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Oxidative Medicine and Cellular... 2021() and its ingredients (IFP) have a variety of biological activities and are widely used to treat osteoporosis (OP). Herein, we conducted a systematic review to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Antiosteoporosis Effect and Possible Mechanisms of the Ingredients of Fructus Psoraleae in Animal Models of Osteoporosis: A Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
OBJECTIVE
() and its ingredients (IFP) have a variety of biological activities and are widely used to treat osteoporosis (OP). Herein, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of IFP for an animal model of OP from the current literatures. Potential mechanisms of IFP in the treatment of OP were also summarized.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We carried out a search for electronic literature in the PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, EMBASE, Wanfang, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Cochrane Library, as well as Chinese VIP databases targeting articles published from inception to June 2021. The inclusion criteria were animal studies that assessed the efficacy and safety of IFP for OP, regardless of publication status or language. The exclusion criteria included (1) other types of studies (in vitro studies, case reports, clinical trials, reviews, abstracts, comments, and editorials), (2) combination with other compounds, (3) compared with other traditional Chinese medicine, (4) not osteoporosis or bone loss model, (5) studies with insufficient data, (6) lack of a control group, and (7) duplicate publications. The modified Collaborative Approach to Meta-Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Stroke (CAMARADES) 10-item quality checklist was used to evaluate the risk of bias of included studies. We computed the relative risk (RR) and the standard mean difference (SMD) for dichotomous outcomes and continuous outcomes, respectively. When heterogeneity was detected or there was significant statistical heterogeneity ( < 0.05 or > 50%), a random-effects model was employed, followed by further subgroup analysis and metaregression estimations to ascertain the origins of heterogeneity. Otherwise, we used a fixed-effects model ( ≥ 0.05 or ≤ 50%). The primary outcome measures were bone mineral density (BMD), serum osteocalcin(S-OCN), bone volume over total volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), bone maximum load, and elasticity modulus. The secondary outcome measure was the antiosteoporosis mechanisms of IFP. The STATA 12.0 software was used to analyze the data.
RESULTS
Overall, 16 studies focusing on 379 animals were enrolled into the study. The risk of bias score of included studies ranged from 4 to 7 with an average score of 5.25. The present study provided the preliminary preclinical evidence that administration of IFP could significantly increase the S-OCN, BMD, BV/TV, and Tb.N while Tb.Th and Tb.Sp were remarkably decreased by IFP in OP model animals ( < 0.05). Moreover, IFP could significantly improve the bone biomechanical indicator bone maximum load and elasticity modulus ( < 0.05). In terms of the possible mechanisms of treatment of OP, IFP exerts anti-OP effects in animal models probably through osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of the nuclear factor-B ligand/receptor activator of nuclear factor-B (OPG/RANKL/RANK), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR-)/Axin2/Wnt, antioxidative stress via forkhead box O3a (FoxO3a)/Axin2/Wnt, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR), estrogen-like effect, and gamma-aminobutyric acid/gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA/GABARI) signaling pathway.
CONCLUSION
Taken together, the findings suggest the possibility of developing IFP as a drug or an ingredient in diet for the clinical treatment of OP. We recommend that rigorous, as well as high-quality, trials involving large sample sizes should be conducted to confirm our findings.
Topics: Animals; Fruit; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Osteoporosis
PubMed: 34868453
DOI: 10.1155/2021/2098820 -
Bone Reports Dec 2021There is no cure for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), and current treatments can only partially correct the bone phenotype. Stem cell therapy holds potential to improve...
There is no cure for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), and current treatments can only partially correct the bone phenotype. Stem cell therapy holds potential to improve bone quality and quantity in OI. Here, we conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to investigate the efficacy of stem cell therapy to rescue bone brittleness in mouse models of OI. Identified studies included bone marrow, mesenchymal stem cells, and human fetal stem cells. Effect size of fracture incidence, maximum load, stiffness, cortical thickness, bone volume fraction, and raw engraftment rates were pooled in a random-effects meta-analysis. Cell type, cell number, injection route, mouse age, irradiation, anatomical bone, and follow up time were considered as moderators. It was not possible to investigate further parameters due to the lack of standards of investigation between the studies. Despite the use of mice in the majority of the investigations considered and the lack of sham mice as control, this study demonstrates the promising potential of stem cell therapy to reduce fractures in OI. Although their low engraftment, cell therapy in mouse models of OI had a beneficial effect on maximum load, but not on stiffness, cortical thickness and bone volume. These parameters all depend on bone geometry and do not inform on its material properties. Being bone fractures the primary symptom of OI, there is a critical need to measure the fracture toughness of OI bone treated with stem cells to assess the actual efficacy of the treatment to rescue OI bone brittleness.
PubMed: 34368408
DOI: 10.1016/j.bonr.2021.101108 -
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation Mar 2015Oral function with removable dentures is improved when dental implants are used for support. A variety of methods is used to measure change in masticatory performance,... (Review)
Review
Oral function with removable dentures is improved when dental implants are used for support. A variety of methods is used to measure change in masticatory performance, bite force, patient's satisfaction and nutritional state. A systematic review describing the outcome of the various methods to assess patients' appreciation has not been reported. The objective is to systematically review the literature on the possible methods to measure change in masticatory performance, bite force, patient's satisfaction and nutritional state of patients with removable dentures and to describe the outcome of these. Medline, Embase and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched (last search July 1, 2014). The search was completed by hand to identify eligible studies. Two reviewers independently assessed the articles. Articles should be written in English. Study design should be prospective. The outcome should be any assessment of function/satisfaction before and at least 1 year after treatment. Study population should consist of fully edentulous subjects. Treatment should be placement of any kind of root-form implant(s) to support a mandibular and/or maxillary overdenture. Fifty-three of 920 found articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A variety of methods was used to measure oral function; mostly follow-up was 1 year. Most studies included mandibular overdentures, three studies included maxillary overdentures. Implant-supported dentures were accompanied by high patient's satisfaction with regard to denture comfort, but this high satisfaction was not always accompanied by improvement in general quality of life (QoL) and/or health-related QoL. Bite force improved, masseter thickness increased and muscle activity in rest decreased. Patients could chew better and eat more tough foods. No changes were seen in dietary intake, BMI and blood markers. Improvements reported after 1 year apparently decreased slightly with time, at least on the long run. Treating complete denture wearers with implants to support their denture improves their chewing efficiency, increases maximum bite force and clearly improves satisfaction. The effect on QoL is uncertain, and there is no effect on nutritional state.
Topics: Bite Force; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; Denture, Complete; Humans; Masseter Muscle; Mastication; Masticatory Muscles; Mouth, Edentulous; Nutritional Status; Patient Satisfaction; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 25307515
DOI: 10.1111/joor.12241 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Mar 2015Keratoconus is a condition of the eye that affects approximately 1 in 2000 people. The disease leads to a gradual increase in corneal curvature and decrease in visual... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Keratoconus is a condition of the eye that affects approximately 1 in 2000 people. The disease leads to a gradual increase in corneal curvature and decrease in visual acuity with consequent impact on quality of life. Collagen cross-linking (CXL) with ultraviolet A (UVA) light and riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a relatively new treatment that has been reported to slow or halt the progression of the disease in its early stages.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this review was to assess whether there is evidence that CXL is an effective and safe treatment for halting the progression of keratoconus compared to no treatment.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2014, Issue 7), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily, Ovid OLDMEDLINE (January 1946 to August 2014), EMBASE (January 1980 to August 2014), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS) (1982 to August 2014), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) (1982 to August 2014), OpenGrey (System for Information on Grey Literature in Europe) (www.opengrey.eu/), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the World Health Organisation International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We used no date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 28 August 2014.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) where CXL with UVA light and riboflavin was used to treat people with keratoconus and was compared to no treatment.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently screened the search results, assessed trial quality, and extracted data using standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Our primary outcomes were two indicators of progression at 12 months: increase in maximum keratometry of 1.5 dioptres (D) or more and deterioration in uncorrected visual acuity of more than 0.2 logMAR.
MAIN RESULTS
We included three RCTs conducted in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States that enrolled a total of 225 eyes and analysed 219 eyes. The total number of people enrolled was not clear in two of the studies. Only adults were enrolled into these studies. Out of the eyes analysed, 119 had CXL (all using the epithelium-off technique) and 100 served as controls. One of these studies only reported comparative data on review outcomes. All three studies were at high risk for performance bias (lack of masking), detection bias (only one trial attempted to mask outcome assessment), and attrition bias (incomplete follow-up). It was not possible to pool data due to differences in measuring and reporting outcomes. We identified a further three unpublished trials that potentially had enrolled a total of 195 participants.There was limited evidence on the risk of progression. Analysis of the first few participants followed up to one year in one study suggested that eyes given CXL were less likely to have an increase in maximum keratometry of 1.5 D or more at 12 months compared to eyes given no treatment, but the confidence intervals (CI) were wide and compatible with no effect or more progression in the CXL group (risk ratio (RR) 0.12, 95% CI 0.01 to 2.00, 19 eyes). The same study reported the number of eyes with an increase of 2 D or more at 36 months in the whole cohort with a RR of 0.03 favouring CXL (95% CI 0.00 to 0.43, 94 eyes). Another study reported "progression" at 18 months using a different definition; people receiving CXL were less likely to progress, but again the effect was uncertain (RR 0.14, 95% CI 0.01 to 2.61, 44 eyes). We judged this to be very low-quality evidence due to the risk of bias of included studies, imprecision, indirectness and publication bias but noted that the size of the potential effect was large.On average, treated eyes had a less steep cornea (approximately 2 D less steep) (mean difference (MD) -1.92, 95% CI -2.54 to -1.30, 94 eyes, 1 RCT, very low-quality evidence) and better uncorrected visual acuity (approximately 2 lines or 10 letters better) (MD -0.20, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.09, 94 eyes, 1 RCT, very low-quality evidence) at 12 months. None of the studies reported loss of 0.2 logMAR acuity. The data on corneal thickness were inconsistent. There were no data available on quality of life or costs. Adverse effects were not uncommon but mostly transient and of low clinical significance. In one trial, 3 out of 12 participants treated with CXL had an adverse effect including corneal oedema, anterior chamber inflammation, and recurrent corneal erosions. In one trial at 3 years 3 out of 50 participants experienced adverse events including mild diffuse corneal oedema and paracentral infiltrate, peripheral corneal vascularisation, and subepithelial infiltrates and anterior chamber inflammation. No adverse effects were reported in the control groups.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The evidence for the use of CXL in the management of keratoconus is limited due the lack of properly conducted RCTs.
Topics: Adult; Collagen; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Linking Reagents; Disease Progression; Humans; Keratoconus; Photosensitizing Agents; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Riboflavin; Ultraviolet Therapy
PubMed: 25803325
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010621.pub2 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Aug 2023Macular hole (MH) is a full-thickness defect in the central portion of the retina that causes loss of central vision. According to the usual definition, a large MH has a... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Macular hole (MH) is a full-thickness defect in the central portion of the retina that causes loss of central vision. According to the usual definition, a large MH has a diameter greater than 400 µm at the narrowest point. For closure of MH, there is evidence that pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling achieves better anatomical outcomes than standard PPV. PPV with ILM peeling is currently the standard of care for MH management; however, the failure rate of this technique is higher for large MHs than for smaller MHs. Some studies have shown that the inverted ILM flap technique is superior to conventional ILM peeling for the management of large MHs.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of pars plana vitrectomy with the inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique versus pars plana vitrectomy with conventional internal limiting membrane peeling for treating large macular holes, including idiopathic, traumatic, and myopic macular holes.
SEARCH METHODS
The Cochrane Eyes and Vision Information Specialist searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, two other databases, and two trials registries on 12 December 2022.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated PPV with ILM peeling versus PPV with inverted ILM flap for treatment of large MHs (with a basal diameter greater than 400 µm at the narrowest point measured by optical coherence tomography) of any type (idiopathic, traumatic, or myopic).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane and assessed the certainty of the body of evidence using GRADE.
MAIN RESULTS
We included four RCTs (285 eyes of 275 participants; range per study 24 to 91 eyes). Most participants were women (63%), and of older age (range of means 59.4 to 66 years). Three RCTs were single-center trials, and the same surgeon performed all surgeries in two RCTs (the third single-center RCT did not report the number of surgeons). One RCT was a multicenter trial (three sites), and four surgeons performed all surgeries. Two RCTs took place in India, one in Poland, and one in Mexico. Maximum follow-up ranged from three months (2 RCTs) to 12 months (1 RCT). No RCTs reported conflicts of interest or disclosed financial support. All four RCTs enrolled people with large idiopathic MHs and compared conventional PPV with ILM peeling versus PPV with inverted ILM flap techniques. Variations in technique across the four RCTs were minimal. There was some heterogeneity in interventions: in two RCTs, all participants underwent combined cataract-PPV surgery, whereas in one RCT, some participants underwent cataract surgery after PPV (the fourth RCT did not mention cataract surgery). The critical outcomes for this review were mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and MH closure rates. All four RCTs provided data for meta-analyses of both critical outcomes. We assessed the risk of bias for both outcomes using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB 2); there were some concerns for risk of bias associated with lack of masking of outcome assessors and selective reporting of outcomes in all RCTs. All RCTs reported postoperative BCVA values; only one RCT reported the change in BCVA from baseline. Based on evidence from the four RCTs, it is unclear if the inverted ILM flap technique compared with ILM peeling reduces (improves) postoperative BCVA measured on a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart at one month (mean difference [MD] -0.08 logMAR, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.20 to 0.05; P = 0.23, I = 65%; 4 studies, 254 eyes; very low-certainty evidence), but it may improve BCVA at three months or more (MD -0.17 logMAR, 95% CI -0.23 to -0.10; P < 0.001, I = 0%; 4 studies, 276 eyes; low-certainty evidence). PPV with an inverted ILM flap compared to PPV with ILM peeling probably increases the proportion of eyes achieving MH closure (risk ratio [RR] 1.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.18; P = 0.01, I = 0%; 4 studies, 276 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence) and type 1 MH closure (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.66; P = 0.03, I² = 69%; 4 studies, 276 eyes; moderate-certainty evidence). One study reported that none of the 38 participants experienced postoperative retinal detachment.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
We found low-certainty evidence from four small RCTs that PPV with the inverted ILM flap technique is superior to PPV with ILM peeling with respect to BCVA gains at three or more months after surgery. We also found moderate-certainty evidence that the inverted ILM flap technique achieves more overall and type 1 MH closures. There is a need for high-quality multicenter RCTs to ascertain whether the inverted ILM flap technique is superior to ILM peeling with regard to anatomical and functional outcomes. Investigators should use the standard logMAR charts when measuring BCVA to facilitate comparison across trials.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Cataract; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Myopia; Retina; Retinal Perforations; Retrospective Studies; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Visual Acuity; Vitrectomy
PubMed: 37548231
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD015031.pub2 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2022Osteoporosis (OP) is an age-related bone disease that has emerged as a worldwide public health concern due to its increasing incidence and high disability rate....
Osteoporosis (OP) is an age-related bone disease that has emerged as a worldwide public health concern due to its increasing incidence and high disability rate. Tanshinol [D (+) β-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl lactic acid, TS], a water-soluble component extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, has proven to be effective in attenuating OP and . However, there is insufficient evidence to support its clinical application. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate available OP animal model studies to demonstrate the antiosteoporosis effects of TS in a systematic manner. Electronic searches of related studies were conducted in the following databases: EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese VIP Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang. The retrieval date was January 2022, and there were no time or language restrictions. The CAMARADES 10-item quality checklist was utilized to test the risk of potential bias for each study, and modifications were performed accordingly. The primary outcome was bone mineral density (BMD, which included the femur and lumbar spine); and secondary outcomes were parameters for trabecular bone such as bone volume over total volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), conditions of the femur (including bone maximum load and bone elastic load), and markers of bone metabolism (serum osteocalcin, S-OCN). A total of nine studies including 176 rats were chosen for this analysis. Egger's test revealed the presence of publication bias in various studies regarding the primary outcome. According to this systematic review, TS significantly increased the BMD of the femur (BMD-femur) ( = 4.40; 95% CI = 1.61 to 7.19; = 0.002, = 94.6%), BMD of the lumbar spine (BMD-lumbar) (SMD = 6.390; 95% CI = 2.036 to 10.744; = 0.004, = 95.9%), BV/TV (SMD = 0.790; 95% CI = 0.376 to 1.204; = 0.000, = 10.8), Tb.N (SMD = 0.690; 95% CI = 0.309 to 1.071; = 0.000, = 12%), Tb.Th (SMD = 0.772; 95% CI = 0.410 to 1.134; = 0.000, = 32.2%), and S-OCN (SMD = 3.13; 95% CI = 0.617 to 5.65; = 0.015, = 92.3%), while the Tb.Sp level was markedly decreased in OP models in comparison to the controls (SMD = -0.822; 95% CI = -1.207 to -0.437; = 0.000, = 0%). Moreover, TS treatment was associated with a significant improvement of the bone biomechanical indicators, including bone maximum load (SMD = 0.912; 95% CI = 0.370 to 1.455; = 0.001, = 40%) and elasticity load (SM = 0.821; 95% CI = 0.290 to 1.351; = 0.002, = 0%). Collectively, our findings suggest that TS can improve BMD, bone microarchitecture, bone biomechanics, and S-OCN expression in rats, implying that it could be used clinically in the future. https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-3-0053/, identifier [INPLASY202230053].
PubMed: 36034813
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.937538 -
American Journal of Translational... 2023Whether inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) promotes the regression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque in statin-treated individuals... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Whether inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) promotes the regression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque in statin-treated individuals remains unclear. This study examined whether PCSK9 inhibitors combined with statin therapy could increase atherosclerotic plaque regression compared with statin therapy alone.
METHODS
PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the database Clinical trials, and the Web of Science were searched to report the coronary atherosclerotic plaque of PCSK9 inhibitors using intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) or optical coherence tomography (OCT) in statin patients. The weighted mean difference (WMD) of the random-effects/fixed-effects model was used to pool data that satisfied our inclusion criteria obtained from the included studies.
RESULTS
When compared with statin therapy alone, pooled studies revealed that PCSK9 inhibitors combined with statin therapy significantly decreased percent atheroma volume (PAV) (WMD: -1.06%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.39 to -0.73; P<0.001) and total atheroma volume (TAV) (WMD: -6.38 mm, 95% CI: -10.12 to -2.64; P=0.001). Moreover, the fibrous cap thickness (FCT) of the coronary atherosclerotic plaque increases to 21.31 um (WMD: 21.31, 95% CI: 7.08 to 35.53, P<0.001), and the maximum lipid arc decreases 10.9° (WMD: -10.9, 95% CI: -15.24 to -5.34, P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
In our systematic review and meta-analysis, PCSK9 inhibitors combined with statin therapy were found to be more effective than statin therapy alone for slowing coronary plaque progression by decreasing PAV, TAV, and increasing FCT, maximum lipid arc.
PubMed: 36777825
DOI: No ID Found -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Oct 2009Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) causes considerable morbidity and mortality. Hypertension is a risk factor for PAD. Treatment for hypertension must be compatible with... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) causes considerable morbidity and mortality. Hypertension is a risk factor for PAD. Treatment for hypertension must be compatible with the symptoms of PAD. Controversy regarding the effects of beta-blockade for hypertension in patients with PAD has led many physicians to stop prescribing beta-blockers. Little is known about the effects of other classes of anti-hypertensive drugs in the presence of PAD. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2003.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the effects of anti-hypertensive drugs on cardiovascular events and death, symptoms of claudication, critical leg ischaemia, progression of PAD and revascularisation or amputation in people with hypertension and PAD SEARCH STRATEGY: The Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group searched their Specialised Register (last searched May 2009) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 2). The authors studied abstracts of cardiology meetings.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials of at least one anti-hypertensive treatment against placebo, or two anti-hypertensive medications against each other, with interventions lasting at least one month. Trials had to include patients with symptomatic PAD.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Data were extracted by one author (DAL) and checked by the other (GYHL). Eligible studies were excluded when results presentation prevented adequate extraction of data and enquiries to authors did not yield raw data.
MAIN RESULTS
Four studies were included. Two compared ACE inhibitors against placebo. In the HOPE study there was a significant reduction in the number of cardiovascular events in 168 patients receiving ramipril (OR 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.58 to 0.91). In the second trial using perindopril in a small numbers of patients, there was a marginal increase in claudication distance but no change in ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) and a reduction in maximum walking distance.The third trial in patients undergoing angioplasty suggested that the calcium antagonist verapamil reduced restenosis, although this was not reflected in the maintenance of a high ABPI. Another small study demonstrated no significant difference in arterial intima-media thickness with men receiving the thiazide diuretic hydrochlorathiazide compared to those receiving the alpha-adrenoreceptor blocker doxazosin.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Evidence on various anti-hypertensive drugs in people with PAD is poor so that it is unknown whether significant benefits or risks accrue from their use. Lack of data specifically examining outcomes in PAD patients should not detract from the compelling evidence of the benefit of treating hypertension and lowering blood pressure.
Topics: Antihypertensive Agents; Humans; Hypertension; Intermittent Claudication; Perindopril; Peripheral Vascular Diseases; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Verapamil
PubMed: 19821300
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003075.pub2 -
PeerJ 2023Tensiomyography (TMG) is a non-invasive instrument for measuring mechanical muscle contraction characteristics and measuring the maximum displacement of the muscle belly...
BACKGROUND
Tensiomyography (TMG) is a non-invasive instrument for measuring mechanical muscle contraction characteristics and measuring the maximum displacement of the muscle belly in the radial direction with respect to the muscle and the time needed to achieve this from electrical stimulation. There have been only been a reports of TMG in healthy adults. A systematic review of TMG reported a low proportion of female participants, with a small sample size. Therefore, it is unclear whether there is a difference in TMG parameters according to sex and between dominant and non-dominant feet. Furthermore, the relationship between TMG parameters and evaluations commonly used in clinical practice has not been clarified. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of muscle contraction of the rectus femoris using TMG according to sex among healthy college students and its relationship with muscle function evaluation, such as lower limb muscle mass and muscle strength.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 91 healthy university students (18-24 years). Five tools were used: TMG, lower-limb muscle mass, rectus femoris thickness, isometric knee joint extension torque, and thigh circumference. Each parameter was compared by the generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) and Bonferroni's multiple comparison test, with sex as the without-subject factor and dominant/non-dominant foot as the within-subject factor. The correlation between the TMG parameters and other parameters was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient for both males and females.
RESULTS
The results of the GLMM, in terms of the TMG parameters, an interaction was observed for maximum displacement (Dm); in the results of the multiple comparison test, Dm for the non-dominant leg was significantly lower in females than in males. A main effect and interaction were not observed for delay time (Td) and contraction time (Tc) by sex, dominant foot, or non-dominant foot. There was a main effect of sex on muscle function evaluation parameters (ρ ≤ 0.05). The correlation between TMG parameters for males and females and lower limb muscle mass, muscle thickness, joint torque, and thigh circumference were significantly correlated with some TMG parameters, lower limb muscle mass and muscle thickness (ρ ≤ 0.05). The absolute value of the correlation coefficient was low overall (0.20-0.38).
CONCLUSION
In healthy college students, TMG parameters for the rectus femoris showed sex differences in Dm, and there was a weak correlation between TMG parameters and lower limb muscle mass. TMG parameter evaluation may indicate a different function compared to the traditional muscle function assessment used in clinical practice. When using the Dm of the TMG as an evaluation battery for the rectus femoris muscle, it is important to consider sex-related differences.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Male; Quadriceps Muscle; Cross-Sectional Studies; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Skeletal; Lower Extremity
PubMed: 36655037
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14732 -
European Radiology May 2024This systematic review aimed to appraise the reliability and comprehensiveness of imaging methods in studies that used three-dimensional assessment of the... (Review)
Review
Recommendations for standard criteria for the positional and morphological evaluation of temporomandibular joint osseous structures using cone-beam CT: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review aimed to appraise the reliability and comprehensiveness of imaging methods in studies that used three-dimensional assessment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in order to propose a standardized imaging method.
METHODS
Six databases/search engines were searched up until September 2022. The outcomes of interest included measurements of the mandibular condyle, glenoid fossa, joint spaces, or the entire TMJ. Two checklists were utilized: one to assess the risk of bias, with a maximum score of 37, and the other, a pre-designed checklist consisting of 22 items to evaluate the comprehensiveness of the methods used, with a maximum score of 33.
RESULTS
Out of the 2567 records retrieved, only 14 studies, which used cone bean computed tomography (CBCT), were deemed eligible and thus included in the qualitative analysis. Three studies were deemed of low risk of bias, while the remaining studies were rated as moderate to high risk of bias, primarily due to improper reporting of inter-observer agreement, varying reliability values, and a limited number of cases included in the reliability analysis. Regarding the comprehensiveness of the methods used, only four studies achieved relatively high scores. The deficiencies observed were related to the reporting of variables such as slice thickness and voxel size, absence of or improper reporting of intra- and inter-examiner reliability analyses, and failure to assess all osseous components of the TMJ.
CONCLUSION
CBCT-based methods used to assess the positions and morphology of TMJ bony structures appear to be imperfect and lacking in comprehensiveness. Hence, criteria for a standardized assessment method of these TMJ structures are proposed.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT
Accurately, comprehensively, and reliably assessing the osseous structures of the temporomandibular joint will provide valid and valuable diagnostic features of the normal temporomandibular joint, and help establish potential associations between these osseous features and temporomandibular disorders.
REGISTRATION
The protocol for this systematic review was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, No.: CRD42020199792).
KEY POINTS
•Although many methods have been introduced to assess the osseous structure of the temporomandibular joint, they yielded inconsistent findings. •None of the published studies comprehensively assessed the temporomandibular joint. •Recommendations for a comprehensive temporomandibular joint osseous assessment method were suggested for better validity and reliability of future research.
Topics: Humans; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Temporomandibular Joint; Reproducibility of Results; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
PubMed: 37878020
DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-10248-4