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European Urology Oncology Jun 2022In the past 10 yr, several agents based on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) for positron emission tomography imaging have been introduced in clinical practice... (Review)
Review
[Ga]Ga-PSMA Versus [F]PSMA Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in the Staging of Primary and Recurrent Prostate Cancer. A Systematic Review of the Literature.
CONTEXT
In the past 10 yr, several agents based on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) for positron emission tomography imaging have been introduced in clinical practice for the management of patients with prostate cancer (PCa).
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the available data in the literature to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of [Ga]Ga-PSMA and [F]PSMA in different settings of PCa.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A systematic literature search was made by using two main databases. Only studies published in the past 5 yr (2016-2021) in the English language with >20 enrolled patients were selected. Two reviewers independently appraised each article using a standard protocol. All the studies were analysed using a modified version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist for diagnostic test studies.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
The systematic evaluation was made in 12 papers. Based on the quality assessment, the analysed studies demonstrated different methodologies. Three papers focused on the head-to-head comparison between F- and [Ga]Ga-PSMA (n = 123 patients). A matched-pair comparison between F- and [Ga]Ga-PSMA was reported in three papers, including 715 patients. The remaining papers used indiscriminately either Ga-PSMA or [F]PSMA (n = 1.157 patients). [F]PSMA-1007 is superior to [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 for the identification of local recurrence (less activity close to the bladder for [F]PSMA-1007). Nonspecific/equivocal bone lesions are often recognised at [F]PSMA-1007. [F]DCFPyL is more reproducible for the identification of lymph nodes, and it shows fewer equivocal skeletal lesions and higher inter-reader agreement on skeletal lesions.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite a large body of literature on PSMA radiopharmaceutical agents labelled with Ga or F, there are limited head-to-head or matched-pair comparative data. Certain clinical indications could trigger a preference, whilst caution is needed in interpreting potential false-positive findings, especially with [F]PSMA-1007. Given the excellent performance of all accessible radiopharmaceuticals, the availability of specific tracers will likely guide choice.
PATIENT SUMMARY
In this systematic review, we analysed the currently available literature focused on [Ga] and [F]-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen. Our purpose is to identify which tracers would be correctly employed for the management of patients with prostate cancer.
Topics: Gallium Isotopes; Gallium Radioisotopes; Humans; Male; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Prostatic Neoplasms; Radiopharmaceuticals
PubMed: 35367165
DOI: 10.1016/j.euo.2022.03.004 -
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Patients with Burns.Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Jun 2022Severely burned patients are at high risk for cardiopulmonary failure. Promising studies have stimulated interest in using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Severely burned patients are at high risk for cardiopulmonary failure. Promising studies have stimulated interest in using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a potential therapy for burn patients with refractory cardiac and/or respiratory failure. However, the findings from previous studies vary.
METHODS
In this study, the authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using standardized mortality ratios to elucidate the benefits associated with the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with burn and/or inhalation injuries. A literature search was performed, and clinical outcomes in the selected studies were compared.
RESULTS
The meta-analysis found that the observed mortality was significantly higher than the predicted mortality in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (standardized mortality ratio, 2.07; 95 percent CI, 1.04 to 4.14). However, the subgroup of burn patients with inhalation injuries had lower mortality rates compared to their predicted mortality rates (standardized mortality ratio, 0.95; 95 percent CI, 0.52 to 1.73). Other subgroup analyses reported no benefits from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; however, these results were not statistically significant. Interestingly, the pooled standardized mortality ratio values decreased as the selected patients' revised Baux scores increased (R = -0.92), indicating that the potential benefits from the treatment increased as the severity of patients with burns increased.
CONCLUSIONS
The authors' meta-analysis revealed that burn patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment were at a higher risk of death. However, select patients, including those with inhalation injuries and those with revised Baux scores over 90, would benefit from the treatment. The authors suggest that burn patients with inhalation injuries or with revised Baux scores exceeding 90 should be considered for the treatment and early transfer to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation center.
Topics: Burns; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; Humans; Respiratory Insufficiency; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35426867
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009149 -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2021Thanks to their biological properties, amniotic membrane (AM), and its derivatives are considered as an attractive reservoir of stem cells and biological scaffolds for...
Thanks to their biological properties, amniotic membrane (AM), and its derivatives are considered as an attractive reservoir of stem cells and biological scaffolds for bone regenerative medicine. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the benefit of using AM and amniotic membrane-derived products for bone regeneration. An electronic search of the MEDLINE-Pubmed database and the Scopus database was carried out and the selection of articles was performed following PRISMA guidelines. This systematic review included 42 articles taking into consideration the studies in which AM, amniotic-derived epithelial cells (AECs), and amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (AMSCs) show promising results for bone regeneration in animal models. Moreover, this review also presents some commercialized products derived from AM and discusses their application modalities. Finally, AM therapeutic benefit is highlighted in the reported clinical studies. This study is the first one to systematically review the therapeutic benefits of AM and amniotic membrane-derived products for bone defect healing. The AM is a promising alternative to the commercially available membranes used for guided bone regeneration. Additionally, AECs and AMSCs associated with an appropriate scaffold may also be ideal candidates for tissue engineering strategies applied to bone healing. Here, we summarized these findings and highlighted the relevance of these different products for bone regeneration.
PubMed: 34046400
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.661332 -
Science China. Life Sciences Feb 2024The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is composed of a continuous network of tubules and sheets, forms the most widely distributed membrane system in eukaryotic cells.... (Review)
Review
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is composed of a continuous network of tubules and sheets, forms the most widely distributed membrane system in eukaryotic cells. As a result, it engages a variety of organelles by establishing membrane contact sites (MCSs). These contacts regulate organelle positioning and remodeling, including fusion and fission, facilitate precise lipid exchange, and couple vital signaling events. Here, we systematically review recent advances and converging themes on ER-involved organellar contact. The molecular basis, cellular influence, and potential physiological functions for ER/nuclear envelope contacts with mitochondria, Golgi, endosomes, lysosomes, lipid droplets, autophagosomes, and plasma membrane are summarized.
Topics: Endoplasmic Reticulum; Golgi Apparatus; Cell Membrane; Mitochondria; Lysosomes; Endosomes
PubMed: 38212460
DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2443-9 -
Archives of Cardiovascular Diseases Jan 2021Recently, smart devices have been used for medical purposes, particularly to screen for atrial fibrillation. However, current data on the diagnostic performance of these... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Recently, smart devices have been used for medical purposes, particularly to screen for atrial fibrillation. However, current data on the diagnostic performance of these devices are scarce.
AIMS
We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis to assess the accuracy of atrial fibrillation diagnosis by smart gadgets/wearable devices.
METHODS
We comprehensively searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases for all works since the inception of each database until January 2020. Included in this review were published observational studies of the diagnostic accuracy of smartphones or smartwatches in detecting atrial fibrillation. We calculated the area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curves and pooled sensitivities and specificities.
RESULTS
Participants in our study were from the general population or were patients with underlying atrial fibrillation. In the overall analyses, the areas under the summary receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.96 and 0.94 for smartphones and smartwatches, respectively. Smartphones had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 96%, and smartwatches showed similar diagnostic accuracy, with a specificity of 94% and a sensitivity of 93%. In subgroup analyses, we found no difference in diagnostic accuracy between photoplethysmography and single-lead electrocardiography.
CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that smart devices have similar diagnostic accuracies. Regarding atrial fibrillation detection methods, there was also no difference between photoplethysmography and single-lead electrocardiography. However, further studies are warranted to determine their clinical implications in atrial fibrillation management.
Topics: Action Potentials; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Atrial Fibrillation; Female; Heart Conduction System; Heart Rate; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mobile Applications; Predictive Value of Tests; Reproducibility of Results; Smartphone; Telemetry; Wearable Electronic Devices; Wireless Technology
PubMed: 32921618
DOI: 10.1016/j.acvd.2020.05.015 -
Annals of Intensive Care Dec 2017Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rapidly expanding technique. We performed a... (Review)
Review
Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for refractory acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rapidly expanding technique. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the most recent literature to analyse complications and hospital mortality associated with this technique. Using the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analysis, MEDLINE and EMBASE were systematically searched for studies reporting complications and hospital mortality of adult patients receiving veno-venous ECMO for severe and refractory ARDS. Studies were screened for low bias risk and assessed for study size effect. Meta-analytic pooled estimation of study variables was performed using a weighted random effects model for study size. Models with potential moderators were explored using random effects meta-regression. Twelve studies fulfilled inclusion criteria, representing a population of 1042 patients with refractory ARDS. Pooled mortality at hospital discharge was 37.7% (CI 95% = 31.8-44.1; I = 74.2%). Adjusted mortality including one imputable missing study was 39.3% (CI 95% = 33.1-45.9). Meta-regression model combining patient age, year of study realization, mechanical ventilation (MV) days and prone positioning before veno-venous ECMO was associated with hospital mortality (p < 0.001; R = 0.80). Patient age (b = 0.053; p = 0.01) and maximum cannula size during treatment (b = -0.075; p = 0.008) were also independently associated with mortality. Studies reporting H1N1 patients presented inferior hospital mortality (24.8 vs 40.6%; p = 0.027). Complication rate was 40.2% (CI 95% = 25.8-56.5), being bleeding the most frequent 29.3% (CI 95% = 20.8-39.6). Mortality due to complications was 6.9% (CI 95% = 4.1-11.2). Mechanical complications were present in 10.9% of cases (CI 95% = 4.7-23.5), being oxygenator failure the most prevalent (12.8%; CI 95% = 7.1-21.7). Despite initial severity, significant portion of patients treated with veno-venous ECMO survive hospital discharge. Patient age, H1N1-ARDS and cannula size are independently associated with hospital mortality. Combined effect of patient age, year of study realization, MV days and prone positioning before veno-venous ECMO influence patient outcome, and although medical complications are frequent, their impact on mortality is limited.
PubMed: 28500585
DOI: 10.1186/s13613-017-0275-4 -
Infection and Drug Resistance 2017Over the decades, new antibacterial agents have been developed in an attempt to combat drug resistance, but they remain unsuccessful. Recently, a novel class of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Over the decades, new antibacterial agents have been developed in an attempt to combat drug resistance, but they remain unsuccessful. Recently, a novel class of bacterial gene expression regulators, bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), has received increasing attention toward their involvement in antibiotic resistance. This systematic review aimed to discuss the potential of these small molecules as antibacterial drug targets.
METHODS
Two investigators performed a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EmBase, and ISI Web of Knowledge from inception to October 2016, without restriction on language. We included all in vitro and in vivo studies investigating the role of bacterial sRNA in antibiotic resistance. Risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by a modified guideline of Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE).
RESULTS
Initial search yielded 432 articles. After exclusion of non-original articles, 20 were included in this review. Of these, all studies examined bacterial-type strains only. There were neither relevant in vivo nor clinical studies. The SYRCLE scores ranged from to 5 to 7, with an average of 5.9. This implies a moderate risk of bias. sRNAs influenced the antibiotics susceptibility through modulation of gene expression relevant to efflux pumps, cell wall synthesis, and membrane proteins.
CONCLUSION
Preclinical studies on bacterial-type strains suggest that modulation of sRNAs could enhance bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics. Further studies on clinical isolates and in vivo models are needed to elucidate the therapeutic value of sRNA modulation on treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection.
PubMed: 29290689
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S148444 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2021Infectious keratitis (IK) is the 5th leading cause of blindness globally. Broad-spectrum topical antimicrobial treatment is the current mainstay of treatment for IK,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Infectious keratitis (IK) is the 5th leading cause of blindness globally. Broad-spectrum topical antimicrobial treatment is the current mainstay of treatment for IK, though adjuvant treatment or surgeries are often required in refractory cases of IK. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of adjuvant amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) for treating IK. Electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central, were searched for relevant articles. All clinical studies, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized controlled studies and case series (n > 5), were included. Primary outcome measure was time to complete corneal healing and secondary outcome measures included corrected-distance-visual-acuity (CDVA), uncorrected-distance-visual-acuity (UDVA), corneal vascularization and adverse events. A total of twenty-eight studies (including four RCTs) with 861 eyes were included. When compared to standard antimicrobial treatment alone, adjuvant AMT resulted in shorter mean time to complete corneal healing (- 4.08 days; 95% CI - 6.27 to - 1.88; p < 0.001) and better UDVA (- 0.26 logMAR; - 0.50 to - 0.02; p = 0.04) at 1 month follow-up in moderate-to-severe bacterial and fungal keratitis, with no significant difference in the risk of adverse events (risk ratio 0.80; 0.46-1.38; p = 0.42). One RCT demonstrated that adjuvant AMT resulted in better CDVA and less corneal vascularization at 6 months follow-up (both p < 0.001). None of the RCTs examined the use of adjuvant AMT in herpetic or Acanthamoeba keratitis, though the benefit was supported by a number of case series. In conclusion, AMT serves as a useful adjuvant therapy in improving corneal healing and visual outcome in bacterial and fungal keratitis (low-quality evidence). Further adequately powered, high-quality RCTs are required to ascertain its therapeutic potential, particularly for herpetic and Acanthamoeba keratitis. Future standardization of the core outcome set in IK-related trials would be invaluable.
Topics: Amnion; Animals; Disease Management; Disease Susceptibility; Humans; Keratitis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34155280
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92366-x -
Perfusion Dec 2023The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been ongoing for over 3 years, during which numerous clinical and experimental studies have been conducted. The... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been ongoing for over 3 years, during which numerous clinical and experimental studies have been conducted. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the survival probability and complications of COVID-19 patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
METHODS
We searched the databases by using Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome-Study Design (PICOS). We conducted a search of the PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases to retrieve studies published until December 10, 2022. A random-effects meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, and assessed the studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score. The results were presented as pooled morbidity with 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS
The study was conducted on 19 studies that enrolled a total of 1494 patients, and the results showed a pooled survival probability of 66.0%. The pooled morbidity for intracranial hemorrhage was 8.7%, intracranial thrombosis 7.0%, pneumothorax 9.0%, pulmonary embolism 11.0%, pulmonary hemorrhage 9.0%, heart failure 14.0%, liver failure 13.0%, renal injury 44.0%, gastrointestinal hemorrhage 6.0%, gastrointestinal ischemia 6.0% and venous thrombosis 31.0%.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies focused on the survival probability and complications of COVID-19 patients undergoing ECMO, which are significant in evaluating the use of ECMO in COVID-19 patients and provide a basis for further research.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Our study was registered on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42022382555.
PubMed: 38158713
DOI: 10.1177/02676591231224645 -
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 2023Many lines of evidence suggest that mitochondria have a central role in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mitochondrial...
Many lines of evidence suggest that mitochondria have a central role in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mitochondrial dysfunction, cerebral energy dysmetabolism and oxidative damage increase with age, and are early event in AD pathophysiology and may precede amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. probes of mitochondrial function and energy metabolism are therefore crucial to characterize the bioenergetic abnormalities underlying AD risk, and their relationship to pathophysiology and cognition. A majority of the research conducted in humans have used F-fluoro-deoxygluose (FDG) PET to image cerebral glucose metabolism (CMRglc), but key information regarding oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), the process which generates 90% of the energy for the brain, cannot be assessed with this method. Thus, there is a crucial need for imaging tools to measure mitochondrial processes and OXPHOS in the human brain. Phosphorus-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P-MRS) is a non-invasive method which allows for the measurement of OXPHOS-related high-energy phosphates (HEP), including phosphocreatine (PCr), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and inorganic phosphate (Pi), in addition to potential of hydrogen (pH), as well as components of phospholipid metabolism, such as phosphomonoesters (PMEs) and phosphodiesters (PDEs). Herein, we provide a systematic review of the existing literature utilizing the P-MRS methodology during the normal aging process and in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD, with an additional focus on individuals at risk for AD. We discuss the strengths and limitations of the technique, in addition to considering future directions toward validating the use of P-MRS measures as biomarkers for the early detection of AD.
PubMed: 37273652
DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1183228