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BMJ Global Health Oct 2021Globally, about 1.7 billion people living in poverty are affected by one or more of a group of disabling, disfiguring and poverty-promoting conditions known as neglected...
BACKGROUND
Globally, about 1.7 billion people living in poverty are affected by one or more of a group of disabling, disfiguring and poverty-promoting conditions known as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Major global health actors, like the WHO, have endorsed a shift from vertical to integrated NTD management.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review aimed to evaluate how integration is being conducted and how we can improve it.
METHODS
PubMed, Medline, Cochrane library, Web of Science, Trip, Embase, Global Health and Google Scholar were searched from 1 April to 22 July 2020.We included peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 2000 and 22 July 2020 in English.
RESULTS
Database searches produced 24 565 studies, of which 35 articles met the inclusion criteria. Twenty of these articles were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty articles were also published between 2015 and 2020. Literature revealed that NTDs have been integrated-among themselves; with water, sanitation and hygiene programmes; with vector control; with primary healthcare; with immunisation programmes; and with malaria management. Integrated mass drug administration for multiple NTDs was the most common method of integration. The three complex, yet common characteristics of successful integration were good governance, adequate financing and total community engagement.
CONCLUSION
The dataset identified integrated management of NTDs to be cost effective and potentially to increase treatment coverage. However, the identified modes of integration are not exclusive and are limited by the available literature. Nonetheless, integration should urgently be implemented, while considering the programmatic and sociopolitical context.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO number, CRD42020167358.
Topics: Global Health; Humans; Hygiene; Neglected Diseases; Sanitation; Tropical Medicine
PubMed: 34663634
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-006968 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Apr 2024Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is characterized by potentially disfiguring skin ulcers carrying significant social stigma. To mitigate systemic drug exposure and reduce...
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is characterized by potentially disfiguring skin ulcers carrying significant social stigma. To mitigate systemic drug exposure and reduce the toxicity from available treatments, studies addressing new local therapeutic strategies using available medications are coming up. This review systematically compiles preclinical and clinical data on the efficacy of amphotericin B (AmB) administered locally for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
METHODOLOGY
Structured searches were conducted in major databases. Clinical studies reporting cure rates and preclinical studies presenting any efficacy outcome were included. Exclusion criteria comprised nonoriginal studies, in vitro investigations, studies with fewer than 10 treated patients, and those evaluating AmB in combination with other antileishmanial drug components.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
A total of 21 studies were identified, encompassing 16 preclinical and five clinical studies. Preclinical assessments generally involved the topical use of commercial AmB formulations, often in conjunction with carriers or controlled release systems. However, the variation in the treatment schedules hindered direct comparisons. In clinical studies, topical AmB achieved a pooled cure rate of 45.6% [CI: 27.5-64.8%; I2 = 79.7; p = 0.002), while intralesional (IL) administration resulted in a 69.8% cure rate [CI: 52.3-82.9%; I2 = 63.9; p = 0.06). In the direct comparison available, no significant difference was noted between AmB-IL and meglumine antimoniate-IL administration (OR:1.7; CI:0.34-9.15, I2 = 79.1; p = 0.00), however a very low certainty of evidence was verified.
CONCLUSIONS
Different AmB formulations and administration routes have been explored in preclinical and clinical studies. Developing therapeutic technologies is evident. Current findings might be interpreted as a favorable proof of concept for the local AmB administration which makes this intervention eligible to be explored in future well-designed studies towards less toxic treatments for leishmaniasis.
Topics: Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Amphotericin B; Humans; Antiprotozoal Agents; Administration, Topical; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38626196
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012127 -
Gland Surgery Jul 2022Autologous fat transfer (AFT) is a minimally invasive technique that employs a patient's own fat to correct disfiguring sequelae for breast reconstruction in...
BACKGROUND
Autologous fat transfer (AFT) is a minimally invasive technique that employs a patient's own fat to correct disfiguring sequelae for breast reconstruction in postoperative breast cancer patients. However, the results of studies on this topic were controversial. In order to explore the effect of AFT on breast reconstruction after breast cancer surgery, we included cohort studies and conducted a meta-analysis.
METHODS
A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies published up to September 14, 2020. We identified the eligible studies based on the PICOS principles, populations (patients diagnosed with breast cancer), interventions (patients undergoing AFT after breast cancer surgery), controls (patients who did not receive AFT after breast cancer surgery), outcomes [local recurrence (LR) rate, regional recurrence (RRR) rate, locoregional recurrence (LRR) rate, distant metastasis rate, systemic recurrence (SR) rate, and total death rate], study design (cohort studies). The I statistic was conducted to estimate heterogeneity. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were presented to evaluate whether AFT compromises oncological safety in breast reconstruction. Funnel plots and Egger's test were adopted to assess publication bias. Quality assessment for the included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
RESULTS
Twenty-two cohort studies involving 9,971 postoperative patients with breast cancer were identified, with 3,622 receiving AFT being the experimental group, and 6,349 not receiving AFT in the control group. The overall quality of the included studies was rated as high. No significant differences in the rate of LR (RR: 0.916, 95% CI: 0.704-1.192), RRR (RR: 1.175, 95% CI: 0.773-1.787), LRR (RR: 0.788, 95% CI: 0.617-1.006), distant metastasis (RR: 1.133, 95% CI: 0.906-1.417), and total deaths (RR: 0.753, 95% CI: 0.539-1.051) were observed between the experimental group and control group (P>0.05). However, the AFT group had a lower rate of SR (RR: 0.671, 95% CI: 0.491-0.915, P=0.012).
CONCLUSIONS
The AFT group did not increase the rate of LR, RRR, LRR, distant metastasis, and total deaths in postoperative patients, which may indicate that AFT can be performed safely in breast reconstruction after excision of breast tumor.
PubMed: 35935572
DOI: 10.21037/gs-22-297 -
Cerebrovascular Diseases (Basel,... 2021Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain and face present unique challenges for clinicians. Cerebral AVMs may induce hemorrhage or form aneurysms, while facial...
BACKGROUND
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain and face present unique challenges for clinicians. Cerebral AVMs may induce hemorrhage or form aneurysms, while facial AVMs can cause significant disfigurement and pain. Moreover, facial AVMs often draw blood supply from arteries providing critical blood flow to other important structures of the head which may make them impossible to treat curatively. Medical adjuvants may be an important consideration in the management of these patients.
SUMMARY
We conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify other instances of molecular target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors used as medical adjuvants for the treatment of cranial and facial AVMs. We also present 2 cases from our own institution where patients were treated with partial embolization, followed by adjuvant therapy with rapamycin. After screening a total of 75 articles, 7 were identified which described use of rapamycin in the treatment of inoperable cranial or facial AVM. In total, 21 cases were reviewed. The median treatment duration was 12 months (3-24.5 months), and the highest recorded dose was 3.5 mg/m2. 76.2% of patients demonstrated at least a partial response to rapamycin therapy. In 2 patients treated at our institution, symptomatic and radiographic improvement were noted 6 months after initiation of therapy. Key Messages: Early results have been encouraging in a small number of patients with inoperable AVM of the head and face treated with mTOR inhibitors. Further study of medical adjuvants such as rapamycin may be worthwhile.
Topics: Adult; Arteriovenous Malformations; Combined Modality Therapy; Embolization, Therapeutic; Face; Female; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations; Sirolimus; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 34198289
DOI: 10.1159/000515168