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Respiratory Medicine Jul 2024Sex and gender are related concepts, but they have distinct meanings and implications. Respiratory diseases are a major driver of morbi-mortality. It is frequent that... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
Sex and gender are related concepts, but they have distinct meanings and implications. Respiratory diseases are a major driver of morbi-mortality. It is frequent that respirologists, primary care doctors, or other specialists, when dealing with respiratory patients, and aiming for a holistic management of their patients, they all skip any question or matter associated with sexual activity or behavior.
OBJECTIVES
To review how sexual activity is explored in respiratory patients.
METHODS
To conduct this review, we endorse PRISMA guidance for reporting systematic reviews, and also the sex and gender equity in research (SAGER) guidelines.
RESULTS
Compared to other conditions such as heart disease, mental disorders, Alzheimer's, or even COVID-19, to date there is no review focused on sexual activity and respiratory health and disease. Asthma, COPD and other respiratory patients can have their sexual activity and behaviors affected by their disease, but also limitations in sex might be the sentinel event of an incident respiratory disease. Asking on sexual desire and related sex issues should not be considered taboo in any respiratory consultation. Importantly, any marketed stereotypes on cigarettes after any sexual activity should be counteracted. Many clinical trials of respiratory drugs keep recruiting few or no women, so research on women's sexual desire and satisfaction lags behind that of men's. By using the available objective tools and validated questionnaires summarized in this review, these important domains of respiratory patients and their partners can be properly identified and managed.
CONCLUSIONS
Sexual activity, depending on age and individual specific conditions, is a fundamental driver of overall health, and therefore of lung health.
Topics: Humans; Sexual Behavior; Female; Male; Asthma; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; COVID-19; Sex Factors; Respiratory Tract Diseases
PubMed: 38768665
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107665 -
Respiratory Investigation Jul 2024Although respiratory tract infection is a significant factor that triggers exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the benefit of antibiotics for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Although respiratory tract infection is a significant factor that triggers exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the benefit of antibiotics for patients with COPD exacerbation remains controversial. It is necessary to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antibiotics versus placebo in such patients.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of antibiotics versus placebo for the treatment of COPD exacerbation, and compared the frequencies of treatment failure, mortality, and adverse events between patients treated with antibiotics and those treated with placebo.
RESULTS
A total of six studies were included in this meta-analysis. The frequency of treatment failure was significantly lower in the antibiotic-treated patients compared to the placebo-treated patients (odds ratios [OR] 0.50, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.35-0.71, p = 0.0001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in mortality (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.05-3.76, p = 0.45) or frequency of adverse events (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.75-1.48, p = 0.78).
CONCLUSION
In the current systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that antibiotics were superior to placebo in patients with exacerbated COPD, as shown by the lower treatment failure rate.
Topics: Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Disease Progression; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Failure; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 38761481
DOI: 10.1016/j.resinv.2024.05.007 -
Clinical epidemiology and outcomes of emergency department-acute kidney injury: A systematic review.Heliyon May 2024Over half of all community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) initially presented to emergency department (ED), but emergency department acute kidney injury (ED-AKI)...
BACKGROUND
Over half of all community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) initially presented to emergency department (ED), but emergency department acute kidney injury (ED-AKI) is poorly characterised, poorly understood with no systematic review, often under-recognized and under-managed.
OBJECTIVE
To review the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of ED-AKI, and risk factors of post-ED-AKI mortality globally.
METHODS
We included published prospective or retrospective observational studies, controlled trials, and systematic reviews reporting AKI in adult ED attendees within 24 h of ED admission. Iatrogenic causes of AKI from medical interventions were excluded. We used PubMed to identify articles from 1996 to August 14, 2021, and adopted the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies to assess risk of bias. We used a Forest plot to present pooled ED-AKI incidence rates and I statistics. Other parameters were summarized narratively.
RESULTS
Using 24 h from ED admission as the definition for ED-AKI we identified six articles from 2005 to 2018 in high-income settings and one article with a 48-h timeframe. The pooled incidence of ED-AKI was 20 per 1000 adult ED attendances. Risk factors for ED-AKI included increasing age, nursing home residence, previous hospital admission within 30 days, discharge diagnosis of diabetes, obstructive uropathy, sepsis, gastrointestinal medical conditions, high serum creatinine, bilirubin, C-reactive protein, white blood cell, alanine aminotransferase, low serum sodium or albumin on admission, poor premorbid renal function, antibiotic use, active malignancy, lung disease, hyperlipidaemia, and infection. Crude, all-cause 24-h mortality rate was 4.56 % and the one-year mortality rate was 35.04 %. Increasing age and comorbidities including cardiovascular disease and malignancy were associated with higher mortality rates.
CONCLUSION
The review reveals a paucity of relevant literature which calls for further research, increased vigilance, red flag identification, and standardized management protocols for ED-AKI.
PubMed: 38756601
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30580 -
The Journal of Infection Jul 2024The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant threat to the global healthcare system, presenting a major challenge to antimicrobial stewardship worldwide. This study... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant threat to the global healthcare system, presenting a major challenge to antimicrobial stewardship worldwide. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review to determine the prevalence of AMR and antibiotic usage among COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in healthcare facilities. Our search encompassed the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases, spanning studies published from December 2019 to May 2023. We utilized random-effects meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients, aligning with both the WHO's priority list of MDROs and the AWaRe list of antibiotic products. Estimates were stratified by region, country, and country income. Meta-regression models were established to identify predictors of MDRO prevalence and antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD 42023449396).
RESULTS
Among the 11,050 studies screened, 173 were included in the review, encompassing a total of 892,312 COVID-19 patients. MDROs were observed in 42.9% (95% CI 31.1-54.5%, I = 99.90%) of COVID-19 patients: 41.0% (95% CI 35.5-46.6%) for carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO), 19.9% (95% CI 13.4-27.2%) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 24.9% (95% CI 16.7-34.1%) for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing organisms (ESBL), and 22.9% (95% CI 13.0-34.5%) for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species (VRE), respectively. Overall, 76.2% (95% CI 69.5-82.9%, I = 99.99%) of COVID-19 patients were treated with antibiotics: 29.6% (95% CI 26.0-33.4%) with "Watch" antibiotics, 22.4% (95% CI 18.0-26.7%) with "Reserve" antibiotics, and 16.5% (95% CI 13.3-19.7%) with "Access" antibiotics. The MDRO prevalence and antibiotic use were significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries, with the lowest proportion of antibiotic use (60.1% (95% CI 52.1-68.0%)) and MDRO prevalence (29.1% (95% CI 21.8-36.4%)) in North America, the highest MDRO prevalence in the Middle East and North Africa (63.9% (95% CI 46.6-81.2%)), and the highest proportion of antibiotic use in South Asia (92.7% (95% CI 90.4-95.0%)). The meta-regression identified antibiotic use and ICU admission as a significant predictor of higher prevalence of MDROs in COVID-19 patients.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review offers a comprehensive and current assessment of MDRO prevalence and antibiotic use among COVID-19 patients in healthcare facilities. It underscores the formidable challenge facing global efforts to prevent and control AMR amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings serve as a crucial warning to policymakers, highlighting the urgent need to enhance antimicrobial stewardship strategies to mitigate the risks associated with future pandemics.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; COVID-19; Antimicrobial Stewardship; SARS-CoV-2; Health Facilities; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Global Health; Prevalence; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
PubMed: 38754635
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106183 -
Integrative Medicine Research Jun 2024Chronic fatigue is a predominant symptom of post COVID-19 condition, or long COVID. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Traditional, Complementary and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chronic fatigue is a predominant symptom of post COVID-19 condition, or long COVID. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) for fatigue post COVID-19 infection.
METHODS
Ten English and Chinese language databases and grey literature were searched up to 12 April 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Cochrane "Risk of bias" (RoB) tool was applied. Evidence certainty was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Effect estimates were presented as risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI).
RESULTS
Thirteen RCTs with 1632 participants were included. One RCT showed that Bufei Huoxue herbal capsules reduced fatigue (n=129, MD -14.90, 95%CI -24.53 to -5.27), one RCT reported that Ludangshen herbal liquid lowered fatigue (n=184, MD -1.90, 95%CI -2.38 to -1.42), and the other one RCT shown that fatigue disappearance rate was higher with Ludangshen herbal liquid (n=184, RR 4.19, 95%CI 2.06 to 8.53). Compared to traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation (TCM-rahab) alone, one RCT showed that fatigue symptoms were lower following Qingjin Yiqi granules plus TCM-rehab (n=388, MD -0.48, 95%CI -0.50 to -0.46). Due to concerns with RoB and/or imprecision, the certainty in this evidence was low to very low. No serious adverse events was reported.
CONCLUSIONS
Limited evidence suggests that various TCIM interventions might reduce post COVID-19 fatigue. Larger, high quality RCTs of longer duration are required to confirm these preliminary findings.
STUDY REGISTRATION
The protocol of this review has been registered at PROSPERO: CRD42022384136.
PubMed: 38746044
DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2024.101039 -
Thrombosis Research Jun 2024COVID-19 has disproportionately affected racialized populations, with particular impact among individuals of Black individuals. However, it is unclear whether... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
IMPORTANCE
COVID-19 has disproportionately affected racialized populations, with particular impact among individuals of Black individuals. However, it is unclear whether disparities in venous thromboembolic (VTE) complications exist between Black individuals and those belonging to other racial groups with confirmed SARS-CoV2 infections.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the prevalence and moderators associated with VTE among Black COVID-19 patients in minoritized settings, and to compare this to White and Asian COVID-19 patients according to sex, age, and comorbid health conditions (heart failure, cancer, obesity, hypertension).
DESIGN SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and CENTRAL for articles or reports published from inception to February 15, 2023.
STUDY SELECTION
Reports on VTE among Black individuals infected with SARS-CoV2, in countries where Black people are considered a minority population group.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Study characteristics and results of eligible studies were independently extracted by 2 pairs of reviewers. VTE prevalence was extracted, and risk of bias was assessed. Prevalence estimates of VTE prevalence among Black individuals with COVID19 in each study were pooled. Where studies provided race-stratified VTE prevalence among COVID19 patients, odds ratios were generated using a random-effects model.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Prevalence of VTE, comprising of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
RESULTS
Ten studies with 66,185 Black individuals reporting the prevalence of COVID-19 associated VTE were included. Weighted median age of included studies was 47.60. Pooled prevalence of COVID-19 associated VTE was 7.2 % (95 % CI, 3.8 % - 11.5 %) among Black individuals. Among individuals with SARS-CoV2 infections, Black population had higher risks of VTE compared to their White (OR = 1.79, [95 % CI 1.28-2.53], p < .001) or Asian (OR = 2.01, [95 % CI, 1.14-3.60], p = .017) counterparts, or patients with other racial identities (OR = 2.01, [95 % CI, 1.39, 2.92]; p < .001).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Black individuals with COVID-19 had substantially higher risk of VTE compared to White or Asian individuals. Given racial disparities in thrombotic disease burden related to COVID-19, medical education, research, and health policy interventions are direly needed to ensure adequate disease awareness among Black individuals, to facilitate appropriate diagnosis and treatment among Black patients with suspected and confirmed VTE, and to advocate for culturally safe VTE prevention strategies, including pre-existing inequalities to the COVID-19 pandemic that persist after the crisis.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Venous Thromboembolism; White People; Prevalence; SARS-CoV-2; Asian People; Female; Male; Risk Factors; Minority Groups; Black People
PubMed: 38733691
DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2024.05.007 -
BMC Infectious Diseases May 2024Thromboembolic (TE) complications [myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE)] are common causes of mortality in...
Thromboembolic (TE) complications [myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE)] are common causes of mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Therefore, this review was undertaken to explore the incidence of TE complications and mortality associated with TE complications in hospitalised COVID-19 patients from different studies. A literature search was performed using ScienceDirect and PubMed databases using the MeSH term search strategy of "COVID-19", "thromboembolic complication", "venous thromboembolism", "arterial thromboembolism", "deep vein thrombosis", "pulmonary embolism", "myocardial infarction", "stroke", and "mortality". There were 33 studies included in this review. Studies have revealed that COVID-19 patients tend to develop venous thromboembolism (PE:1.0-40.0% and DVT:0.4-84%) compared to arterial thromboembolism (stroke:0.5-15.2% and MI:0.8-8.7%). Lastly, the all-cause mortality of COVID-19 patients ranged from 4.8 to 63%, whereas the incidence of mortality associated with TE complications was between 5% and 48%. A wide range of incidences of TE complications and mortality associated with TE complications can be seen among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Therefore, every patient should be assessed for the risk of thromboembolic complications and provided with an appropriate thromboprophylaxis management plan tailored to their individual needs.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Thromboembolism; Hospitalization; Pulmonary Embolism; SARS-CoV-2; Incidence; Venous Thromboembolism; Stroke; Myocardial Infarction; Venous Thrombosis
PubMed: 38730292
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09374-1 -
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology :... May 2024Tree nut allergy is a lifelong and potentially life-threatening condition. The standard of care is strictly avoiding the culprit nut and treating accidental reactions... (Review)
Review
Tree nut allergy is a lifelong and potentially life-threatening condition. The standard of care is strictly avoiding the culprit nut and treating accidental reactions symptomatically. To evaluate potential therapeutic options for desensitizing patients with IgE-mediated tree nut allergy, we systematically searched three bibliographic databases for studies published until January 2024. We looked for active treatments of IgE-mediated allergy to tree nuts (walnut, hazelnut, pistachio, cashew, almond, pecan, macadamia nut, and brazil nut). We focused on allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) using oral (OIT), sublingual (SLIT), epicutaneous (EPIT), or subcutaneous (SCIT) delivery, or other disease-modifying treatments. We found 19 studies that met our criteria: 3 studies investigated sublingual immunotherapy, 5 studied oral immunotherapy to a single tree nut, and 6 used multi-food oral immunotherapy with or without omalizumab. The remaining studies investigated the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies or IgE-immunoadsorption in multi-food allergic patients, including patients with tree nut allergy. The heterogeneity of the studies prevented pooling and meta-analysis. Oral immunotherapy, single or multi-nut, with or without omalizumab, was the most studied approach and appears effective in conferring protection from accidental exposures. Omalizumab monotherapy is the only approved alternative management for reducing allergic reactions that may occur with accidental exposure.
Topics: Humans; Nut Hypersensitivity; Immunoglobulin E; Desensitization, Immunologic; Allergens; Nuts; Child; Omalizumab
PubMed: 38727626
DOI: 10.1111/pai.14132 -
BioMed Research International 2024Many COVID-19 patients display adverse symptoms, such as reduced physical ability, poor quality of life, and impaired pulmonary function. Therefore, this systematic...
INTRODUCTION
Many COVID-19 patients display adverse symptoms, such as reduced physical ability, poor quality of life, and impaired pulmonary function. Therefore, this systematic review is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of physical exercise on various psychophysiological indicators among COVID-19 patients who may be at any stage of their illness (i.e., critically ill, hospitalized, postdischarge, and recovering).
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar from 2019 to 2021. Twenty-seven studies, which assessed a total of 1525 patients, were included and analysed.
RESULTS
Overall, data revealed significant improvements in the following parameters: physical function, dyspnoea, pulmonary function, quality of life (QOL), lower limb endurance and strength, anxiety, depression, physical activity level, muscle strength, oxygen saturation, fatigue, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-), lymphocyte, leukocytes, and a fibrin degradation product (D-dimer).
CONCLUSIONS
Physical training turns out to be an effective therapy that minimises the severity of COVID-19 in the intervention group compared to the standard treatment. Therefore, physical training could be incorporated into conventional treatment of COVID-19 patients. More randomized controlled studies with follow-up evaluations are required to evaluate the long-term advantages of physical training. Future research is essential to establish the optimal exercise intensity level and assess the musculoskeletal fitness of recovered COVID-19 patients. This trial is registered with CRD42021283087.
Topics: Humans; Adaptation, Physiological; Anxiety; COVID-19; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Muscle Strength; Quality of Life; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 38726292
DOI: 10.1155/2024/3325321 -
Cardiology in Review May 2024The ongoing debate surrounding coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with or without cardiopulmonary bypass persists, particularly in individuals with left ventricular...
The ongoing debate surrounding coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with or without cardiopulmonary bypass persists, particularly in individuals with left ventricular dysfunction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these 2 strategies through a comprehensive meta-analysis of existing studies. A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Registry was conducted from inception to July 2023. The primary focus was on studies comparing on-pump versus off-pump CABG as the primary treatment for multivessel coronary artery disease in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤40%), with mortality as the primary outcome. The meta-analysis included 26 studies with a total of 35,863 patients. The results revealed a significant reduction in mortality risk [risk ratio (RR), 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-0.93; P = 0.009] and other perioperative morbidities associated with off-pump CABG. These included stroke (RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54-0.82; P = 0.0002), myocardial infarction (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97; P = 0.03), pulmonary complications (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55-0.92; P = 0.010), postoperative transfusion (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.88; P = 0.002), neurological dysfunction (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-1.00; P = 0.05), infection (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97; P = 0.03), renal failure (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.67-0.95; P = 0.010), and reoperation for bleeding (RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.52-0.84; P = 0.0006). However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups regarding postoperative atrial fibrillation (RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.84-1.12; P = 0.69). In conclusion, off-pump CABG demonstrates a lower perioperative mortality risk and improved overall early outcomes compared with on-pump techniques in individuals with reduced left ventricular function.
PubMed: 38722180
DOI: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000706