-
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology :... Oct 2015To review the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) in the preoperative detection of deep myometrial infiltration in patients with endometrial cancer,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To review the diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) in the preoperative detection of deep myometrial infiltration in patients with endometrial cancer, comparing subjective and objective methods.
METHODS
An extensive search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE for studies published between January 1989 and December 2014. The eligibility criterion was use of TVS for preoperative assessment of myometrial infiltration by subjective evaluation and/or objective measurements. Objective measurements included, specifically, the approaches of Gordon (ratio of the distance between endometrium-myometrium interface and maximum tumor depth to the total myometrial thickness) and Karlsson (endometrial tumor thickness/anteroposterior uterine diameter ratio), in women with endometrial cancer, using the surgical pathological data as a reference standard. Study quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool.
RESULTS
Our extended search identified a total of 184 citations, among which we examined the full text of 24 articles. Overall pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+) and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of TVS for detecting deep myometrial infiltration were 82% (95% CI, 76-87%), 81% (95% CI, 76-85%), 4.3 (95% CI, 3.6-5.3) and 0.22 (95% CI, 0.16-0.30), respectively. We did not observe differences among the three methods in terms of diagnostic performance. Significant heterogeneity was found for sensitivity and specificity of all three methods (I(2) range, 60.6-95.0). The main limitation was that very few studies compared different approaches in the same set of patients.
CONCLUSION
Diagnostic performance of TVS for detecting deep myometrial infiltration in women with endometrial cancer is moderate.
Topics: Endometrial Neoplasms; Endosonography; Female; Humans; Myometrium; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Preoperative Care; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Vagina
PubMed: 26011665
DOI: 10.1002/uog.14905 -
Sports Medicine - Open Nov 2023Understanding the physical qualities of male, adolescent rugby league players across age groups is essential for practitioners to manage long-term player development....
What Tests are Used to Assess the Physical Qualities of Male, Adolescent Rugby League Players? A Systematic Review of Testing Protocols and Reported Data Across Adolescent Age Groups.
BACKGROUND
Understanding the physical qualities of male, adolescent rugby league players across age groups is essential for practitioners to manage long-term player development. However, there are many testing options available to assess these qualities, and differences in tests and testing protocols can profoundly influence the data obtained.
OBJECTIVES
The aims of this systematic review were to: (1) identify the most frequently used tests to assess key physical qualities in male, adolescent rugby league players (12-19 years of age); (2) examine the testing protocols adopted in studies using these tests; and (3) synthesise the available data from studies using the most frequently used tests according to age group.
METHODS
A systematic search of five databases was conducted. For inclusion, studies were required to: (1) be original research that contained original data published in a peer-reviewed journal; (2) report data specifically for male, adolescent rugby league players; (3) report the age for the recruited participants to be between 12 and 19 years; (4) report data for any anthropometric quality and one other physical quality and identify the test(s) used to assess these qualities; and (5) be published in English with full-text availability. Weighted means and standard deviations were calculated for each physical quality for each age group arranged in 1-year intervals (i.e., 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 years) across studies.
RESULTS
37 studies were included in this systematic review. The most frequently used tests to assess anthropometric qualities were body mass, standing height, and sum of four skinfold sites. The most frequently used tests to assess other physical qualities were the 10-m sprint (linear speed), 505 Agility Test (change-of-direction speed), Multistage Fitness Test (aerobic capacity), bench press and back squat one-repetition maximum tests (muscular strength), and medicine ball throw (muscular power). Weighted means calculated across studies generally demonstrated improvements in player qualities across subsequent age groups, except for skinfold thickness and aerobic capacity. However, weighted means could not be calculated for the countermovement jump.
CONCLUSION
Our review identifies the most frequently used tests, but highlights variability in the testing protocols adopted. If these tests are used in future practice, we provide recommended protocols in accordance with industry standards for most tests. Finally, we provide age-specific references for frequently used tests that were implemented with consistent protocols. Clinical Trial Registration This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Review and Meta-analysis guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021267795).
PubMed: 37947891
DOI: 10.1186/s40798-023-00650-z -
Scientific Reports Sep 2017Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder but data on survival rates are still conflicting and have not so far been... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder but data on survival rates are still conflicting and have not so far been quantitatively reviewed. The aim of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis of cohort studies to assess pooled survival rates and prognostic factors for survival in patients with HCM. Nineteen studies were included representing 12,146 HCM patients. The pooled 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year survival rates were 98.0%, 94.3%, 82.2% and 75.0%, respectively. Among patients with HCM, age, NYHA functional class, family history of sudden death (FHSD), syncope, atrial fibrillation, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT), maximum left ventricular wall thickness and obstruction were significant prognostic factors for cardiovascular death. For sudden cardiac death, FHSD, nsVT, and obstruction showed significant predictive values. Moreover, estimation of population attributable risk (PAR) suggested that nsVT was the strongest predictor for cardiovascular death (13.02%, 95% CI 3.60-25.91%), while left ventricular outflow tract obstruction/mid-ventricular obstruction (LVO/MVO) was the strongest predictor for all-cause death and sudden cardiac death (10.09%, 95% CI 4.72-20.42% and 16.44%, 95% CI 7.45-31.55%, respectively). These risk factors may thus be useful for identifying HCM patients who might benefit from early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Risk Factors; Survival Analysis; Young Adult
PubMed: 28931939
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12289-4 -
European Urology Mar 2017Several noninvasive tests have been developed for diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in men to avoid the burden and morbidity associated with invasive... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
Several noninvasive tests have been developed for diagnosing bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in men to avoid the burden and morbidity associated with invasive urodynamics. The diagnostic accuracy of these tests, however, remains uncertain.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review available evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of noninvasive tests in diagnosing BOO in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) using a pressure-flow study as the reference standard.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
The EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central, Google Scholar, and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal databases were searched up to May 18, 2016. All studies reporting diagnostic accuracy for noninvasive tests for BOO or detrusor underactivity in men with LUTS compared to pressure-flow studies were included. Two reviewers independently screened all articles, searched the reference lists of retrieved articles, and performed the data extraction. The quality of evidence and risk of bias were assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
The search yielded 2774 potentially relevant reports. After screening titles and abstracts, 53 reports were retrieved for full-text screening, of which 42 (recruiting a total of 4444 patients) were eligible. Overall, the results were predominantly based on findings from nonrandomised experimental studies and, within the limits of such study designs, the quality of evidence was typically moderate across the literature. Differences in noninvasive test threshold values and variations in the urodynamic definition of BOO between studies limited the comparability of the data. Detrusor wall thickness (median sensitivity 82%, specificity 92%), near-infrared spectroscopy (median sensitivity 85%, specificity 87%), and the penile cuff test (median sensitivity 88%, specificity 75%) were all found to have high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing BOO. Uroflowmetry with a maximum flow rate of <10ml/s was reported to have lower median sensitivity and specificity of 68% and 70%, respectively. Intravesical prostatic protrusion of >10mm was reported to have similar diagnostic accuracy, with median sensitivity of 68% and specificity of 75%.
CONCLUSIONS
According to the literature, a number of noninvasive tests have high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing BOO in men. However, although the majority of studies have a low overall risk of bias, the available evidence is limited by heterogeneity. While several tests have shown promising results regarding noninvasive assessment of BOO, invasive urodynamics remain the gold standard.
PATIENT SUMMARY
Urodynamics is an accurate but potentially uncomfortable test for patients in diagnosing bladder problems such as obstruction. We performed a thorough and comprehensive review of the literature to determine if there were less uncomfortable but equally effective alternatives to urodynamics for diagnosing bladder problems. We found that some simple tests appear to be promising, although they are not as accurate. Further research is needed before these tests are routinely used in place of urodynamics.
Topics: Humans; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; Male; Pressure; Prostate; Sensitivity and Specificity; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Doppler; Urinary Bladder; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction; Urodynamics
PubMed: 27687821
DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2016.09.026 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2013Peripheral 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-adrenoreceptor blockade for hypertension in patients with PAD has led many physicians to stop prescribing beta-adrenoreceptor blockers. Little is known about the effects of other classes of anti-hypertensive drugs in the presence of PAD. This is the second update of a Cochrane review first published in 2003.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the effects of anti-hypertensive drugs in patients with both raised blood pressure and symptomatic PAD in terms of the rate of cardiovascular events and death, symptoms of claudication and critical leg ischaemia, and progression of atherosclerotic PAD as measured by ankle brachial index (ABI) changes and the need for revascularisation (reconstructive surgery or angioplasty) or amputation.
SEARCH METHODS
For this update the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Trials Search Co-ordinator searched the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Specialised Register (last searched March 2013) and CENTRAL (2013, Issue 2).
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) 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). Potentially eligible studies were excluded when the results presentation prevented adequate extraction of data and enquiries to authors did not yield raw data.
MAIN RESULTS
Eight RCTs were included with a total of 3610 PAD patients. Four studies compared a recognised class of anti-hypertensive treatment with placebo and four studies compared two anti-hypertensive treatments with each other. Studies were not pooled due to the variation of the comparisons and the outcomes presented. Overall the quality of the available evidence was unclear, primarily as a result of a lack of detail in the study reports on the randomisation and blinding procedures and incomplete outcome data. Two studies compared angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors against placebo. In one study there was a significant reduction in the number of cardiovascular events in patients receiving ramipril (odds ratio (OR) 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58 to 0.91; n = 1725). In the second trial using perindopril (n = 52) there was a marginal increase in claudication distance but no change in ABI and a reduction in maximum walking distance. A trial comparing the calcium antagonist verapamil versus placebo in patients undergoing angioplasty (n = 96) suggested that verapamil reduced restenosis (per cent diameter stenosis (± SD) 48.0% ± 11.5 versus 69.6% ± 12.2; P < 0.01), although this was not reflected in the maintenance of a high ABI (0.76 ± 0.10 versus 0.72 ± 0.08 for verapamil versus placebo). Another study (n = 80) demonstrated no significant difference in arterial intima-media thickness (IMT) in men receiving the thiazide diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) compared to those receiving the alpha-adrenoreceptor blocker doxazosin (-0.12 ± 0.14 mm and -0.08 ± 0.13 mm, respectively; P = 0.66). A study (n = 36) comparing telmisartan to placebo found a significant improvement in maximum walking distance at 12 months with telmisartan (median (interquartile range (IQR)) 191 m (157 to 226) versus 103 m (76 to 164); P < 0.001) but no differences in ABI (median (IQR) 0.60 (0.60 to 0.77) versus 0.52 (0.48 to 0.67)) or arterial IMT (median (IQR) 0.08 cm (0.07 to 0.09) versus 0.09 cm (0.08 to 0.10)). Two studies compared the beta-adrenoreceptor blocker nebivolol with either the thiazide diuretic HCTZ or with metoprolol. Both studies found no significant differences in intermittent or absolute claudication distance, ABI, or all-cause mortality between the anti-hypertensives. A subgroup analysis of PAD patients (n = 2699) in a study which compared a calcium antagonist-based strategy (verapamil slow release (SR) ± trandolapril) to a beta-adrenoreceptor blocker-based strategy (atenolol ± hydrochlorothiazide) found no significant differences in the composite endpoints of death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke with or without revascularisation (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.07 and OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.13, respectively).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Evidence on the use of various anti-hypertensive drugs in people with PAD is poor so that it is unknown whether significant benefits or risks accrue. However, lack of data specifically examining outcomes in PAD patients should not detract from the overwhelming evidence on the benefit of treating hypertension and lowering blood pressure.
Topics: Antihypertensive Agents; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Intermittent Claudication; Male; Peripheral Vascular Diseases; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 24307487
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003075.pub3 -
European Journal of Preventive... Oct 2021Smoking has been consistently associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults. Although exposure to tobacco products often starts in early life, evidence for the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Smoking has been consistently associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults. Although exposure to tobacco products often starts in early life, evidence for the possible adverse effects on the cardiovascular system of the young is scarce. We sought to derive pooled estimates of smoking effects on indices of early vascular damage in children and adolescents.
DESIGN AND METHODS
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies involving young individuals up to 21 years old that provided data on smoking exposure (active or passive) and flow-mediated dilatation, carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity and maximum carotid intima-media thickness. We employed three distinct methodologies of random-effects data synthesis, including the Sidik-Jonkman estimator, the Hartung and Knapp correction and a Bayesian method with a well-informed prior on the level of between-study variance.
RESULTS
In 12 studies and 5279 individuals in total, smoking exposure was related to deterioration in all three outcomes (mean adjusted flow-mediated dilatation decrease: -0.77%, 95% confidence interval -1.38--0.15, mean adjusted pulse wave velocity increase: 0.1 m/s, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.17 and mean adjusted carotid intima-media thickness increase: 0.35 mm, 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.55, for the Sidik-Jonkman estimator). No difference was established between active and passive smoking on associations with arterial damage.
CONCLUSIONS
Exposure to tobacco products is associated with subclinical vascular damage early in life, even from childhood. Public health initiatives should target these very young age groups to prevent early smoking exposure and associated arterial damage and its sequelae.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bayes Theorem; Carotid Arteries; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Child; Humans; Pulse Wave Analysis; Risk Factors; Smoking; Nicotiana
PubMed: 31747795
DOI: 10.1177/2047487319883557 -
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living 2021Post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI) is a widely accepted recovery strategy for maintaining physical performance output. However, existing review articles about the...
Post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI) is a widely accepted recovery strategy for maintaining physical performance output. However, existing review articles about the effects of CWI commonly pool data from very heterogenous study designs and thus, do rarely differentiate between different muscles, different CWI-protocols (duration, temperature, etc.), different forms of activating the muscles before CWI, and different thickness of the subcutaneous adipose tissue. This systematic review therefore aimed to investigate the effects of one particular post-exercise CWI protocol (10°C for 10 min) on intramuscular temperature changes in the quadriceps femoris muscle while accounting for skinfold thickness. An electronic search was conducted on PubMed, LIVIVO, Cochrane Library, and PEDro databases. Pooled data on intramuscular temperature changes were plotted with respect to intramuscular depth to visualize the influence of skinfold thickness. Spearman's rho (r) was used to assess a possible linear association between skinfold thickness and intramuscular temperature changes. A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effect of CWI on pre-post intramuscular temperature for each measurement depth. A total of six articles met the inclusion criteria. Maximum intramuscular temperature reduction was 6.40°C with skinfold thickness of 6.50 mm at a depth of 1 cm, 4.50°C with skinfold thickness of 11.00 mm at a depth of 2 cm, and only 1.61°C with skinfold thickness of 10.79 mm at a depth of 3 cm. However, no significant correlations between skinfold thickness and intramuscular temperature reductions were observed at a depth of 1 cm ( = 0.0), at 2 cm ( = -0.8) and at 3 cm ( = -0.5; all > 0.05). The CWI protocol resulted in significant temperature reductions in the muscle tissue layers at 1 cm ( = -1.92 [95% CI: -3.01 to -0.83] and 2 cm ( = -1.63 [95% CI: -2.20 to -1.06]) but not at 3 cm ( < 0.05). Skinfold thickness and thus, subcutaneous adipose tissue, seems to influence temperature reductions in the muscle tissue only to a small degree. These findings might be useful for practitioners as they demonstrate different intramuscular temperature reductions after a specific post-exercise CWI protocol (10°C for 10 min) in the quadriceps femoris muscle.
PubMed: 34027405
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2021.660092 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jun 2024Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and is a leading cause of vision loss... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
RATIONALE
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and is a leading cause of vision loss and disability worldwide. Although intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy is an effective treatment option that helps to prevent vision loss or to improve visual acuity in people with neovascular AMD, treatment imposes a significant financial burden on patients and healthcare systems. A biosimilar is a biological product that has been developed to be nearly identical to a previously approved biological product. The use of biosimilars may help reduce costs and so may increase patient access to effective biologic medicines with similar levels of safety to the drugs on which they are based.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the benefits and harms of anti-VEGF biosimilar agents compared with their corresponding anti-VEGF agents (i.e. the reference products) that have obtained regulatory approval for intravitreal injections in people with neovascular AMD.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, two other databases, and two trials registries together with reference checking and contact with study authors to identify studies that are included in the review. The latest search date was 2 June 2023.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared approved anti-VEGF biosimilars with their reference products for treating the eyes of adult participants (≥ 50 years) who had an active primary or recurrent choroidal neovascularization lesion secondary to neovascular AMD.
OUTCOMES
Our outcomes were: best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central subfield thickness (CST), vision-related quality of life, serious ocular and non-ocular adverse events (AE), treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), anti-drug antibodies (ADAs), and serum concentrations of biosimilars and reference drugs.
RISK OF BIAS
We assessed the risk of bias (RoB) for seven outcomes reported in a summary of findings table by using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool.
SYNTHESIS METHODS
We synthesized results for each outcome using meta-analysis, where possible, by calculating risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous outcomes and continuous outcomes, respectively. Where this was not possible due to the nature of the data, we summarized the results narratively. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence for prespecified outcomes.
INCLUDED STUDIES
We included nine parallel-group multi-center RCTs that enrolled a total of 3814 participants (3814 participating eyes), with sample sizes that ranged from 160 to 705 participants per study. The mean age of the participants in these studies ranged from 67 to 76 years, and the proportion of women ranged from 26.5% to 58.7%. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) was the reference product in seven studies, and aflibercept (Eyelea) was the reference product in two others. All the included studies had been supported by industry. The follow-up periods ranged from 12 to 52 weeks (median 48 weeks). Five studies (56%) were conducted in multi-country settings across Europe, North America and Asia, two studies in India, and one each in Japan and the Republic of Korea. We judged all the included studies to have met high methodological standards.
SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS
With regard to efficacy, our meta-analyses demonstrated that anti-VEGF biosimilars for neovascular AMD resulted in little to no difference compared with the reference products for BCVA change at 8 to 12 weeks (MD -0.55 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters, 95% CI -1.17 to 0.07; 8 studies, 3603 participants; high-certainty evidence) and the proportion of participants who lost fewer than 15 letters in BCVA at 24 to 48 weeks (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.01; 7 studies, 2658 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Almost all participants (96.6% in the biosimilar group and 97.0% in the reference product group) lost fewer than 15 letters in BCVA. The evidence from two studies suggested that there was no evidence of difference between biosimilars and reference products in vision-related quality of life measured by the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) summary scores at 24 to 48 weeks (MD 0.82, 95% CI -0.70 to 2.35; 2 studies, 894 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). With regard to the safety profile, meta-analyses also revealed little to no difference between anti-VEGF biosimilars and the reference products for the proportion of participants who experienced serious ocular AEs (RR 1.24, 95% CI 0.68 to 2.26; 7 studies, 3292 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), and for TEAEs leading to investigational product discontinuation or death (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.46; 8 studies, 3497 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Overall, 1.4% of participants in the biosimilar group and 1.2% in the reference product group experienced serious ocular adverse events. The most frequently documented serious ocular AEs were retinal hemorrhage and endophthalmitis. Although the evidence is of low certainty due to imprecision, meta-analysis suggested that anti-VEGF biosimilars led to no difference compared with the reference products for cumulative incidence of ADAs (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.22; 8 studies, 3066 participants; low-certainty evidence) or mean maximum serum concentrations (MD 0.42 ng/mL, 95% CI -0.22 to 1.05; subgroup of 3 studies, 100 participants; low-certainty evidence). We judged the overall risk of bias to be low for all studies.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
In our review, low to high certainty evidence suggests that there is little to no difference, to date, between the anti-VEGF biosimilars approved for treating neovascular AMD and their reference products in terms of benefits and harms. While anti-VEGF biosimilars may be a viable alternative to reference products, current evidence for their use is based on a limited number of studies - particularly for comparison with aflibercept - with sparse long-term safety data, and infrequent assessment of quality of life outcomes. Our effect estimates and conclusions may be modified once findings have been reported from studies that are currently ongoing, and studies of biosimilar agents that are currently in development.
FUNDING
Cochrane Eyes and Vision US Project is supported by grant UG1EY020522, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. Takeshi Hasegawa and Hisashi Noma were supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant numbers: 22H03554, 19K03092, 24K06239).
REGISTRATION
Protocol available via doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD015804.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Aptamers, Nucleotide; Bevacizumab; Bias; Biosimilar Pharmaceuticals; Choroidal Neovascularization; Intravitreal Injections; Macular Degeneration; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Ranibizumab; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Visual Acuity; Middle Aged; Male; Female
PubMed: 38829176
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD015804.pub2 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2022The purpose of the study is to compare the efficacy of standard epithelium-off CXL (SCXL), accelerated epithelium-off CXL (ACXL), and transepithelial crosslinking CXL...
Comparison of Efficacy and Safety Between Standard, Accelerated Epithelium-Off and Transepithelial Corneal Collagen Crosslinking in Pediatric Keratoconus: A Meta-Analysis.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the study is to compare the efficacy of standard epithelium-off CXL (SCXL), accelerated epithelium-off CXL (ACXL), and transepithelial crosslinking CXL (TECXL) for pediatric keratoconus.
METHODS
A literature search on the efficacy of SCXL, ACXL, and TECXL [including accelerated TECXL (A-TECXL)] for keratoconus patients younger than 18 years was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and EMBASE up to 2021. Primary outcomes were changes in uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and maximum keratometry (Kmax) after CXL. Secondary outcomes were changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE), and central corneal thickness (CCT). Estimations were analyzed by weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
RESULTS
A number of eleven identified studies enrolled 888 eyes (SCXL: 407 eyes; ACXL: 297 eyes; TECXL: 28 eyes; A-TECXL: 156 eyes). For pediatric keratoconus, except for a significant greater improvement in BCVA at 24-month follow-up in SCXL (WMD = -0.08, 95%CI: -0.14 to -0.01, = 0.03, I = 71%), no significant difference was observed in other outcomes between the SCXL and ACXL groups. SCXL seems to provide greater changes in UCVA (WMD = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.34 to -0.13, < 0.00001, I = 89%), BCVA (WMD = -0.09, 95% CI: -0.15 to -0.04, = 0.0008, I = 94%), and Kmax (WMD = -1.93, 95% CI: -3.02 to -0.85, = 0.0005, I = 0%) than A-TECXL, with higher incidence of adverse events.
CONCLUSION
For pediatric keratoconus, both SCXL and ACXL appear to be comparable in the efficacy of visual effects and keratometric outcomes; SCXL seems to provide greater changes in visual and pachymetric outcomes than A-TECXL.
PubMed: 35372437
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.787167 -
Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica... Aug 2021Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of adenomyosis is considered the most accurate non-invasive technique, but remains subjective, with no consensus on which... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of adenomyosis is considered the most accurate non-invasive technique, but remains subjective, with no consensus on which diagnostic parameters are most accurate. We aimed to systematically review the literature on how adenomyosis can be objectively quantified on MRI in a scoping manner, to review the diagnostic performance of these characteristics compared with histopathological diagnosis, and to summarize correlations between measures of adenomyosis on MRI and clinical outcomes.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
We searched databases Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane for relevant literature up to April 2020 according to PRISMA guidelines. We included studies that objectively assessed adenomyosis on MRI, and separately assessed studies investigating the diagnostic performance of MRI vs histopathology for inclusion in a meta-analysis. The QUADAS-2 tool was used for risk of bias, with many studies showing an unclear or high risk of bias.
RESULTS
Eighty studies were included, of which 14 assessed the diagnostic performance of individual MRI parameters, with four included in the meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy. Common MRI parameters were: junctional zone (JZ) characteristics, such as maximum JZ thickness-pooled sensitivity 71.6% (95% CI 46.0%-88.2%), specificity 85.5% (52.3%-97.0%); JZ differential-pooled sensitivity 58.9% (95% CI 44.3%-72.1%), specificity 83.2% (95% CI 71.3%-90.8%); and JZ to myometrial ratio-pooled sensitivity 63.3% (95% CI 51.9%-73.4%), specificity 79.4% (95% CI 42.0%-95.4%); adenomyosis lesion size, uterine morphology (pooled sensitivity 42.9% (95% CI 15.9%-74.9%), specificity 87.7%, (95% CI 37.9-98.8) and changes in signal intensity-eg, presence of myometrium cysts; pooled 59.6% (95% CI 41.6%-75.4%) and specificity of 96.1% (95% CI 80.7%-99.3%). Other MRI parameters have been used for adenomyosis diagnosis, but their diagnostic performance is unknown. Few studies attempted to correlate adenomyosis MRI phenotype to clinical outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
A wide range of objective parameters for adenomyosis exist on MRI; however, in many cases their individual diagnostic performance remains uncertain. JZ characteristics remain the most widely used and investigated with acceptable diagnostic accuracy. Specific research is needed into how these objective measures of adenomyosis can be correlated to clinical outcomes.
Topics: Adenomyosis; Female; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Predictive Value of Tests
PubMed: 33682087
DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14139