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Journal of Pediatric Urology Feb 2022Knowledge of the normal size of the urethral meatus in boys is important for safely performing urethral catheterization and fundamental to the diagnosis and treatment of... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Knowledge of the normal size of the urethral meatus in boys is important for safely performing urethral catheterization and fundamental to the diagnosis and treatment of paediatric urological conditions. However, clinicians often rely subjectively on previous experience and clinical judgement, rather than a robust evidence-base. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to define the calibre of the male urethral meatus in paediatric age-groups.
METHODS
The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were systematically searched from inception to December 2020 for studies measuring meatal calibre in boys up to 16 years of age. Google Scholar searches along with forward and backward citation tracking identified additional studies. Studies of subjects >16 years, females, or patients with urethral diseases were excluded.
RESULTS
Nine articles (2084 paediatric subjects) were included in the final review. Mean meatal calibre increases non-linearly with age, with accelerated growth occurring during infancy (mini-puberty) and adolescence (puberty). Meatal calibre can be approximately grouped by age as follows: neonate (6-10Fr); infant (10-12Fr); child (12-14Fr); and adolescent (14-18Fr). There is substantial individual variability for same-aged children. Meatal calibre has been independently related to height, weight, and penile size, but the effects of ethnicity and circumcision remain unclear.
CONCLUSIONS
The evidence-base for this fundamental aspect of paediatric urology includes only a few low-quality studies and is largely derived from one early study of circumcised American boys. Further studies are warranted to establish normative urethral size values based on rigorous, contemporary data with known dependent variables also included.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Circumcision, Male; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Nomograms; Urethra; Urethral Diseases; Urinary Catheterization
PubMed: 34782235
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2021.10.014 -
Dermatology and Therapy Aug 2020Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays several key roles in wound healing. Over the last 2 decades, clinical and basic research on bFGF has been actively conducted... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays several key roles in wound healing. Over the last 2 decades, clinical and basic research on bFGF has been actively conducted in Japan with reports on its potent efficacy in accelerating the healing of chronic ulcers and burn wounds by stimulating key cellular players in the skin. However, its efficacy remains unrecognized internationally. Thus, this study reviews current knowledge about the therapeutic value of bFGF in wound management and scar prevention accumulated in Japan over the last 2 decades.
METHODS
We review the Japanese literature that demonstrates the anti-scarring effects of bFGF and exhaustively assess how these effects are exerted. Using the search terms "bFGF OR growth factors AND wound healing in Japan" and "bFGF AND scar prevention in Japan," we conducted a search of the PubMed database for publications on the role of bFGF in wound and scar management in Japan. All eligible papers published between 1988 and December 2019 were retrieved and reviewed.
RESULTS
Our search yielded 208 articles; 82 were related to the application of bFGF for dermal wound healing in Japan. Of these, 27 fulfilled all inclusion criteria; 11 were laboratory studies, 7 were case reports, 4 were clinical studies, and 5 were randomized controlled trials.
CONCLUSION
Further research, with recognition of the therapeutic value of bFGF in wound and scar management and its clinical applications, is needed to provide additional clinical advantages while improving wound healing and reducing the risk of post-surgical scar formation.
PubMed: 32506250
DOI: 10.1007/s13555-020-00407-6 -
Acta Gastro-enterologica Belgica 2023Dumping syndrome is a frequent and wellknown adverse event after bariatric surgery and covers a dynamic spectrum of early and late dumping. Accelerated gastric emptying... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Dumping syndrome is a frequent and wellknown adverse event after bariatric surgery and covers a dynamic spectrum of early and late dumping. Accelerated gastric emptying is generally considered to be the cause of gastrointestinal and vasomotor complaints. However, there is much uncertainty regarding the exact pathophysiology of dumping. It has been speculated that the syndrome is a desired consequence of bariatric surgery and contributes to more efficient weight loss, but supporting data are scarce.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed in July-August 2021. The prevalence of dumping after the most frequently performed bariatric procedures was analyzed, as well as underlying pathophysiology and its role in weight reduction.
RESULTS
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is associated with the highest postoperative prevalence of dumping. The fast transit induces neurohumoral changes which contribute to an imbalance between postprandial glucose and insulin levels, resulting in hypoglycemia which is the hallmark of late dumping. Early dumping can, when received in a positive way, become a tool to maintain a strict dietary pattern, but no significant relationship to the degree of weight loss has been shown. However, late dumping is detrimental and promotes overall higher caloric intake.
CONCLUSION
Dumping syndrome is common after bariatric surgery, especially after RYGB. The pathophysiology is complex and ambiguous. Currently available data do not support dumping as a necessary condition to induce weight loss after bariatric surgery.
Topics: Humans; Dumping Syndrome; Obesity, Morbid; Prevalence; Gastrectomy; Gastric Bypass; Bariatric Surgery; Weight Loss
PubMed: 37814558
DOI: 10.51821/86.3.11476 -
European Journal of Pediatrics May 2020Preterm infants are obviously born lighter and shorter, with smaller head circumferences than normal birth weight term born neonates. They also have a different body...
Preterm infants are obviously born lighter and shorter, with smaller head circumferences than normal birth weight term born neonates. They also have a different body composition. Compromised growth is associated with adverse health outcomes. Both growth retardation and accelerated growth are suggested to cause metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal complications. Reviews regarding growth and body composition in preterm infants often do not differentiate between birth weight and gestational age. The purpose of this systematic review is to assemble growth data, specific in extremely low birth weight children. Different databases were searched for studies regarding growth and body composition in former extremely low birth weight infants until adulthood. We compared height, weight, head circumference, body mass index, fat mass, lean mass, fat distribution, and body water to matched normal birth weight controls and the World Health Organization growth charts. Studies consistently reported that former extremely low birth weight neonates experience a period of accelerated postnatal growth, but they achieve lower anthropometric parameters than normal birth weight children. There is no consensus about differences in body composition and how to measure this.Conclusion: Although extremely low birth weight infants exhibit a period of catch-up growth, their growth remains retarded later in life. Further research is needed to investigate body composition and the associated risk of cardiovascular diseases or metabolic syndrome.What is Known:• Extremely low birth weight infants have lower anthropometric parameters and a different body composition at birth and term-corrected age than normal birth weight infants.• Former extremely low birth weight infants also have a higher risk on adverse cardiovascular health outcomes in later life.What is New:• After hospital discharge, extremely low birth weight neonates remain smaller and probably also lighter, with smaller head circumferences at each corrected age throughout childhood and adolescence when compared to normal birth weight infants or the World Health Organization growth charts. It is not clear whether extremely low birth weight infants reach a lower or similar body mass index score as normal birth weight infants.• There is a lack of (long-term) information on body composition in extremely low birth weight infants.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Body Composition; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Male; Observational Studies as Topic; Young Adult
PubMed: 31901983
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-019-03552-z -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Dec 2023: Korean and traditional Chinese medicine state that pyrite is effective for fracture treatment, but supporting clinical data are limited. This systematic review aimed... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
: Korean and traditional Chinese medicine state that pyrite is effective for fracture treatment, but supporting clinical data are limited. This systematic review aimed to investigate the therapeutic role of Chinese patent medicine containing pyrite (CPMP) in clinical treatment for fractures. : Seven electronic databases were searched using the keywords "pyrite", "pyritum", and "zirantong" between inception and December 2022, yielding 29 published clinical studies. Randomized controlled trials that included CPMP were considered eligible regardless of the fracture type. Quality assessment and meta-analysis of the included RCTs were also performed. : Most studies showed high heterogeneity (I > 50%) and significant results ( < 0.05). Compared to the results of the control group, CPMP was more effective in terms of the primary outcome related to the efficacy rate, including the total effective rate, callus growth rate, bone union, and edema disappearance time (all < 0.00001) and in terms of secondary outcomes related to pain reduction, namely pain intensity and pain disappearance time, than the control group (both < 0.01). CPMP was more effective than the control group in terms of erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( < 0.01), hematocrit ( < 0.01), erythrocyte aggregation ( < 0.05), and plasma viscosity ( < 0.05). CPMP did not cause serious side effects, and the incidence of complications was significantly less than that in the control group. : CPMP may be a safe and effective alternative treatment for fractures and may be beneficial in preventing postoperative complications, reducing pain, relieving symptoms, and accelerating healing.
Topics: Humans; Fractures, Bone; Medicine, East Asian Traditional; Asian People; Pain; Iron; Sulfides
PubMed: 38256337
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60010076 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2022With the acceleration of global urbanization, the interaction between the urban built environment and transportation carbon emissions (TCE) has become an urgent problem... (Review)
Review
With the acceleration of global urbanization, the interaction between the urban built environment and transportation carbon emissions (TCE) has become an urgent problem and an area of intensive research. This paper presents a bibliometric and visual analysis of 1060 pieces of literature related to the built environment and TCE from 1998 to 2022. It explores the current research progress and future development trends in this field. The results show the following. (1) The number of papers published on the built environment and TCE during this period has shown a continuous increasing trend, and the periods of growth can be divided into three stages. (2) Research in this area has been carried out in many countries and regions around the world, involving different dimensions such as examinations at the city, provincial, and national levels. (3) Through an analysis involving keyword clustering, a keyword hotspot map, and a burst map, we have established that the research on TCE has exhibited step-by-step growth, and the carbon emissions from vehicles is the topic that has been considered over the longest period. (4) The impact of the built environment on TCE can be broadly divided into macro-functional and micromorphological factors.
Topics: Air Pollutants; Carbon Dioxide; Vehicle Emissions; Cities; Built Environment; China
PubMed: 36554781
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416898 -
PloS One 2020The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was to analyze and evaluate the impact of prematurity and accelerated weight gain on the risk... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was to analyze and evaluate the impact of prematurity and accelerated weight gain on the risk of childhood and adolescent obesity. CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched until December 2019 which yielded 19 studies with a total of 169,439 children enrolled were systematically reviewed. The results revealed that preterm infants had a greater likelihood of childhood obesity (defined as BMI ≥95th percentile for age-sex), than term infants (OR = 1.19, 95% CI [1.13, 1.26]). However, no difference of childhood obesity was found between "small for gestational age"(SGA) and "appropriate for gestational age"(AGA) among preterms. Accelerated weight gain (defined as weight gain velocity during first two years after birth) significantly increased the likelihood of subsequent childhood obesity among preterms (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI [1.57, 2.231]). In conclusion, accelerated weight gain at infancy among preterm children may be a critical contributor to obesity in later life. Establishing optimal growth trajectories and timely referral to health care providers may be of clinical importance.
Topics: Humans; Infant, Premature; Pediatric Obesity; Risk; Weight Gain
PubMed: 32369502
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232238 -
Journal of Clinical and Translational... Dec 2022Wound healing is a complex process comprised of several distinct phases. An imbalance in any of the stages creates a chronic wound with the potential to cause... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Wound healing is a complex process comprised of several distinct phases. An imbalance in any of the stages creates a chronic wound with the potential to cause life-threatening complications for patients. Chitosan (CS) is a biopolymer that has shown to positively impact the different healing phases. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of CS-based wound therapy for the skin healing process after an injury.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted in November 2021 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. The PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane online databases were queried to capture all publications in the past 10 years that investigated the CS effects on inflammation and immune reaction.
RESULTS
A total of 234 studies were screened after removing duplicates and 14 articles fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the studies, CS was combined with a wide range of products. One clinical trial was found that treated patients with diabetic foot ulcers. All animal models in the studies used a full-thickness skin wound to test the effectiveness of CS in the healing process. Decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, a shortened inflammatory phase and accelerated wound closure was observed in all of the studies.
CONCLUSIONS
CS proved to be a feasible, versatile, and multifaceted biomaterial that enhances the biological response to a skin injury. When combined with other products, its potential to boost the healing process through regulation of the inflammatory and cellular activity is increased.
RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS
Although few clinical trials have been completed, CS has become an excellent alternative to modulate the local inflammatory response promoting wound healing. Especially in patients with associated comorbidities that affect the typical resolution of skin healing, such as diabetes and vascular insufficiency. Therefore, using bioactive wound dressings based on CS combined with nanoparticles, growth factors, lived cells, or medications released in a controlled manner positively impacts patient life by shorting the wound healing process.
PubMed: 36451998
DOI: No ID Found -
Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology 2022Cabozantinib monotherapy is approved for the treatment of several types of solid tumors. Investigation into the use of cabozantinib combined with other therapies is... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Cabozantinib monotherapy is approved for the treatment of several types of solid tumors. Investigation into the use of cabozantinib combined with other therapies is increasing. To understand the evidence in this area, we performed a systematic review of cabozantinib combination therapy for the treatment of solid tumors in adults.
METHODS
This study was designed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and the protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020144680). On 9 October 2020, we searched for clinical trials and observational studies of cabozantinib as part of a combination therapy for solid tumors using Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases, and by screening relevant congress abstracts. Eligible studies reported clinical or safety outcomes, or biomarker data. Randomized and observational studies with a sample size of fewer than 25 and studies of cabozantinib monotherapy were excluded. For each study, quality was assessed using National Institute for Health and Care Excellence methodology, and the study characteristics were described qualitatively. This study was funded by Ipsen.
RESULTS
Of 2421 citations identified, 32 articles were included (6 with results from randomized studies, 24 with results from non-randomized phase I or II studies, and 2 with results from both). The most commonly studied tumor types were metastatic urothelial carcinoma/genitourinary tumors and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Findings from randomized studies suggested that cabozantinib combined with other therapies may lead to better progression-free survival than some current standards of care in renal cell carcinoma, CRPC, and non-small-cell lung cancer. The most common adverse events were hypertension, diarrhea, and fatigue.
CONCLUSION
This review demonstrates the promising efficacy outcomes of cabozantinib combined with other therapies, and a safety profile similar to cabozantinib alone. However, the findings are limited by the fact that most of the identified studies were reported as congress abstracts only. More evidence from randomized trials is needed to explore cabozantinib as a combination therapy further.
PubMed: 35923927
DOI: 10.1177/17588359221108691 -
Burns & Trauma 2022Promoting wound healing is crucial to restore the vital barrier function of injured skin. Growth factor products including epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast...
The clinical effectiveness and safety of using epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor as therapeutics in acute skin wound healing: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Promoting wound healing is crucial to restore the vital barrier function of injured skin. Growth factor products including epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) have been used for decades although no systematic evaluation exists regarding their effectiveness and safety issues in treating acute skin wounds. This has resulted in a lack of guidelines and standards for proper application regimes. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to critically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these growth factors on skin acute wounds and provide guidelines for application regimes.
METHODS
We searched PubMed/Medline (1980-2020), Cochrane Library (1980-2020), Cochrane CENTRAL (from establishment to 2020), ClinicalTrials.gov (from establishment to 2020), Chinese Journal Full-text Database (CNKI, 1994-2020), China Biology Medicine disc (CBM, 1978-2019), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP, 1989-2020) and Wanfang Database (WFDATA, 1980-2019). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs and controlled clinical trials treating patients with acute skin wounds from various causes and with those available growth factors were included.
RESULTS
A total of 7573 papers were identified through database searching; 229 papers including 281 studies were kept after final screening. Administering growth factors significantly shortened the healing time of acute skin wounds, including superficial burn injuries [mean difference (MD) = -3.02; 95% confidence interval (CI):-3.31 ~ -2.74; 0.00001], deep burn injuries (MD = -5.63; 95% CI:-7.10 ~ -4.17; < 0.00001), traumata and surgical wounds (MD = -4.50; 95% CI:-5.55 ~ -3.44; < 0.00001). Growth factors increased the healing rate of acute skin wounds and decreased scar scores. The incidence of adverse reactions was lower in the growth factor treatment group than in the non-growth factor group.
CONCLUSIONS
The studied growth factors not only are effective and safe for managing acute skin wounds, but also accelerate their healing with no severe adverse reactions.
PubMed: 35265723
DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkac002