-
PloS One 2023The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has increased globally over the past decade since patient access to medicinal cannabis has been legislated across...
The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has increased globally over the past decade since patient access to medicinal cannabis has been legislated across jurisdictions in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Yet, evidence relating to the effect of medical cannabis on the management of symptoms for a suite of conditions is only just emerging. Although there is considerable engagement from many stakeholders to add to the evidence base through randomized controlled trials, many gaps in the literature remain. Data from real-world and patient reported sources can provide opportunities to address this evidence deficit. This real-world data can be captured from a variety of sources such as found in routinely collected health care and health services records that include but are not limited to patient generated data from medical, administrative and claims data, patient reported data from surveys, wearable trackers, patient registries, and social media. In this systematic scoping review, we seek to understand the utility of online user generated text into the use of cannabis as a medicine. In this scoping review, we aimed to systematically search published literature to examine the extent, range, and nature of research that utilises user-generated content to examine to cannabis as a medicine. The objective of this methodological review is to synthesise primary research that uses social media discourse and internet search engine queries to answer the following questions: (i) In what way, is online user-generated text used as a data source in the investigation of cannabis as a medicine? (ii) What are the aims, data sources, methods, and research themes of studies using online user-generated text to discuss the medicinal use of cannabis. We conducted a manual search of primary research studies which used online user-generated text as a data source using the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in October 2022. Editorials, letters, commentaries, surveys, protocols, and book chapters were excluded from the review. Forty-two studies were included in this review, twenty-two studies used manually labelled data, four studies used existing meta-data (Google trends/geo-location data), two studies used data that was manually coded using crowdsourcing services, and two used automated coding supplied by a social media analytics company, fifteen used computational methods for annotating data. Our review reflects a growing interest in the use of user-generated content for public health surveillance. It also demonstrates the need for the development of a systematic approach for evaluating the quality of social media studies and highlights the utility of automatic processing and computational methods (machine learning technologies) for large social media datasets. This systematic scoping review has shown that user-generated content as a data source for studying cannabis as a medicine provides another means to understand how cannabis is perceived and used in the community. As such, it provides another potential 'tool' with which to engage in pharmacovigilance of, not only cannabis as a medicine, but also other novel therapeutics as they enter the market.
Topics: Humans; Social Media; Cannabis; Medicine; Delivery of Health Care; United Kingdom
PubMed: 36662832
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269143 -
Helicobacter Oct 2020Antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori can result in eradication failure. Metadata on the antimicrobial resistance of H pylori in Iran could help to formulate H... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori can result in eradication failure. Metadata on the antimicrobial resistance of H pylori in Iran could help to formulate H pylori eradication strategies in Iran.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed after searching in MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. A meta-analysis was performed, and a comparison of the rates between children and adults; time periods (1999-2010, 2011-2016, 2017-2019); and the methods used was carried out.
RESULTS
A total of 66 studies investigating 5936 H pylori isolates were analyzed. The weighted pooled resistance (WPR) rates were as follows: clarithromycin 21% (95% CI 16-26), metronidazole 62% (95% 57-67), clarithromycin in combination with metronidazole 16% (95% CI 10-23), ciprofloxacin 24% (95% CI 15-33), levofloxacin 18% (95% CI 9-30), erythromycin 29% (95% CI 12-50), furazolidone 13% (95% CI 4-27), tetracycline 8% (95% CI 5-13), and amoxicillin 15% (95% CI 9-22). During the three time periods, there was an increased resistance to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, furazolidone, and tetracycline (P ˂ .05). Furazolidone and a clarithromycin/metronidazole combination had the higher resistance rates in children (P ˂ .05).
CONCLUSION
An increasing rate of resistance to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, furazolidone, and tetracycline in Iranian H pylori isolates was identified. In children, the resistance to furazolidone and a combination of clarithromycin and metronidazole is higher compared to adults. As a stable, high resistance to metronidazole was found in children and adults in all Iranian provinces, we suggest that metronidazole should not be included in the Iranian H pylori eradication scheme.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Iran
PubMed: 32705749
DOI: 10.1111/hel.12730 -
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary... Mar 2020Common Data Elements (CDEs) are data-metadata descriptors used to collect research study data. CDEs facilitate the collection, processing, and sharing of breast cancer... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Common Data Elements (CDEs) are data-metadata descriptors used to collect research study data. CDEs facilitate the collection, processing, and sharing of breast cancer data. This study intended to explore the CDEs of breast cancer for research databases and primary care systems.
METHODS
This study was conducted using systematic search and review. This systematic literature review covered PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, SID, ISC, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine. It included studies in English language with accessible full-text from the beginning of 2007 to September 2019.
RESULTS
Reviewing 25 studies revealed that 52 percent of studies were carried out in the US and most studies were conducted between 2013 and 2015. The most domains for using CDEs were: Pathology Report and Registry. The CDEs of breast cancer for research databases were categorized into three categories namely clinical, research, and non-clinical and indicate the importance of these data elements. Most of the studies focused on creating and deploying clinical CDEs as physical examination, clinical history and pathology data.
CONCLUSION
The integration of biomedical and clinical data relevant to breast cancer enhances the power of research variable analysis and statistical analysis, thereby facilitating improved knowledge of effective therapeutic interventions. Also CDEs used to collect, store, and retrieve patient data in various health setting such as primary care and research databases.
PubMed: 32509607
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_931_19 -
Value in Health : the Journal of the... Mar 2023Real-world evidence (RWE) studies are increasingly being used to support healthcare decisions. Various frameworks, tools, and checklists exist for ensuring quality of... (Review)
Review
Use of Structured Template and Reporting Tool for Real-World Evidence for Critical Appraisal of the Quality of Reporting of Real-World Evidence Studies: A Systematic Review.
OBJECTIVES
Real-world evidence (RWE) studies are increasingly being used to support healthcare decisions. Various frameworks, tools, and checklists exist for ensuring quality of real-world data, designing robust studies, and assessing potential for bias. In January 2021, Structured Template and Reporting Tool for RWE (STaRT-RWE) was released to further reduce ambiguity, assumptions, and misinterpretation while planning, implementing, and reporting RWE studies of the safety and effectiveness of treatments. The objective of this study was to identify gaps in the reporting quality of published RWE studies by using this template for critical appraisal.
METHODS
Two reviewers conducted a keyword search on PubMed for free-full-text research articles using real-world data, RWE design, and safety with or without effectiveness outcomes of a medicinal product or intervention in humans of any age or gender, published in English between January 13, 2021, and January 13, 2022. Assessment of risk of bias was done using Assessment of Real-World Observational Studies critical appraisal tool. Deficiencies in methods and findings as per STaRT-RWE template were reported as frequencies.
RESULTS
A total of 54 of 2374 retrieved studies were included in the review. Based on the STaRT-RWE template, the studies inadequately reported empirically defined covariates, power and sample size calculation, attrition, sensitivity analyses, index date (day 0) defining criterion, predefined covariates, outcome, metadata about data source and software, objective, inclusion and exclusion criteria, analysis specifications, and follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of STaRT-RWE template along with its tables, design diagram, and library of published studies has a potential of improving robustness of RWE studies.
Topics: Humans; Bias; Checklist
PubMed: 36210293
DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2022.09.003 -
Journal of Neuro-oncology May 2020Carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) is an emerging radiation therapy to treat skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas. To date, its use is limited to a few centers around... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) is an emerging radiation therapy to treat skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas. To date, its use is limited to a few centers around the world, and there has been no attempt to systematically evaluate survival and toxicity outcomes reported in the literature. Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively assess these outcomes.
METHODS
A systematic search of seven electronic databases from inception to November 2019 was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were screened against pre-specified criteria. Outcomes were then pooled by random-effects meta-analyses of proportions.
RESULTS
A total of nine studies provided unique metadata for assessment, with six originating from Heidelberg, Germany. The surveyed cohort size was 632 patients, with 389 (62%) chordomas and 243 (38%) chondrosarcomas of the skull base. Across all studies, median cohort age at therapy and female proportion were 46 years and 51% respectively. Estimates of local control incidence at 1-, 5-, and 10-years in chordoma-only studies were 99%, 80%, and 56%, and in chondrosarcoma-only studies were 99%, 89%, and 88%. Estimates of overall survival probability at 1-, 5-, and 10-years in chordoma-only studies were 100%, 94%, and 78%, and in chondrosarcoma-only studies were 99%, 95%, and 79%. The incidence of early and late toxicity (Grade ≥ 3) ranged from 0 to 4% across all study groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The emerging use of CIRT to treat skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas appear promising with regard to tumor control, overall survival, and risk profile of early and late toxicity. The current literature suffers from the fact only a few centers in the world currently employ this technology.
Topics: Chondrosarcoma; Chordoma; Heavy Ion Radiotherapy; Humans; Skull Base Neoplasms; Survival Analysis; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32206977
DOI: 10.1007/s11060-020-03464-1 -
World Neurosurgery Jul 2022It has been proposed in the most recent 2021 World Health Organization classification of brain tumors that the loss of trimethylation at histone 3 lysine site 27... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
It has been proposed in the most recent 2021 World Health Organization classification of brain tumors that the loss of trimethylation at histone 3 lysine site 27 (H3K27me3) might prognosticate meningioma outcomes. However, to date, the emerging literature has remained diffuse in its stance. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the prognostic relevance of H3K27me3 loss in meningioma.
METHODS
Searches of 7 electronic databases from inception to October 2021 were conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. Articles were screened against prespecified criteria. Outcomes were pooled by random effects meta-analyses of proportions, where possible.
RESULTS
A total of 7 retrospective cohort studies satisfied all the criteria, with a total of 2180 meningioma patients overall (1291 male patients [59%]; mean age, 56 years). Across all 7 studies, the pooled incidence of H3K27me3 loss was estimated at 15% (95% confidence interval, 8%-24%). Across 6 studies, the pooled multivariate-derived hazard ratio estimate for recurrence was 1.77 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-2.31; P < 0.01). Overall survival on univariate analysis was significantly shorter with H3K27me3 loss in 2 of 4 studies (50%), and 2 studies had described a significant association between H3K27me3 loss and shorter overall survival on multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
The contemporary metadata favor a greater incidence of meningioma recurrence based independently on H3K27me3 loss, with a statistically significant difference. It is possible that these effects are more pronounced for grade 2 meningiomas; however, more robust data and analysis are needed to augment this position.
Topics: Female; Histones; Humans; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Methylation; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Survival Rate
PubMed: 35439620
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.04.048 -
Environment International Jun 2021Conservation activities and natural resource management interventions have often aimed to tackle the dual challenge of improving nature conservation and human... (Review)
Review
What is the evidence documenting the effects of marine or coastal nature conservation or natural resource management activities on human well-being in South East Asia? A systematic map.
BACKGROUND
Conservation activities and natural resource management interventions have often aimed to tackle the dual challenge of improving nature conservation and human well-being. However, there is concern over the extent to which this dual goal has been achieved, and an increasing recognition of trade-offs and synergies within and between aspects of each of the goals. The amount and scope of the available evidence on the success of conservation and management interventions in both arenas has lacked documentation, for a number of reasons, including limited resources for monitoring and evaluation and the difficulty in bringing together a disparate evidence base. This systematic map focuses on the interaction between marine conservation management and the health and well-being of coastal communities in South East Asia.
METHOD
We searched bibliographic databases to find published literature, and identified grey literature through institutional and organisational website searches and key stakeholders. Eligibility criteria were applied in two stages, title and abstract and full text, with consistency checks. We extracted meta-data on the design and characteristics of each study, from which we produced an interactive database and map, and a narrative summary.
RESULTS
We assessed 42,894 records at title and abstract from the main searches. 1,331 articles were assessed at full text (30 articles were not retrievable). 287 articles (281 studies) were included in the systematic map. Most studies were peer-reviewed publications (90%), and from the Philippines and Indonesia (72%). 31% of studies were solely qualitative, 45% were solely quantitative and 24% included both qualitative and quantitative research. Only 24% (31/127) of quantitative studies included a comparator. We identified knowledge clusters where studies investigated the links between the marine conservation interventions: Site Protection, Economic or Livelihood Incentives or Alternatives, or Habitat Management, and the human health and well-being outcomes: Economic Living Standards, Governance and Empowerment, or Social Relations. In addition, qualitative research clusters were identified exploring the links between the intervention Habitat Management, and the outcome Governance and Empowerment, and between the intervention Economic or Livelihood Incentives or Alternatives, and the outcomes of Governance and Empowerment, and Social Relations. We identified major knowledge gaps in evidence for the effect of marine conservation interventions on the outcomes Freedom of Choice and Action, Security and Safety, Subjective Well-being, Health, and Culture and Spirituality. There was a lack of studies involving Education, Awareness and Activism interventions that reported any human health and well-being outcomes.
CONCLUSION
We present the first updatable, interrogable and comprehensive evidence map on this topic for South East Asia. Our work supports further, detailed investigation of knowledge clusters using systematic review and also serves to identify understudied topic areas. The lack of comparative, quantitative studies suggests that future research should include counterfactuals to strengthen the robustness of evidence base. Users of this systematic map should recognise that much evidence may be national or locally specific, and that we did not undertake an assessment of study quality. Thus, when considering implications for policy and decision-making, users should carefully consider the heterogeneity of available evidence and refer to original research articles to gain a full depth of understanding and context.
Topics: Conservation of Natural Resources; Asia, Eastern; Humans; Natural Resources; Philippines; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 33713939
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106397 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Jul 2021Recent years have been witnessing a substantial improvement in the accuracy of skin cancer classification using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). CNNs perform on par... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Recent years have been witnessing a substantial improvement in the accuracy of skin cancer classification using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). CNNs perform on par with or better than dermatologists with respect to the classification tasks of single images. However, in clinical practice, dermatologists also use other patient data beyond the visual aspects present in a digitized image, further increasing their diagnostic accuracy. Several pilot studies have recently investigated the effects of integrating different subtypes of patient data into CNN-based skin cancer classifiers.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review focuses on the current research investigating the impact of merging information from image features and patient data on the performance of CNN-based skin cancer image classification. This study aims to explore the potential in this field of research by evaluating the types of patient data used, the ways in which the nonimage data are encoded and merged with the image features, and the impact of the integration on the classifier performance.
METHODS
Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect were screened for peer-reviewed studies published in English that dealt with the integration of patient data within a CNN-based skin cancer classification. The search terms skin cancer classification, convolutional neural network(s), deep learning, lesions, melanoma, metadata, clinical information, and patient data were combined.
RESULTS
A total of 11 publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All of them reported an overall improvement in different skin lesion classification tasks with patient data integration. The most commonly used patient data were age, sex, and lesion location. The patient data were mostly one-hot encoded. There were differences in the complexity that the encoded patient data were processed with regarding deep learning methods before and after fusing them with the image features for a combined classifier.
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates the potential benefits of integrating patient data into CNN-based diagnostic algorithms. However, how exactly the individual patient data enhance classification performance, especially in the case of multiclass classification problems, is still unclear. Moreover, a substantial fraction of patient data used by dermatologists remains to be analyzed in the context of CNN-based skin cancer classification. Further exploratory analyses in this promising field may optimize patient data integration into CNN-based skin cancer diagnostics for patients' benefits.
Topics: Dermoscopy; Humans; Melanoma; Neural Networks, Computer; Skin Neoplasms
PubMed: 34255646
DOI: 10.2196/20708 -
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma... Nov 2022In this review paper, graft failure rates of different graft types (hamstring tendon autografts, bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts, quadriceps tendon autografts and... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
In this review paper, graft failure rates of different graft types (hamstring tendon autografts, bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts, quadriceps tendon autografts and diverse allografts) that are used for surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament are compared and statistically analysed.
METHODS
Literature search was conducted in PubMed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) criteria. A total of 194 studies, which reported graft failure rates of at least one of the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction methods mentioned above, were included in this systematic review. To be able to compare studies with different follow-up periods, a yearly graft failure rate for each reconstruction group was calculated and then investigated for significant differences by using the Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
Overall, a total of 152,548 patients treated with an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were included in the calculations. Comparison of graft types showed that hamstring tendon autografts had a yearly graft failure rate of 1.70%, whereas the bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft group had 1.16%, the quadriceps tendon autograft group 0.72%, and the allografts 1.76%.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this meta-data study indicate that reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament using quadriceps tendon autografts, hamstring tendon autografts, patellar tendon autografts or allografts does not show significant differences in terms of graft failure rates.
Topics: Anterior Cruciate Ligament; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction; Autografts; Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Grafting; Hamstring Tendons; Humans; Transplantation, Autologous
PubMed: 34536121
DOI: 10.1007/s00402-021-04147-w -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2022Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Cryptosporidium infection with the main symptom of diarrhea. The present study performed a metaanalysis to determine... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTODUCTION
Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Cryptosporidium infection with the main symptom of diarrhea. The present study performed a metaanalysis to determine the global prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus animals.
METHODS
Data collection was carried out using Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database (VIP), WanFang Data, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, with 35 articles published before 2021 being included in this systematic analysis. This study analyzed the research data through subgroup analysis and univariate regression analysis to reveal the factors leading to high prevalence. We applied a random effects model (REM) to the metadata.
RESULTS
The total prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium in Equus was estimated to be 7.59% from the selected articles. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in female Equus was 2.60%. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus under 1-year-old was 11.06%, which was higher than that of Equus over 1-year-old (2.52%). In the experimental method groups, the positive rate detected by microscopy was the highest (10.52%). The highest Cryptosporidium prevalence was found in scale breeding Equus (7.86%). The horses had the lowest Cryptosporidium prevalence (7.32%) among host groups. C. muris was the most frequently detected genotype in the samples (53.55%). In the groups of geographical factors, the prevalence rate of Cryptosporidium in Equus was higher in regions with low altitude (6.88%), rainy (15.63%), humid (22.69%), and tropical climates (16.46%).
DISCUSSION
The search strategy use of five databases might have caused the omission of some researches. This metaanalysis systematically presented the global prevalence and potential risk factors of Cryptosporidium infection in Equus. The farmers should strengthen the management of young and female Equus animals, improve water filtration systems, reduce stocking densities, and harmless treatment of livestock manure.
Topics: Female; Animals; Horses; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Zoonoses
PubMed: 36506009
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1072385