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Sustainable Cities and Society Jun 2022COVID-19 is deemed as the most critical world health calamity of the 21st century, leading to dramatic life loss. There is a pressing need to understand the multi-stage... (Review)
Review
COVID-19 is deemed as the most critical world health calamity of the 21st century, leading to dramatic life loss. There is a pressing need to understand the multi-stage dynamics, including transmission routes of the virus and environmental conditions due to the possibility of multiple waves of COVID-19 in the future. In this paper, a systematic examination of the literature is conducted associating the virus-laden-aerosol and transmission of these microparticles into the multimedia environment, including built environments. Particularly, this paper provides a critical review of state-of-the-art modelling tools apt for COVID-19 spread and transmission pathways. GIS-based, risk-based, and artificial intelligence-based tools are discussed for their application in the surveillance and forecasting of COVID-19. Primary environmental factors that act as simulators for the spread of the virus include meteorological variation, low air quality, pollen abundance, and spatial-temporal variation. However, the influence of these environmental factors on COVID-19 spread is still equivocal because of other non-pharmaceutical factors. The limitations of different modelling methods suggest the need for a multidisciplinary approach, including the 'One-Health' concept. Extended One-Health-based decision tools would assist policymakers in making informed decisions such as social gatherings, indoor environment improvement, and COVID-19 risk mitigation by adapting the control measurements.
PubMed: 35317188
DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2022.103840 -
Effect of season of birth on cord blood IgE and IgE at birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Environmental Research Aug 2017Elevated cord blood IgE is important on the pathway to allergic disease. The association between season of birth and infant cord blood IgE is not well-established. Study... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Elevated cord blood IgE is important on the pathway to allergic disease. The association between season of birth and infant cord blood IgE is not well-established. Study findings differ on which birth season is associated with higher cord blood IgE risk and its magnitude. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on season of birth and cord blood IgE.
METHODS
We searched Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest Health databases, and reviewed reference lists of articles that met the inclusion criteria. All included studies measured IgE as a binary variable using various cut-off values. We performed multivariate-random-effects meta-analysis to handle an exposure with multiple categories of Season of Birth.
RESULTS
Our search identified 275 records and 10 had sufficient data to be included in a meta-analysis. Relative to summer, winter birth had the greatest odds of high IgE (≥ 0.1IU/ml), meta-analysis OR = 1.24 (95%CI: 1.01-1.52). A similar OR, was found for IgE ≥ 0.5 IU/ml, OR = 1.30 (95%CI: 0.99-1.71).
CONCLUSIONS
A winter season of birth was associated with statistically significant higher odds of elevated cord blood IgE at cut-off ≥ 0.1IU/ml but borderline at cut-off ≥ 0.5IU/ml. This winter effect is likely to be a marker for a range of other environmental exposures during specific stages of pregnancy, such as aeroallergen exposures, maternal infections and vitamin D levels. Further research is required to support our finding and to identify the exact mechanisms that lead to the winter season of birth effect on circulating IgE levels, as this may have implications for allergic disease prevention.
Topics: Fetal Blood; Humans; Immunoglobulin E; Infant, Newborn; Parturition; Seasons
PubMed: 28575785
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.05.026 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2022The burden of asthma readmission for children and adolescents is approximately 10% worldwide. Research has been synthesised for behavioural and indoor impacts; however,... (Review)
Review
The burden of asthma readmission for children and adolescents is approximately 10% worldwide. Research has been synthesised for behavioural and indoor impacts; however, no such synthesis has been conducted for outdoor environmental exposures. This systematic review aims to evaluate and synthesise the impact the outdoor environment has on readmission rates for children or adolescents with asthma. We conducted a systematic search of seven databases and hand searched reference lists of articles published up until 18 January 2021. There were 12 out of 392 studies eligible for inclusion. Overall, most studies showed that outdoor environments impact on readmission; however, the strength of association is seen to be stronger in a particular subpopulation of each study depending on the exposure investigated. The evidence for the association between outdoor environmental exposure and readmission rates for children or adolescents with asthma is increasing; however, it is complicated by potential confounders such as socioeconomic factors, ethnicity, indoor air pollutants, and other behavioural factors. Further research is required to differentiate between them. Additionally, further studies need to be undertaken in further countries other than the United States of America to understand the full relationship.
Topics: Adolescent; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Air Pollution, Indoor; Asthma; Child; Environmental Exposure; Humans; Patient Readmission; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 35742711
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19127457 -
Allergologia Et Immunopathologia 2022To determine whether the levels of T-helper (T) 2 cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5) in allergic reactions are allergen dependent and evaluate the impact of various... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
To determine whether the levels of T-helper (T) 2 cytokines (interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5) in allergic reactions are allergen dependent and evaluate the impact of various treatment strategies on the levels of these cytokines.
METHODS
The PubMed search engine was used from inception until January 2021. The random-effects residual maximum likelihood model was performed, and effect sizes were estimated using the Hedge's statistic. All data analysis was performed using STATA 16.0 (StataCorp LP, TX, USA).
RESULTS
Fourteen studies reporting on 794 participants were included in this study. House dust mite was associated with eliciting a stronger immune response mediated by both IL-4 and IL-5 when compared to pollen. Whereas a mixture of house dust mite and pollen was associated with IL-4-weighted inflammation. Comparisons of IL-4 and IL-5 levels amongst the allergens showed significant differences. The treatment with anti-corticosteroids or allergen-specific immunotherapy was effective in normalising the T2 responses and alleviating allergy symptoms.
CONCLUSION
T2-mediated inflammation in allergic reactions is allergen-dependent. Therefore, the type of allergen should be considered when using cytokine-targeting biologics in allergic reactions.
Topics: Allergens; Animals; Cytokines; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Inflammation; Interleukin-4; Interleukin-5; Pyroglyphidae; Th2 Cells
PubMed: 34873895
DOI: 10.15586/aei.v50i1.470 -
Allergy Jan 2005Allergic rhinitis is a common condition which, at its most severe, can significantly impair quality of life despite optimal treatment with antihistamines and topical... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Allergic rhinitis is a common condition which, at its most severe, can significantly impair quality of life despite optimal treatment with antihistamines and topical nasal corticosteroids. Allergen injection immunotherapy significantly reduces symptoms and medication requirements in allergic rhinitis but its use is limited by the possibility of severe systemic reactions. There has therefore been considerable interest in alternative routes for delivery of allergen immunotherapy, particularly the sublingual route. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), compared with placebo, for reductions in symptoms and medication requirements. The Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trials Register, MEDLINE (1966-2002), EMBASE (1974-2002) and Scisearch were searched, up to September 2002, using the terms (Rhin* OR hay fever) AND (immunotherap* OR desensiti*ation) AND (sublingual). All studies identified by the searches were assessed by the reviewers to identify Randomized Controlled Trials involving participants with symptoms of allergic rhinitis and proven allergen sensitivity, treated with SLIT or corresponding placebo. Data from identified studies was abstracted onto a standard extraction sheet and subsequently entered into RevMan 4.1. Analysis was performed by the method of standardized mean differences (SMD) using a random effects model. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the type of allergen administered, the age of participants and the duration of treatment. Twenty-two trials involving 979 patients, were included. There were six trials of SLIT for house dust mite allergy, five for grass pollen, five for parietaria, two for olive and one each for, ragweed, cat, tree and cupressus. Five studies enrolled exclusively children. Seventeen studies administered the allergen by sublingual drops subsequently swallowed, three by drops subsequently spat out and two by sublingual tablets. Eight studies involved treatment for less than 6 months, 10 studies for 6-12 months and four studies for greater than 12 months. All included studies were double-blind placebo-controlled trials of parallell group design. Concealment of treatment allocation was considered adequate in all studies and the use of identical placebo preparations was almost universal. There was significant heterogeneity, most likely due to widely differing scoring systems between studies, for most comparisons. Overall there was a significant reduction in both symptoms (SMD -0.42, 95% confidence interval -0.69 to -0.15; P = 0.002) and medication requirements [SMD -0.43 (-0.63, -0.23); P = 0.00003] following immunotherapy. Subgroup analyses failed to identify a disproportionate benefit of treatment according to the allergen administered. There was no significant reduction in symptoms and medication scores in those studies involving only children but total numbers of participants was too small to make this a reliable conclusion. Increasing duration of treatment does not clearly increase efficacy. The total dose of allergen administered may be important but insufficient data was available to analyse this factor.
Topics: Administration, Sublingual; Allergens; Desensitization, Immunologic; Humans; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal
PubMed: 15575924
DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00699.x -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis (AR) and provide evidence for clinical treatment. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis (AR) and provide evidence for clinical treatment.
METHODS
A literature search was performed on the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase database. Data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of sublingual immunotherapy for AR were screened and extracted from the establishment of those databases to November 2022. Subsequently, a network meta-analysis was performed using a statistical software R 4.2.
RESULTS
Totally 22 RCTs that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and screened from 1,164 literature were included. A total of 4,941 AR patients were involved in the 22 trials, as well as five interventions including placebo, pharmacotherapy, subcutaneous immunotherapy_dust mite, sublingual immunotherapy_dust mite, and sublingual immunotherapy_ grass mix plus pollen extract. The results of network meta-analysis showed that, based on symptom scores after different interventions for AR, the most effective treatments for AR were in order as follows: sublingual immunotherapy_dust mite, subcutaneous immunotherapy_dust mite, sublingual immunotherapy_ grass mix plus pollen extract, placebo, and pharmacotherapy. Importantly, sublingual immunotherapy had fewer adverse reactions and higher safety.
CONCLUSION
Sublingual immunotherapy_dust mite for AR has the best efficacy, whereas traditional medicine has the worst. More high-quality studies with a large sample and multiple centers are needed to verify this conclusion in the future, so as to further provide more reliable evidence-based medical evidence for the clinical treatment options of AR patients.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Sublingual Immunotherapy; Network Meta-Analysis; Rhinitis, Allergic; Pyroglyphidae; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 37063866
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1144816 -
Clinical Otolaryngology : Official... Jan 2021Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosa affecting approximately 20% of the population worldwide. Current therapies include... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosa affecting approximately 20% of the population worldwide. Current therapies include intranasal antihistamines, corticosteroids, subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). This review and meta-analysis assess the efficacy of SLIT in the management of grass pollen-induced AR in adults.
METHODS
Ovid EMBASE, Ovid EBM Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid MedLine and PubMed were searched using the following terms: 'sublingual immunotherapy', 'SLIT', 'rhinitis', 'allergic rhinitis', 'rhinosinusitis' and 'rhino-conjunctivitis'. All included studies were double-blind, placebo-controlled and randomised trials. Primary outcome was symptom score and secondary outcome included quality of life and safety profile. Meta-analysis of symptom improvement was carried out.
RESULTS
Six studies were identified with 979 subjects randomly allocated to SLIT and 992 to a placebo control. All studies reported an improvement in symptoms with SLIT, with five reaching statistical significance (P < .05). Four studies reported statistically significant improvement in quality of life (P < .05). Oral pruritus was the most common adverse event reported. The overall risk of bias was high in 50% of the studies.
CONCLUSIONS
Sublingual immunotherapy was a safe and effective treatment for grass pollen-induced AR in adults, and therefore, consideration should be given to its use for moderate-to-severe disease in the UK-wide population.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Allergens; Humans; Middle Aged; Pollen; Rhinitis, Allergic; Sublingual Immunotherapy; Young Adult
PubMed: 32979035
DOI: 10.1111/coa.13651 -
Grass pollen sublingual immunotherapy and paediatric allergic rhinitis: A patient-oriented decision.Allergologia Et Immunopathologia 2016Guidelines and systematic review report that allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is, in general, effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. However, experts suggest not... (Review)
Review
Guidelines and systematic review report that allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is, in general, effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. However, experts suggest not generalising the results of different clinical studies: for example, it would not be advisable to translate the results found in an adult population to a paediatric population or the results on the efficacy of AIT against a specific allergen to the AIT against a different allergen. Moreover, according to Evidence Based Medicine (EBM), clinical decisions are individualised and should derive from the "integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values". Taking into account the high specificity of the AIT and EBM principles, we tried to answer the question on how advisable it is to prescribe the AIT for the management of grass allergic rhinitis in children. To do this, we revised the scientific literature in order to solve a specific case scenario.
Topics: Administration, Sublingual; Child; Clinical Decision-Making; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Male; Mometasone Furoate; Poaceae; Pollen; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Spirometry; Sublingual Immunotherapy
PubMed: 26321601
DOI: 10.1016/j.aller.2015.05.004 -
JMIR MHealth and UHealth Jul 2019With the large amount of material that is readily available on the internet, there are endless opportunities for electronic health-literate patients to obtain and learn... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
With the large amount of material that is readily available on the internet, there are endless opportunities for electronic health-literate patients to obtain and learn new information. Although novel, a Web- or mobile-based program can be a powerful way to engage adolescents and young adults (AYAs). The ongoing engagement of AYAs with chronic disease is vital not only to empower them but also to ensure a smooth transition from pediatric to adult health care.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the current evidence on Web- or mobile-based interventions designed for AYAs.
METHODS
This review was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42018096487. A systematic search of MEDLINE Complete, EMBASE, and CINAHL Complete was conducted on April 10, 2019, for studies that examined the perspectives of transition-age patients about technology-based interventions, the process involved in intervention development, or the evaluation of intervention efficacy. For each study, the comprehensiveness of reporting was appraised. The Downs and Black checklist was used for intervention efficacy trials, the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used for qualitative work, and a 16-item tool developed by Tong et al was used for questionnaire research.
RESULTS
The search uncovered 29 relevant studies, which included qualitative studies (n=14), intervention efficacy studies (n=7), questionnaire studies (n=4), mixed qualitative and questionnaire studies (n=2), and a mixed qualitative and pilot randomized controlled trial study (n=1). The reporting comprehensiveness score of questionnaires was rated considerably lower (n=6, 13%-57% [2/16-8/14]) than the scores of intervention efficacy trials (n=8, 48%-85% [13/27-23/27]) and qualitative research (n=17, 40%-93% [8.5/21-19.5/21]). AYAs were receptive to obtaining information via a website or mobile app. An intervention was more likely to be perceived as useful by AYAs when there was a concerted effort to involve AYAs and subject matter experts in the process of intervention design, as opposed to relying solely on the AYAs or the experts alone. The preferred medium of intervention delivery varied greatly for AYAs, ranging from static text to audiovisual materials. However, AYAs considered being concise was the most important aspect. Across different conditions, AYAs were interested in receiving information on diverse topics, such as anxiety and stress management, dealing with insurance, and having social relationships. Patients also requested for disease-specific information, such as weather forecasts and pollen levels for patients with asthma and information related to the pretransplant period for organ transplant recipients. Meta-analyses showed no significant group differences across time on quality of life, self-efficacy, and self-management.
CONCLUSIONS
Owing to the lack of intervention efficacy trials, no conclusion can be drawn if an intervention delivered via a mobile app is better than that delivered via a website. However, through this systematic review, it is confirmed that AYAs were receptive to receiving medical information electronically.
Topics: Access to Information; Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Internet; Internet-Based Intervention; Learning; Male; Mobile Applications; Qualitative Research; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Self Efficacy; Self-Management; Stress, Psychological; Surveys and Questionnaires; Technology; Young Adult
PubMed: 31322129
DOI: 10.2196/12042 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... Apr 2023Appraised for being one of the oldest staple nutritive foods mainly in the Arabian Peninsula, the date palm tree ( L.), is a crop native to the subtropical and tropical...
Appraised for being one of the oldest staple nutritive foods mainly in the Arabian Peninsula, the date palm tree ( L.), is a crop native to the subtropical and tropical regions of Southern Asia and Africa. Different parts of the date tree have been extensively studied for their nutritional and therapeutic properties. Despite an array of publications on the date tree, there has been no attempt to compile in a single study the traditional uses, nutritive value, phytochemical profile, the medicinal properties as well as the potential of the different plant parts as a functional food. Therefore, this review endeavors to systematically review the scientific literature to highlight the traditional uses of date fruit and parts around the world, the nutritional profile of several parts and the medicinal properties. A total of 215 studies was retrieved (traditional uses (n = 26), nutritional (n = 52), and medicinal (n = 84)). Scientific articles were further categorized as in vitro (n = 33), in vivo (n = 35), and clinical (n = 16) evidences. Date seeds were found to be effective against and . Aqueous date pollen was used to manage hormonal problems and boost fertility. Palm leaves showed anti-hyperglycemic effects inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Unlike previous studies, this study highlighted the functional roles of all the plant parts of the palm tree and provided insights into the various mechanism of action of their bioactive compounds. Although scientific shreds of evidence have been growing over the years, there is still a dearth of studies concerning the clinical validation of the date fruit and other plant parts to provide strong evidence on their medicinal uses. In conclusion, can be regarded as a potent medicinal plant with prophylactic potential and should be further explored to alleviate the burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
PubMed: 37070182
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2191285