-
Dental Research Journal 2023Previous systematic reviews indicate that there is an increased prevalence of caries in cleft patients in comparison to their healthy control group. To date, the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Previous systematic reviews indicate that there is an increased prevalence of caries in cleft patients in comparison to their healthy control group. To date, the prevalence of caries between unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) has not been quantitatively evaluated. This review aims to include published studies that examined caries prevalence in patients with UCLP and BCLP to find out whether a quantitative difference exists in caries experience among them.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCOhost databases were searched from inception to November 2021. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO registration no. CRD2021292425. Prevalence-based studies that evaluated caries experience using the decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) index in the permanent dentition or dmft in case of primary dentition in patients with UCLP or BCLP were included in the analysis with the outcome given in mean and standard deviation. Meta-analysis was performed using a random effect model through a forest plot. An adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies was modified to assess the quality of included studies.
RESULTS
Three studies were included in the review. The difference in caries prevalence was statistically significant in the permanent and primary dentition which were evaluated using DMFT and dmft scores with = 0.01 and = 0.03, respectively. Forest plot values were obtained for permanent dentition (DMFT) and primary dentition (dmft), 0.57 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-0.11) and 0.36 (95% CI: 0.69-0.03), respectively. The result of the meta-analysis indicates that patients with BCLP have higher caries prevalence.
CONCLUSION
The outcome of the study indicates a higher occurrence of caries in patients with BCLP than UCLP in both permanent and primary dentition.
PubMed: 38020250
DOI: No ID Found -
The Knee Oct 2023Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is primarily performed in active, young patients to treat knee pain and functional limitations resulting from articular... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is primarily performed in active, young patients to treat knee pain and functional limitations resulting from articular cartilage injury. Nevertheless, the functional outcomes of ACI remain poorly understood. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the biomechanical and functional outcomes of ACI.
METHODS
Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched using the terms 'Knee OR Knee joint AND Autologous chondrocyte implantation OR ACI'. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen publications by title, abstract, and full text. Study quality and bias were assessed by two reviewers. Means and standard deviations of all collected variables were calculated and presented in the review.
PROSPERO ID
CRD42021238768.
RESULTS
Nineteen articles including 20 ACI cohorts were included. In general, the average range of motion (ROM) improved with clinical (>5°) and statistical significance (p < 0.05) postoperatively: 130.5 ± 14.8° to 136.1 ± 10.2°. Knee strength significantly improved within the first two postoperative years but remained poorer than control groups at final follow-up. No statistical differences were found between ACI and control groups in their ability to perform functional activities like the 6-minute walk test.
CONCLUSION
Knee range of motion generally improved following ACI. Although, some studies reported that knee strengths remained significantly poorer than healthy controls, particularly >2-years postoperatively, implying that longer-term strength training may benefit patients.However, the volume of research and current level of evidence remain low, thus further research is required to better understand the impact of ACI on knee function and guide future rehabilitative protocols.
Topics: Humans; Cartilage, Articular; Chondrocytes; Transplantation, Autologous; Knee Joint; Cartilage Diseases
PubMed: 37516029
DOI: 10.1016/j.knee.2023.07.004 -
BMC Oral Health Mar 2024This systematic review explores the accuracy of computerized guided implant placement including computer-aided static, dynamic, and robot-assisted surgery. An electronic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
This systematic review explores the accuracy of computerized guided implant placement including computer-aided static, dynamic, and robot-assisted surgery. An electronic search up to February 28, 2023, was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases using the search terms "surgery", "computer-assisted", "dynamic computer-assisted", "robotic surgical procedures", and "dental implants". The outcome variables were discrepancies including the implant's 3D-coronal, -apical and -angular deviations. Articles were selectively retrieved according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the data were quantitatively meta-analysed to verify the study outcomes. Sixty-seven articles were finally identified and included for analysis. The accuracy comparison revealed an overall mean deviation at the entry point of 1.11 mm (95% CI: 1.02-1.19), and 1.40 mm (95% CI: 1.31-1.49) at the apex, and the angulation was 3.51˚ (95% CI: 3.27-3.75). Amongst computerized guided implant placements, the robotic system tended to show the lowest deviation (0.81 mm in coronal deviation, 0.77 mm in apical deviation, and 1.71˚ in angular deviation). No significant differences were found between the arch type and flap operation in cases of dynamic navigation. The fully-guided protocol demonstrated a significantly higher level of accuracy compared to the pilot-guided protocol, but did not show any significant difference when compared to the partially guided protocol. The use of computerized technology clinically affirms that operators can accurately place implants in three directions. Several studies agree that a fully guided protocol is the gold standard in clinical practice.
Topics: Humans; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Surgery, Computer-Assisted; Dental Implantation, Endosseous; Dental Implants; Computers; Computer-Aided Design; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Imaging, Three-Dimensional
PubMed: 38509530
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04033-y -
BMJ Open Oct 2023Prospectively registering study plans in a permanent time-stamped and publicly accessible document is becoming more common across disciplines and aims to reduce risk of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
Prospectively registering study plans in a permanent time-stamped and publicly accessible document is becoming more common across disciplines and aims to reduce risk of bias and make risk of bias transparent. Selective reporting persists, however, when researchers deviate from their registered plans without disclosure. This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of undisclosed discrepancies between prospectively registered study plans and their associated publication. We further aimed to identify the research disciplines where these discrepancies have been observed, whether interventions to reduce discrepancies have been conducted, and gaps in the literature.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analyses.
DATA SOURCES
Scopus and Web of Knowledge, published up to 15 December 2019.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Articles that included quantitative data about discrepancies between registrations or study protocols and their associated publications.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Each included article was independently coded by two reviewers using a coding form designed for this review (osf.io/728ys). We used random-effects meta-analyses to synthesise the results.
RESULTS
We reviewed k=89 articles, which included k=70 that reported on primary outcome discrepancies from n=6314 studies and, k=22 that reported on secondary outcome discrepancies from n=1436 studies. Meta-analyses indicated that between 29% and 37% (95% CI) of studies contained at least one primary outcome discrepancy and between 50% and 75% (95% CI) contained at least one secondary outcome discrepancy. Almost all articles assessed clinical literature, and there was considerable heterogeneity. We identified only one article that attempted to correct discrepancies.
CONCLUSIONS
Many articles did not include information on whether discrepancies were disclosed, which version of a registration they compared publications to and whether the registration was prospective. Thus, our estimates represent discrepancies broadly, rather than our target of discrepancies between registered study plans and their associated publications. Discrepancies are common and reduce the trustworthiness of medical research. Interventions to reduce discrepancies could prove valuable.
REGISTRATION
osf.io/ktmdg. Protocol amendments are listed in online supplemental material A.
Topics: Humans; Prospective Studies; Prevalence; Bias; Publication Bias; Biomedical Research
PubMed: 37793922
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076264 -
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2023The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to a global pandemic with millions of cases and deaths. Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted to establish effective... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to a global pandemic with millions of cases and deaths. Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted to establish effective therapies. However, the methodological quality of these trials is paramount, as it directly impacts the reliability of results. This systematic review and bibliometric analysis aim to assess the methodological approach, execution diversity, global trends, and distribution of COVID-19 treatment RCTs post-outbreak, covering the period from the second wave and onward up to the present.
METHODS
We utilize articles from three electronic databases published from September 1, 2020, to April 1, 2023. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identify relevant RCTs. Data extraction involved the collection of various study details. Risk of Bias (RoB) 2 tool assessed methodological quality, while implementation variability was evaluated against registration information. Bibliometric analysis, including keyword co-occurrence and country distribution, used VOSviewer and Tableau software.
RESULTS
Initially, 501 studies were identified, but only 22 met the inclusion criteria, of which 19 had registration information. The methodological quality assessment revealed deficiencies in five main domains: randomization process (36%), deviations from intended interventions (9%), missing outcome data (4%), measurement of the outcome (18%), and selection of reported results (4%). An analysis of alignment between research protocols and registration data revealed common deviations in eight critical aspects. Bibliometric findings showcased global collaboration in COVID-19 treatment RCTs, with Iran and Brazil prominently contributing, while keyword co-occurrence analysis illuminated prominent research trends and terms in study titles and abstracts.
CONCLUSION
This study offers valuable insights into the evaluation of COVID-19 treatment RCTs. The scarcity of high-quality RCTs highlights the importance of enhancing trial rigor and transparency in global health emergencies.
PubMed: 38152831
DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S448786 -
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 -
Journal of Bodywork and Movement... Apr 2024Physical therapists and physiotherapists (PPTs) perform and repeat physical tasks that can lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). The aim was to study... (Review)
Review
Physical therapists and physiotherapists (PPTs) perform and repeat physical tasks that can lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). The aim was to study the main research concerning this problem, i.e. the risk factors, activities that exacerbate WMSD symptoms, alterations in work habits and the proposed responses, and to estimate mean value (±standard deviation, STD) for the most studied parameters. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline. Five databases (Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Medeley and Science.gov) were scanned to identify works investigating the different aspects of WMSD among PPTs. Two reviewers independently selected relevant studies using inclusion/exclusion criteria, critically appraised, and extracted data. To homogenize the data, prevalence were reported to the total sample studied when necessary. Among the 9846 articles identified, 19 articles were included. The WMSD prevalence was over 50 %. The areas most affected were the lower back, neck and thumb. An exhaustive list of parameters were constructed for job risk factors (n = 19), activities that exacerbating symptoms (n = 13), altered work habits (n = 15), responses and treatments (n = 26). The mean prevalence (±STD) was calculated for the major parameters. Nine main job risk factors were extracted with an average prevalence of about 30 % and a relatively high variability. Seven activities exacerbating WMSD symptoms and five altered work habits were identified with a homogeneous rate (5-20 %). Three main responses and treatments were found with heterogeneous prevalence. This review provides useful results for the development of future protocols to prevent the occurrence of WMSD among PPTs and meta-analyses.
Topics: Humans; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Physical Therapists; Occupational Diseases; Risk Factors; Prevalence
PubMed: 38763580
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.01.025 -
Indian Journal of Psychiatry Feb 2024We systematically reviewed empirical studies of psychotherapy with Indian clients. We defined psychotherapy as an intervention aimed at treating mental disorders using... (Review)
Review
We systematically reviewed empirical studies of psychotherapy with Indian clients. We defined psychotherapy as an intervention aimed at treating mental disorders using "talk," which, in a professional medical setting, along with the therapeutic relationship, acquires medicinal value. Besides manual searches in three leading Indian psychiatry journals, we conducted digital searches in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases. We found that the commonly practiced evidence-based psychotherapy in India follows the cognitive-behavioral model. Our findings suggest several replication studies which claimed to have used the well-established western models of cognitive behavioural paradigm but have mostly focused on basic behavioural techniques in their protocol. A few innovations were observed, and several essential errors were noted. Innovations include contextual modifications to address the difficulties and challenges faced in service delivery, while errors include deviations from protocol without adequate rationale.
PubMed: 38523761
DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_682_23 -
World Journal of Urology Jul 2023False penile fractures (FPF) represent a rare sexual emergency characterized by blunt trauma of penis in the absence of albuginea's injury, with or without lesion of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
False penile fractures (FPF) represent a rare sexual emergency characterized by blunt trauma of penis in the absence of albuginea's injury, with or without lesion of dorsal penile vein. Their presentation is often indistinguishable from true penile fractures (TPF). This overlapping of clinical presentation, and lack of knowledge about FPF, can lead surgeons often to proceed directly to surgical exploration without further examinations. The aim of this study was to define a typical presentation of false penile fractures (FPF) emergency, identifying in absence of "snap" sound, slow detumescence, penile shaft ecchymosis, and penile deviation main clinical signs.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis based on Medline, Scopus and Cochrane following a protocol designed a priori, to define sensitivity of "snap" sound absence, slow detumescence and penile deviation.
RESULTS
Based on the literature search of 93 articles, 15 were included (73 patients). All patients referred pain, most of them during coitus (n = 57; 78%). Detumescence occurred in 37/73 (51%), and all patients described detumescence occurrence as "slow". The results show that single anamnestic item have a high-moderate sensibility in the diagnosis of FPF, and the highest sensitive item was penile deviation (sensibility = 0.86). However, when more than one item is present, overall sensitivity increases greatly, closing to 100% (95% Confidence Interval 92-100).
CONCLUSION
Surgeons can consciously decide between additional exams, a conservative approach, and rapid intervention using these indicators to detect FPF. Our findings identified symptoms with excellent specificity for FPF diagnosis, giving clinicians more useful tools for making decisions.
Topics: Male; Humans; Rupture; Penile Diseases; Penis; Coitus; Pelvis
PubMed: 37326652
DOI: 10.1007/s00345-023-04456-2 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Mar 2024The present review aims to identify risk factors with predictive value for differentiating between pseudoexfoliation patients at risk of developing intra- or... (Review)
Review
The present review aims to identify risk factors with predictive value for differentiating between pseudoexfoliation patients at risk of developing intra- or postoperative complications and those without operative risk during cataract surgery. The review protocol was registered at PROSPERO, registration no. CRD42023417721. The following databases were searched for studies between 2000 and 2023: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Springer, Science Direct, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, TRIP database, LILACS, Clinical Trials, and reference lists of articles. We included analytical studies of any design examining cataract surgery complications in pseudoexfoliation patients across two population groups, one who underwent uneventful cataract surgery and the other who experienced intra- or postoperative complications. The paper will follow PRISMA 2020 criteria for reporting. Effect measure was assessed using odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for qualitative variables and means with their respective standard deviation (SD) for quantitative variables. The risk of bias was assessed using the method presented in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. The GRADE scale was used for quality of evidence and certainty. The initial search of published and gray literature databases retrieved 1435 articles, six of which were included in this report. A total of 156 intra- or postoperative incidents were reported in 999 eyes with pseudoexfoliation. The identified predictive factors were a shallow anterior chamber, cataract grade, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, preoperative intraocular pressure, and symmetry of the exfoliation material. Limitations include heterogeneity of data and limited number of studies identified in our search. These findings suggest the potential to refine risk stratification protocols in clinical settings and assist surgeons in personalized decision-making among individuals with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.
PubMed: 38542048
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13061824