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Systematic Reviews Apr 2024Leptospirosis, an important zoonotic bacterial disease, commonly affects resource-poor populations and results in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Leptospirosis, an important zoonotic bacterial disease, commonly affects resource-poor populations and results in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The value of antibiotics in leptospirosis remains unclear, as evidenced by the conflicting opinions published.
METHODS
We conducted a search in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for studies. These studies included clinical trials and retrospective studies that evaluated the efficacy or safety of antibiotics for leptospirosis treatment. The primary outcomes assessed were defervescence time, mortality rate, and hospital stays. Subgroup analyses were performed based on whether there were cases involving children and whether there were cases of severe jaundice. Safety was defined as the prevalence of adverse events associated with the use of antibiotics. p scores were utilized to rank the efficacy of the antibiotics.
RESULTS
There are included 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 1 control trial (CT), and 3 retrospective studies (RS) involving 920 patients and 8 antibiotics. Six antibiotics resulted in significantly shorter defervescence times compared to the control, namely cefotaxime (MD, - 1.88; 95% CI = - 2.60 to - 1.15), azithromycin (MD, - 1.74; 95% CI = - 2.52 to - 0.95), doxycycline (MD, - 1.53; 95% CI = - 2.05 to - 1.00), ceftriaxone (MD, - 1.22; 95% CI = - 1.89 to - 0.55), penicillin (MD, - 1.22; 95% CI = - 1.80 to - 0.64), and penicillin or ampicillin (MD, - 0.08; 95% CI = - 1.01 to - 0.59). The antibiotics were not effective in reducing the mortality and hospital stays. Common adverse reactions to antibiotics included Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, rash, headache, and digestive reactions (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and others).
CONCLUSIONS
Findings recommend that leptospirosis patients be treated with antibiotics, which significantly reduced the leptospirosis defervescence time. Cephalosporins, doxycycline, and penicillin are suggested, and azithromycin may be a suitable alternative for drug-resistant cases.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42022354938.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Azithromycin; Doxycycline; Leptospirosis; Network Meta-Analysis; Penicillins
PubMed: 38627798
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02519-y -
Journal Der Deutschen Dermatologischen... Feb 2024Rosacea is a common chronic skin disease distributed primarily around the central face. Ocular manifestations of rosacea are poorly studied, and estimates of prevalence... (Review)
Review
Rosacea is a common chronic skin disease distributed primarily around the central face. Ocular manifestations of rosacea are poorly studied, and estimates of prevalence vary widely, ranging from 6% to 72% in the rosacea population. Treatment options for ocular rosacea include lid hygiene, topical and oral antibiotics, cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion, oral vitamin A derivatives, and intense pulsed light; however, a direct comparison of treatment methods for ocular rosacea is lacking. This review aims to compare treatment efficacy and adverse events for different treatment modalities in ocular rosacea. We performed a systematic review by searching Cochrane, MEDLINE and Embase. Title, abstract, full text screening, and data extraction were done in duplicate. Sixty-six articles met the inclusion criteria, representing a total of 1,275 patients. The most effective treatment modalities were topical antimicrobials and oral antibiotics, which achieved complete or partial response in 91% (n = 82/90) and 89% (n = 525/580) of patients respectively, followed by intense pulsed light (89%, n = 97/109 partial response), cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion (87% n = 40/46), and lid hygiene (65%, n = 67/105). Combination treatments achieved a complete or partial response in 90% (n = 69/77). Results suggest that topical antimicrobials, oral antibiotics, intense pulsed light. and cyclosporine were the most efficacious single modality treatments.
Topics: Humans; Emulsions; Rosacea; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cyclosporine; Skin Diseases
PubMed: 38243868
DOI: 10.1111/ddg.15290 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mar 2024Human brucellosis is a neglected, re-emerging, and endemic zoonosis in many countries. The debilitating and disabling potential of the disease is a warning about its... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Human brucellosis is a neglected, re-emerging, and endemic zoonosis in many countries. The debilitating and disabling potential of the disease is a warning about its morbidity, generating socioeconomic impact. This review aims to update the current evidence on the efficacy and safety of therapeutic options for human brucellosis using the network meta-analysis (NMA).
METHODOLOGY
A systematic search was conducted in four different databases by independent reviewers to assess overall therapy failure, adverse events, and time to defervescence associated with different therapies. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating any therapeutic drug intervention were selected, excluding non-original studies or studies related to localized forms of the disease or with less than 10 participants. Data were analyzed by frequentist statistics through NMA by random effects model. The risk of bias and certainty of evidence was assessed, this review was registered at PROSPERO.
RESULTS
Thirty-one (31) RCTs involving 4167 patients were included. Three networks of evidence were identified to evaluate the outcomes of interest. Triple therapy with doxycycline + streptomycin + hydroxychloroquine for 42 days (RR: 0.08; CI 95% 0.01-0.76) had a lower failure risk than the doxycycline + streptomycin regimen. Doxycycline + rifampicin had a higher risk of failure than doxycycline + streptomycin (RR: 1.96; CI 95% 1.27-3.01). No significant difference was observed between the regimens when analyzing the incidence of adverse events and time to defervescence. In general, most studies had a high risk of bias, and the results had a very low certainty of evidence.
CONCLUSIONS
This review confirmed the superiority of drugs already indicated for treating human brucellosis, such as the combination of doxycycline and aminoglycosides. The association of hydroxychloroquine to the dual regimen was identified as a potential strategy to prevent overall therapy failure, which is subject to confirmation in future studies.
Topics: Humans; Doxycycline; Network Meta-Analysis; Hydroxychloroquine; Brucellosis; Streptomycin
PubMed: 38466771
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012010 -
Cureus Mar 2024Rosacea is a common cutaneous condition caused by persistent, recurring lesions in facial skin vessels. It is a chronic skin condition with a variety of clinical... (Review)
Review
Rosacea is a common cutaneous condition caused by persistent, recurring lesions in facial skin vessels. It is a chronic skin condition with a variety of clinical symptoms and an unknown cause. Rosacea begins with the widening of capillaries and a flushed appearance. Following that, telangiectasia appears, and reddened patches persist, particularly on the cheeks and nose. Erythema persists due to repeated vasodilation and telangiectasia. In addition, skin inflammation manifests as papules, pustules, lymphedema, and fibrosis. Despite recent advances in treatment, rosacea, a chronic inflammatory relapsing central facial dermatosis, can be extremely difficult to manage. The purpose of this meta-analysis and systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of rosacea. Following the guidelines set forth by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), the researcher employed the following search terms in the EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases to provide a therapeutic update relevant to clinical practice: "low dose isotretinoin," "isotretinoin and rosacea," "isotretinoin treatment of rosacea," and "effectiveness of isotretinoin in treating rosacea". The search was carried out by the researcher for articles published from February 2019 to February 2024. The articles included were all published in the English language. The overall frequency of patients with adverse events differed significantly between the groups treated with low-dose isotretinoin and the comparators (minocycline, pulsed dye laser, evening primrose oil, , doxycycline, combined dose or placebo) (0.80, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.88, p = 0.0001). Sub-group analysis indicated that there was a difference between the interventions used in the treatments all in favor of low-dose isotretinoin treatment. The results showed that the moderate group had RR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.44-1.30, I2 = 0%; the mild group had RR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.56-1.57, I2 = 0%; and the group with severe rosacea had RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.47-1.13, I2 = 0%. According to this study, rosacea can be treated effectively with low-dose isotretinoin even in patients at severe stages of the disease by using the recommended dose once a week. Further, the intervention has also been shown to have fewer side effects on the patients. Therefore, this study recommends randomized controlled trials to be done to fully investigate the best combination options for isotretinoin on mild to severe rosacea based on the fact that some of the treatments combined have shown to be effective on treatment.
PubMed: 38681262
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57085 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Dec 2023Scrub typhus is a bacterial mite-borne disease associated with poor clinical outcomes if not treated adequately. The study aimed to compare the time to defervescence,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Scrub typhus is a bacterial mite-borne disease associated with poor clinical outcomes if not treated adequately. The study aimed to compare the time to defervescence, clinical failure, mortality and treatment-related adverse effects of two common drugs (doxycycline and azithromycin) used for its treatment.
METHODOLOGY
This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. All studies up to 20.03.2023 were screened for eligibility in Pubmed and Embase using a search string containing terms related to scrub typhus, doxycycline and azithromycin. After two phases of screening, all comparative studies where doxycycline and azithromycin were used to treat scrub typhus were included. The studies were critically appraised using standardised tools, and a meta-analysis was performed for time to defervescence (primary outcome), clinical failure, mortality and treatment-related adverse effects.
RESULTS
Of 744 articles from two databases, ten were included in the meta-analysis. All but two studies had a high risk of bias. The meta-analysis for time to defervescence had a high heterogeneity and did not show any significant difference between doxycycline and azithromycin arms [Mean difference of -3.37 hours (95%CI: -10.31 to 3.57), p=0.34]. When the analysis was restricted to studies that included only severe scrub typhus, doxycycline was found to have a shorter time to defervescence [mean difference of -10.15 (95%CI: -19.83 to -0.46) hours, p=0.04]. Additionally, there was no difference between the two arms concerning clinical failure, mortality and treatment-related adverse effects.
CONCLUSION
The current data from studies with a high risk of bias did not find statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes between doxycycline and azithromycin for scrub typhus.
Topics: Humans; Azithromycin; Doxycycline; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Scrub Typhus; Patients; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
PubMed: 38110855
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08893-7 -
Annals of Clinical Microbiology and... Sep 2023Urogenital Mycoplasma infections are considered an important public health problem, owing to the presence of antibiotic resistance or decreased susceptibility, the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Urogenital Mycoplasma infections are considered an important public health problem, owing to the presence of antibiotic resistance or decreased susceptibility, the treatment options are limited.
OBJECTIVE
Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to estimate resistance rates of genital Mycoplasmas to tetracyclines (tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline).
METHODS
We searched the relevant published studies in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase until 3, March 2022. All statistical analyses were carried out using the statistical package R.
RESULTS
The 26 studies included in the analysis were performed in 15 countries. In the metadata, the proportions of tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline resistance in Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma urogenital isolates were reported 14.2% (95% CI 8.2-23.2%), 5% (95% CI 3-8.1%), and 11.9% (95% CI 6.3-21.5%), respectively. According to the meta-regression, the tetracycline and minocycline resistance rate decreased over time. Although, the doxycycline resistance rate increased over time. There was a statistically significant difference in the tetracyclines resistance rates between different continents/countries (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
The prevalence rate and antibiotic susceptibility profiles vary geographically. Therefore, rigorous or improved antimicrobial stewardship, contact tracing, and enhanced intensive surveillance systems are necessitated for preventing the emergence and further spreading of tetracyclines resistance in genital Mycoplasmas.
Topics: Humans; Mycoplasma; Tetracycline; Doxycycline; Minocycline; Anti-Bacterial Agents
PubMed: 37697380
DOI: 10.1186/s12941-023-00628-5 -
International Journal of Dermatology May 2024Eosinophilic dermatosis of hematologic malignancy (EDHM) is a cutaneous manifestation seen in patients with hematoproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders, most... (Review)
Review
Eosinophilic dermatosis of hematologic malignancy (EDHM) is a cutaneous manifestation seen in patients with hematoproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders, most commonly chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This systematic review aimed to summarize the therapeutic interventions of EDHM. A comprehensive search yielded 71 studies, predominantly case reports and series. The most frequently reported modalities were systemic and topical corticosteroids, as well as treatment of the underlying malignancy. Responses to these treatments varied. Targeted therapies, including dupilumab and omalizumab, showed promise, as did other modalities such as montelukast, dapsone, doxycycline, and phototherapy. Higher-quality studies should be conducted to facilitate higher-quality management recommendations for EDHM.
PubMed: 38727148
DOI: 10.1111/ijd.17221 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Feb 2024Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the most common underlying cause of dry eye disease (DED). MGD leads to pathological alteration of the composition or quantity of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the most common underlying cause of dry eye disease (DED). MGD leads to pathological alteration of the composition or quantity of meibum, or both, which subsequently results in tear evaporation and the typical signs and symptoms associated with DED. The LipiFlow Thermal Pulsation System (LipiFlow) is a medical device used to treat MGD in office; however, it is unclear if LipiFlow can outperform other DED treatments.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the effectiveness of LipiFlow for treating DED signs and symptoms and the safety of LipiFlow compared with sham or other available treatments for MGD in adults.
SEARCH METHODS
The Cochrane Eyes and Vision Information Specialist searched the electronic databases for randomized controlled trials. There were no restrictions on language or date of publication. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, including the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register; 2022, Issue 6), MEDLINE Ovid, Embase.com, PubMed, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Information database), ClinicalTrials.gov, and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) electronic databases. We also examined the reference lists of identified trials, review articles, and guidelines for information about relevant trials that may not have been identified by our search strategy. We contacted investigators regarding ongoing trials. The last database search was performed on 24 October 2022.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included studies conducted in adults (over 18 years of age) with DED or MGD as defined by the primary trial investigators. We imposed no restrictions on race, ethnicity, or sex. We considered trials involving contact lens wearers if they were equally represented between groups.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We applied standard Cochrane methodology.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 13 trials that randomized a total of 1155 participants (28 to 236 participants randomized per study). Six trials were conducted in the USA, three in China, two in Thailand, one in France, and one in Italy. Eight trials were of single-center design, while four trials were of multicenter design; one trial did not report the number of participating centers. Study characteristics The study population of the included trials was 66% female (range 48% to 80%), with an age range of 19 to 86 years. LipiFlow, used as a stand-alone intervention, was compared with basic warm compresses in five studies, thermostatic device in five studies, oral intervention in one trial, and topical dry eye medications in one trial. LipiFlow was also evaluated together with eyelid hygiene product versus eyelid hygiene products alone in one trial. Findings Five trials compared LipiFlow with a basic warm compress applied for varying durations and frequencies during the trial period; only one of these trials combined a warm compress with eyelid massage. Analyzing symptom scores by different questionnaires (Ocular Surface Disease Index [OSDI] and Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness [SPEED]) yielded conflicting evidence of a difference in symptoms between LipiFlow and basic warm compresses after four weeks. There was no evidence of a difference in meibomian gland expression, meibum quality, or tear breakup time when comparing LipiFlow with basic warm compresses. Another five trials compared LipiFlow with thermostatic devices. Analysis of symptom scores at four weeks showed that thermostatic devices had reduced OSDI scores by a mean difference (MD) of 4.59 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23 to 7.95; I = 0, P = 0.007; 553 participants; very low certainty evidence) as compared with LipiFlow. When we compared LipiFlow plus eyelid hygiene with eyelid hygiene alone, there was no evidence of difference in signs or symptoms at any time point evaluated. Only one trial compared LipiFlow with a topical DED medication (lifitegrast 5%). The single-trial estimate suggested that 5% lifitegrast may increase meibomian gland expression scores compared with LipiFlow at day 42 (MD -1.21, 95% CI -2.37 to -0.05; 50 participants; low certainty evidence) by using a meibomian gland expression scale of 0 to 8. One trial compared LipiFlow with an oral intervention (doxycycline), finding that LipiFlow may result in significantly better SPEED scores than doxycycline at three months (MD -4.00, 95% CI -7.33 to -0.67; 24 participants; very low certainty evidence). No other significant differences in signs or symptoms were found between LipiFlow and doxycycline at three months. We did not find any other statistically significant differences in symptoms or signs for any other analysis performed in this review at the one- to four-week time point. Adverse events No trial reported any intervention-related, vision-threatening adverse events.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
LipiFlow performs similarly to other commonly used DED treatments with regard to DED signs and symptoms. The best available evidence was deemed to have a high level of bias, leading to low or very low certainty evidence. Additional research with adequate masking, a standardized testing methodology, and a sample representative of the MGD population is therefore needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn regarding comparative benefits and harms.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Middle Aged; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Doxycycline; Dry Eye Syndromes; Meibomian Gland Dysfunction; China; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Phenylalanine; Sulfones
PubMed: 38314898
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD015448.pub2 -
European Archives of... Mar 2024To compare the effects of doxycycline (DOX) and conventional management in patients with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps (CRSwNP). (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To compare the effects of doxycycline (DOX) and conventional management in patients with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps (CRSwNP).
METHODS
Six databases were searched to September 2023. We retrieved studies that compared improvements in refractory chronic sinusitis-related symptoms between DOX-treated and control groups.
RESULTS
DOX significantly reduced the Lund-Kennedy (LK) score [- 0.3670 (range - 0.6173; - 0.1166); I = 92.8%], the nasal polyposis score [- 0.9484 (- 1.2287; - 0.6680); I = 92.5%], the patient-reported Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT) score [- 0.3141 (- 0.4622; - 0.1660); I = 91.2%], and the nasal obstruction score [- 0.1813 (- 0.3382; - 0.0243); I = 86.2%]. On subgroup analyses by the measurement timepoints, the extent of nasal polyposis was significantly lower in the DOX group during treatment, at the end of treatment, and 4 and 8 weeks later. The LK scores also indicated improvements during treatment and at the end of treatment. The SNOT score tended to decrease with time in the treatment group. Nasal obstruction symptoms improved during treatment and 4 weeks later.
CONCLUSION
DOX enhances the postoperative endoscopic outcomes of refractory CRSwNP patients by reducing recurrent polyposis and inflammation.
PubMed: 38512383
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-024-08563-7 -
Lupus Jun 2024Drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) is the development of lupus-like syndrome following a drug exposure. DILE has been reported less frequently among children than... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) is the development of lupus-like syndrome following a drug exposure. DILE has been reported less frequently among children than adults.
METHODS
In this study, we present four children with DILE and similar published cases through a systematic literature review.
RESULTS
We report four children (three girls and one boy) who developed DILE associated with the use of topiramate, doxycycline, etanercept, and ethosuximide. Three of them were positive for anti-histone antibodies. In all patients, the drug was discontinued and symptoms resolved completely. The literature review revealed 48 articles describing 61 children with DILE. In the evaluation of 65 patients (our 4 patients and 61 patients from the literature), the most frequently reported drugs associated with DILE were ethosuximide ( = 13) and minocycline ( = 12). Fever ( = 33), arthralgia ( = 31), rash ( = 30), and arthritis ( = 29) were the most common clinical manifestations. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was positive in 93.5% of patients and anti-histone antibodies were detected in 72.2% of the patients. As for treatment, the responsible drug was discontinued in all patients, and corticosteroids were initiated in 53.3%. Improvement was achieved in 92.0% of patients.
CONCLUSION
For children presenting with SLE features, proper drug history is crucial since DILE may be more frequent than anticipated. An association of the relevant drug with the symptoms, and resolution of symptoms on drug withdrawal provides evidence for the diagnosis of DILE.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Child; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Topiramate; Doxycycline; Ethosuximide; Adolescent; Etanercept; Minocycline; Antibodies, Antinuclear; Child, Preschool
PubMed: 38580326
DOI: 10.1177/09612033241245078