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BMC Cardiovascular Disorders Jun 2024Tobacco use is recognized as a major cause of cardiovascular disease, which is associated with endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial function is evaluated using... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Tobacco use is recognized as a major cause of cardiovascular disease, which is associated with endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial function is evaluated using flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is a noninvasive method. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between smoking exposure and endothelial function evaluated using FMD values.
METHODS
We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for cohort studies of smokers or passive smokers that used FMD to assess endothelial function. The primary outcome of the study was the change in the rate of FMD. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Further, the weighted mean difference was used to analyze the continuous data.
RESULTS
Overall, 14 of 1426 articles were included in this study. The results of these articles indicated that smoking is a major cause of endothelial dysfunction and altered FMD; a pooled effect size of - 3.15 was obtained with a 95% confidence interval of (- 3.84, - 2.46). Notably, pregnancy status, Asian ethnicity, or health status did not affect heterogeneity.
CONCLUSIONS
We found that smoking has a significant negative impact on FMD, and measures such as medication or education for smoking cessation may improve endothelial function and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
The meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO on April 5th, 2023 (CRD42023414654).
Topics: Humans; Vasodilation; Endothelium, Vascular; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Adult; Risk Assessment; Cardiovascular Diseases; Aged; Risk Factors; Tobacco Smoke Pollution; Predictive Value of Tests; Smoking; Young Adult; Smokers; Brachial Artery; Heart Disease Risk Factors
PubMed: 38840064
DOI: 10.1186/s12872-024-03915-x -
European Journal of Obstetrics,... Jun 2024The influence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) on left atrial (LA) mechanics assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been poorly... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The influence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) on left atrial (LA) mechanics assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been poorly investigated. Accordingly, we performed a meta-analysis to summarize the main findings of STE studies who measured LA reservoir (LASr), conduit (LAScd) and contractile (LASct) strain in HDP women.
STUDY DESIGN
All echocardiographic studies assessing LA strain parameters in HDP women vs. healthy controls, selected from PubMed and EMBASE databases, were included. The risk of bias was assessed by using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment of Case-Control Studies. Continuous data (LASr, LAScd and LASct) were pooled as standardized mean difference (SMD) comparing HDP group with healthy controls. The overall SMDs of LASr, LAScd and LASct were calculated using the random-effect model.
RESULTS
The full-texts of 8 studies with 566 HDP women and 420 healthy pregnant women were analyzed. Average LASr (34.3 ± 6.4 vs 42.7 ± 5.3 %, P = 0.01) and LAScd (23.4 ± 6.3 vs 32.5 ± 6.0 %, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in HDP women than controls, whereas LASct (-13.0 ± 5.4 vs -13.7 ± 4.5 %, P = 0.18) was similar in the two groups of women. Substantial heterogeneity was detected among the studies evaluating LASr (I = 94.3 %), LAScd (I = 64.9 %) and LASct (I = 86.4 %). SMDs were large and statistically significant for LASr (-1.70, 95 %CI -2.34,-1.06, P < 0.001) and LAScd (-1.35, 95 %CI -1.69,-1.00, P < 0.001), small and not statistically significant for LASct (-0.11, 95 %CI -0.60,0.39, P = 0.678) assessment. Egger's test gave P-values of 0.10, 0.34 and 0.75 for LASr, LAScd and LASct measurement respectively, indicating no publication bias. On meta-regression analysis, none of the moderators was significantly associated with effect modification for LASr and its components (all P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
HDPs are independently associated with LASr impairment in pregnancy. STE allows to identify, among HDP women, those who might benefit from a more aggressive antihypertensive treatment and/or a closer clinical follow-up, aimed at reducing the risk of adverse maternal outcome and cardiovascular complications later in life.
PubMed: 38838388
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.05.044 -
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and... May 2024To investigate whether the ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in an individualized algorithm-based manner is inferior to recombinant human-follicle stimulating's... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To investigate whether the ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in an individualized algorithm-based manner is inferior to recombinant human-follicle stimulating's follitropin alfa or follitropin beta conventional dosing regarding a series of established primary endpoints.
METHODS
We conducted a registered systematic review (CRD42024512792) on PubMed-MEDLINE, Web of Science™, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus. Our search was designed to cover all relevant literature, particularly randomized controlled trials. We critically and comparatively analyzed the outcomes for each primary endpoint based on the intervention, reflected by the positive βhCG test, clinical pregnancy, vital pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, live birth, live birth at 4 weeks, and multiple pregnancies.
RESULTS
Six randomized controlled trials were included in the quality assessment as priority manuscripts, revealing an 83.3% low risk of bias. Follitropin delta led to non-significant differences in each parameter of interest from positive βhCG test (691; 53.44% vs. 602; 46.55%), ongoing pregnancies (603; 53.79% vs. 518; 46.20%), clinical and vital pregnancies (1,073; 52.80% vs. 959; 47.19%), to live birth and at 4 weeks (595; 54.14% vs. 504; 45.85%) with only 2 losses, and even multiple pregnancies (8; 66.66% vs. 4; 33.33%). However, follitropin delta was well-tolerated among hypo- and hyper-responders without significant risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and/or preventive interventions in contrast with follitropin alfa or follitropin beta.
CONCLUSION
The personalized individualized-based algorithm dosing with follitropin delta is non-inferior to conventional follitropin alfa or follitropin beta. It is as effective in promoting a similar response in women without significant comparable adverse effects.
PubMed: 38809330
DOI: 10.1007/s10815-024-03146-1 -
Current Hypertension Reports Jul 2024Machine learning (ML) approaches are an emerging alternative for healthcare risk prediction. We aimed to synthesise the literature on ML and classical regression studies... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Machine learning (ML) approaches are an emerging alternative for healthcare risk prediction. We aimed to synthesise the literature on ML and classical regression studies exploring potential prognostic factors and to compare prediction performance for pre-eclampsia.
RECENT FINDINGS
From 9382 studies retrieved, 82 were included. Sixty-six publications exclusively reported eighty-four classical regression models to predict variable timing of onset of pre-eclampsia. Another six publications reported purely ML algorithms, whilst another 10 publications reported ML algorithms and classical regression models in the same sample with 8 of 10 findings that ML algorithms outperformed classical regression models. The most frequent prognostic factors were age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, chronic medical conditions, parity, prior history of pre-eclampsia, mean arterial pressure, uterine artery pulsatility index, placental growth factor, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A. Top performing ML algorithms were random forest (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91-0.96) and extreme gradient boosting (AUC = 0.92, 95% CI 0.90-0.94). The competing risk model had similar performance (AUC = 0.92, 95% CI 0.91-0.92) compared with a neural network. Calibration performance was not reported in the majority of publications. ML algorithms had better performance compared to classical regression models in pre-eclampsia prediction. Random forest and boosting-type algorithms had the best prediction performance. Further research should focus on comparing ML algorithms to classical regression models using the same samples and evaluation metrics to gain insight into their performance. External validation of ML algorithms is warranted to gain insights into their generalisability.
Topics: Humans; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Female; Machine Learning; Algorithms; Prognosis; Regression Analysis; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Predictive Value of Tests
PubMed: 38806766
DOI: 10.1007/s11906-024-01297-1 -
Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Several adverse maternal outcomes have been linked to the excessive consumption of caffeine during pregnancy. Tea is an important source of caffeine. Hypertensive... (Review)
Review
Several adverse maternal outcomes have been linked to the excessive consumption of caffeine during pregnancy. Tea is an important source of caffeine. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are common pregnancy complications with unfavorable maternal and fetal complications. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between antenatal tea drinking and HDP using a meta-analysis of available evidence. We systematically retrieved eligible studies before computing the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of HDP for women who reported the highest versus the lowest frequencies of antenatal tea drinking. We used the statistic to measure heterogeneity across studies and the test for funnel plot asymmetry to evaluate publication bias. The results showed that the highest frequencies of antenatal tea drinking were associated with increased odds of HDP (pooled OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.33). We identified no signs of heterogeneity across studies ( = 0.0% and p-heterogeneity = 0.498) or publication bias (z = 0.791 and p-publication bias = 0.429). When the outcome was limited to (pre-)eclampsia, the association became statistically non-significant (pooled OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.89, = 0.0%, and p-heterogeneity = 0.751). In conclusion, our results indicated that the highest frequency of antenatal tea drinking was positively associated with HDP. Pregnant women should be advised against excessive tea consumption. Still, future prospective cohort studies, considering the effects of different tea types and caffeine content, are needed to confirm our conclusions.
PubMed: 38804341
DOI: 10.3390/epidemiologia5020014 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases May 2024Toxoplasmosis is a serious endemic zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy can result in congenital... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Toxoplasmosis is a serious endemic zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy can result in congenital transmission and serious fetal and neonatal complications. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii infection and its determinants among pregnant women in African countries.
METHODS
All articles reporting the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in African countries and published from 2010 to 2023 were searched using various databases. The pooled prevalence of toxoplasmosis was calculated using a random-effect model. The variation between the included studies was assessed using a funnel plot and I2 heterogeneity statistics. To identify the sources of heterogeneity, sub-group analysis was further conducted by country, diagnostic method, and sub-African region. The association of prevalence rates with the socio-economic level and geoclimatic parameters was also explored.
RESULTS
In total, 29,383 pregnant women from 60 articles were included for analysis. The pooled T. gondii seroprevalence was 42.89% with high heterogeneity (I2 = 99.4%, P < 0.001). Sub-group analysis revealed variation by country (ranging from 2.62% in Namibia to 80.28% in Congo), diagnostic method used (from 8.66% in studies using a rapid diagnostic test to 55.69% in those using an agglutination test), and sub-African region (from 4.14% in regions of Southern Africa to 53.96 in Central Africa). Cat ownership (OR = 1.58) and the consumption of raw meat (OR = 1.50) and raw vegetables (OR = 1.48) had a statistically significant combined effect on T. gondii seroprevalence. No association was found between T. gondii prevalence and the level of income of the country or geoclimatic parameters.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of toxoplasmosis infection among pregnant women in Africa is high, particularly in Central and Eastern Africa. The determinants of prevalence are multifactorial. Therefore, efforts should be made to increase the awareness of women concerning the risk factors for toxoplasmosis.
Topics: Humans; Female; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Pregnancy; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasma; Africa; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Antibodies, Protozoan; Animals; Prevalence; Pregnant Women
PubMed: 38781272
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012198 -
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN Jun 2024Advice to monitor and distribute carbohydrate intake is a key recommendation for treatment of gestational diabetes, but fails to consider circadian regulation of glucose...
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Advice to monitor and distribute carbohydrate intake is a key recommendation for treatment of gestational diabetes, but fails to consider circadian regulation of glucose homeostasis. In the non-pregnant state, glucose responses to a meal at night-time are significantly higher than during the day and are associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the impact of night time eating on postprandial glucose in pregnancy is uncertain. Using a systematic approach we explored postprandial glucose responses to dietary intake at night compared to during the day in pregnant women.
METHODS
Searches were conducted in four databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, CINAHL plus and Scopus), in September 2022 (updated, June 2023). Eligible studies reported on postprandial glucose at a minimum of two times a day, after identical meals or an oral glucose tolerance test, in pregnant women with or without gestational diabetes. Publication bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool.
RESULTS
Four eligible studies were retrieved. Two studies reported within group comparison of two timepoints, and observed reduced glucose tolerance in the afternoon compared to the morning in pregnant women, irrespective of diabetes status. The other two studies meeting inclusion criteria did not report time of day comparisons.
CONCLUSION
It is unclear as to whether the higher (and extended) postprandial glucose levels observed at night in non-pregnant populations are observed in pregnancy. Clinical studies are needed to explore the impact of circadian rhythmicity on glucose metabolism during pregnancy, and the implications of current dietary advice on when and what to eat for management of gestational diabetes.
Topics: Humans; Female; Pregnancy; Blood Glucose; Diabetes, Gestational; Postprandial Period; Circadian Rhythm; Glucose Tolerance Test; Time Factors; Pregnant Women; Adult
PubMed: 38777436
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.03.021 -
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology :... May 2024To report the diagnostic accuracy of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal blood in detecting chromosomal anomalies in twin pregnancies. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To report the diagnostic accuracy of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in maternal blood in detecting chromosomal anomalies in twin pregnancies.
METHODS
Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched. The inclusion criteria were twin pregnancies undergoing cfDNA screening for Trisomies 13, 18, 21, monosomy X0 and other sex chromosomal anomalies (SCA). The index test was represented by a positive results of cfDNA test. The reference standard was represented by the karyotype results (obtained either pre or postnatally) or, in case of negative cfDNA result, by a normal neonatal phenotype. The quality of the studies was assessed using the revised tool for the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS-2). Summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), with the corresponding 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI), were computed using the bivariate random-effects model.
RESULTS
Thirty-five studies were included. cfDNA had an overall high accuracy in detecting Trisomy 21 in twin pregnancies with a sensitivity of 98.8% (95% CI 96.5-100), a specificity of 100% (95% CI 99.9-100). Sensitivity and specificity were of 94.9% (95% CI 75.6-99.1) and 100 (95% CI 99.9-100) for Trisomy 18, and 84.6% (95% C% 54.6-98.1) and 100% (95% CI 99.9-100) for Trisomy 13 . We could not compute the diagnostic accuracy of cfDNA in detecting monosomy X0 in twins, while cfDNA had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 71.5-100) and a specificity of 99.8% (95% CI 99.7-99.9) in detecting other SCA (11 cases). The accuracy of cfDNA in detecting Trisomy 21, 18 and 13 was similar in dichorionic and monochorionic twin pregnancies.
CONCLUSION
cfDNA has a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting Trisomy 18 and 21 in twin pregnancies, irrespective of chorionicity. Accuracy in the detection of Trisomy 13 and SCA was limited by the small number of affected cases and the difficulties in the confirmation of false negative cases in case of SCA and requires confirmation in larger studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PubMed: 38775911
DOI: 10.1002/uog.27698 -
Heliyon May 2024Zinc is an essential trace element involved in different physiological functions. During pregnancy, it plays a crucial role in healthy embryogenesis. Abortion is the...
INTRODUCTION
Zinc is an essential trace element involved in different physiological functions. During pregnancy, it plays a crucial role in healthy embryogenesis. Abortion is the most severe problem associated with early pregnancy complications. This study aims to compare the levels of Zn in mothers with and without abortion.
METHODS
This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between 1980 and 2022 in PubMed, Science Direct, Pro Quest, Wiley, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The search was conducted using both main and Mesh keywords, specifically targeting terms related to abortion, pregnancy loss, and zinc. Heterogeneity in the studies included in the meta-analysis was evaluated using statistical tests such as the chi-square test, I2, and forest plots. Publication bias was assessed using Begg's and Egger's tests. All analyses were conducted using Stata 15, and statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05.
RESULTS
In general, nine studies were included in this analysis. Based on the results of the meta-analysis, the mean difference in the Zn level between mothers with and without abortion is equal to 193.18 (95 % CI; 107.11 to 279.25, P ≤ 0.001). In other words, the level of Zn in the group of mothers without abortion is 193 units higher than the group of mothers with abortion. The investigation into the comparison of Zn levels in mothers with and without abortion did not reveal any indication of publication bias according to both Begg's test (P-value = 0.858) and Egger's test (P-value = 0.270).
CONCLUSION
the study findings indicate a significant association between lower levels of Zn in mothers with abortion compared to mothers without abortion. This suggests that a higher level of Zn may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of abortion in pregnant women. The data also highlights the positive role of trace metals, particularly Zn, in influencing pregnancy outcomes and suggests that maintaining adequate levels of Zn may reduce the likelihood of abortion occurrence, along with other contributing factors. It is important to note that further research, including prospective cohort and experimental studies, is needed to provide more substantial evidence and strengthen these findings.
PubMed: 38774104
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30605 -
International Wound Journal May 2024Caesarean section (C-section) is the most performed major surgery worldwide. About 15% of births are delivered through C-section in Rwanda. The post-caesarean surgical... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Caesarean section (C-section) is the most performed major surgery worldwide. About 15% of births are delivered through C-section in Rwanda. The post-caesarean surgical section is one of the most frequent complications that follow a C-section. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to estimate the pooled prevalence of surgical site infections following caesarean section deliveries in Rwanda. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, DOAJ, AJOL and the Cochrane Library to identify primary studies on post-caesarean surgical site infections in Rwanda. Studies meeting predetermined criteria were included, and their quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 statistics, while publication bias was examined via funnel plots and statistical tests. Pooled prevalence was calculated using Jamovi 2.3.28 software, with subgroup analysis conducted to identify sources of heterogeneity. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. From 139 articles initially searched from the databases, only 17 studies with 8, 082 individuals were finally included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Using the random-effects model, the pooled estimate of post C-section SSIs prevalence in Rwanda was 6.85% (95% CI 5.2, 8.5). Subgroup analysis based on publication year, sample size, hospital and study design showed no much difference in SSI prevalence. The current systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that post-caesarean surgical site infections are significant in Rwanda. A collaborative effort is required to lower post-C-section SSIs and provide the best surgical care in the country.
Topics: Humans; Cesarean Section; Surgical Wound Infection; Rwanda; Female; Prevalence; Pregnancy; Adult
PubMed: 38772859
DOI: 10.1111/iwj.14929