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Journal of Clinical Medicine May 2019Breast density, a measure of dense fibroglandular tissue relative to non-dense fatty tissue, is confirmed as an independent risk factor of breast cancer. Although there... (Review)
Review
Breast density, a measure of dense fibroglandular tissue relative to non-dense fatty tissue, is confirmed as an independent risk factor of breast cancer. Although there has been an increasing interest in the quantitative assessment of breast density, no research has investigated the optimal technical approach of breast MRI in this aspect. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyze the current studies on quantitative assessment of breast density using MRI and to determine the most appropriate technical/operational protocol. Databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science) were searched systematically for eligible studies. Single arm meta-analysis was conducted to determine quantitative values of MRI in breast density assessments. Combined means with their 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a fixed-effect model. In addition, subgroup meta-analyses were performed with stratification by breast density segmentation/measurement method. Furthermore, alternative groupings based on statistical similarities were identified via a cluster analysis employing study means and standard deviations in a Nearest Neighbor/Single Linkage. A total of 38 studies matched the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Twenty-one of these studies were judged to be eligible for meta-analysis. The results indicated, generally, high levels of heterogeneity between study means within groups and high levels of heterogeneity between study variances within groups. The studies in two main clusters identified by the cluster analysis were also subjected to meta-analyses. The review confirmed high levels of heterogeneity within the breast density studies, considered to be due mainly to the applications of MR breast-imaging protocols and the use of breast density segmentation/measurement methods. Further research should be performed to determine the most appropriate protocol and method for quantifying breast density using MRI.
PubMed: 31137728
DOI: 10.3390/jcm8050745 -
BMC Neurology Aug 2021Brain age is a biomarker that predicts chronological age using neuroimaging features. Deviations of this predicted age from chronological age is considered a sign of...
BACKGROUND
Brain age is a biomarker that predicts chronological age using neuroimaging features. Deviations of this predicted age from chronological age is considered a sign of age-related brain changes, or commonly referred to as brain ageing. The aim of this systematic review is to identify and synthesize the evidence for an association between lifestyle, health factors and diseases in adult populations, with brain ageing.
METHODS
This systematic review was undertaken in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search of Embase and Medline was conducted to identify relevant articles using search terms relating to the prediction of age from neuroimaging data or brain ageing. The tables of two recent review papers on brain ageing were also examined to identify additional articles. Studies were limited to adult humans (aged 18 years and above), from clinical or general populations. Exposures and study design of all types were also considered eligible.
RESULTS
A systematic search identified 52 studies, which examined brain ageing in clinical and community dwelling adults (mean age between 21 to 78 years, ~ 37% were female). Most research came from studies of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or Alzheimer's disease, or healthy populations that were assessed cognitively. From these studies, psychiatric and neurologic diseases were most commonly associated with accelerated brain ageing, though not all studies drew the same conclusions. Evidence for all other exposures is nascent, and relatively inconsistent. Heterogenous methodologies, or methods of outcome ascertainment, were partly accountable.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review summarised the current evidence for an association between genetic, lifestyle, health, or diseases and brain ageing. Overall there is good evidence to suggest schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease are associated with accelerated brain ageing. Evidence for all other exposures was mixed or limited. This was mostly due to a lack of independent replication, and inconsistency across studies that were primarily cross sectional in nature. Future research efforts should focus on replicating current findings, using prospective datasets.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
A copy of the review protocol can be accessed through PROSPERO, registration number CRD42020142817 .
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aging; Brain; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Neuroimaging; Prospective Studies; Young Adult
PubMed: 34384369
DOI: 10.1186/s12883-021-02331-4 -
Health Research Policy and Systems Dec 2022Accurate, consistent assessment of outcomes and impacts is challenging in the health research partnerships domain. Increased focus on tool quality, including conceptual,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Accurate, consistent assessment of outcomes and impacts is challenging in the health research partnerships domain. Increased focus on tool quality, including conceptual, psychometric and pragmatic characteristics, could improve the quantification, measurement and reporting partnership outcomes and impacts. This cascading review was undertaken as part of a coordinated, multicentre effort to identify, synthesize and assess a vast body of health research partnership literature.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically assess the outcomes and impacts of health research partnerships, relevant terminology and the type/use of theories, models and frameworks (TMF) arising from studies using partnership assessment tools with known conceptual, psychometric and pragmatic characteristics.
METHODS
Four electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus and PsycINFO) from inception to 2 June 2021. We retained studies containing partnership evaluation tools with (1) conceptual foundations (reference to TMF), (2) empirical, quantitative psychometric evidence (evidence of validity and reliability, at minimum) and (3) one or more pragmatic characteristics. Outcomes, impacts, terminology, definitions and TMF type/use were abstracted verbatim from eligible studies using a hybrid (independent abstraction-validation) approach and synthesized using summary statistics (quantitative), inductive thematic analysis and deductive categories (qualitative). Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD).
RESULTS
Application of inclusion criteria yielded 37 eligible studies. Study quality scores were high (mean 80%, standard deviation 0.11%) but revealed needed improvements (i.e. methodological, reporting, user involvement in research design). Only 14 (38%) studies reported 48 partnership outcomes and 55 impacts; most were positive effects (43, 90% and 47, 89%, respectively). Most outcomes were positive personal, functional, structural and contextual effects; most impacts were personal, functional and contextual in nature. Most terms described outcomes (39, 89%), and 30 of 44 outcomes/impacts terms were unique, but few were explicitly defined (9, 20%). Terms were complex and mixed on one or more dimensions (e.g. type, temporality, stage, perspective). Most studies made explicit use of study-related TMF (34, 92%). There were 138 unique TMF sources, and these informed tool construct type/choice and hypothesis testing in almost all cases (36, 97%).
CONCLUSION
This study synthesized partnership outcomes and impacts, deconstructed term complexities and evolved our understanding of TMF use in tool development, testing and refinement studies. Renewed attention to basic concepts is necessary to advance partnership measurement and research innovation in the field. Systematic review protocol registration: PROSPERO protocol registration: CRD42021137932 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=137932 .
Topics: Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Psychometrics
PubMed: 36517852
DOI: 10.1186/s12961-022-00938-8 -
Anti-cancer Drugs Nov 2021The objective of the study was to evaluate and summarize the evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding the efficacy and safety of Aidi injection...
The objective of the study was to evaluate and summarize the evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding the efficacy and safety of Aidi injection combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer patients. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chong qing VIP databases, and Wanfang databases were searched for systematic reviews/meta-analyses on the topic of Aidi treating cancer patients published from inception to 20 December 2020. Google Scholar and OpenGrey were searched for grey literature and International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews for ongoing reviews. Two investigators independently selected eligible studies, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality of included systematic reviews/meta-analyses using the measurement tool to assess systematic reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) tool, and the strength of evidence was assessed with the grade of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) system. Twenty-seven systematic reviews/meta-analyses were identified in the study. The methodological quality of all 27 systematic reviews/meta-analyses were critically low when evaluated by AMSTAR-2, and the evidence quality of all outcomes rated as either low or very low based on the GRADE system. The available evidence is currently insufficient to support or refute the use of Aidi in the treatment of cancer patients, thus high-quality trials with large sample sizes are needed to explore its efficacy and safety in cancer patients.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Disease Progression; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Karnofsky Performance Status; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Neoplasms; Systematic Reviews as Topic
PubMed: 34183496
DOI: 10.1097/CAD.0000000000001110 -
International Journal of Surgery... 2020The complexities and risks inherent to the field of surgery and surgical interventions present unique challenges to the design and analysis of surgical randomized...
INTRODUCTION
The complexities and risks inherent to the field of surgery and surgical interventions present unique challenges to the design and analysis of surgical randomized controlled trials (RCT). Prior studies have investigated the practical and methodologic challenges posed by surgical RCTs. To date, however, a comprehensive analysis of the contemporary literature across multiple surgical subspecialties does not exist. In this descriptive analysis, we set out to characterize surgical RCTs over the past 10 years across six major surgical specialties.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
A literature search by a medical librarian will be performed to identify all surgical randomized clinical trials published between January 2009 and December 2019 in the two journals with the highest impact factor for six surgical specialties as well as two large general medicine journals. Two reviewers will independently screen the citations retrieved from the literature search and extract data according to a previously described protocol via a pre-defined data collection form. Categorical variables will be reported as counts and percentages. Following assessment of normality, continuous variables will be reported as mean (standard deviation) or median (inter-quartile range). Based on normality of data, independent t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test will be used to compare continuous variables and chi-square and Fisher's exact tests to compare categorical variables. Comparisons across multiple sets will be performed using ANOVA or Kruskak-Wallis tests. Two-sided significance testing will be used and a p-value <0.05 will be considered significant without adjustment for multiple testing. All analyses will be performed using SPSS version 24 and R within RStudio. PROSPERO (ID number: 162797).
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
There are no ethical concerns directly pertinent to this systematic review. The retrieved data will be made available upon request. The study will be written in English and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
PubMed: 32258836
DOI: 10.1016/j.isjp.2020.03.002 -
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related... Oct 2014Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) has been developed to enhance prosthetic alignment during primary TKAs. Imageless CAS improves coronal and sagittal alignment compared... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) has been developed to enhance prosthetic alignment during primary TKAs. Imageless CAS improves coronal and sagittal alignment compared with conventional TKA. However, the effect of imageless CAS on rotational alignment remains unclear.
QUESTIONS/PURPOSES
We conducted a systematic and qualitative review of the current literature regarding the effectiveness of imageless CAS during TKA on (1) rotational alignment of the femoral and tibial components and tibiofemoral mismatch in terms of deviation from neutral rotation, and (2) the number of femoral and tibial rotational outliers.
METHODS
Data sources included PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. Study selection, data extraction, and methodologic quality assessment were conducted independently by two reviewers. Standardized mean difference with 95% CI was calculated for continuous variables (rotational alignment of the femoral or tibial component and tibiofemoral mismatch). To compare the number of outliers for femoral and tibial component rotation, the odds ratio and 95% CI were calculated. The literature search produced 657 potentially relevant studies, 17 of which met the inclusion criteria. One study was considered as having high methodologic quality, 15 studies had medium, and one study had low quality.
RESULTS
Conflicting evidence was found for all outcome measures except for tibiofemoral mismatch. Moderate evidence was found that imageless CAS had no influence on postoperative tibiofemoral mismatch. The measurement protocol for measuring tibial rotation varied among the studies and in only one of the studies was the sample size calculation based on one of the outcome measures used in our systematic review.
CONCLUSIONS
More studies of high methodologic quality and with a sample size calculation based on the outcome measures will be helpful to assess whether an imageless CAS TKA improves femoral and tibial rotational alignment and tibiofemoral mismatch or decreases the number of femoral and tibial rotational outliers. To statistically analyze the results of different studies, the same measurement protocol should be used among the studies.
Topics: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Biomechanical Phenomena; Chi-Square Distribution; Humans; Knee Joint; Knee Prosthesis; Odds Ratio; Prosthesis Design; Range of Motion, Articular; Recovery of Function; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Surgery, Computer-Assisted; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 24867451
DOI: 10.1007/s11999-014-3688-5 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023The aim of this study was to systematically review the neuroimmunology literature to determine the average immune cell counts reported by flow cytometry in wild-type...
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to systematically review the neuroimmunology literature to determine the average immune cell counts reported by flow cytometry in wild-type (WT) homogenized mouse brains.
BACKGROUND
Mouse models of gene dysfunction are widely used to study age-associated neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The importance of the neuroimmune system in these multifactorial disorders has become increasingly evident, and methods to quantify resident and infiltrating immune cells in the brain, including flow cytometry, are necessary. However, there appears to be no consensus on the best approach to perform flow cytometry or quantify/report immune cell counts. The development of more standardized methods would accelerate neuroimmune discovery and validation by meta-analysis.
METHODS
There has not yet been a systematic review of 'neuroimmunology' by 'flow cytometry' via examination of the PROSPERO registry. A protocol for a systematic review was subsequently based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) using the Studies, Data, Methods, and Outcomes (SDMO) criteria. Literature searches were conducted in the Google Scholar and PubMed databases. From that search, 900 candidate studies were identified, and 437 studies were assessed for eligibility based on formal exclusion criteria.
RESULTS
Out of the 437 studies reviewed, 58 were eligible for inclusion and comparative analysis. Each study assessed immune cell subsets within homogenized mouse brains and used flow cytometry. Nonetheless, there was considerable variability in the methods, data analysis, reporting, and results. Descriptive statistics have been presented on the study designs and results, including medians with interquartile ranges (IQRs) and overall means with standard deviations (SD) for specific immune cell counts and their relative proportions, within and between studies. A total of 58 studies reported the most abundant immune cells within the brains were TMEM119 microglia, bulk CD4 T cells, and bulk CD8 T cells.
CONCLUSION
Experiments to conduct and report flow cytometry data, derived from WT homogenized mouse brains, would benefit from a more standardized approach. While within-study comparisons are valid, the variability in methods of counting of immune cell populations is too broad for meta-analysis. The inclusion of a minimal protocol with more detailed methods, controls, and standards could enable this nascent field to compare results across studies.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Brain; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Flow Cytometry; Research Design; Systematic Reviews as Topic
PubMed: 38022545
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1281705 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2014Intermittent urethral self-dilatation is sometimes recommended to reduce the risk of recurrent urethral stricture. There is no consensus as to whether it is a clinically... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Intermittent urethral self-dilatation is sometimes recommended to reduce the risk of recurrent urethral stricture. There is no consensus as to whether it is a clinically effective or cost-effective intervention in the management of this disease.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this review is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of intermittent self-dilatation after urethral stricture surgery in males compared to no intervention. We also compared different programmes of, and devices for, intermittent self-dilatation. .
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Group Specialised Register (searched 7 May 2014), CENTRAL (2014, Issue 4), MEDLINE (1 January 1946 to Week 3 April 2014), PREMEDLINE (covering 29 April 2014), EMBASE (1 January 1947 to Week 17 2014), CINAHL (31 December 1981 to 30 April 2014) OpenGrey (searched 6 May 2014), ClinicalTrials.gov (6 May 2014), WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (6 May 2014), Current Controlled Trials (6 May 2014) and the reference lists of relevant articles.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised and quasi-randomised trials where one arm was a programme of intermittent self-dilatation for urethral stricture were identified. Studies were excluded if they were not randomised or quasi-randomised trials, or if they pertained to clean intermittent self-catheterisation for bladder emptying.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors screened the records for relevance and methodological quality. Data extraction was performed according to predetermined criteria using data extraction forms. Analyses were carried out in Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan 5). The primary outcomes were patient-reported symptoms and health-related quality of life, and risk of recurrence; secondary outcomes were adverse events, acceptability of the intervention to patients and cost-effectiveness. Quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
MAIN RESULTS
Eleven trials were selected for inclusion in the review, including a total of 776 men. They were generally small; all were of poor quality and all were deemed to have high risk of bias. Performing intermittent self-dilatation versus not performing intermittent self-dilatation The data from six trials were heterogeneous, imprecise and had a high risk of bias, but indicated that recurrent urethral stricture was less likely in men who performed intermittent self-dilatation than men who did not perform intermittent self-dilatation (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.00; very low quality evidence). Adverse events were generally poorly reported: two trials did not report adverse events and two trials reported adverse events only for the intervention group. Meta-analysis of the remaining two trials found no evidence of a difference between performing intermittent self-dilatation and not performing it (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.11 to 3.26). No trials formally assessed acceptability, and no trials reported on patient-reported lower urinary tract symptoms, patient-reported health-related quality of life, or cost-effectiveness. One programme of intermittent self-dilatation versus another We identified two trials that compared different durations of intermittent self-dilatation, but data were not combined. One study could not draw robust conclusions owing to cross-over, protocol deviation, administrative error, post-hoc analysis and incomplete outcome reporting. The other study found no evidence of a difference between intermittent self-dilatation for six months versus for 12 months after optical urethrotomy (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.12 to 3.64), although again the evidence is limited by the small sample size and risk of bias in the included study. Adverse events were reported narratively and were not stratified by group. No trials formally assessed acceptability, and no trials reported on patient-reported lower urinary tract symptoms, patient-reported health-related quality of life, or cost-effectiveness. One device for performing intermittent self-dilatation versus another Three trials compared one device for performing intermittent self-dilatation with another. Results from one trial at a high risk of bias were too uncertain to determine the effects of a low friction hydrophilic catheter and a standard polyvinyl chloride catheter on the risk of recurrent urethral stricture (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.40). Similarly one study did not find evidence of a difference between one percent triamcinolone gel for lubricating the intermittent self-dilatation catheter versus water-based gel on risk of recurrent urethral stricture (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.32). Two trials reported adverse events, but one did not provide sufficient detail for analysis. The other small study reported fewer instances of prostatitis, urethral bleeding or bacteriuria with a low friction hydrophilic catheter compared with a standard polyvinyl chloride catheter (RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.98). 'Happiness with the intervention' was assessed using a non-validated scale in one study, but no trials formally assessed patient-reported health-related quality of life or acceptability. No trials reported on patient-reported lower urinary tract symptoms or cost-effectiveness. GRADE quality assessment The evidence that intermittent self-dilatation reduces the risk of recurrent urethral stricture after surgical intervention was downgraded to 'very low' on the basis that the studies comprising the meta-analysis were deemed to have high risk of bias, and the data was imprecise and inconsistent. Insufficient evidence No trials provided cost-effectiveness data or used a validated patient-reported outcome measure, and adverse events were not reported rigorously. Acceptability of the intervention to patients has not been assessed quantitatively or qualitatively.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Performing intermittent self-dilatation may confer a reduced risk of recurrent urethral stricture after endoscopic treatment. We have very little confidence in the estimate of the effect owing to the very low quality of the evidence. Evidence for other comparisons and outcomes is limited. Further research is required to determine whether the apparent benefit is sufficient to make the intervention worthwhile, and in whom.
Topics: Dilatation; Humans; Male; Patient Satisfaction; Postoperative Complications; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Recurrence; Self Care; Urethral Stricture
PubMed: 25523166
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010258.pub2 -
Critical Care (London, England) Jul 2022The prognostic value of extravascular lung water (EVLW) measured by transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) in critically ill patients is debated. We performed a systematic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The prognostic value of extravascular lung water (EVLW) measured by transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) in critically ill patients is debated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the effects of TPTD-estimated EVLW on mortality in critically ill patients.
METHODS
Cohort studies published in English from Embase, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1960 to 1 June 2021 were systematically searched. From eligible studies, the values of the odds ratio (OR) of EVLW as a risk factor for mortality, and the value of EVLW in survivors and non-survivors were extracted. Pooled OR were calculated from available studies. Mean differences and standard deviation of the EVLW between survivors and non-survivors were calculated. A random effects model was computed on the weighted mean differences across the two groups to estimate the pooled size effect. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore the possible sources of heterogeneity.
RESULTS
Of the 18 studies included (1296 patients), OR could be extracted from 11 studies including 905 patients (464 survivors vs. 441 non-survivors), and 17 studies reported EVLW values of survivors and non-survivors, including 1246 patients (680 survivors vs. 566 non-survivors). The pooled OR of EVLW for mortality from eleven studies was 1.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) [1.22; 2.34], p < 0.0015). EVLW was significantly lower in survivors than non-survivors, with a mean difference of -4.97 mL/kg (95% CI [-6.54; -3.41], p < 0.001). The results regarding OR and mean differences were consistent in subgroup analyses.
CONCLUSIONS
The value of EVLW measured by TPTD is associated with mortality in critically ill patients and is significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors. This finding may also be interpreted as an indirect confirmation of the reliability of TPTD for estimating EVLW at the bedside. Nevertheless, our results should be considered cautiously due to the high risk of bias of many studies included in the meta-analysis and the low rating of certainty of evidence. Trial registration the study protocol was prospectively registered on PROSPERO: CRD42019126985.
Topics: Critical Illness; Extravascular Lung Water; Humans; Prognosis; Reproducibility of Results; Thermodilution
PubMed: 35794612
DOI: 10.1186/s13054-022-04061-6 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Nov 2017There is an association between chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it is not known whether periodontal therapy could prevent or manage CVD... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
There is an association between chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, it is not known whether periodontal therapy could prevent or manage CVD in patients with chronic periodontitis.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of periodontal therapy in preventing the occurrence of, and management or recurrence of, CVD in patients with chronic periodontitis.
SEARCH METHODS
Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 31 August 2017), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2017, Issue 7), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 31 August 2017), Embase Ovid (1980 to 31 August 2017) and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL EBSCO) (1937 to 31 August 2017) . The US National Institutes of Health Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov), the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and Open Grey were searched for ongoing trials. No restrictions were placed on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases.We also searched the Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (1978 to 27 August 2017), the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1994 to 27 August 2017), the VIP database (1989 to 27 August 2017) and Sciencepaper Online (2003 to 27 August 2017).
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs were considered eligible. Studies were selected if they included patients with a diagnosis of chronic periodontitis and previous CVD (secondary prevention studies) or no CVD (primary prevention studies); patients in the intervention group received active periodontal therapy compared to maintenance therapy, no periodontal treatment or another kind of periodontal treatment in the control group.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors carried out the study identification, data extraction and risk of bias assessment independently and in duplicate. Any discrepancies between the two authors were resolved by discussion or with a third review author. A formal pilot-tested data extraction form was adopted for the data extraction, and the Cochrane tool for risk of bias assessment was used for the critical appraisal of the literature.
MAIN RESULTS
No studies were identified that assessed primary prevention of CVD in people with periodontitis. One study involving 303 participants with ≥ 50% blockage of one coronary artery or a coronary event within three years, but not the three months prior, was included. The study was at high risk of bias due to deviation from the protocol treatment allocation and lack of follow-up data. The trial compared scaling and root planing (SRP) with community care for a follow-up period of six to 25 months. No data on deaths (all-cause or CVD-related) were reported. There was insufficient evidence to determine the effect of SRP and community care in reducing the risk of CVD recurrence in patients with chronic periodontitis (risk ratio (RR) 0.72; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23 to 2.22; very low quality evidence). The effects of SRP compared with community care on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (mean difference (MD) 0.62; -1.45 to 2.69), the number of patients with high hs-CRP (RR 0.77; 95% CI 0.32 to 1.85) and adverse events (RR 9.06; 95% CI 0.49 to 166.82) were also not statistically significant. The study did not assess modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, other blood test results, heart function parameters or revascularisation procedures.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
We found very low quality evidence that was insufficient to support or refute whether periodontal therapy can prevent the recurrence of CVD in the long term in patients with chronic periodontitis. No evidence on primary prevention was found.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Chronic Periodontitis; Coronary Disease; Dental Scaling; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Root Planing; Secondary Prevention
PubMed: 29112241
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009197.pub3