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Clinical and Experimental Medicine Jun 2024The identification of novel, robust biomarkers for the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases (RDs) and the presence of active disease might facilitate early treatment and the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The identification of novel, robust biomarkers for the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases (RDs) and the presence of active disease might facilitate early treatment and the achievement of favourable long-term outcomes. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the acute phase reactant, serum amyloid A (SAA), in RD patients and healthy controls to appraise its potential as diagnostic biomarker. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to 10 April 2024 for relevant studies. We evaluated the risk of bias and the certainty of evidence using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist and GRADE, respectively (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024537418). In 32 studies selected for analysis, SAA concentrations were significantly higher in RD patients compared to controls (SMD = 1.61, 95% CI 1.24-1.98, p < 0.001) and in RD patients with active disease compared to those in remission (SMD = 2.17, 95% CI 1.21-3.13, p < 0.001). Summary receiving characteristics curve analysis showed a good diagnostic accuracy of SAA for the presence of RDs (area under the curve = 0.81, 95% CI 0.78-0.84). The effect size of the differences in SAA concentrations between RD patients and controls was significantly associated with sex, body mass index, type of RD, and study country. Pending the conduct of prospective studies in different types of RDs, the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that SAA is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of RDs and active disease.
Topics: Serum Amyloid A Protein; Humans; Biomarkers; Rheumatic Diseases; Female; Male; ROC Curve
PubMed: 38951267
DOI: 10.1007/s10238-024-01413-0 -
Scientific Reports Jul 2024Studies on the association between coffee consumption and risk of lung cancer have been conflicting. The aim of this study was to systematically review the current... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Studies on the association between coffee consumption and risk of lung cancer have been conflicting. The aim of this study was to systematically review the current evidence on the association between coffee consumption and risk of lung cancer and to quantify this association by performing a meta-analysis. A comprehensive systematic search was performed on online databases up to July 2023 investigating the association between coffee consumption and risk of lung cancer. All prospective cohort studies reporting odds ratios (ORs), rate or risk ratios (RRs), or hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in this context were included. The overall effect size was calculated using the random-effects model and statistical between-studies heterogeneity was examined using Cochrane's Q test and I. A total of 14 prospective cohort studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. We found a significant positive association between coffee consumption and risk of lung cancer (RR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.47). This association remained significant when we included a pooled analysis paper and excluded 5 cohort studies (RR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.66). We observed no proof of significant publication bias using Egger's test (P = 0.58). Moreover, dose-response analysis showed that each one cup/day increase in coffee consumption was related with a 6% higher lung cancer risk (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.09). In conclusion, we found a significant positive association between coffee consumption and risk of lung cancer.
Topics: Coffee; Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Odds Ratio
PubMed: 38951141
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62619-6 -
Nutrition Reviews Jul 2024Existing evidence on the relation between folate intake and biomarkers with mortality risk is controversial.
Folate Biomarkers, Folate Intake, and Risk of Death From All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.
CONTEXT
Existing evidence on the relation between folate intake and biomarkers with mortality risk is controversial.
OBJECTIVE
Previous cohort studies were examined regarding folate intake and biomarkers in relation to risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease- (CVD), and cancer-related mortality through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic search was performed of the PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases up to July 2023.
DATA EXTRACTION
Prospective cohort studies examining the association of folate biomarkers (in serum, plasma, red blood cells) and intake with risk of all-cause, CVD-, and cancer-related mortality were considered. A random-effects model was applied to combine study-specific risk estimates. Dose-response relations were assessed by 1-stage weighted mixed-effects meta-analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
A total of 25 cohorts with 423 304 participants, 36 558 all-cause, 12 662 CVD-, and 2426 cancer-related deaths were included. No significant association was observed between the highest levels of folate biomarkers and all-cause mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR], 0.91; 95% CI, 0.77-1.06; n = 17; I2 = 89.4%; P < .001), CVD-related mortality risk (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.87-1.06; n = 11; I2 = 0.0%; P = .57), and cancer-related mortality risk (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.69-1.05; n = 6; I2 = 57.8%; P = .04) compared with the lowest. Furthermore, each 10 nmol/L increase was marginally related to a 12% reduced all-cause mortality risk but not to CVD- and cancer-related mortality risk. A significant inverse association was found between highest intake of dietary folate and the lowest, and risk of all-cause (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.96; n = 3; I2 = 63.6%; P = .06) and CVD (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.57-0.93; n = 4; I2 = 80.2%; P = .002) mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis revealed a significant inverse relation between dietary folate intake and risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. Such an association was not found in the case of folate biomarkers. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023401700.
PubMed: 38950416
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae077 -
Indian Journal of Orthopaedics Jul 2024Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disorder of the synovial joints and is usually an age-related disease that occurs due to continuous wear and tear of the... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disorder of the synovial joints and is usually an age-related disease that occurs due to continuous wear and tear of the cartilage in the joints. Presently, there is no proven medical management to halt the progression of the disease in the early stages. The purpose of our systematic review is to analyze the possible metabolites and metabolic pathways that are specifically involved in OA pathogenesis and early treatment of the disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The articles were collected from PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Embase, and Scopus databases. "Knee", "Osteoarthritis", "Proteomics", "Lipidomics", "Metabolomics", "Metabolic Methods", and metabolic* were employed for finding the articles. Only original articles with human or animal OA models with healthy controls were included.
RESULTS
From the initial screening, a total of 458 articles were identified from the 5 research databases. From these, 297 articles were selected in the end for screening, of which 53 papers were selected for full-text screening. Finally, 50 articles were taken for the review based on body fluid: 6 urine studies, 15 plasma studies, 16 synovial fluid studies, 11 serum studies, 4 joint tissue studies, and 1 fecal study. Many metabolites were found to be elevated in OA. Some of these metabolites can be used to stage the OA Three pathways that were found to be commonly involved are the TCA cycle, the glycolytic pathway, and the lipid metabolism.
CONCLUSION
All these studies showed a vast array of metabolites and metabolic pathways associated with OA. Metabolites like lysophospholipids, phospholipids, arginine, BCCA, and histidine were identified as potential biomarkers of OA but a definite association was not identified, Three pathways (glycolytic pathway, TCA cycle, and lipid metabolic pathways) have been found as highly significant in OA pathogenesis. These metabolic pathways could provide novel therapeutic targets for the prevention and progression of the disease.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43465-024-01169-5.
PubMed: 38948380
DOI: 10.1007/s43465-024-01169-5 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024The identification of novel, yet easily measurable biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress might assist in the diagnosis and management of patients with... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
UNLABELLED
The identification of novel, yet easily measurable biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress might assist in the diagnosis and management of patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the circulating concentrations of bilirubin, the end product of heme metabolism and a potent endogenous antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, in patients with RDs and healthy controls. The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception to 31 December 2023 for relevant articles. We evaluated the risk of bias and the certainty of evidence using the Joanna Briggs Checklist and the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Working Group system, respectively. In 17 eligible studies, all with low risk of bias, compared to controls, patients with RDs had significantly lower concentrations of total bilirubin (standard mean difference, SMD=-0.68, 95% CI -0.91 to -0.44, p<0.001; I = 92.5%, p<0.001; low certainty of evidence), direct (conjugated) bilirubin (SMD=-0.67, 95% CI -0.92 to -0.41, p<0.001; I = 81.7%, p<0.001; very low certainty of evidence), and the active antioxidant and anti-inflammatory indirect (unconjugated) form of bilirubin (SMD=-0.71, 95% CI -1.18 to -0.24, p=0.003; I = 95.1%, p<0.001; very low certainty of evidence). The results of the meta-analysis were stable in sensitivity analysis. In meta-regression, there were no significant associations between the SMD of total bilirubin and several clinical and demographic characteristics, including age, male to female ratio, number of participants, liver enzymes and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. In subgroup analysis, the SMD of total bilirubin was significant across a range of RDs, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren syndrome, and myositis. Therefore, the results of our systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that the reductions in bilirubin concentrations observed in patients with RDs reflect a state of impaired antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defence due to bilirubin consumption and highlight the promising role of this endogenous product as a biomarker of RDs.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023500649.
Topics: Female; Humans; Bilirubin; Biomarkers; Oxidative Stress; Rheumatic Diseases; Male
PubMed: 38947324
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1369284 -
Korean Journal of Radiology Jul 2024This study systematically reviewed the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the assessment of molecular prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer, focusing on the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
This study systematically reviewed the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the assessment of molecular prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer, focusing on the correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with hormone receptor status and prognostic biomarkers. Our meta-analysis includes data from 52 studies examining ADC values in relation to estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67 status. The results indicated significant differences in ADC values among different receptor statuses, with ER-positive, PgR-positive, HER2-negative, and Ki-67-positive tumors having lower ADC values compared to their negative counterparts. This study also highlights the potential of advanced DWI techniques such as intravoxel incoherent motion and non-Gaussian DWI to provide additional insights beyond ADC. Despite these promising findings, the high heterogeneity among the studies underscores the need for standardized DWI protocols to improve their clinical utility in breast cancer management.
Topics: Humans; Breast Neoplasms; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Biomarkers, Tumor; Prognosis; Receptor, ErbB-2; Receptors, Estrogen; Receptors, Progesterone; Ki-67 Antigen
PubMed: 38942456
DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2023.1188 -
Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Digital Health Jun 2024This study aimed to review the application of natural language processing (NLP) in thyroid-related conditions and to summarize current challenges and potential future...
This study aimed to review the application of natural language processing (NLP) in thyroid-related conditions and to summarize current challenges and potential future directions. We performed a systematic search of databases for studies describing NLP applications in thyroid conditions published in English between January 1, 2012 and November 4, 2022. In addition, we used a snowballing technique to identify studies missed in the initial search or published after our search timeline until April 1, 2023. For included studies, we extracted the NLP method (eg, rule-based, machine learning, deep learning, or hybrid), NLP application (eg, identification, classification, and automation), thyroid condition (eg, thyroid cancer, thyroid nodule, and functional or autoimmune disease), data source (eg, electronic health records, health forums, medical literature databases, or genomic databases), performance metrics, and stages of development. We identified 24 eligible NLP studies focusing on thyroid-related conditions. Deep learning-based methods were the most common (38%), followed by rule-based (21%), and traditional machine learning (21%) methods. Thyroid nodules (54%) and thyroid cancer (29%) were the primary conditions under investigation. Electronic health records were the dominant data source (17/24, 71%), with imaging reports being the most frequently used (15/17, 88%). There is increasing interest in NLP applications for thyroid-related studies, mostly addressing thyroid nodules and using deep learning-based methodologies with limited external validation. However, none of the reviewed NLP applications have reached clinical practice. Several limitations, including inconsistent clinical documentation and model portability, need to be addressed to promote the evaluation and implementation of NLP applications to support patient care in thyroidology.
PubMed: 38938930
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpdig.2024.03.007 -
JACC. Advances Nov 2023Guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) thresholds are often not achieved in women. The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 inhibitor...
BACKGROUND
Guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) thresholds are often not achieved in women. The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type-9 inhibitor (PCSK9i) monoclonal antibodies can help further reduce LDL-C and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) although differences in efficacy by sex and type are less understood.
OBJECTIVES
The authors sought to determine if there are differences in the efficacy of LDL-C lowering and reduction in the risk of MACE by sex and type of PCSK9i.
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search was done through October 17, 2022, for published trials comparing PCSK9i vs control. Outcomes assessed were LDL-C reduction and incidence of MACE following the use of PCSK9i vs placebo, stratified by sex and type of PCSK9i used.
RESULTS
We identified 16 trials with 54,996 adults, and 15,143 (27.5%) of them were female. PCSK9i significantly reduced MACE compared to placebo in both women (HR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.74-0.97, < 0.001) and men (HR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.79-0.91, < 0.001) with no significant sex difference (MD -0.01, 95% CI: -0.14 to -0.13, = 0.930). PCSK9i also significantly reduced LDL-C levels in both sexes at 12 weeks (females: MD -62.57, 95% CI: -70.24 to -54.91, < 0.001; males: MD -66.19, 95% CI: -72.03 to -60.34, < 0.001) and 24 weeks (females: MD -47.52, 95% CI: -52.94 to -42.09, < 0.001; males: MD -54.07, 95% CI: -59.46 to -48.68, < 0.001). Significant sex difference was seen in the LDL reduction of PCSK9i for both 12 weeks (males vs females: MD -4.55, 95% CI: -7.34 to -1.75, < 0.01) and 24 weeks (males vs females: MD -7.11, 95% CI: -9.99 to -4.23, < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
The use of PCSK9i results in significant LDL-C and MACE reduction in both males and females. While there is no significant sex difference in MACE reduction, LDL-C reduction is greater in males than in females. Our data support the equal use of PCSK9i in all eligible patients, regardless of sex.
PubMed: 38938736
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100669 -
BMC Cancer Jun 2024Lung cancer (LC), characterized by high incidence and mortality rates, presents a significant challenge in oncology. Despite advancements in treatments, early detection... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Lung cancer (LC), characterized by high incidence and mortality rates, presents a significant challenge in oncology. Despite advancements in treatments, early detection remains crucial for improving patient outcomes. The accuracy of screening for LC by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath remains to be determined.
METHODS
Our systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines and analyzing data from 25 studies up to October 1, 2023, evaluates the effectiveness of different techniques in detecting VOCs. We registered the review protocol with PROSPERO and performed a systematic search in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Reviewers screened the studies' titles/abstracts and full texts, and used QUADAS-2 tool for quality assessment. Then performed meta-analysis by adopting a bivariate model for sensitivity and specificity.
RESULTS
This study explores the potential of VOCs in exhaled breath as biomarkers for LC screening, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional methods. In all studies, exhaled VOCs discriminated LC from controls. The meta-analysis indicates an integrated sensitivity and specificity of 85% and 86%, respectively, with an AUC of 0.93 for VOC detection. We also conducted a systematic analysis of the source of the substance with the highest frequency of occurrence in the tested compounds. Despite the promising results, variability in study quality and methodological challenges highlight the need for further research.
CONCLUSION
This review emphasizes the potential of VOC analysis as a cost-effective, non-invasive screening tool for early LC detection, which could significantly improve patient management and survival rates.
Topics: Humans; Volatile Organic Compounds; Lung Neoplasms; Early Detection of Cancer; Breath Tests; Exhalation; Sensitivity and Specificity; Biomarkers, Tumor
PubMed: 38937687
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12537-7 -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Jun 2024The efficacy of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for weight management and mitigating metabolic disorders among individuals with overweight and obesity remains a topic...
BACKGROUNDS
The efficacy of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for weight management and mitigating metabolic disorders among individuals with overweight and obesity remains a topic of ongoing discussion. Notably, there is a gap in the distinction between pure MCTs and medium-long-chain triglycerides (MLCTs).
METHODS
This meta-analysis investigates the efficacy of MCTs on weight loss and glucolipid metabolism in these populations, explicitly evaluating the differential effects of pure MCTs and MLCTs. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis on relevant studies examining weight loss and glucolipid parameters, incorporating a subgroup analysis conducted based on intervention types, pure MCTs versus MLCTs.
RESULTS
Our findings revealed diets enriched with MCTs are more effective in achieving weight reduction (WMD: -1.53%; 95% CI: -2.44, -0.63; p < 0.01), particularly those containing pure MCTs (WMD: -1.62%; 95% CI: -2.78, -0.46; p < 0.01), compared to long-chain fatty acids (LCTs) enriched diets. However, our subgroup analysis indicates that an MLCTs-enriched diet did not significantly reduce weight loss. Additionally, MCTs-enriched diets were associated with significant reductions in blood triglyceride levels and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) scores, compared to LCTs-enriched diets.
CONCLUSIONS
Hence, the authors recommend incorporating pure MCTs in dietary interventions for individuals with overweight and obesity, particularly those with comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism.
PubMed: 38936302
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.016