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The Journal of Maternal-fetal &... Dec 2023During the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, utilization of emergency care units has been reported to be reduced for obstetrical and gynaecological reasons. The aim of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
During the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, utilization of emergency care units has been reported to be reduced for obstetrical and gynaecological reasons. The aim of this systematic review is to assess if this phenomenon reduced the rate of hospitalizations for any reason and to evaluate the main reasons for seeking care in this subset of the population.
METHODS
The search was conducted using the main electronic databases from January 2020 to May 2021. The studies were identified with the use of a combination of: "emergency department" OR "A&E" OR "emergency service" OR "emergency unit" OR "maternity service" AND "COVID-19" OR "COVID-19 pandemic" OR "SARS-COV-2" and "admission" OR "hospitalization". All the studies that evaluated women going to obstetrics & gynecology emergency department (ED) during the COVID-19 pandemic for any reason were included.
RESULTS
The pooled proportion (PP) of hospitalizations increased from 22.7 to 30.6% during the lockdown periods, in particular from 48.0 to 53.9% for delivery. The PP of pregnant women suffering from hypertensive disorders increased (2.6 vs 1.2%), as well as women having contractions (52 vs 43%) and rupture of membranes (12.0 vs 9.1%). Oppositely, the PP of women having pelvic pain (12.4 vs 14.4%), suspected ectopic pregnancy (1.8 vs 2.0), reduced fetal movements (3.0 vs 3.3%), vaginal bleeding both for obstetrical (11.7 vs 12.8%) and gynecological issues (7.4 vs 9.2%) slightly reduced.
CONCLUSION
During the lockdown, an increase in the proportion of hospitalizations for obstetrical and gynecological reasons has been registered, especially for labor symptoms and hypertensive disorders.
Topics: Female; Pregnancy; Humans; COVID-19; Gynecology; Pandemics; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced; Communicable Disease Control; Emergency Medical Services; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 36894183
DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2187254 -
Neurourology and Urodynamics Apr 2023Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a treatment approved for use in several conditions including refractory overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding dysfunction. Chronic pelvic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a treatment approved for use in several conditions including refractory overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding dysfunction. Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a debilitating condition for which treatment is often challenging. SNM shows promising effect in patients with refractory CPP. However, there is a lack of clear evidence, especially in long-term outcomes. This systematic review will assess outcomes of SNM for treating CPP.
METHODS
A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central and clinical trial databases was completed from database inception until January 14, 2022. Studies using original data investigating SNM in an adult population with CPP which recorded pre and posttreatment pain scores were selected. Primary outcome was numerical change in pain score. Secondary outcomes were quality of life assessment and change in medication use and all-time complications of SNM. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Tool for cohort studies.
RESULTS
Twenty-six of 1026 identified articles were selected evaluating 853 patients with CPP. The implantation rate after test-phase success was 64.3%. Significant improvement of pain scores was reported in 13 studies; three studies reported no significant change. WMD in pain scores on a 10-point scale was -4.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -5.32 to -3.95, p < 0.00001) across 20 studies which were quantitatively synthesized: effects were maintained at long-term follow-up. Mean follow-up was 42.5 months (0-59). Quality of life was measured by RAND SF-36 and EQ-5D questionnaires and all studies reported improvement in quality of life. One hundred and eighty-nine complications were reported in 1555 patients (Clavien-Dindo Grade I-IIIb). Risk of bias ranged from low to high risk. Studies were case series and bias stemmed from selection bias and loss to follow-up.
CONCLUSION
Sacral Neuromodulation is a reasonably effective treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain and significantly reduces pain and increases patients' quality of life with immediate to long-term effects.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Quality of Life; Urinary Bladder, Overactive; Treatment Outcome; Pelvic Pain
PubMed: 36877182
DOI: 10.1002/nau.25167 -
Systematic Reviews Mar 2023Osteoarthritis (OA) and lower back pain (LBP) are most common health problems which lead to pain and disability. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence...
BACKGROUND
Osteoarthritis (OA) and lower back pain (LBP) are most common health problems which lead to pain and disability. This study aimed to systematically review the evidence to find any relationship between knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and LBP or any potential causation.
METHODS
The databases of Scopus, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched from inception to 01 October 2022. Any study published in English assessing live humans over 18 years with KOA and LBP was eligible to be included. Studies were independently screened by two researchers. Data of the included studies were extracted based on the participants, outcomes related to knee and lumbar spine, reported association or causation between LBP and KOA, and study design. Data were narratively analyzed and presented as graphs and table. Methodology quality was assessed.
RESULTS
Of 9953 titles and abstracts, duplicates were removed, and 7552 were screened. Altogether, 88 full texts were screened, and 13 were eligible for the final inclusion. There were some biomechanical and clinical causations were observed for the concurrent presence of LBP and KOA. Biomechanically, high pelvic incidence is a risk factor for development of spondylolisthesis and KOA. Clinically, knee pain intensity was higher in KOA when presents with LBP. Less than 20% of studies have justified their sample size during the quality assessment.
DISCUSSION
Development and progression of KOA in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis may be induced by significantly greater mismatches of lumbo-pelvic sagittal alignment. Elderly patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis and severe KOA reported a different pelvic morphology, increased sagittal malalignment with a lack of lumbar lordosis due to double-level listhesis, and greater knee flexion contracture than in patients with no to mild and moderate KOA. People with concurrent LBP and KOA have reported poor function with more disability. Both LBP and lumbar kyphosis indicate functional disability and knee symptoms in patients with KOA.
CONCLUSIONS
Different biomechanical and clinical causations were revealed for the concurrent existence of KOA and LBP. Therefore, careful assessment of both back and knee joints should be considered when treating KOA and vice versa.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42022238571.
Topics: Aged; Animals; Humans; Low Back Pain; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Spondylolisthesis; Knee Joint; Databases, Factual
PubMed: 36864486
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-022-02164-3 -
Polski Przeglad Chirurgiczny May 2022<b> Aim: </b> The study was conducted to analyse the recent peer-reviewed literature related to symptomatic spilled gallstones after Laparoscopic...
<b> Aim: </b> The study was conducted to analyse the recent peer-reviewed literature related to symptomatic spilled gallstones after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). </br></br> <b>Materials and methods:</b> Articles published in the peer-reviewed journals of repute from 20122022 were evaluated for nine variables including: [I] age of the patient, [II] gender, [III] interval since index LC, [IV] index LC if emergent/difficult or elective/straightforward, [V] clinical presentation, [VI] spilled gallstones if detected by imaging, [VII] management, [VIII] approach to management, [IX] number of spilled gallstones. </br></br> <b>Results:</b> There were a total of 71 cases (37 males and 34 females) with a mean age of 63.7 years. The time of onset of symptoms from spilled gallstones, after index LC, ranged from 2 days to 15 years and 57 patients (80.3%) presented within 6 years. Forty (56.3%) patients were unaware of the fact that gallstone spillage had occurred during index LC. The retained gallstones were detected by imaging in 47 (66.1%) cases and they were multiple in 51 (71.8%). In 52 patients (73.2%), the stones manifested as abdominal abscess/foreign body granuloma; the other presentations being pelvic pain/fistula, intestinal obstruction, abdominal lump simulating malignancy, incidental finding of metastatic lesions and generalized peritonitis. The major approaches adopted to retrieve the retained stones included open surgery, laparoscopy and percutaneous drainage. There were two deaths (2.9%) due to spilled gallstones. </br></br> <b>Conclusion:</b> Retained gallstones represent a complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) that has a potential to create morbidity and diagnostic difficulties, even after a substantial delay. There is a need to spread awareness about the adverse effects of spilled stones so that they are actively looked for and retrieved if gallbladder perforates during cholecystectomy. Whenever such a complication occurs, the patient should be properly informed and the details should be very clearly mentioned in the operation notes.
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Middle Aged; Gallstones; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; Cholecystectomy; Laparoscopy; Abdominal Abscess; Abdominal Neoplasms
PubMed: 36805307
DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0015.8571 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023Pylephlebitis, defined as infective thrombophlebitis of the portal vein, is a rare condition with an incidence of 0.37-2.7 cases per 100,000 person-years, which can... (Review)
Review
Pylephlebitis, defined as infective thrombophlebitis of the portal vein, is a rare condition with an incidence of 0.37-2.7 cases per 100,000 person-years, which can virtually complicate any intra-abdominal or pelvic infections that develop within areas drained by the portal venous circulation. The current systematic review aimed to investigate the etiology behind pylephlebitis in terms of pathogens involved and causative infective processes, and to report the most common symptoms at clinical presentation. We included 220 individuals derived from published cases between 1971 and 2022. Of these, 155 (70.5%) were male with a median age of 50 years. There were 27 (12.3%) patients under 18 years of age, 6 (2.7%) individuals younger than one year, and the youngest reported case was only 20 days old. The most frequently reported symptoms on admission were fever (75.5%) and abdominal pain (66.4%), with diverticulitis (26.5%) and acute appendicitis (22%) being the two most common causes. Pylephlebitis was caused by a single pathogen in 94 (42.8%) cases and polymicrobial in 60 (27.2%) cases. However, the responsible pathogen was not identified or not reported in 30% of the included patients. The most frequently isolated bacteria were (25%), spp. (17%), and spp. (15%). The treatment of pylephlebitis consists initially of broad-spectrum antibiotics that should be tailored upon bacterial identification and continued for at least four to six weeks after symptom presentation. There is no recommendation for prescribing anticoagulants to all patients with pylephlebitis. However, they should be administered in patients with thrombosis progression on repeat imaging or persistent fever despite proper antibiotic therapy to increase the rates of thrombus resolution or decrease the overall mortality, which is approximately 14%.
PubMed: 36766534
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13030429 -
The Journal of Infectious Diseases Aug 2023This study aims to comparatively analyze clinical features, treatment, and patient outcomes between the previous and the 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreaks. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
This study aims to comparatively analyze clinical features, treatment, and patient outcomes between the previous and the 2022 mpox (monkeypox) outbreaks.
METHODS
Five bibliographic databases were searched for studies reporting clinical features, management, and patient outcomes of mpox. Systematic review and meta-analysis were performed.
RESULTS
In total, 73 studies were included in the systematic review, of which 33 studies were subjected to meta-analysis. Previous outbreaks substantially affected children, whereas the 2022 outbreak primarily affected male adults, of which 94.66% (95% confidence interval [CI], 88.03-98.95) were men who have sex with men. Furthermore, 72.47% (95% CI, 51.04-89.71) reported high-risk sexual activity and the overall human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence was 37.65% (95% CI, 30.09-45.50). Skin lesions remain the typical symptom; however, their anatomic distribution differed. Systemic manifestations were common, but rectal pain was unique to the 2022 outbreak. The estimated overall fatality during past outbreaks in Africa was 4.61% (95% CI, 2.39%-7.35%), whereas 6.34% (95% CI, 3.35%-10.10%) of patients from the 2022 outbreak required hospitalization. Antiviral treatment, in particular tecovirimat, has been prescribed for a subset of patients, but the efficacy remains inconclusive.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings are important for better understanding the disease and guiding adequate response to mpox outbreaks.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Male; Female; Homosexuality, Male; Mpox (monkeypox); Sexual and Gender Minorities; Antiviral Agents; Disease Outbreaks; Pelvic Pain
PubMed: 36735342
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad034 -
JMIR MHealth and UHealth Feb 2023Chronic pain (CP) is 1 of the leading causes of disability worldwide and represents a significant burden on individual, social, and economic aspects. Potential tools,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chronic pain (CP) is 1 of the leading causes of disability worldwide and represents a significant burden on individual, social, and economic aspects. Potential tools, such as mobile health (mHealth) systems, are emerging for the self-management of patients with CP.
OBJECTIVE
A systematic review was conducted to analyze the effects of mHealth interventions on CP management, based on pain intensity, quality of life (QoL), and functional disability assessment, compared to conventional treatment or nonintervention.
METHODS
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines were followed to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases from February to March 2022. No filters were used. The eligibility criteria were RCTs of adults (≥18 years old) with CP, intervened with mHealth systems based on mobile apps for monitoring pain and health-related outcomes, for pain and behavioral self-management, and for performing therapeutic approaches, compared to conventional treatments (physical, occupational, and psychological therapies; usual medical care; and education) or nonintervention, reporting pain intensity, QoL, and functional disability. The methodological quality and risk of bias (RoB) were assessed using the Checklist for Measuring Quality, the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence, and the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool.
RESULTS
In total, 22 RCTs, involving 2641 patients with different CP conditions listed in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11), including chronic low back pain (CLBP), chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP), chronic neck pain (CNP), unspecified CP, chronic pelvic pain (CPP), fibromyalgia (FM), interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and osteoarthritis (OA). A total of 23 mHealth systems were used to conduct a variety of CP self-management strategies, among which monitoring pain and symptoms and home-based exercise programs were the most used. Beneficial effects of the use of mHealth systems in reducing pain intensity (CNP, FM, IC/BPS, and OA), QoL (CLBP, CNP, IBS, and OA), and functional disability (CLBP, CMSP, CNP, and OA) were found. Most of the included studies (18/22, 82%) reported medium methodological quality and were considered as highly recommendable; in addition, 7/22 (32%) studies had a low RoB, 10/22 (45%) had some concerns, and 5/22 (23%) had a high RoB.
CONCLUSIONS
The use of mHealth systems indicated positive effects for pain intensity in CNP, FM, IC/BPS, and OA; for QoL in CLBP, CNP, IBS, and OA; and for functional disability in CLBP, CMSP, CNP, and OA. Thus, mHealth seems to be an alternative to improving pain-related outcomes and QoL and could be part of multimodal strategies for CP self-management. High-quality studies are needed to merge the evidence and recommendations of the use of mHealth systems for CP management.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42022315808; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=315808.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Adolescent; Chronic Pain; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Chronic Disease; Low Back Pain; Fibromyalgia; Telemedicine; Quality of Life
PubMed: 36729570
DOI: 10.2196/40844 -
BMC Women's Health Jan 2023Extrapelvic endometriosis occurring at skeletal muscle and joint sites is not rare and is prone to delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Herein, endometriosis...
BACKGROUND
Extrapelvic endometriosis occurring at skeletal muscle and joint sites is not rare and is prone to delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Herein, endometriosis of the skeletal muscular system (ESMS) is systematically reviewed to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.
METHODS
Literature on ESMS published before March 2022 was retrieved from the Ovid Medline and Web of Science databases, and the major clinical data were extracted for descriptive analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 62 studies (78 ESMS cases) met these requirements. The ESMS included the abdominal muscles (50.7%), pelvic floor muscles (11.6%), lower limb muscles (11.6%), hip muscles (8.7%), lumbar muscles (7.2%), joints (5.8%), upper limb muscles (2.9%), and shoulder-neck muscles (1.4%). The age was 34.0 ± 7.2 years (range 17-49 years). Approximately 63.8% of patients had at least one previous pelvic surgery, and 76.8% of local symptoms were related to the menstrual cycle. The course of disease was 29.6 ± 25.4 months (range 0.5-96 months). Only 30.3% of the patients sought initial medical advice from gynecologists, while 69.7% sought initial medical advice from a nongynecological physician. Twenty-seven patients underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) under ultrasound or CT monitoring, and only 44.4% (12/27) were confirmed to have endometriosis by FNA tissue pathology. Approximately 47.4% (37/78) of the patients had a normal pelvic cavity appearance. Surgical resection was performed in 92.3% (72/78) of the patients, of whom 88.9% (64/72) underwent complete resection of the lesion (negative surgical margin) and 20.8% (15/72) received postoperative hormone therapy. At 16.7 months of follow-up, 83.3%, 13.8%, 2.9%, and four patients had complete response, partial response, recurrence, and permanent function impairment, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Endometriosis can occur at almost any site in the musculoskeletal system. For women of reproductive age with catamenial pain or a mass in the musculoskeletal system, endometriosis should be suspected. Fine-needle aspiration can easily lead to missed diagnoses. Surgical resection for negative margins is the main treatment, and permanent impairment of function may occur in a few patients due to delayed diagnosis. Vascular lymphatic metastasis is the most likely mechanism of pathogenesis.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Endometriosis; Dysmenorrhea; Menstrual Cycle; Muscle, Skeletal; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 36703173
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02184-8 -
Arthroplasty Today Feb 2023Acetabular fractures are frequently associated with post-traumatic arthritis (PTA), for which total hip arthroplasty (THA) has emerged as the established procedure. The...
BACKGROUND
Acetabular fractures are frequently associated with post-traumatic arthritis (PTA), for which total hip arthroplasty (THA) has emerged as the established procedure. The purpose of this systematic review is to report the patient outcomes, complications, and implant survival of delayed THA for patients with PTA following acetabular fracture.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed in December 2021 as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Guidelines to identify all studies reporting outcomes of delayed THA performed for PTA with a history of acetabular fracture. From an initial screen of 893 studies, 29 studies which met defined inclusion criteria including minimum 12 months of follow-up and minimum 10 THA were included in the final review.
RESULTS
A total of 1220 THA were reported across 29 studies, with 1174 THA completing a minimum of 1-year follow-up at a mean of 86 months. All 29 studies reported upon complications, with a control included in 6 for comparison. Higher complication rates were observed both in patients who had prior open reduction internal fixation and conservative treatment, most notably infection which was observed following 3.6% THA. The total joint revision rate was 9.7%. An improvement was noted in all 25 studies which recorded patient-reported outcomes, with a mean rise in the Harris hip score from 45 to 86 across 18 studies.
CONCLUSIONS
THA may reduce reported pain levels and improve functional outcomes in selected patients experiencing PTA following acetabular fractures. There is an increased risk of complications, necessitating careful consideration when planning the operation and open discussion with prospective patients and caregivers.
PubMed: 36691464
DOI: 10.1016/j.artd.2022.101078 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Auricular acupressure (AA) is widely used in treatment of dysmenorrhea, but the safety and efficacy of auricular acupressure on dysmenorrhoea are still lack of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Auricular acupressure (AA) is widely used in treatment of dysmenorrhea, but the safety and efficacy of auricular acupressure on dysmenorrhoea are still lack of evidence-based basis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on dysmenorrhea.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic search was conducted in six electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CINAHL), Weipu (CQVIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases, to retrieve studies published from the inception dates to June 10, 2022.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effectiveness of AA on dysmenorrhea were identified.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
The data extraction and quality assessment of the included studies were performed by two reviewers independently. Outcomes were abstracted to determine the effect measure by using mean differences (MD), standardized mean differences (SMD), or odds ratio (OR) from a random effects model.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Cure rate, total effective rate, and visual analogue scale (VAS) were described as primary outcomes; Short-form Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQs), symptom scores, serum nitric oxide (NO) level, and adverse events were recorded as secondary outcomes.
RESULTS
Thirty-five RCTs involving 3960 participants were included in this study. Our findings indicated that, overall, AA was associated with a significant benefit in cured rate (OR = 1.95, 95%CI: [1.34, 2.83], P=0.0004, I = 75%), total effective rate (OR = 3.58, 95%CI: [2.92, 4.39], P<0.00001, I = 67%), VAS score (MD = -1.45, 95%CI: [-1.73, -1.17], P<0.00001, I = 67%), and symptom scores compared to the control group (SMD = -0.85, 95%CI: [-1.28, -0.43], P<0.0001, I = 91%). However, no difference in serum NO (SMD = 0.77, 95%CI: [-0.39, 1.92], P = 0.19, I = 89%) and MDQs (SMD = -0.58, 95%CI: [-1.26, 0.10], P = 0.10, I = 79%) was found between the two groups. Furthermore, subgroup analysis results indicated that AA showed significant superiorities in increasing cured rate and total effective rate, and reducing VAS score and symptom scores when compared to analgesics and non-intervention. Moreover, AA presented the same superiorities when used as an adjunctive strategy to other therapy. However, these benefits were not detected in AA used alone when compared to the therapies, including Chinese herbs, acupuncture, external application of Chineseherbal medicine, moxibustion, auricular needle, and health education.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, AA, as a potential safety therapy, is effective for the management of dysmenorrhea, such as increasing cured rate, total effective rate, VAS, and symptom scores. Nevertheless, AA showed no significant improvement in serum NO and MDQs. It is furtherly found that AA used alone is superior to analgesics and non-intervention regarding cured rate, total effective rate, VAS, and symptom scores. Furthermore, the same superiorities are observed when AA serves as an adjunctive strategy to other therapy. However, AA alone has little effect on them compared to other therapies, and there is no definite conclusion on the benefits of AA compared to placebo for patients with dysmenorrhea. Rigorous RCTs with blind method and placebo control are warranted to confirm these findings.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022338524.
Topics: Female; Humans; Dysmenorrhea; Acupressure; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Acupuncture Therapy; Analgesics; Nitric Oxide
PubMed: 36686444
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1016222