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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Dec 2023The occurrence of orofacial Clefts (OFCs) is a congenital disease caused by many factors. According to recent studies, air pollution has a strong correlation with the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The occurrence of orofacial Clefts (OFCs) is a congenital disease caused by many factors. According to recent studies, air pollution has a strong correlation with the occurrence of OFCs. However, there are still some controversies about the current research results, and there is no relevant research to review the latest results in recent years.
OBJECTIVE
In this paper, the authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the correlation between ambient air pollution and the occurrence of neonatal OFCs deformity.
METHODS
We searched Pubmed, Web of science, and Embase databases from the establishment of the database to May 2023. We included observational studies on the relationship between prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), fine particulate matter 10 (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and the risk of cleft lip (CL), cleft palate (CP), cleft lip with or without palate (CL/P). the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of the literature. Funnel plot and Egger's regression were used to verify the publication bias. Random effect model or fixed effect model was used to estimate the combined relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI).
RESULTS
A total of eleven studies were included in this study, including four cohort studies and seven case-control studies, including 22,453 cases of OFCs. Ten studies had low risk of bias and only one study had high risk of bias. Three studies reported that PM was positively correlated with CL and CP, with a combined RR and 95%CI of 1.287(1.174,1.411) and 1.267 (1.105,1.454). Two studies reported a positive correlation between O and CL, with a combined RR and 95%CI of 1.132(1.047,1.225). Two studies reported a positive correlation between PM and CL, with a combined RR and 95%CI of 1.108 (1.017,1.206). No association was found between SO, CO, NO exposure during pregnancy and the risk of OFCs.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study showed that there was a significant statistical correlation between exposure to PM, PM, O and the risk of OFCs in the second month of pregnancy. Exposure assessment, research methods and mechanisms need to be further explored.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Air Pollutants; Cleft Lip; Cleft Palate; Air Pollution; Particulate Matter; Ozone; Sulfur Dioxide; Nitrogen Dioxide; Environmental Exposure
PubMed: 38041018
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-06104-4 -
Clinical Oral Investigations Sep 2023The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the comparative clinical success and survival of intracoronal indirect restorations using gold, lithium... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the comparative clinical success and survival of intracoronal indirect restorations using gold, lithium disilicate, leucite, and indirect composite materials.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and PRISMA guidelines. The protocol for this study was registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021233185). A comprehensive literature search was conducted across various databases and sources, including PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and gray literature. A total of 7826 articles were screened on title and abstract. Articles were not excluded based on the vitality of teeth, the language of the study, or the observation period. The risk difference was utilized for the analyses, and a random-effects model was applied. All analyses were conducted with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The calculated risk differences were derived from the combined data on restoration survival and failures obtained from each individual article. The presence of heterogeneity was assessed using the I statistic, and if present, the heterogeneity of the data in the articles was evaluated using the non-parametric chi-squared statistic (p < 0.05).
RESULTS
A total of 12 eligible studies were selected, which included 946 restorations evaluated over a minimum observation period of 1 year and a maximum observation period of 7 years. Results of the meta-analysis indicated that intracoronal indirect resin composite restorations have an 18% higher rate of failure when compared to intracoronal gold restorations over 5-7 years of clinical service (risk difference = - 0.18 [95% CI: - 0.27, - 0.09]; p = .0002; I = 0%). The meta-analysis examining the disparity in survival rates between intracoronal gold and leucite restorations could not be carried out due to methodological differences in the studies.
CONCLUSIONS
According to the currently available evidence, medium-quality data indicates that lithium disilicate and indirect composite materials demonstrate comparable survival rates in short-term follow-up. Furthermore, intracoronal gold restorations showed significantly higher survival rates, making them a preferred option over intracoronal indirect resin-composite restorations. Besides that, the analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in survival rates between leucite and indirect composite restorations. The short observation period, limited number of eligible articles, and low sample size of the included studies were significant limitations.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Bearing in mind the limitations of the reviewed literature, this systematic review and meta-analysis help clinicians make evidence-based decisions on how to restore biomechanically compromised posterior teeth.
Topics: Dental Porcelain; Aluminum Silicates; Composite Resins; Gold
PubMed: 37597003
DOI: 10.1007/s00784-023-05050-x -
Journal of the International Society of... Dec 2023Citrulline is a popular dietary supplement, primarily thought to exert ergogenic effects on exercise performance through the enhancement of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Citrulline is a popular dietary supplement, primarily thought to exert ergogenic effects on exercise performance through the enhancement of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and ammonia buffering. However, recent findings surrounding citrulline's effect on endurance performance have been inconsistent. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relevant literature have yet to be undertaken.
AIM
To determine if acute ingestion of citrulline has an ergogenic effect on endurance performance in young healthy adults.
METHODS
A systematic search of three databases was undertaken to find peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English investigating the effects of citrulline supplementation on endurance performance in young healthy adults. Two independent investigators completed a three-phased screening procedure against pre-determined eligibility criteria. Included studies evaluated loading or bolus dosage regimes of citrulline in participants aged 18 or over that were at least recreationally active. Outcome measures focused on time-to-completion (TTC) or time-to-exhaustion (TTE) in continuous submaximal intensity exercise. Cochrane's Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool was used to assess the risk of bias in individual studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using a fixed-effects model to pool the weighted estimate of standardized mean differences (SMD) across studies. A chi-squared test assessed heterogeneity between studies. This review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
RESULTS
Nine studies ( = 158 participants) met the eligibility criteria; five reported TTE outcomes (I = 0%, χ = 0.37, df = 4, = 0.99) and four reported TTC outcomes (I = 0%, χ = 0.46, df = 3, = 0.93), both with a low between-study heterogeneity. The results of the meta-analyses showed no significant difference in the endurance performance measures, TTE (pooled SMD = 0.03 [-0.27, 0.33]) and TTC (pooled SMD = -0.07 [-0.50, 0.15]), after acute ingestion of citrulline supplementation or a control in young healthy adults.
DISCUSSION
The current evidence suggests no significant benefit of citrulline supplementation for endurance performance. However, the small evidence base requires further research to fully evaluate this topic. Recommendations include a focus on female populations; higher continuous doses of citrulline over seven days; and TTC outcome measures over longer distances to simulate competition.
Topics: Female; Humans; Adult; Citrulline; Exercise; Dietary Supplements; Nutritional Status
PubMed: 37155582
DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2209056 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2023Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has been shown to be important in physiological processes other than detoxification, including vascular homeostasis.... (Review)
Review
Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has been shown to be important in physiological processes other than detoxification, including vascular homeostasis. Although AhR is highly expressed in the endothelium, its function has been poorly studied. This systematic review aims to summarise current knowledge on the AhR role in the endothelium and its cardiovascular implications. We focus on endogenous AhR agonists, such as some uremic toxins and other agonists unrelated to environmental pollutants, as well as studies using AhR knockout models. We conclude that AhR activation leads to vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction and that blocking AhR signalling could provide a new target for the treatment of vascular disorders such as cardiovascular complications in patients with chronic kidney disease or pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Topics: Humans; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; Vascular Diseases; Environmental Pollutants; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; Endothelium
PubMed: 37686342
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713537 -
BMC Cancer Nov 2023The oxidative balance score (OBS) has been utilized to assess the overall pro- and antioxidant exposure status in various chronic diseases. The current meta-analysis was... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The oxidative balance score (OBS) has been utilized to assess the overall pro- and antioxidant exposure status in various chronic diseases. The current meta-analysis was carried out to pool the association between OBS and the risk of cancer.
METHODS
We systematically searched the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar up to August 2023. All observational studies which evaluated the association of OBS with the risk of cancers were included. There was no time of publication or language restrictions. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Chi-square-based Q-test and the I. A random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled effect sizes. Possible sources of heterogeneity were explored by subgroup and meta-regression analysis.
RESULTS
Totally, 15 studies (9 case-control and 6 cohorts) were eligible for meta-analysis. Random effect model meta-analysis of case-control studies showed that higher OBS significantly decreases the odds of cancers (pooled OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.74). In the cohort studies, the association of OBS with the risk of cancers was not significant (pooled HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.80,1.18). The subgroup analysis showed that cancer type and gender were the potential sources of heterogeneity.
CONCLUSION
Our results show an inverse and significant association between higher OBS and odds of colorectal cancers in case-control and cohort studies. In the case of prostate cancer in cohort studies, our results did not align with the hypothesis. Considering the importance of diet and antioxidant balance in the conditions of malignancy, it is suggested to conduct more comprehensive studies with standard measurement methods to obtain conclusive results.
Topics: Humans; Male; Antioxidants; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Oxidative Stress; Prostatic Neoplasms; Observational Studies as Topic
PubMed: 38001409
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11657-w -
Pharmacological Research Sep 2023To evaluate efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony in the treatment of 5 types of inflammatory arthritis METHODS: Databases such as Pubmed, Cochran Library,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony in the treatment of 5 types of inflammatory arthritis METHODS: Databases such as Pubmed, Cochran Library, Embase were searched to collect RCTs about TGP in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Then, the RCTs were assessed for risk of bias and RCT data were extracted. Finally, RevMan 5.4 was used for the meta-analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 63 RCTs were finally included, involving 5293 participants and 5 types of types of inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), osteoarthritis (OA), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), psoriatic arthritis. For AS, TGP may improve AS disease activity score (ASDAS), decrease erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α and interleukin (IL)- 6; for RA, TGP may improve disease activity of 28 joints (DAS28), decrease ESR, CRP, rheumatoid factor (RF), TNF-α and IL-6; for psoriatic arthritis, TGP may improve psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and decrease ESR; for OA, TGP may improve visual analogue scale (VAS) and decrease nitric oxide (NO); for JIA, TGP may increase total efficiency rate, decrease ESR, CRP and TNF-α. For safety, RCTs showed that the addition of TGP did not increase adverse events, and may even reduce adverse events.
CONCLUSION
TGP may improve symptoms and inflammation levels in patients with inflammatory arthritis. However, due to the low quality and small number of RCTs, large-sample, multi-center clinical trials are still needed for revision or validation.
Topics: Humans; Glucosides; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Paeonia; Arthritis, Psoriatic; Arthritis, Rheumatoid
PubMed: 37402434
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106842 -
Nutrients Aug 2023Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have posed significant challenges to public health, and it is crucial to understand their mechanisms in order to develop effective... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have posed significant challenges to public health, and it is crucial to understand their mechanisms in order to develop effective therapeutic strategies. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of selenium in ND pathogenesis, as it plays a vital role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and preventing oxidative damage. However, a comprehensive analysis of the association between selenium and NDs is still lacking.
METHOD
Five public databases, namely PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane and Clinical Trials, were searched in our research. Random model effects were chosen, and Higgins inconsistency analyses (), Cochrane's Q test and Tau2 were calculated to evaluate the heterogeneity.
RESULT
The association of selenium in ND patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington's disease (HD) was studied. A statistically significant relationship was only found for AD patients (SMD = -0.41, 95% CI (-0.64, -0.17), < 0.001), especially for erythrocytes. However, no significant relationship was observed in the analysis of the other four diseases.
CONCLUSION
Generally, this meta-analysis indicated that AD patients are strongly associated with lower selenium concentrations compared with healthy people, which may provide a clinical reference in the future. However, more studies are urgently needed for further study and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Topics: Humans; Selenium; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Alzheimer Disease; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Databases, Factual
PubMed: 37686737
DOI: 10.3390/nu15173706 -
The Journal of Maternal-fetal &... Dec 2023L-Arginine (L-Arg)/Nitric Oxide (NO) system is involved in the pathophysiology of relevant Obstetric conditions. This review aims at summarizing the effects of L-Arg... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND/AIM OF THE STUDY
L-Arginine (L-Arg)/Nitric Oxide (NO) system is involved in the pathophysiology of relevant Obstetric conditions. This review aims at summarizing the effects of L-Arg supplementation in pregnancy looking at safety and efficacy.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of the literature utilizing PubMed for studies published from inception to September 2022. The search included human and animal studies where L-Arg was supplemented pre-conceptionally or during pregnancy, by either oral or intravenous route. The main perinatal outcomes were focused.
RESULTS
Among 1028 publications, 51 studies were eligible for inclusion, 25 were performed in women, and the remnant in animals. Compared to controls/placebo, the supplementation with L-Arg reduced the development of pre-eclampsia (four studies), decreased blood pressure, and reduced the need for antihypertensive drugs in women with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP, eight studies). In women carrying growth retarded fetuses, L-Arg improved fetoplacental circulation, birth weight and neonatal outcomes (five studies), while in the case of threatened preterm birth, L-Arg reduced uterine contractions (two studies). In several animal species, L-Arg supplementation in pregnancy improved reproductive performance by increasing the litter number and size. Moreover, in pre-eclamptic and metabolic syndrome experimental models, maternal hypertension and fetal growth were improved.
CONCLUSION
L-Arg displays biological activities in pregnancies complicated by HDP and growth restriction, both in women and animal models. L-Arg administration is safe and could be a candidate as an intervention beneficial to maternal and fetal outcomes, at least in moderate clinical disorders.
Topics: Pregnancy; Animals; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Premature Birth; Dietary Supplements; Pre-Eclampsia; Fetus; Arginine
PubMed: 37258415
DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2217465 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, is a common disorder that contributes to gradual optic nerve degeneration. The beneficial impacts of uric acid...
BACKGROUND
Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, is a common disorder that contributes to gradual optic nerve degeneration. The beneficial impacts of uric acid (UA) have been reported in some neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. But the results of current studies about the association between serum UA level and glaucoma are conflicting. The present meta-analysis was conducted to provide a better understanding of the association between serum UA level and glaucoma.
METHODS
We searched the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar systematically until November 20, 2022 to identify case-control studies, comparing the serum UA concentrations of the patients with glaucoma and controls. The mean ± standard division difference was used to assess the difference in serum UA concentrations between the glaucoma patients and controls.
RESULTS
Six studies involving 1,221 glaucoma patients and 1,342 control group were included in the present meta-analysis. This meta-analysis using a random effect model indicated that the mean UA level in glaucoma patients was 0.13 ( = 91.92%, 95% CI = -0.42 to 0.68) higher than the controls; however, it was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings provide evidence that glaucoma patients have a higher serum UA level compared to the controls, but this difference is not statistically significant. Prospective studies are needed to determine the possible association between increased UA and glaucoma pathogenesis.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022364055, identifier: CRD42022364055.
PubMed: 37575992
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1159316 -
Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine Oct 2023The risk of skin cancer is determined by environmental factors like ultraviolet radiation (UVR), personal habits like time spent outdoors and genetic factors. This... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The risk of skin cancer is determined by environmental factors like ultraviolet radiation (UVR), personal habits like time spent outdoors and genetic factors. This review aimed to survey existing studies in gene-environment (GxE) interaction on skin cancer risk, and report on GxE effect estimates.
METHODS
We searched Embase, Medline (Ovid) and Web of Science (Core Collection) and included only primary research that reported on GxE on the risk of the three most common types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma. Quality assessment followed the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was not possible because no two studies examined the same interaction. This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021238064).
RESULTS
In total 260 records were identified after exclusion of duplicates. Fifteen studies were included in the final synthesis-12 used candidate gene approach. We found some evidence of GxE interactions with sun exposure, notably, with MC1R, CAT and NOS1 genes in melanoma, HAL and IL23A in BCC and HAL and XRCC1 in SCC.
CONCLUSION
Sun exposure seems to interact with genes involved in pigmentation, oxidative stress and immunosuppression, indicating that excessive UV exposure might exhaust oxidative defence and repair systems differentially, dependent on genetic make-up. Further research is warranted to better understand skin cancer epidemiology and develop sun exposure recommendations. A genome-wide approach is recommended as it might uncover unknown disease pathways dependent on UV radiation.
PubMed: 37537768
DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2259