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BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Jul 2023To synthesise research investigating data and code sharing in medicine and health to establish an accurate representation of the prevalence of sharing, how this... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
To synthesise research investigating data and code sharing in medicine and health to establish an accurate representation of the prevalence of sharing, how this frequency has changed over time, and what factors influence availability.
DESIGN
Systematic review with meta-analysis of individual participant data.
DATA SOURCES
Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, and the preprint servers medRxiv, bioRxiv, and MetaArXiv were searched from inception to 1 July 2021. Forward citation searches were also performed on 30 August 2022.
REVIEW METHODS
Meta-research studies that investigated data or code sharing across a sample of scientific articles presenting original medical and health research were identified. Two authors screened records, assessed the risk of bias, and extracted summary data from study reports when individual participant data could not be retrieved. Key outcomes of interest were the prevalence of statements that declared that data or code were publicly or privately available (declared availability) and the success rates of retrieving these products (actual availability). The associations between data and code availability and several factors (eg, journal policy, type of data, trial design, and human participants) were also examined. A two stage approach to meta-analysis of individual participant data was performed, with proportions and risk ratios pooled with the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method for random effects meta-analysis.
RESULTS
The review included 105 meta-research studies examining 2 121 580 articles across 31 specialties. Eligible studies examined a median of 195 primary articles (interquartile range 113-475), with a median publication year of 2015 (interquartile range 2012-2018). Only eight studies (8%) were classified as having a low risk of bias. Meta-analyses showed a prevalence of declared and actual public data availability of 8% (95% confidence interval 5% to 11%) and 2% (1% to 3%), respectively, between 2016 and 2021. For public code sharing, both the prevalence of declared and actual availability were estimated to be <0.5% since 2016. Meta-regressions indicated that only declared public data sharing prevalence estimates have increased over time. Compliance with mandatory data sharing policies ranged from 0% to 100% across journals and varied by type of data. In contrast, success in privately obtaining data and code from authors historically ranged between 0% and 37% and 0% and 23%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The review found that public code sharing was persistently low across medical research. Declarations of data sharing were also low, increasing over time, but did not always correspond to actual sharing of data. The effectiveness of mandatory data sharing policies varied substantially by journal and type of data, a finding that might be informative for policy makers when designing policies and allocating resources to audit compliance.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
Open Science Framework doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/7SX8U.
Topics: Humans; Prevalence; Medicine; Administrative Personnel; Biomedical Research; Information Dissemination
PubMed: 37433624
DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-075767 -
Nature Human Behaviour Nov 2023How does economic inequality relate to prosocial behaviour? Existing theories and empirical studies from multiple disciplines have produced mixed results. Here we... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
How does economic inequality relate to prosocial behaviour? Existing theories and empirical studies from multiple disciplines have produced mixed results. Here we conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to systematically synthesize empirical studies. Results from 192 effect sizes and over 2.5 million observations in 100 studies show that the relationship varies from being negative to positive depending upon the study (95% prediction interval -0.450 to 0.343). However, on average, there is a small, negative relationship between economic inequality and prosocial behaviour (r = -0.064, P = 0.004, 95% confidence interval -0.106 to -0.021). There is generally no evidence that results depend upon characteristics of the studies, participants, the way prosocial behaviour and inequality were assessed, and the publication discipline. Given the prevalence of economic inequality and the importance of prosocial behaviour, this systematic review and meta-analysis provides a timely study on the relationship between economic inequality and prosocial behaviour.
Topics: Humans; Altruism; Prevalence
PubMed: 37563303
DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01681-y -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Jun 2023Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a progressive demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that has overlapping symptoms with multiple sclerosis... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a progressive demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that has overlapping symptoms with multiple sclerosis (MS) but differs from it in a variety of ways. Previous studies have reported conflicting results trying to estimate the number of individuals affected by them which is why we designed this systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the worldwide prevalence and incidence of NMOSD/NMO based on current evidence.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and gray literature including references from the identified studies, review studies, and conference abstracts which were published up to February 1, 2022. We used all MeSH terms pertaining to "NMOSD," "NMO," and all the terms on "prevalence," "incidence," and "epidemiology" to identify the search components. Pooled effect sizes were measured using random-effect model by DerSimonian-Laird.
RESULTS
The prevalence and incidence rates of NMOSD/NMO ranged from 0.07 to 10 and 0.029 to 0.880 per 100,000 population, respectively. The overall pooled prevalence of NMO per 100,000 population was 1.54 (I: 98.4%, 95% CI: 1.13-1.96, P< 0.001) based on the 2006 criteria, 1.51 (I: 99.4%, 95% CI: 1.21-1.81, P < 0.001) based on the 2015 criteria and 2.16 (I: 89.4%, 95% CI: 1.46-2.86, P < 0.001) based on the 2006/2015 criteria. The overall annual incidence of NMO per 100,000 population was 0.155 (I: 95%, 95% CI: 0.115-0.195, P < 0.001) based on the 2006 criteria and 0.278 (I: 100%, 95% CI: 0.135-0.420, P < 0.001) based on the 2015 criteria. The prevalence rates were highest in French West Indies and South Korea, and lowest in Cuba and Australia, based on the 2006 and 2015 criteria, respectively. Also, the highest annual incidence rates were obtained for Sweden and Slovak republic and the lowest for Cuba and Australia based on the 2006 and 2015 criteria, respectively. All estimated rates were higher among females compared to males.
CONCLUSION
Although rare, NMOSD/NMO impact affected individuals in devastating ways. Several large-scale prospective studies are required to reach a comprehension of the epidemiological aspects of these notorious demyelinating conditions.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Neuromyelitis Optica; Prevalence; Multiple Sclerosis; Central Nervous System; Incidence
PubMed: 36745300
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-06617-y -
The Science of the Total Environment Sep 2022We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature on the association between greenspace exposure and all-sites and site-specific cancer... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature on the association between greenspace exposure and all-sites and site-specific cancer incidence, prevalence, and mortality in adults. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for original articles published, without language restriction until September 2021. We assessed the risk of bias in each study and the overall quality of evidence for exposure-outcome pairs that were reported in two or more studies. Out of the 18 included studies, cross-sectional studies were the most common study design (n = 8), and most of the studies were conducted in Europe (n = 8). In terms of risk of bias, the majority of cohorts (four out of six) and case-control studies (three out of four) were of good or very good quality, and cross-sectional studies were mostly (five out of eight) of poor quality. Outcomes (incidence, prevalence, mortality) on different cancer sites were reported: lung cancer (n = 9), prostate cancer (n = 4), breast cancer (n = 4), skin cancer (n = 3), colorectal cancer (n = 2), all-sites cancer (n = 2), brain cancer (n = 1), mouth and throat cancer (n = 1), and esophageal cancer (n = 1). The meta-analyses for the breast, lung, and prostate cancer incidence did not show statistically significant associations (for example for breast cancer: hazard ratio = 0.83; 95% confidence interval: 0.47-1.48). For skin cancer, the available evidence suggests that greenspace could be a potential risk factor. For the other cancers, the evidence was non-conclusive. The overall quality of evidence of all of the exposure-outcome pairs was very low. Given the wide confidence interval of the pooled estimates and very low quality of evidence, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Future large and longitudinal studies are needed to assess the potential association of greenspace exposure with cancers, considering types and quality of greenspace, evaluation of cancer sub-types, and adjustment for a sufficient set of covariates.
Topics: Breast Neoplasms; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Incidence; Male; Parks, Recreational; Prevalence; Prostatic Neoplasms; Skin Neoplasms
PubMed: 35618130
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156180 -
Journal of Behavioral Addictions Sep 2022In the last two decades, the proportion of internet users has greatly increased worldwide. Data regarding internet addiction (IA) are lacking in Africa compared to other... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND AND AIM
In the last two decades, the proportion of internet users has greatly increased worldwide. Data regarding internet addiction (IA) are lacking in Africa compared to other continents. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of IA in African countries.
METHODS
We systematically sought relevant articles in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane database published before September 25, 2021. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool, and we estimated the pooled prevalence of IA using a random-effects meta-analytic model. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.
RESULTS
We included 22 studies (13,365 participants), and collected data from Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Tunisia between 2013 and 2021. The mean age of participants ranged from 14.8 to 26.1 years, and the most used tool for IA screening was the Young's 20-item Internet Addiction Test. The pooled prevalence rate of IA was 40.3% (95% CI: 32.2%-48.7%), with substantial heterogeneity. The pooled prevalence for Northern Africa was 44.6% (95% CI: 32.9%-56.7%), significantly higher than the prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, which was 31.0% (95% CI: 25.2%-37.1%). The risk of bias was moderate for most studies, the certainty was very low, and we found no publication bias.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Four in every ten individuals was considered to have IA in Africa. Further research with methodological optimization seems needed, especially for IA screening tools and the representativity of some subregions.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Prevalence; South Africa
PubMed: 35984734
DOI: 10.1556/2006.2022.00052 -
The British Journal of Psychiatry : the... Sep 2022There is increasing research examining excess mortality in people with bipolar disorder using life expectancy and related measures, which quantify the disease impact on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
There is increasing research examining excess mortality in people with bipolar disorder using life expectancy and related measures, which quantify the disease impact on survival. However, there has been no meta-analysis to date summarising existing data on life expectancy in those with bipolar disorder.
AIMS
To systematically review and quantitatively synthesise estimates of life expectancy and years of potential life lost (YPLL) in people with bipolar disorder.
METHOD
We searched Embase, Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases up to 31 March 2021. We generated pooled life expectancy using random-effects models, and derived YPLL summary estimate by calculating averaged values weighted by sample size of individual studies. Subgroup analyses were conducted for gender, geographical region, study period, a given age (set-age) for lifespan estimation and causes of death. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021241705).
RESULTS
Eleven and 13 studies were included in the review for life expectancy ( = 96 601) and YPLL ( = 128 989), respectively. Pooled life expectancy was 66.88 years (95% CI 64.47-69.28; = 99.9%, < 0.001), was higher in women than men (70.51 (95% CI 68.61-72.41) . 64.59 (95% CI 61.16-68.03); = 2.00, = 0.003) and was lowest in Africa. Weighted average YPLL was 12.89 years (95% CI 12.72-13.07), and was greatest in Africa. More YPLL was observed when lifespan was estimated at birth than at other set-age. YPLLs attributable to natural and unnatural deaths were 5.94 years (95% CI 5.81-6.07) and 5.69 years (95% CI 5.59-5.79), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Bipolar disorder is associated with substantially shortened life expectancy. Implementation of multilevel, targeted interventions is urgently needed to reduce this mortality gap.
Topics: Bipolar Disorder; Cause of Death; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Life Expectancy; Male
PubMed: 35184778
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2022.19 -
Viruses Jul 2023It is known that SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in gastrointestinal symptoms. For some, these symptoms may persist beyond acute infection, in what is known as... (Review)
Review
It is known that SARS-CoV-2 infection can result in gastrointestinal symptoms. For some, these symptoms may persist beyond acute infection, in what is known as 'post-COVID syndrome'. We conducted a systematic review to examine the prevalence of persistent gastrointestinal symptoms and the incidence of new gastrointestinal illnesses following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. We searched the scientific literature using MedLine, SCOPUS, Europe PubMed Central and medRxiv from December 2019 to July 2023. Two reviewers independently identified 45 eligible articles, which followed participants for various gastrointestinal outcomes after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. The weighted pooled prevalence for persistent gastrointestinal symptoms of any nature and duration was 10.8% compared with 4.9% in healthy controls. For seven studies at low risk of methodological bias, the symptom prevalence ranged from 0.2% to 24.1%, with a median follow-up time of 18 weeks. We also identified a higher risk for future illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, dyspepsia, hepatic and biliary disease, liver disease and autoimmune-mediated illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease and coeliac disease in historically SARS-CoV-2-exposed individuals. Our review has shown that, from a limited pool of mostly low-quality studies, previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure may be associated with ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms and the development of functional gastrointestinal illness. Furthermore, we show the need for high-quality research to better understand the SARS-CoV-2 association with gastrointestinal illness, particularly as population exposure to enteric infections returns to pre-COVID-19-restriction levels.
Topics: Humans; Incidence; COVID-19; Prevalence; SARS-CoV-2; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
PubMed: 37631968
DOI: 10.3390/v15081625 -
The Lancet. Public Health May 2021Prisons are recognised as high-risk environments for tuberculosis, but there has been little systematic investigation of the global and regional incidence and prevalence... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Prisons are recognised as high-risk environments for tuberculosis, but there has been little systematic investigation of the global and regional incidence and prevalence of tuberculosis, and its determinants, in prisons. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the incidence and prevalence of tuberculosis in incarcerated populations by geographical region.
METHODS
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Knowledge, and the LILACS electronic database from Jan 1, 1980, to Nov 15, 2020, for cross-sectional and cohort studies reporting the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, incidence of tuberculosis, or prevalence of tuberculosis among incarcerated individuals in all geographical regions. We extracted data from individual studies, and calculated pooled estimates of incidence and prevalence through hierarchical Bayesian meta-regression modelling. We also did subgroup analyses by region. Incidence rate ratios between prisons and the general population were calculated by dividing the incidence of tuberculosis in prisons by WHO estimates of the national population-level incidence.
FINDINGS
We identified 159 relevant studies; 11 investigated the incidence of M tuberculosis infection (n=16 318), 51 investigated the incidence of tuberculosis (n=1 858 323), and 106 investigated the prevalence of tuberculosis (n=6 727 513) in incarcerated populations. The overall pooled incidence of M tuberculosis infection among prisoners was 15·0 (95% credible interval [CrI] 3·8-41·6) per 100 person-years. The incidence of tuberculosis (per 100 000 person-years) among prisoners was highest in studies from the WHO African (2190 [95% CrI 810-4840] cases) and South-East Asia (1550 [240-5300] cases) regions and in South America (970 [460-1860] cases), and lowest in North America (30 [20-50] cases) and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region (270 [50-880] cases). The prevalence of tuberculosis was greater than 1000 per 100 000 prisoners in all global regions except for North America and the Western Pacific, and highest in the WHO South-East Asia region (1810 [95% CrI 670-4000] cases per 100 000 prisoners). The incidence rate ratio between prisons and the general population was much higher in South America (26·9; 95% CrI 17·1-40·1) than in other regions, but was nevertheless higher than ten in the WHO African (12·6; 6·2-22·3), Eastern Mediterranean (15·6; 6·5-32·5), and South-East Asia (11·7; 4·1-27·1) regions.
INTERPRETATION
Globally, people in prison are at high risk of contracting M tuberculosis infection and developing tuberculosis, with consistent disparities between prisons and the general population across regions. Tuberculosis control programmes should prioritise preventive interventions among incarcerated populations.
FUNDING
US National Institutes of Health.
Topics: Global Health; Humans; Incidence; Prevalence; Prisoners; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 33765455
DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(21)00025-6 -
Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular... 2022Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) may grow asymptomatically until they rupture, with a mortality over 90%. The true incidence and prevalence of this condition is uncertain... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) may grow asymptomatically until they rupture, with a mortality over 90%. The true incidence and prevalence of this condition is uncertain and epidemiologic data is scarce, understudied and dispersed. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence and prevalence of TAAs in population-based studies. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL from inception to October 2020 for all population-based studies reporting on incidence and/or prevalence of TAAs. Data were pooled using a random effects model. The main outcome was the overall available worldwide incidence and prevalence of TAAs. The secondary outcomes were to evaluate the incidence of ruptured TAAs, differences in the location of these aneurysms (either ascending, arch or descending aorta) and differences in prevalence/incidence across different study designs. Twenty-two studies were included in the review and meta-analysis. The pooled incidence and prevalence of TAAs was 5.3 per 100,000 individuals/year (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0; 8.3) and 0.16% (95% CI: 0.12; 0.20), respectively. The pooled incidence of ruptured aneurysms was 1.6 per 100,000 individuals/year (95% CI: 1.3; 2.1). We found a significant difference of the prevalence in autopsy-only studies, which was 0.76% (95% CI: 0.47; 1.13) and the prevalence of TAAs dropped down to 0.07% (95% CI: 0.05;0.11) when these studies were excluded from the overall analysis. The current epidemiologic information provided serve as a base for future public-health decisions. The lack of well-design population-base studies and the limitations encountered serve as calling for future research in this field.
Topics: Aortic Aneurysm; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic; Humans; Incidence; Prevalence; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33705940
DOI: 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2021.02.029 -
Clinical Gastroenterology and... Aug 2022The aim of this study was to quantify the global epidemiology of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), alongside the incidence of liver transplantation, cancer, and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND & AIMS
The aim of this study was to quantify the global epidemiology of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), alongside the incidence of liver transplantation, cancer, and death, through robust systematic review of population-based data.
METHODS
We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE up to and including June 30, 2020 to identify population-based studies reporting the incidence and/or prevalence of PSC. Studies that did not report original data, or of exclusively pediatric-onset disease (diagnosis age <16 years) or exclusively PSC-associated with inflammatory bowel disease were excluded.
RESULTS
Of 4922 published studies, 17 fulfilled inclusion criteria; 16 documenting incidence and 14 prevalence. The highest reported incidence of PSC was reported in Northern Europe (Finland, 1.58 and Norway, 1.3 per-100,000 population, respectively) and North America (Minnesota, 1.47); with the lowest being observed across the Mediterranean Basin (Italy, 0.1). Prevalence ranged from 31.7 in Finland and 23.99 in Minnesota, to 1.33 in Singapore and 0.0 in Alaska. Of studies reporting temporal occurrence, an increase in disease incidence was observed across North America and Northern Europe (4 studies), alongside an increase in prevalence over time (4 studies). The incidence and risks for clinical outcomes were presented by 9 of the included studies. Median transplant-free survival ranged from 9.7 (United States) to 20.6 years (Netherlands), with standardized mortality ratios of 2.5 and 4.2 compared with the control population. The standardized incidence of cholangiocarcinoma ranged from 235 (Finland) to 398 (Netherlands).
CONCLUSIONS
Estimates of PSC incidence and prevalence vary, with most studies conducted in North America and Western Europe; the latter showing a steady increase in disease occurrence over time. Further research is needed to understand changes in disease epidemiology, including etiological drivers, the implications of rising case burden on health care policy, and better appreciation of PSC in the developing world.
Topics: Adolescent; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; Child; Cholangitis, Sclerosing; Humans; Incidence; Prevalence
PubMed: 34474162
DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2021.08.039