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Journal of the Peripheral Nervous... Jun 2024Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is an ophthalmic imaging technique that enables the identification of corneal nerve fibre degeneration and regeneration. To undertake a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is an ophthalmic imaging technique that enables the identification of corneal nerve fibre degeneration and regeneration. To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies utilizing CCM to assess for corneal nerve regeneration after pharmacological and surgical interventions in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Databases (EMBASE [Ovid], PubMed, CENTRAL and Web of Science) were searched to summarize the evidence from randomized and non-randomized studies using CCM to detect corneal nerve regeneration after pharmacological and surgical interventions. Data synthesis was undertaken using RevMan web. Eighteen studies including 958 patients were included. CCM identified an early (1-8 months) and longer term (1-5 years) increase in corneal nerve measures in patients with peripheral neuropathy after pharmacological and surgical interventions. This meta-analysis confirms the utility of CCM to identify nerve regeneration following pharmacological and surgical interventions. It could be utilized to show a benefit in clinical trials of disease modifying therapies for peripheral neuropathy.
Topics: Humans; Cornea; Microscopy, Confocal; Nerve Regeneration; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 38887985
DOI: 10.1111/jns.12641 -
European Review For Medical and... May 2024Painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PRDN) is a common disabling condition. Pregabalin and amitriptyline are commonly prescribed as the first-line for PPDN despite... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PRDN) is a common disabling condition. Pregabalin and amitriptyline are commonly prescribed as the first-line for PPDN despite the contradicting recommendations. There is a need to inform the scientific community regarding first-line pain control among patients with PPDN. This meta-analysis assessed pregabalin and amitriptyline effects on PPDN.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, and Google Scholar; the terms used were amitriptyline, pregabalin, painful diabetic neuropathy, antidepressant, gabapentinoids, quality of life, and adverse events. Boolean operators like AND, and OR were used. Six hundred and thirty-one studies were retrieved, and 37 full texts were screened. However, only six randomized controlled trials fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
RESULTS
No significant statistical differences between amitriptyline and pregabalin regarding pain score and significant pain reduction (odd ratio, -0.82, 95% CI, -2.21-0.58, and odd ratio, 1.16, 95% CI, 0.76-1.76 respectively). Quality of life, total adverse events, and drug discontinuation were not different between the two drugs (odd ratio, 0.89, 95% CI, -2.11-3.89, odd ratio, 0.98, 95% CI, 0.52-1.85, and odd ratio, 0.51, 95% CI, 0.08-3.15, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
No significant statistical differences between amitriptyline and pregabalin regarding their effects on pain and quality of life. The drugs showed similar total adverse events and drug withdrawal. Further larger real-world studies are needed.
Topics: Pregabalin; Amitriptyline; Humans; Diabetic Neuropathies; Analgesics; Quality of Life
PubMed: 38856135
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202405_36296 -
Advances in Mind-body MedicinePeripheral neuropathies constitute a diverse array of disorders impacting the peripheral nervous system. Despite extensive research on the therapeutic potential of yoga... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Peripheral neuropathies constitute a diverse array of disorders impacting the peripheral nervous system. Despite extensive research on the therapeutic potential of yoga for various health conditions, its specific effects on peripheral neuropathy remain underexplored.
OBJECTIVE
This review aims to comprehensively investigate the effects, including potential adverse events, of yoga on peripheral neuropathy.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed/Medline electronic database from inception to March 5, 2024. The search strategy involved a combination of relevant Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords related to peripheral neuropathy and yoga. The primary outcome measures assessed in the included studies were the improvement in symptoms and clinical indicators of peripheral neuropathy following yoga interventions. Out of 101 articles initially screened, 16 were considered eligible for inclusion in this review.
RESULTS
The synthesized literature suggests that yoga may serve as a beneficial adjunct in the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, lumbar disc herniation-induced neuropathy, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and Carpal tunnel syndrome. However, caution is warranted as reported instances of yoga asanas precipitate adverse events such as progressive glaucomatous optic neuropathy, bilateral sciatic nerve neuropathy, and acute loss of motor function due to acute ulnar neuropathy.
CONCLUSIONS
Yoga holds promise as an adjunctive therapy for the management of peripheral neuropathy. Nonetheless, discrepancies in sample size, type of yoga, and intervention duration across studies underscore the need for larger-scale investigations incorporating standardized long-term yoga interventions and objective outcome measures. To mitigate risks of adverse events, patients should practice yoga under the supervision and guidance of institutionally qualified yoga physicians.
Topics: Yoga; Humans; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 38837778
DOI: No ID Found -
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment Dec 2024Brivudine has been used in herpes zoster (HZ) treatment for years, but the safety and efficacy of brivudine are inconclusive. Here we perform a meta-analysis to assess... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Brivudine has been used in herpes zoster (HZ) treatment for years, but the safety and efficacy of brivudine are inconclusive. Here we perform a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy, safety, incidence of postherpetic neuralgia of brivudine.
METHODS
Data of randomized controlled Trials (RCTS) were obtained from the databases of both English (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) and Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science Journal Database, and WanFang Database) literatures from inception to 12 September 2022. Meta-analyses of efficacy and safety of Brivudine for the treatment of herpes zoster for RCTS were conducted.
RESULTS
The analyses included seven RCTS (2095 patients in experimental group and 2076 patients in control group) in the treatment of HZ with brivudine. It suggested that the brivudine group was superior to the control group in terms of efficacy ( = .0002) and incidence of postherpetic neuralgia ( = .04). But the incidence of adverse reactions has no significant difference between the brivudine and the control groups ( = .22). In addition, subgroup analysis of adverse events also showed that brivudine was about the same safety as other modalities in the treatment of HZ ( > .05).
CONCLUSIONS
Brivudine is effective for HZ. However, the evidence on the safety of brivudine is insufficient.
Topics: Humans; Herpes Zoster; Neuralgia, Postherpetic; Antiviral Agents; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome; Incidence; Bromodeoxyuridine
PubMed: 38811010
DOI: 10.1080/09546634.2024.2355256 -
Pain Physician May 2024Sympathetic ganglion block (SGB) technique is becoming increasingly prevalent in the treatment of complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS). Given the varied reported... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Sympathetic ganglion block (SGB) technique is becoming increasingly prevalent in the treatment of complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS). Given the varied reported effectiveness of these techniques and the heterogeneity of treatment regimens, there is an urgent need for consistent and high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of such procedures.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to compare the efficacy of SGB therapy for CRPS-related pain.
STUDY DESIGN
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
METHODS
PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, US National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library Databases were systematically searched between January 1967 and April 2023. A meta-analysis of the included RCTs on SGB was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and risk of bias (ROBs) of SGB.
RESULTS
After screening 8523 records, 12 RCTs were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with controls, the visual analog pain score decreased by a weighted mean difference (WMD) of -6.24 mm (95% CI, -11.45, -1.03; P = 0.019) in the random-effects model, and the numerical scale score was reduced by a WMD of -1.17 mm (95% CI, -2.42, 0.08; P = 0.067) in the fixed-effects model, indicating a pain relief. The methodological quality of the included RCTs was high, with an average PEDro score of 7.0 (range: 5-9).
LIMITATIONS
The number of included trials was limited.
CONCLUSIONS
SGB therapy can reduce pain intensity in patients with CRPS with few adverse events. However, owing to the relatively high heterogeneity of the included RCTs, a larger sample of high-quality RCTs is needed to further confirm this conclusion.
Topics: Humans; Complex Regional Pain Syndromes; Stellate Ganglion; Autonomic Nerve Block; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38805523
DOI: No ID Found -
Acta Neurochirurgica May 2024As a first step towards developing a core outcome set (COS) for sciatic neuropathy, the goal of the current study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to...
PURPOSE
As a first step towards developing a core outcome set (COS) for sciatic neuropathy, the goal of the current study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to identify outcome measures that have been previously reported in studies on sciatic neuropathy.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature from 2000-2024 was performed utilizing PubMed and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Identified articles were screened according to study inclusion/exclusion criteria. Outcome measures reported in each included study were recorded and categorized into motor, sensory, pain, patient-reported outcomes, electrodiagnostic outcomes, imaging outcomes, and composite outcomes. Descriptive statistics were performed.
RESULTS
A total of 1586 articles were initially identified, and 31 articles met criteria for inclusion and underwent analysis. The most common outcome domain was pain. A pain outcome was reported in 17 (63%) studies. A motor outcome was reported in 10 (37%) studies; 6 (22%) reported a sensory outcome; 1 (4%) reported a composite outcome; 4 (15%) reported an electrodiagnostic outcome; 5 (19%) reported a patient-reported outcome; 3 (11%) reported an imaging outcome. Across the included studies, 21 unique outcomes were reported.
CONCLUSIONS
We have identified the outcome measures that have previously been utilized in studies on sciatic neuropathy. Previously used outcome measures fell into seven domains: motor outcomes, sensory outcomes, pain outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, electrodiagnostic outcomes, imaging outcomes, and composite outcomes. Pain outcomes were most commonly used across the included studies.
Topics: Humans; Sciatic Neuropathy; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Patient Reported Outcome Measures
PubMed: 38780668
DOI: 10.1007/s00701-024-06109-8 -
Journal of Neurology May 2024Gaucher disease (GD) is classically divided into three types, based on the presence or absence of neurological signs and symptoms. However, presentation can be highly... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Gaucher disease (GD) is classically divided into three types, based on the presence or absence of neurological signs and symptoms. However, presentation can be highly variable in adulthood, and this aspect has not been adequately addressed in the literature so far. We performed a systematic literature review to analyze the entire spectrum of neurological manifestations in adult patients previously classified as GD type I, II, or III, evaluating the role of variants in different neurological manifestations.
METHODS
We searched databases for studies reporting clinical data of adult GD patients (age ≥ 18). Data extraction included GD types, GBA1 variants, age at disease onset and diagnosis, duration of GD, and age at onset and type of neurological symptoms reported.
RESULTS
Among 4190 GD patients from 85 studies, 555 exhibited neurological symptoms in adulthood. The median age at evaluation was 46.8 years (IQR 26.5), age at neurological symptoms onset was 44 years (IQR 35.1), and age at GD clinical onset was 23 years (IQR 23.4). Parkinsonism, including Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body dementia, was the most reported neurological manifestation. Other symptoms and signs encompassed oculomotor abnormalities, peripheral neuropathy, seizures, myoclonus, and cerebellar, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. The genotype N370S/N370S mostly presented with Parkinsonism and the L444P variant with severe and earlier neurological symptoms.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this systematic review highlight: (1) the relevance of a comprehensive neurological assessment in GD patients, and (2) the importance of considering possible undiagnosed GD in adult patients with mild systemic symptoms presenting unexplained neurological symptoms.
PubMed: 38771384
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12439-5 -
Pediatric Blood & Cancer Aug 2024This systematic literature review evaluated frontline treatment burden in pediatric and adolescent/young adult (AYA) patients with high-risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma...
This systematic literature review evaluated frontline treatment burden in pediatric and adolescent/young adult (AYA) patients with high-risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) among studies originating from the United States. Data were extracted from 32 publications (screened: total, n = 3115; full-text, n = 98) representing 12 studies (randomized controlled trials [RCTs], n = 2; non-comparative, non-randomized, n = 7; observational, n = 3). High-risk disease definitions varied across studies. Five-year event-free survival (EFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) was 86%-100% and 79%-94%, and complete response rates were 35%-100% and 5%-64% for brentuximab vedotin (BV)-containing and chemotherapy-alone regimens, respectively. In identified RCTs, BV-containing compared with chemotherapy-alone regimens demonstrated significantly longer 3-year EFS/5-year PFS. Hematological and peripheral neuropathy were the most commonly reported adverse events of interest, although safety data were inconsistently reported. Few studies evaluated humanistic and no studies evaluated economic burden. Results from studies with the highest quality of evidence indicate an EFS/PFS benefit for frontline BV-containing versus chemotherapy-alone regimens for pediatric/AYA patients with high-risk cHL.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Humans; Young Adult; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Brentuximab Vedotin; Hodgkin Disease; Prognosis; Survival Rate
PubMed: 38761013
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31027 -
Medicine May 2024Herpes zoster (HZ) is mainly characterized by intense pain and severe skin lesions, particularly during the acute phase, which seriously affects the patient's quality of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Herpes zoster (HZ) is mainly characterized by intense pain and severe skin lesions, particularly during the acute phase, which seriously affects the patient's quality of life. Acupuncture is a widely used and effective treatment for HZ. However, there are many types of acupuncture, which have different curative efficacy. This study employed a network meta-analysis (NMA) to assess and rank the clinical efficacy of different acupuncture therapies.
METHODS
The database of Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese BioMedical Database, VIP Database, and Wanfang Database were searched from inception to December 31, 2022 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture related therapies in the treatment of acute HZ. The outcome indicators measured were visual analogue scale (VAS), date of cessation of herpes increase (DCHI), effective rate (ER), postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and adverse events (AEs). Bayesian network meta-analyses were performed using the GeMTC package (version 1.0-1) and R software (version 4.2.3).
RESULTS
A total of 59 RCTs with 3930 patients were included. The results of this NMA were as follows: compared with pharmacotherapy, electroacupuncture (EA) + pricking and cupping (PC) shown the best efficacy to improve VAS score and reduce DCHI. In terms of ER, EA + fire needle (FN) had the highest results of probability ranking. PC was more effective in reducing the incidence of PHN. Furthermore, this study shown that the incidence of AEs associated with acupuncture-related therapies was acceptable.
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated that therapies related to acupuncture were both effective and safe in treating acute HZ, and could significantly reduce patients' symptoms such as pain and skin lesions with fewer adverse events. Clinically, the selection of the appropriate therapy should be based on practical considerations. However, due to the limitations of this study, more high-quality trials are required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture-related therapy for the treatment of acute HZ.
Topics: Humans; Herpes Zoster; Acupuncture Therapy; Network Meta-Analysis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome; Neuralgia, Postherpetic; Acute Disease
PubMed: 38758864
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038006 -
PloS One 2024Various injectants are available for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. This systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Various injectants are available for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. This systematic review and network meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of different injection therapies in alleviating the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Various databases were searched for relevant studies from inception until May 10, 2023. Eligible studies were identified using the patient (P), intervention (I), comparison (C), and outcomes (O) model, which involved (P) participants with carpal tunnel syndrome, (I) an intervention based on injection therapy, (C) the use of placebo or another injectant as a control treatment, and (O) the measurement of clinical and electrodiagnostic outcomes of interest. A total of 18 studies were included in the analysis. The network meta-analysis revealed that platelet-rich plasma is effective in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome in terms of symptom and pain relief and functional improvement in both the short and long term, whereas steroids are effective only in the short term. Additionally, injections of dextrose solution may offer long-term pain relief as well as short- and long-term symptom alleviation and functional improvement. The study findings suggest that platelet-rich plasma should be used as the first-line treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, with dextrose and steroids serving as alternative treatment options.
Topics: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Platelet-Rich Plasma; Treatment Outcome; Network Meta-Analysis; Injections; Glucose
PubMed: 38753671
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303537