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Brain and Behavior Feb 2024Previous studies have reported a decreased risk of dementia with herpes zoster vaccination. Given this background, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Previous studies have reported a decreased risk of dementia with herpes zoster vaccination. Given this background, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between herpes zoster vaccination and the risk of dementia.
METHODS
We searched five databases until November 2023 for case-control, cross-sectional, or cohort studies investigating the association of herpes zoster vaccination and dementia. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled in the meta-analysis. Meta-regression, subgroup, and sensitivity analysis were also conducted.
RESULTS
We evaluated a total of five studies (one cross-sectional, one case-control, and four cohort studies) that included a total number of 103,615 patients who were vaccinated with herpes zoster vaccine. All the studies were of high quality, ranging from 7 to 9. Due to the high heterogeneity (I = 100%, p < .00001) observed in our study, a random effect model was used for the analysis. The pooled odds ratio was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.50, 1.43), p (overall effect) = .53), indicating that herpes zoster vaccination reduces the risk of dementia.
CONCLUSION
Herpes zoster vaccination is associated with a reduction of the risk of dementia. More epidemiological studies are needed to confirm the association.
Topics: Humans; Dementia; Herpes Zoster Vaccine; Herpes Zoster; Vaccination
PubMed: 38687552
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3415 -
Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics Dec 2023Despite widespread mass rollout programs, the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant called into question the effectiveness of the existing vaccines against...
Effectiveness of the pre-Omicron COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron in reducing infection, hospitalization, severity, and mortality compared to Delta and other variants: A systematic review.
Despite widespread mass rollout programs, the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant called into question the effectiveness of the existing vaccines against infection, hospitalization, severity, and mortality compared to previous variants. This systematic review summarizes and compares the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, with respect to the above outcomes in adults, children, and adolescents. A comprehensive literature search was undertaken on several databases. Only 51 studies met our inclusion criteria, revealing that the protection from primary vaccination against Omicron infection is inferior to protection against Delta and Alpha infections and wanes faster over time. However, mRNA vaccine boosters were reported to reestablish effectiveness, although to a lower extent against Omicron. Nonetheless, primary vaccination was shown to preserve strong protection against Omicron-associated hospitalization, severity, and death, even months after last dose. However, boosters provide more robust and longer-lasting protection against hospitalizations due to Omicron as compared to only primary series.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Humans; COVID-19 Vaccines; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Hospitalization
PubMed: 36915960
DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2167410 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 15 to 29 age group worldwide, and is a severe public health problem. Adolescent and young adult individuals attend...
INTRODUCTION
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the 15 to 29 age group worldwide, and is a severe public health problem. Adolescent and young adult individuals attend educational institutions which can play an essential role in detecting and preventing suicide. For this reason, the purpose of this research is to identify what educational institutions and agents are called into action in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
METHODS
The method of systematic review of the literature based on the PRISMA protocol was used. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020189127). The systematic review yielded 66 articles published between 1990 and February 2023.
RESULTS
The results show that a wide variety of educational stakeholders are required to intervene for suicide prevention, interventions and postvention between primary education and college. The study describes the different programs that have been provided, the countries in which they have been implemented and the agents who have been targeted. It also identifies gaps in the research on suicide in the educational field.
DISCUSSION
Overall, educational suicide initiatives report positive effects on participants' understanding, attitudes, and beliefs regarding suicide and suicide prevention, although some studies have expressed some caution.
PubMed: 37780143
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1213751 -
European Heart Journal Mar 2024Knowledge of quantifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk may improve health outcomes and trigger behavioural change in patients or clinicians. This review aimed to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Knowledge of quantifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk may improve health outcomes and trigger behavioural change in patients or clinicians. This review aimed to investigate the impact of CVD risk communication on patient-perceived CVD risk and changes in CVD risk factors.
METHODS
PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched from inception to 6 June 2023, supplemented by citation analysis. Randomized trials that compared any CVD risk communication strategy versus usual care were included. Paired reviewers independently screened the identified records and extracted the data; disagreements were resolved by a third author. The primary outcome was the accuracy of risk perception. Secondary outcomes were clinician-reported changes in CVD risk, psychological responses, intention to modify lifestyle, and self-reported changes in risk factors and clinician prescribing of preventive medicines.
RESULTS
Sixty-two trials were included. Accuracy of risk perception was higher among intervention participants (odds ratio = 2.31, 95% confidence interval = 1.63 to 3.27). A statistically significant improvement in overall CVD risk scores was found at 6-12 months (mean difference = -0.27, 95% confidence interval = -0.45 to -0.09). For primary prevention, risk communication significantly increased self-reported dietary modification (odds ratio = 1.50, 95% confidence interval = 1.21 to 1.86) with no increase in intention or actual changes in smoking cessation or physical activity. A significant impact on patients' intention to start preventive medication was found for primary and secondary prevention, with changes at follow-up for the primary prevention group.
CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, communicating CVD risk information, regardless of the method, reduced the overall risk factors and enhanced patients' self-perceived risk. Communication of CVD risk to patients should be considered in routine consultations.
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Risk Factors; Communication; Smoking Cessation; Exercise; Primary Prevention
PubMed: 38243824
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae002 -
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection... Jul 2023Vaccination can prevent bacterial and viral infections that could otherwise increase the chances of receiving (unnecessary) antibiotic treatment(s). As a result,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Vaccination can prevent bacterial and viral infections that could otherwise increase the chances of receiving (unnecessary) antibiotic treatment(s). As a result, vaccination may provide an important public health intervention to control antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
OBJECTIVES
Perform a systematic literature review to better understand the impact of influenza, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccination on antibiotic use, and to identify differences in effect between world regions and study designs.
METHODS
We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis which updated previous literature reviews with new data from 1 October 2018 to 1 December 2021. The study focuses on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Results from the meta-analysis of RCTs were stratified by WHO region and age group. Vote counting based on the direction of effect was applied to synthesize the results of the observational studies.
RESULTS
Most studies are performed in the WHO European Region and the Region of the Americas in high-income countries. RCTs show that the effect of influenza vaccination on the number of antibiotic prescriptions or days of antibiotic use (Ratio of Means (RoM) 0.71, 95% CI 0.62-0.83) is stronger compared to the effect of pneumococcal vaccination (RoM 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.00). These studies also confirm a reduction in the proportion of people receiving antibiotics after influenza vaccination (Risk Ratio (RR) 0.63, 95% CI 0.51-0.79). The effect of influenza vaccination in the European and American regions ranged from RoM 0.63 and 0.87 to RR 0.70 and 0.66, respectively. The evidence from observational studies supports these findings but presents a less consistent picture. No COVID-19 studies were identified.
CONCLUSION
We find that both RCTs and observational studies show that influenza vaccination significantly reduces antibiotic use, while the effect of pneumococcal vaccination is less pronounced. We were unable to study the effect of COVID-19 vaccination and no clear regional patterns were found due to the high heterogeneity between studies. Overall, our data supports the use of influenza vaccination as an important public health intervention to reduce antibiotic use and possibly control AMR.
Topics: Humans; Influenza, Human; Anti-Bacterial Agents; COVID-19; Virus Diseases; Vaccination
PubMed: 37452389
DOI: 10.1186/s13756-023-01272-6 -
JAMA Aug 2023A 2019 review for the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found oral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) associated with decreased HIV infection risk vs placebo or no...
IMPORTANCE
A 2019 review for the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found oral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) associated with decreased HIV infection risk vs placebo or no PrEP in adults at increased HIV acquisition risk. Newer PrEP regimens are available.
OBJECTIVE
To update the 2019 review on PrEP, to inform the USPSTF.
DATA SOURCES
Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase (January 2018 to May 16, 2022); surveillance through March 24, 2023.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized clinical trials of PrEP vs placebo or no PrEP or newer vs older PrEP regimens and diagnostic accuracy studies of instruments for predicting incident HIV infection.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Dual review of titles and abstracts, full-text articles, study quality, and data abstraction. Data were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
HIV acquisition, mortality, and harms; and diagnostic test accuracy.
RESULTS
Thirty-two studies were included in the review (20 randomized clinical trials [N = 36 543] and 12 studies of diagnostic accuracy [N = 5 544 500]). Eleven trials in the 2019 review found oral PrEP associated with decreased HIV infection risk vs placebo or no PrEP (n = 18 172; relative risk [RR], 0.46 [95% CI, 0.33-0.66]). Higher adherence was associated with greater efficacy. One new trial (n = 5335) found oral tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine (TAF/FTC) to be noninferior to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) in men who have sex with men (RR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.19-1.14]). Two new trials found long-acting injectable cabotegravir associated with decreased risk of HIV infection vs oral TDF/FTC (RR, 0.33 [95% CI, 0.18-0.62] in cisgender men who have sex with men and transgender women [n = 4490] and RR, 0.11 [95% CI, 0.04-0.31] in cisgender women [n = 3178]). Discrimination of instruments for predicting incident HIV infection was moderate in men who have sex with men (5 studies; n = 25 488) and moderate to high in general populations of persons without HIV (2 studies; n = 5 477 291).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In adults at increased HIV acquisition risk, oral PrEP was associated with decreased risk of acquiring HIV infection compared with placebo or no PrEP. Oral TAF/FTC was noninferior to oral TDF/FTC, and injectable cabotegravir reduced the risk of HIV infection compared with oral TDF/FTC in the populations studied.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Administration, Oral; Anti-HIV Agents; Emtricitabine; HIV Infections; Homosexuality, Male; Injections; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Risk; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Tenofovir
PubMed: 37606667
DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.9865 -
Journal of Abdominal Wall Surgery : JAWS 2023To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of prophylactic mesh for the prevention of parastomal hernia in end colostomy, with the ultimate...
To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of prophylactic mesh for the prevention of parastomal hernia in end colostomy, with the ultimate objective to summarize the evidence for an interdisciplinary, European rapid guideline. We updated a previous systematic review with evidence search of PubMed from inception up to June 2022. Primary outcome was quality of life (QoL). Secondary outcomes were clinical diagnosis of parastomal hernia, surgery for parastomal hernia, and 30 day or in-hospital complications Clavien-Dindo ≥3. We utilised the revised Cochrane Tool for randomised trials (RoB 2 tool) for risk of bias assessment in the included studies. Minimally important differences were set through voting of the panel members. We appraised the evidence using GRADE and we developed GRADE evidence tables. We included 12 randomized trials. Meta-analysis suggested no difference in QoL between prophylactic mesh and no mesh for primary stoma construction (SMD = 0.03, 95% CI [-0.14 to 0.2], I = 0%, low certainty of evidence). With regard to parastomal hernia, the use of prophylactic synthetic mesh resulted in a significant risk reduction of the incidence of the event, according to data from all available randomized trials, irrespective of the follow-up period (OR = 0.33, 95% CI [0.18-0.62], I = 74%, moderate certainty of evidence). Sensitivity analyses according to follow-up period were in line with the primary analysis. Little to no difference in surgery for parastomal hernia was encountered after pooled analysis of 10 randomised trials (OR = 0.52, 95% CI [0.25-1.09], I = 14%). Finally, no significant difference was found in Clavien-Dindo grade 3 and 4 adverse events after surgery with or without the use of a prophylactic mesh (OR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.45-1.30], I = 0%, low certainty of evidence). Prophylactic synthetic mesh placement at the time of permanent end colostomy construction is likely associated with a reduced risk for parastomal hernia and may confer similar risk of peri-operative major morbidity compared to no mesh placement. There may be no difference in quality of life and surgical repair of parastomal hernia with the use of either approach.
PubMed: 38312423
DOI: 10.3389/jaws.2023.11550 -
Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal... 2024Clinical practice guidelines stress the importance of prevention and treatment of non-specific back pain through exercise therapy. However, it has not yet been confirmed... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Clinical practice guidelines stress the importance of prevention and treatment of non-specific back pain through exercise therapy. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the combination of exercise plus education is more effective than such interventions taken separately.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the combination of exercise plus education is more effective for the prevention of non-specific back pain than exercise or education alone.
METHOD
A systematic search of studies whose sample consisted of participants without non-specific back pain (primary prevention) and participants with non-specific back pain (secondary and tertiary prevention) was conducted in the following databases in March 2023: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Medline.
RESULTS
A total of 16 articles were selected. Statistically significant results were found in the pain variable with SMD =-2.02 (95% CI =-2.71 to -1.33; p< 0.001), the disability variable with SMD =-1.14 (95% CI =-1.63 to -0.65; p< 0.001), and the kinesiophobia variable with SMD =-1.8 (95% CI =-2.54 to -1.05; p< 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Interventions that combine exercise and education seem to have a greater preventive effect on non-specific back pain, disability and kinesiophobia than those that include exercise or education in an isolated manner.
Topics: Humans; Exercise Therapy; Back Pain; Patient Education as Topic
PubMed: 38217578
DOI: 10.3233/BMR-230252 -
Cureus Jul 2023Thromboembolism is a feared complication in plastic surgery and is linked to higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive research, there is a lack of... (Review)
Review
Thromboembolism is a feared complication in plastic surgery and is linked to higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive research, there is a lack of consistency between recommendations and clinical protocols to be implemented pre and post-surgery to reduce the incidence of thromboembolism. A systematic literature review was conducted using Pubmed and Scopus databases to determine the risk factors, screening methods, and existing treatment models for thromboembolism prevention. Articles in non-English languages were excluded. Analysis indicated that predominant risk factors include age (>35), elevated body mass index, coagulation disorders, smoking, estrogen therapies, genetic predisposition, vascular endothelium damage, stasis, and use of general anesthesia in patients with a history of cancer. Implementation of a proper prophylactic protocol is dependent on understanding the interplay between the aforementioned risk factors and the utilization of well-defined, evidence-based guidelines, such as the 2005 Caprini Risk Assessment Model and ultrasound surveillance. The literature review revealed that mechanical prophylaxis is the primary prevention method, followed by thromboprophylaxis for patients with higher Caprini scores. Plastic surgeons often underestimate the present risk stratification tools available for the prophylactic intervention of thromboembolism due to the fear of bleeding or hematoma complications postoperatively. In summary, this literature review emphasizes the importance of plastic surgeons selecting protocols that is inclusive of the patient's risk profile to yield a reduced risk of thromboembolism.
PubMed: 37554601
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41557 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023Approximately 5-20% of HNSCC patients experience second primary cancers within the first 5 years of treatment, contributing to high mortality rates. Epidemiological... (Review)
Review
Antioxidant Use after Diagnosis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC): A Systematic Review of Application during Radiotherapy and in Second Primary Cancer Prevention.
Approximately 5-20% of HNSCC patients experience second primary cancers within the first 5 years of treatment, contributing to high mortality rates. Epidemiological evidence has linked a low dietary intake of antioxidants to an increased risk of cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma, prompting research into their potential in neoplasm chemoprevention. Cigarette smoking is the primary risk factor for HNSCC, and a diet rich in antioxidants offers protective effects against head and neck cancer. Paradoxically, smokers, who are at the highest risk, tend to consume fewer antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. This has led to the hypothesis that integrating antioxidants into the diet could play a role in both primary and secondary prevention for at-risk individuals. Furthermore, some HNSCC patients use antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy or radiotherapy to manage side effects, but their impact on cancer outcomes remains uncertain. This systematic review explores the evidence for the potential use of antioxidants in preventing second primary cancers in HNSCC patients. In conclusion, none of the antioxidants tested so far (α-tocopherol, β-carotene, JP, Isotretinoin, interferon α-2a, vitamin E, retinyl palmitate, N-acetylcysteine) was effective in preventing second primary tumors in HNSCC patients, and they could only be used in reducing the side effects of radiotherapy. Further research is needed to better understand the interplay between antioxidants and cancer outcomes in this context.
PubMed: 37760056
DOI: 10.3390/antiox12091753