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JAMA Dermatology Sep 2021Multiple interventions are available for the treatment of actinic keratosis (AK). However, most randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses focus on short-term efficacy... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Multiple interventions are available for the treatment of actinic keratosis (AK). However, most randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses focus on short-term efficacy outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate and synthesize the long-term efficacy (≥12 months) of interventions for AK from parallel-arm randomized clinical trials.
DATA SOURCES
Searches in MEDLINE, Embase, and Central were conducted from inception until April 6, 2020. The reference lists of the included studies and pertinent trial registers were hand searched. The study was completed February 27, 2021.
STUDY SELECTION
Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of 2741 records. Finally, 17 published reports (original studies and follow-up reports) referring to 15 independent randomized clinical trials with an overall sample size of 4252 patients were included.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Two reviewers independently extracted data on study, patient, and intervention characteristics. Network meta-analysis (NMA) of each outcome was conducted with a frequentist approach. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidance for NMA was used to assess the certainty of evidence. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized clinical trials was used to evaluate the methodologic quality.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Participant complete clearance, participant partial clearance, and lesion-specific clearance were the outcomes, with each assessed at least 12 months after the end of treatment.
RESULTS
Data from 15 independent randomized clinical trials including 4252 patients were extracted and synthesized. Ten studies were included in an NMA for the outcome of participant complete clearance, with photodynamic therapy with aminolevulinate (ALA-PDT) showing the most favorable risk ratio (RR) compared with placebo (RR, 8.06; 95% CI, 2.07-31.37; GRADE, moderate), followed by imiquimod, 5% (RR, 5.98; 95% CI, 2.26-15.84; GRADE, very low), photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate (MAL-PDT) (RR, 5.95; 95% CI, 1.21-29.41; GRADE, low), and cryosurgery (RR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.36-16.66; GRADE, very low). Similarly, ALA-PDT had the highest RR in the NMA for lesion-specific clearance (RR, 5.08; 95% CI, 2.49-10.33; GRADE, moderate). No NMA was possible for participant partial clearance owing to poor reporting of this outcome.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This systematic review and network meta-analysis found that therapy including ALA-PDT, imiquimod, 5%, MAL-PDT, and cryosurgery was associated with significant long-term efficacy in the NMA. This study provides data for a possible use in an evidence-based framework for selecting interventions with sustained lesion clearance.
Topics: Cryosurgery; Humans; Imiquimod; Keratosis, Actinic; Network Meta-Analysis; Photochemotherapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 34347015
DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2779 -
Health Science Reports Sep 2021Benzene is a group I carcinogen, which has been associated with leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Moreover, it has been proposed that polymorphisms in benzene... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Benzene is a group I carcinogen, which has been associated with leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Moreover, it has been proposed that polymorphisms in benzene metabolizing genes influence the outcomes of benzene exposure in the human body. This systematic review aims to elucidate the existent relationship between genetic polymorphisms and the risk of developing adverse health effects in benzene-exposed workers.
METHODS
Three databases were systematically searched until April 2020. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses method was used to select articles published between 2005 and 2020. Quality assessment and risk of bias were evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.
RESULTS
After full-text evaluation, 36 articles remained out of 645 initially screened. The most studied health effects within the reviewed papers were chronic benzene poisoning, hematotoxicity, altered urinary biomarkers of exposure, micronucleus/chromosomal aberrations, and gene methylation. Furthermore, some polymorphisms on , , , , and , among other genes, showed a statistically significant relationship with an increased risk of developing at least one of these effects on benzene-exposed workers. However, there was no consensus among the reviewed papers on which specific polymorphisms were the ones associated with the adverse health-related outcomes, except for the rs1800566 and the null genotypes. Additionally, the smoking habit was identified as a confounder, demonstrating worse health outcomes in exposed workers that smoked.
CONCLUSION
Though there is a positive relationship between genetic polymorphisms and detrimental health outcomes for benzene-exposed workers, broader benzene-exposed cohorts that take into account the genetic diversity of the population are needed in order to determine which specific polymorphisms incur in health risks.
PubMed: 34295994
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.327 -
JCPP Advances Jul 2021Non-shared environment (NSE) effects account for around one-third of the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the knowledge of mechanisms and phenotypic...
BACKGROUND
Non-shared environment (NSE) effects account for around one-third of the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the knowledge of mechanisms and phenotypic profiles associated with NSE in ASD is scarce.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted using Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO for studies published in English between 1990 and August 2020 using co-twin control design to compare behavioral and biological phenotypes among monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs concordant/discordant for ASD, clinical autism symptoms, or autistic traits. Risk of bias was assessed through a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
RESULTS
Twenty six articles were included. Differential DNA methylation and gene expression were found among ASD discordant twins; however, genetic results were inconsistent. Neurological disorders and early medical events were associated with ASD and autistic traits, while no within pair differences were found for minor physical anomalies or head circumference. Structural and functional brain imaging studies and research on social and other cognitive/behavioral functions were inconclusive. Risk of bias assessment found that all studies used the same exposure (or outcome) measures to collect data for participants and most used either secure health-related records or structured interviews for ascertainment of exposure; however, only a handful of studies representative of the population from which they were drawn. Formal assessment of risk of publication bias (i.e., funnel plot) was not possible.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that NSE in ASD could be associated with heterogeneous postzygotic genetic mechanisms and manifest as a range of biological and behavioral phenotypes. Extant findings were limited by relatively few studies, small sample sizes, and methodological diversity. More research is needed on co-occurring biological and behavioral phenotypes using a consistent format for designing, analyzing, and reporting MZ ASD discordant twin studies in order to further examine the role of NSE in the etiology of ASD.
PubMed: 37431470
DOI: 10.1111/jcv2.12017 -
Epigenetics Apr 2022When used during pregnancy, analgesics and psychotropics pass the placenta to enter the foetal circulation and may induce epigenetic modifications. Where such...
When used during pregnancy, analgesics and psychotropics pass the placenta to enter the foetal circulation and may induce epigenetic modifications. Where such modifications occur and whether they disrupt normal foetal developme nt, are currently unanswered questions. This field of prenatal pharmacoepigenetics has received increasing attention, with several studies reporting associations between medication exposure and offspring epigenetic outcomes. Nevertheless, no recent systematic review of the literature is available. Therefore, the objectives of this review were to (i) provide an overview of the literature on the association of prenatal exposure to psychotropics a nd analgesics with epigenetic outcomes, and (ii) suggest recommendations for future studies within prenatal pharmacoepigenetics. We performed systematic literature searches in five databases. The eligible studies assessed human prenatal exposure to psychotropics or analgesics, with epigenetic analyses of offspring tissue as an outcome. We identified 18 eligible studies including 4,419 neonates exposed to either antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, or methadone. The epigenetic outcome in all studies was DNA methylation in cord blood, placental tissue or buccal cells. Although most studies found significant differences in DNA methylation upon medication exposure, almost no differences were persistent across studies for similar medications and sequencing methods. The reviewed studies were challenging to compare due to poor transparency in reporting, and heterogeneous methodology, design, genome coverage, and statistical modelling. We propose 10 recommendations for future prenatal pharmacoepigenetic studies considering both epidemiological and epigenetic perspectives. These recommendations may improve the quality, comparability, and clinical relevance of such studies. PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42020166675.
Topics: DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Epigenomics; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mouth Mucosa; Placenta; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
PubMed: 33926354
DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1903376 -
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental... 2021The association of opioid binding protein cell adhesion molecule-like (OPCML) gene methylation with ovarian cancer risk remains unclear. We identified eligible studies...
The association of opioid binding protein cell adhesion molecule-like (OPCML) gene methylation with ovarian cancer risk remains unclear. We identified eligible studies by searching the PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Wanfang databases. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to determine the association of OPCML methylation with ovarian cancer risk. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were used to assess the sources of heterogeneity. Additionally, we analyzed the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets to validate our findings. Our study included 476 ovarian cancer patients and 385 controls from eight eligible studies. The pooled OR was 33.47 (95% CI = 12.43-90.16) in the cancer group vs. the control group under the random-effects model. The association was still significant in subgroups according to sample type, control type, methods, and sample sizes (all < 0.05). Sensitivity analysis showed that the finding was robust. No publication bias was observed in Begg's ( = 0.458) and Egger's tests ( = 0.261). We further found that OPCML methylation was related to III/IV (OR = 4.20, 95% CI = 1.59-11.14) and poorly differentiated grade (OR = 4.37; 95% CI = 1.14-16.78). Based on GSE146552 and GSE155760, we validated that three CpG sites (cg16639665, cg23236270, cg15964611) in OPCML promoter region were significantly higher in cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. However, we did not observe the associations of OPCML methylation with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival based on TCGA ovarian cancer data. Our findings support that OPCML methylation is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
PubMed: 33777925
DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.570898 -
Arquivos de Neuro-psiquiatria Feb 2021Cancer patients in general and glioblastoma patients, in particular, have an increased risk of developing complications from the severe acute respiratory syndrome...
BACKGROUND
Cancer patients in general and glioblastoma patients, in particular, have an increased risk of developing complications from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and reaching a balance between the risk of exposure to infection and the clinical benefit of their treatment is ideal. The aggressive behavior of this group of tumors justifies the need for a multidisciplinary team to assist in clinical decisions during the current pandemic. Brazil is now ranked #2 in the number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 pandemic, and existing disparities in the treatment of neuro-oncology patients in Brazil will challenge the clinical and surgical decisions of this population, possibly affecting global survival.
OBJECTIVE
To search the literature about the management of glioblastomas during COVID-19 pandemic to guide surgical and clinical decisions in this population of patients in Brazil.
METHODS
We performed a systematic search on the PubMed electronic database targeting consensus statements concerning glioblastoma approaches during COVID-19 pandemic up to July 18, 2020.
RESULTS
When approaching glioblastoma during the COVID-19 pandemic, important parameters that help in the decision-making process are age, performance status, tumor molecular profile, and patient consent. Younger patients should follow the standard protocol after maximal safe resection, mainly those with MGMT methylated tumors. Aged and underperforming patients should be carefully evaluated, and probably a monotherapy scheme is to be considered. Centers are advised to engage in telemedicine and to elaborate means to reduce local infection.
CONCLUSION
Approaching glioblastoma during the COVID-19 pandemic will be challenging worldwide, but particularly in Brazil, where a significant inequality of healthcare exists.
Topics: Aged; Brazil; COVID-19; Glioblastoma; Humans; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 33759984
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X-anp-2020-0434 -
Medicine Feb 2021Vibegron is a new β3-adrenergic receptor agonist which has been demonstrated for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). We carried out meta-analysis to evaluate the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Vibegron is a new β3-adrenergic receptor agonist which has been demonstrated for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). We carried out meta-analysis to evaluate the efficiency of vibegron vs antimuscarinic monotherapy for treating OAB.
METHODS
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Vibegron vs antimuscarinic monotherapy for OAB were searched systematically by using EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. The RevMan version 5.3.0. was used to analysis the data.
RESULTS
Three RCTs involving a total of 1751 patients were studied in the Systematic review and Meta-analysis. Efficacy end points: the mean number of micturitions episodes/d (P = .16); the mean number of urgency episodes/d (P = .05); mean number of urgency incontinence episodes/d (P = .11) and mean number of incontinence episodes/d (P = .14) indicated that vibegron and antimuscarinic had no significant differences in terms of OAB treatment. Mean volume voided/micturition showed a distinct difference in the two groups (P = .009). With regard to dry mouth and drug related treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE), vibegron showed better tolerance than antimuscarinic. Serious adverse event (SAE) and discontinuations due to adverse event (AE) did not show a significant difference between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The therapeutic effect of vibegron is similar to that of antimuscarinic, but vibegron does not increase the risk of AE.
Topics: Adrenergic beta-3 Receptor Agonists; Humans; Muscarinic Antagonists; Pyrimidinones; Pyrrolidines; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Urinary Bladder, Overactive
PubMed: 33592817
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023171 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Feb 2021Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been associated, in part, with the dysfunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors at excitatory synapses...
BACKGROUND
Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been associated, in part, with the dysfunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors at excitatory synapses and glutamate abnormalities. Medications related to glutamatergic neurotransmission, such as D-cycloserine - which is a partial agonist of the NMDA glutamate receptor - are potential treatment options for the core features of ASD. However, the potential effect of D-cycloserine on the social and communication skills deficits of individuals with ASD has not been thoroughly explored and no systematic reviews of the evidence have been conducted.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the efficacy and adverse effects of D-cycloserine compared with placebo for social and communication skills in individuals with ASD.
SEARCH METHODS
In November 2020, we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, six other databases and two trials registers. We also searched the reference lists of relevant publications and contacted the authors of the included study, Minshawi 2016, to identify any additional studies. In addition, we contacted pharmaceutical companies, searched manufacturers' websites and sources of reports of adverse events. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of any duration and dose of D-cycloserine, with or without adjunct treatment, compared to placebo in individuals with ASD.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted relevant data, assessed the risk of bias, graded the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach, and analysed and evaluated the data. We provide a narrative report of the findings as only one study is included in this review.
MAIN RESULTS
We included a single RCT (Minshawi 2016) funded by the United States Department of Defense. It was conducted at two sites in the USA: Indiana University School of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre. In the included study, 67 children with ASD aged between 5 and 11 years were randomised to receive either 10 weeks (10 doses) of (50 mg) D-cycloserine plus social skills training, or placebo plus social skills training. Randomisation was carried out 1:1 between D-cycloserine and placebo arms, and outcome measures were recorded at one-week post-treatment. The 'risk of bias' assessment for the included study was low for five domains and unclear for two domains. The study (67 participants) reported low certainty evidence of little to no difference between the two groups for all outcomes measured at one week post-treatment: social interaction impairment (mean difference (MD) 3.61 (assessed with the Social Responsiveness Scale), 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.60 to 12.82); social communication impairment (MD -1.08 (measured using the inappropriate speech subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC)), 95% CI -2.34 to 0.18); restricted, repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behaviour (MD 0.12 (measured by the ABC stereotypy subscale), 95% CI -1.71 to 1.95); serious adverse events (risk ratio (RR) 1.11, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.31); non-core symptoms of ASD (RR 0.97 (measured by the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale), 95% CI 0.49 to 1.93); and tolerability of D-cycloserine (RR 0.32 (assessed by the number of dropouts), 95% CI 0.01 to 7.68). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We are unable to conclude with certainty whether D-cycloserine is effective for individuals with ASD. This review included low certainty data from only one study with methodological issues and imprecision. The added value of this review compared to the included study is we assessed the risk of bias and evaluated the certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach. Moreover, if we find new trials in future updates of this review, we could potentially pool the data, which may either strengthen or decrease the evidence for our findings.
Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child; Child, Preschool; Communication; Cycloserine; Female; Humans; Indiana; Male; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Ohio; Patient Dropouts; Placebos; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Social Skills; Stereotyped Behavior
PubMed: 33583058
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013457.pub2 -
Epigenomics Nov 2021We conducted a systematic review evaluating race/ethnicity representation in DNA methylomic studies of preterm birth. PubMed, EMBASE, CINHAL, Scopus and relevant...
We conducted a systematic review evaluating race/ethnicity representation in DNA methylomic studies of preterm birth. PubMed, EMBASE, CINHAL, Scopus and relevant citations from 1 January 2000 to 30 June 2019. Two authors independently identified abstracts comparing DNA methylomic differences between term and preterm births that included race/ethnicity data. 16 studies were included. Black and non-Hispanic Black deliveries were well represented (28%). However, large studies originating from more than 95% White populations were excluded due to unreported race/ethnicity data. Most studies were cross-sectional, allowing for reverse causation. Most studies were also racially/ethnically homogeneous, preventing direct comparison of DNA methylomic differences across race/ethnicities. In DNA methylomic studies, Black women and infants were well represented. However, the literature has limitations and precludes drawing definitive conclusions.
Topics: Epigenomics; Ethnicity; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Premature Birth
PubMed: 33264049
DOI: 10.2217/epi-2020-0007 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Nov 2020Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex and severe neurodegenerative disease and still lacks effective methods of diagnosis. Dysfunction of the N-methyl-D-aspartate... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex and severe neurodegenerative disease and still lacks effective methods of diagnosis. Dysfunction of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) has been found to be involved in synapse dysfunction and neurotoxicity of AD mechanisms. d-Serine, an NMDAR receptor coagonist, is reported as a potential new biomarker for AD. However, the results of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) d-serine levels are conflicting. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the serum and CSF d-serine levels in patients with AD.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, and the Cochrane database of systematic reviews for trials that measured d-serine levels both in patients with AD and in controls. We included controlled trials that analyzed d-serine levels in human samples (e.g., serum and CSF). Studies were pooled using a random-effect model for comparisons between AD and control group. We used effect size (ES; expressed as d-serine levels) in each selected meta-analysis to calculate standardized mean difference (SMD). Positive values indicated increased d-serine levels in AD group. We presented results with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The heterogeneity of the included trials was evaluated through visually inspecting funnel plots and using the I statistic. Moderators of effects were explored using metaregression.
RESULTS
Seven trials with more than 1186 participants were included in this meta-analysis. d-serine levels in patients with AD were significantly higher than those in controls (SMD = 0.679, 95% CI = 0.335 to 1.022, < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that the AD group had significantly higher d-serine levels in serum and CSF compared with the control group (SMD = 0.566 (serum) and 1.008 (CSF); 95% CI = 0.183 to 0.948 (serum) and 0.168 to 1.849 (CSF)). Moreover, a metaregression revealed a significant negative association between ES and mean mini-mental state examination score in AD group (slope = -0.1203, = 0.0004).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results revealed higher d-serine levels in the serum and CSF of patients with AD relative to the controls. Further studies with a larger sample size and longer follow-up are recommended to clarify this association.
PubMed: 33256147
DOI: 10.3390/jcm9123840