEDLINE and PubMed. The protocol was pre-registered on PROSPERO (study ID: CRD42020206486). Studies were assessed against three inclusion criteria: adults (>18 years) with ESKD receiving dialysis, primary outcome involving CLD prevalence and publications in English. Moderator analysis was performed for age, gender, study size and publication year. Sensitivity analysis was performed where applicable by removing outlier results and studies at high risk of bias.
RESULTS
Searches yielded 7195 articles; of these 15 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 320 777 patients were included. The prevalence of cirrhosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was 5% and 55%, respectively. Individuals with CLD had 2-fold higher mortality than those without {odds ratio [OR] 2.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39-3.45]}. Hepatitis B [OR 13.47 (95% CI 1.37-132.55)] and hepatitis C [OR 7.05 (95% CI 4.00-12.45)], but not diabetes, conferred increased cirrhosis risk. All studies examining NAFLD were judged to be at high risk of bias. We found no data on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Deaths from CLD, cancer and infection were greater among cirrhotic patients.
CONCLUSIONS
CLD is prevalent in dialysis patients. Hepatitis B and C confer increased risk of CLD. The impact of NAFLD and NASH cirrhosis requires further study. CLD is associated with an increased risk of mortality in this setting.
PubMed: 35371444
DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfab230 -
JAMA Pediatrics Feb 2022Social determinants of health (SDOH) correlate with pediatric asthma morbidity, yet whether interventions addressing social risks are associated with asthma outcomes... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Social determinants of health (SDOH) correlate with pediatric asthma morbidity, yet whether interventions addressing social risks are associated with asthma outcomes among children is unclear.
OBJECTIVE
To catalog asthma interventions by the social risks they address and synthesize their associations with asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations among children.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and references of included full-text articles were searched from January 1, 2008, to June 16, 2021.
STUDY SELECTION
Included articles were US-based studies evaluating the associations of interventions addressing 1 or more social risks with asthma-related ED visits and hospitalizations among children. The systematic review included 38 of the original 641 identified articles (6%), and the meta-analysis included 19 articles (3%).
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Data extraction followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting guideline. The SDOH intervention clusters were identified by grouping studies according to the social risks they addressed, using the Healthy People 2020 SDOH framework. Random-effects models created pooled risk ratios (RRs) as the effect estimates.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Patients with ED visits or hospitalizations were the primary outcomes. Subgroup analyses were conducted by an SDOH intervention cluster. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for each, removing outlier studies and studies failing to meet the minimum quality threshold.
RESULTS
In total, 38 studies were included in the systematic review, with 19 of these studies providing data for the meta-analysis (5441 participants). All interventions addressed 1 or more of the health, environment, and community domains; no interventions focused on the economy or education domains. In the primary analysis, social risk interventions were associated with decreased ED visits (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.57-0.81; I2 = 70%) and hospitalizations (RR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.37-0.68; I2 = 69%). In subgroup analyses, the health, environment, and community intervention cluster produced the lowest RR for ED visits (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.44-0.64; I2 = 50%) and for hospitalizations (RR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.20-0.55; I2 = 71%) compared with other intervention clusters. Sensitivity analyses did not alter primary or subgroup effect estimates.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that social risk interventions are associated with decreased asthma-related ED visits and hospitalizations among children. These findings suggest that addressing social risks may be a crucial component of pediatric asthma care to improve health outcomes.
Topics: Asthma; Emergency Service, Hospital; Hospitalization; Humans; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Pediatrics; Social Determinants of Health
PubMed: 34870710
DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.5103 -
Global Pediatric Health 2023Neonatal death is still alarming in low-income countries including Ethiopia, accounts 30 death per 1000 alive births. Birth trauma is the second most common...
Neonatal death is still alarming in low-income countries including Ethiopia, accounts 30 death per 1000 alive births. Birth trauma is the second most common contributing factors for the death. Nevertheless, there is no aggregate evidence on the prevalence and patterns of neonatal birth trauma in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence and patterns of neonatal birth trauma in Ethiopia. Searching databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, Popline, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINHAL (EBSCO), Google, Google Scholar, and lists of references were used to search literatures in Ethiopia. STATA version 14 was used for analysis, and the odds ratios of the outcome variable were determined using the random-effects model. Heterogeneity among the studies was assessed by computing values for and -values. Also, sensitivity analysis and funnel plot were done to assess the stability of pooled values to outliers and publication bias. A total of 6 studies with a sample size of 3663 were included in this study. The overall prevalence of neonatal birth trauma was 15% (95% CI: 13-16). Subgaleal hemorrhage (39%), cephalohematoma (27%), and caput succedaneum (24%) were the most common neonatal birth trauma in Ethiopia. Meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses showed the stability of the pooled odds ratios, and the funnel plots did not show publication bias. This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed a high prevalence of neonatal birth trauma in Ethiopia. Moreover, most of the neonatal birth injuries were severe and life-threatening that need medical attention to safe the neonates and its life long complications.
PubMed: 37602141
DOI: 10.1177/2333794X231191982 -
Laryngoscope Investigative... Aug 2023What are the electrogustometer's (EGM) validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy in assessing taste sensation in adults compared to other taste tests? (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
What are the electrogustometer's (EGM) validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy in assessing taste sensation in adults compared to other taste tests?
DATA SOURCES
PubMed Medline, Elseviers's Embase, and the six databases of Cochrane Library.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic search on December 20, 2022, consisting of synonyms for EGM. We considered randomized controlled trials and observational studies with original data for inclusion if they included adults who underwent electrogustometry. Articles were excluded if no analysis regarding validity, reliability, or diagnostic accuracy had been performed or if these analyses could not be performed with the published data.
RESULTS
Nineteen articles discussing 18 studies were included for data extraction. The included studies carry a high risk of bias. Overall, the association between a variety of reference taste tests and EGM was moderate or weak with correlation coefficients ranging from -0.51 to 0.40 with one outlier of -0.74 found in one study correlating EGM and taste solutions. Test-retest reliability was good with reported correlation coefficients between 0.78 and 1.0. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of EGM in identifying abnormal taste function varied widely between the four studies on diagnostic accuracy.
CONCLUSION
The included studies in this review lack the required standards regarding study design to draw firm conclusions about the validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy of the EGM. Future research is needed to assess these measurement properties. Based on the reported results, we would not recommend using the EGM as a screening test for taste disturbance in clinical practice.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
NA.
PubMed: 37621297
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.1108 -
Acta Orthopaedica Feb 2023Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) is an alternative surgical treatment method to conventional total knee arthroplasty (COTKA) that may deliver better... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) is an alternative surgical treatment method to conventional total knee arthroplasty (COTKA) that may deliver better surgical accuracy. However, its impact on patient outcomes is uncertain. The aim of this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is to evaluate whether RATKA could improve functional and radiological outcomes compared with COTKA in adult patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee.
METHODS
We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library to identify published RCTs comparing RATKA with COTKA. 2 reviewers independently screened eligible studies, reviewed the full texts, assessed risk of bias using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool, and extracted data. Outcomes were patient-reported outcomes, range of motion, and mechanical alignment (MA) deviation and outliers, and complications.
RESULTS
We included 12 RCTs involving 2,200 patients. RATKA probably results in little to no effect on patient-reported outcomes (mean difference (MD) in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score of -0.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.78 to 0.07) and range of motion (MD -0.73°; CI -7.5° to 6.0°) compared with COTKA. However, RATKA likely results in a lower degree of MA outliers (risk ratio 0.43; CI 0.27 to 0.67) and less deviation from neutral MA (MD -0.94°; CI -1.1° to -0.73°). There were no differences in revision rate or major adverse effects associated with RATKA.
CONCLUSION
Although RATKA likely results in higher radiologic accuracy than COTKA, this may not be clinically meaningful. Also, there is probably no clinically important difference in clinical outcomes between RATKA and COTKA, while it is as yet inconclusive regarding the revision and complication rates due to insufficient evidence.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Radiography; Knee Joint
PubMed: 36805771
DOI: 10.2340/17453674.2023.9411