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Journal of Alternative and... Oct 2020The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to describe the status on the effects of physical scar treatments on pain, pigmentation, pliability, pruritus,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to describe the status on the effects of physical scar treatments on pain, pigmentation, pliability, pruritus, scar thickening, and surface area. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Adults with any kind of scar tissue. Physical scar management versus control or no scar management. Pain, pigmentation, pliability, pruritus, surface area, scar thickness. The overall results revealed that physical scar management is beneficial compared with the control treatment regarding the management of pain ( = 0.012), pruritus ( < 0.001), pigmentation ( = 0.010), pliability ( < 0.001), surface area ( < 0.001), and thickness ( = 0.022) of scar tissue in adults. The observed risk of bias was high for blinding of participants and personnel (47%) and low for other bias (100%). Physical scar management demonstrates moderate-to-strong effects on improvement of scar issues as related to signs and symptoms. These results show the importance of specific physical management of scar tissue.
Topics: Cicatrix; Female; Humans; Male; Pigmentation Disorders; Postoperative Complications; Pruritus; Wound Healing
PubMed: 32589450
DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0109 -
The Gerontologist Jul 2020The number of people aged 65 years or older is growing substantially. As a result of increased health burden and tooth retention, more oral health problems are expected...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The number of people aged 65 years or older is growing substantially. As a result of increased health burden and tooth retention, more oral health problems are expected in this age group. A poor oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) can compromise a person's psychological state, social relationships, personal beliefs, and physical health. The aim of this systematic review was to identify oral health factors associated with OHQoL in people aged 65 years or older and to give a comprehensive overview of the body of literature for each oral health factor separately.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
A comprehensive search was performed in five databases. The following terms were used as index terms or free-text words: "Oral Health," "Quality of Life," "Older People." Two researchers independently assessed studies for eligibility based on predefined criteria.
RESULTS
Of 3,702 references retrieved from the databases, 68 studies were eligible and included (9 randomized clinical trials, 6 cohort studies, and 53 cross-sectional studies). All results were reported descriptively. OHQoL in people aged 65 years or older is positively associated with higher number of teeth, higher number of occluding pairs, implant-retained overdentures, and the shortened dental arch concept and negatively associated with xerostomia, orofacial pain, and poor chewing ability. In the current literature, there is no consensus on the association between edentulism, caries, and periodontal conditions and OHQoL.
DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
Having a functional dentition (either natural or prosthetic) is important for a good OHQoL, whereas painful or functional complaints are associated with impaired OHQoL.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Dentition; Female; Humans; Male; Oral Health; Quality of Life
PubMed: 31729525
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnz105 -
The British Journal of Surgery Dec 2019Surgeons have traditionally been reluctant to perform total pancreatectomy because of concerns for brittle diabetes and poor quality of life (QoL). Several recent...
BACKGROUND
Surgeons have traditionally been reluctant to perform total pancreatectomy because of concerns for brittle diabetes and poor quality of life (QoL). Several recent studies have suggested that outcomes following total pancreatectomy have improved, but a systematic review is lacking.
METHODS
A systematic review was undertaken of studies reporting on outcomes after total pancreatectomy for all indications, except chronic pancreatitis. PubMed, EMBASE (Ovid), and Cochrane Library were searched (2005-2018). Endpoints included functional outcome and QoL.
RESULTS
A total of 21 studies, including 1536 patients, fulfilled the eligibility criteria. During a median follow-up of 20·8 (range 1·5-96·0) months, 18·6 per cent (45 of 242 patients) were readmitted for endocrine-related morbidity, with associated mortality in 1·6 per cent (6 of 365 patients). No diabetes-related mortality was reported in studies including only patients treated after 2005. Symptoms related to exocrine insufficiency were reported by 43·5 per cent (143 of 329 patients) during a median follow-up of 15·9 (1·5-96·0) months. Overall QoL, reported by 102 patients with a median follow-up of 28·6 (6·0-66·0) months, using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, showed a moderately reduced summary score of 76 per cent, compared with a general population score of 86 per cent (P = 0·004).
CONCLUSION
Overall QoL after total pancreatectomy is affected adversely, in particular by the considerable impact of diarrhoea that requires better treatment. There is also room for improvement in the management of diabetes after total pancreatectomy, particularly with regards to prevention of diabetes-related morbidity.
Topics: Humans; Pancreatectomy; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Postoperative Period; Quality of Life; Recovery of Function
PubMed: 31502658
DOI: 10.1002/bjs.11296 -
Musculoskeletal Science & Practice Aug 2017The methodological quality of controlled clinical trials (CCTs) of physiotherapeutic treatment modalities for myofascial trigger points (MTrP) has not been investigated... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The methodological quality of controlled clinical trials (CCTs) of physiotherapeutic treatment modalities for myofascial trigger points (MTrP) has not been investigated yet.
OBJECTIVES
To detect the methodological quality of CCTs for physiotherapy treatments of MTrPs and demonstrating the possible increase over time.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted in two databases, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Medicine Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System online (MEDLINE), using the same keywords and selection procedure corresponding to pre-defined inclusion criteria. The methodological quality, assessed by the 11-item PEDro scale, served as outcome measure. The CCTs had to compare at least two interventions, where one intervention had to lay within the scope of physiotherapy. Participants had to be diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome or trigger points (active or latent).
RESULTS
A total of n = 230 studies was analysed. The cervico-thoracic region was the most frequently treated body part (n = 143). Electrophysical agent applications was the most frequent intervention. The average methodological quality reached 5.5 on the PEDro scale. A total of n = 6 studies scored the value of 9. The average PEDro score increased by 0.7 points per decade between 1978 and 2015.
CONCLUSIONS
The average PEDro score of CCTs for MTrP treatments does not reach the cut-off of 6 proposed for moderate to high methodological quality. Nevertheless, a promising trend towards an increase of the average methodological quality of CCTs for MTrPs was recorded. More high-quality CCT studies with thorough research procedures are recommended to enhance methodological quality.
Topics: Clinical Trials as Topic; Electrophysiological Phenomena; Forecasting; Humans; Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Physical Therapy Modalities; Trigger Points
PubMed: 28448859
DOI: 10.1016/j.msksp.2017.04.009 -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Dec 2014Based on early life experiences in which developmental, genetic, and environmental components interact, humans learn to trust themselves and others and connect... (Review)
Review
Based on early life experiences in which developmental, genetic, and environmental components interact, humans learn to trust themselves and others and connect emotionally in consistent ways that are broadly defined as "attachment styles." These relatively stable patterns of interpersonal interaction are associated with either vulnerability to various health risks or resilience. Similarly, the mechanisms involved in sleep regulation undergo developmental changes that overlap temporally with attachment formation and remain sensitive to a series of biological, environmental and psychological influences. Interestingly, while sleep has been conceptualized as a fundamental attachment behavior given its dyadic context, few studies have explored its relationship with attachment style in various ages. We present the first systematic review of the published literature examining the relationship between attachment style and sleep in humans across the life span. While levels of evidence and methods of assessment vary significantly, the results suggest a possible life-long relationship between individual attachment style and sleep. These findings are particularly useful in understanding relatively ingrained psychological mechanisms that can affect and be affected by sleep. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
Topics: Adult; Aging; Child; Humans; Models, Psychological; Object Attachment; Sleep
PubMed: 24721278
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2014.03.002