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Life (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Stress is recognized as a significant trigger and exacerbator of various medical conditions, particularly in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given that heart... (Review)
Review
Stress is recognized as a significant trigger and exacerbator of various medical conditions, particularly in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given that heart rate variability (HRV) offers insight into the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and has been identified as a predictive factor for increased cardiovascular mortality, exploring the correlation between stress and HRV is pertinent. We systematically reviewed trials where researchers investigated the effects of stress-reducing interventions on biomarkers and time-domain/frequency-domain parameters of HRV in CVD. Eligible studies underwent meta-analysis utilizing a random-effects model. The meta-analysis showed overall beneficial effects of stress-reducing interventions on HRV for the standard deviation of Normal-to-Normal intervals (SDNN) in short-term and 24 h assessments, as well as for the low-frequency power (LF) in short-term assessment. Overall effect sizes were notably high and showed significant -values (short-term SDNN: MD = 6.43, = 0.01; 24 h SDNN: MD = 10.92, = 0.004; short-term LF: MD = 160.11, < 0.001). Our findings highlight the significant impact of stress-reducing interventions in modulating HRV by influencing short-term SDNN and LF parameters, as well as the 24 h assessment of SDNN. These results emphasize the importance of stress-reducing measures in lowering the risk of further progression in CVD and improving patient outcomes.
PubMed: 38929732
DOI: 10.3390/life14060749 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Prior guidelines recommended maintaining normothermia following traumatic brain injury (TBI), but recent studies suggest therapeutic hypothermia as a viable option in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Prior guidelines recommended maintaining normothermia following traumatic brain injury (TBI), but recent studies suggest therapeutic hypothermia as a viable option in pediatric cases. However, some others demonstrated a higher mortality rate. Hence, the impact of hypothermia on neurological symptoms and overall survival remains contentious.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of hypothermia on neurological outcomes in pediatric TBI patients. The PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched until 1 January 2024 and data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.
RESULTS
A total of eight studies, comprising nine reports, were included in this analysis. Our meta-analysis did not reveal significant differences in mortality (RR = 1.58; 95% CI = 0.89-2.82, = 0.055), infection (RR = 0.95: 95% CI = 0.79-1.1, = 0.6), arrhythmia (RR = 2.85: 95% CI = 0.88-9.2, = 0.08), hypotension (RR = 1.54: 95% CI = 0.91-2.6, = 0.10), intracranial pressure (SMD = 5.07: 95% CI = -4.6-14.8, = 0.30), hospital length of stay (SMD = 0.10; 95% CI = -0.13-0.3, = 0.39), pediatric intensive care unit length of stay (SMD = 0.04; 95% CI = -0.19-0.28, = 0.71), hemorrhage (RR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.34-2.13, = 0.75), cerebral perfusion pressure (SMD = 0.158: 95% CI = 0.11-0.13, = 0.172), prothrombin time (SMD = 0.425; 95% CI = -0.037-0.886, = 0.07), and partial thromboplastin time (SMD = 0.386; 95% CI = -0.074-0.847, = 0.10) between the hypothermic and non-hypothermic groups. However, the heart rate was significantly lower in the hypothermic group (-1.523 SMD = -1.523: 95% CI = -1.81--1.22 < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings challenge the effectiveness of therapeutic hypothermia in pediatric TBI cases. Despite expectations, it did not significantly improve key clinical outcomes. This prompts a critical re-evaluation of hypothermia's role as a standard intervention in pediatric TBI treatment.
PubMed: 38929280
DOI: 10.3390/children11060701 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension significantly contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently emerged as promising... (Review)
Review
Coronary artery disease (CAD) and hypertension significantly contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently emerged as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these conditions. This systematic review conducts a thorough analysis of the literature, with a specific focus on investigating miRNA expression patterns in patients with CAD and hypertension. This review encompasses an unspecified number of eligible studies that employed a variety of patient demographics and research methodologies, resulting in diverse miRNA expression profiles. This review highlights the complex involvement of miRNAs in CAD and hypertension and the potential for advances in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Future research endeavors are imperative to validate these findings and elucidate the precise roles of miRNAs in disease progression, offering promising avenues for innovative diagnostic tools and targeted interventions.
Topics: Humans; Coronary Artery Disease; MicroRNAs; Hypertension; Biomarkers; Gene Expression Regulation
PubMed: 38928136
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126430 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The issue of bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients has received increasing attention. Scant data are available on the impact of bacterial superinfection and... (Review)
Review
The issue of bacterial infections in COVID-19 patients has received increasing attention. Scant data are available on the impact of bacterial superinfection and antibiotic administration on the outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We conducted a literature review from 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2024 to assess the current burden of bacterial infection and the evidence for antibiotic use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Published articles providing data on antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients were identified through computerized literature searches with the search terms [(antibiotic) AND (COVID-19)] or [(antibiotic treatment) AND (COVID-19)]. PubMed and SCOPUS databases were searched from 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2024. No attempt was made to obtain information about unpublished studies. English language restriction was applied. The quality of the included studies was evaluated by the tool recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Both quantitative and qualitative information were summarized by means of textual descriptions. Five hundred fifty-one studies were identified, and twenty-nine studies were included in this systematic review. Of the 29 included studies, 18 studies were on the prevalence of bacterial infection and antibiotic use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients; 4 studies reported on the efficacy of early antibiotic use in COVID-19; 4 studies were on the use of sepsis biomarkers to improve antibiotic use; 3 studies were on the efficacy of antimicrobial stewardship programs and predictive models among COVID-19-hospitalized patients. The quality of included studies was high in 35% and medium in 62%. High rates of hospital-acquired infections were reported among COVID-19 patients, ranging between 7.5 and 37.7%. A high antibiotic resistance rate was reported among COVID-19 patients developing hospital-acquired infections, with a high in-hospital mortality rate. The studies evaluating multi-faceted antimicrobial stewardship interventions reported efficacy in decreasing antibiotic consumption and lower in-hospital mortality.
PubMed: 38927211
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13060545 -
BMC Public Health Jun 2024While many populations struggle with health literacy, those who speak Spanish preferentially or exclusively, including Hispanic, immigrant, or migrant populations, may...
BACKGROUND
While many populations struggle with health literacy, those who speak Spanish preferentially or exclusively, including Hispanic, immigrant, or migrant populations, may face particular barriers, as they navigate a predominantly English-language healthcare system. This population also faces greater morbidity and mortality from treatable chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes. The aim of this systematic review was to describe existing health literacy interventions for patients with a Spanish-language preference and present their effectiveness.
METHODS
We carried out a systematic review where Web of Science, EMBASE, and PubMed were queried using MeSH terms to identify relevant literature. Included articles described patients with a Spanish-language preference participating in interventions to improve health literacy levels in the United States. Screening and data abstraction were conducted independently and in pairs. Risk of bias assessments were conducted using validated appraisal tools.
RESULTS
A total of 2823 studies were identified, of which 62 met our eligibility criteria. The studies took place in a variety of community and clinical settings and used varied tools for measuring health literacy. Of the interventions, 28 consisted of in-person education and 27 implemented multimedia education, with 89% of studies in each category finding significant results. The remaining seven studies featured multimodal interventions, all of which achieved significant results.
CONCLUSION
Successful strategies included the addition of liaison roles, such as promotores (Hispanic community health workers), and the use of multimedia fotonovelas (photo comics) with linguistic and cultural adaptations. In some cases, the external validity of the results was limited. Improving low health literacy in patients with a Spanish-language preference, a population with existing barriers to high quality of care, may help them better navigate health infrastructure and make informed decisions regarding their health.
REGISTRATION
PROSPERO (available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021257655.t ).
Topics: Humans; Health Literacy; United States; Hispanic or Latino; Language
PubMed: 38926697
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19166-6 -
Heart (British Cardiac Society) Jun 2024Despite restoration of epicardial blood flow in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), inadequate microcirculatory perfusion is common and portends a poor...
BACKGROUND
Despite restoration of epicardial blood flow in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), inadequate microcirculatory perfusion is common and portends a poor prognosis. Intracoronary (IC) thrombolytic therapy can reduce microvascular thrombotic burden; however, contemporary studies have produced conflicting outcomes.
OBJECTIVES
This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive IC thrombolytic therapy at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients with STEMI.
METHODS
Comprehensive literature search of six electronic databases identified relevant randomised controlled trials. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The pooled risk ratio (RR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% CI were calculated.
RESULTS
12 studies with 1915 patients were included. IC thrombolysis was associated with a significantly lower incidence of MACE (RR=0.65, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.82, I=0%, p<0.0004) and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (WMD=1.87; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.67; I=25%; p<0.0001). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in MACE for trials using non-fibrin (RR=0.39, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.78, I=0%, p=0.007) and moderately fibrin-specific thrombolytic agents (RR=0.62, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.83, I=0%, p=0.001). No significant reduction was observed in studies using highly fibrin-specific thrombolytic agents (RR=1.10, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.96, I=0%, p=0.75). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in mortality (RR=0.91; 95% CI 0.48 to 1.71; I=0%; p=0.77) or bleeding events (major bleeding, RR=1.24; 95% CI 0.47 to 3.28; I=0%; p=0.67; minor bleeding, RR=1.47; 95% CI 0.90 to 2.40; I=0%; p=0.12).
CONCLUSION
Adjunctive IC thrombolysis at the time of primary PCI in patients with STEMI improves clinical and myocardial perfusion parameters without an increased rate of bleeding. Further research is needed to optimise the selection of thrombolytic agents and treatment protocols.
PubMed: 38925881
DOI: 10.1136/heartjnl-2024-324078 -
Interdisciplinary Cardiovascular and... Jun 2024Transannular patch (TAP) repair of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) relieves right ventricular tract obstruction but may lead to pulmonary regurgitation. Valve-sparing (VS)...
OBJECTIVES
Transannular patch (TAP) repair of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) relieves right ventricular tract obstruction but may lead to pulmonary regurgitation. Valve-sparing (VS) procedures can avoid this but there is potential for residual pulmonic stenosis. We aimed to evaluate clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of TAP and VS repair for ToF.
METHODS
A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Web of Science databases was carried out to identify articles comparing conventional TAP repair and VS repair for ToF. Clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were meta-analyzed using random-effects models.
RESULTS
40 studies were included in this meta-analysis with data on 11,723 participants (TAP: 6,171; VS: 5,045). Participants that underwent a VS procedure experienced a significantly lower cardiopulmonary bypass time (MD: -14.97; 95% CI: -22.54, -7.41), shorter ventilation duration (MD: -15.33; 95% CI: -30.20, -0.46), and shorter lengths of both ICU (MD: -0.67; 95% CI: -1.29, -0.06) and hospital stay (MD: -2.30; 95% CI: [-4.08, -0.52). There was also a lower risk of mortality (RR: 0.40; 95% CI: [0.27, 0.60]) and pulmonary regurgitation (RR: 0.35; 95% CI: [0.26, 0.46]) associated with the VS group. Most other clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were comparable in the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis confirms the well-established increased risk of pulmonary insufficiency following TAP repair, while also demonstrating that VS repairs are associated with several improved clinical outcomes. Continued research can identify the criteria for adopting a VS approach as opposed to a traditional TAP repair.
PubMed: 38924512
DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivae124 -
ESC Heart Failure Jun 2024Biomarkers are paramount for managing heart failure (HF) patients as prognostic and therapeutic efficacy index tools. Systemic levels of brain-derived neurotrophic...
AIMS
Biomarkers are paramount for managing heart failure (HF) patients as prognostic and therapeutic efficacy index tools. Systemic levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can add to the HF biomarker scenario, allowing for potentiated efficacy in diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and prediction of patient response to a given therapeutic intervention because BDNF is one of the primary rulers of myocardial function. Yet, whether BDNF is a reliable clinical biomarker awaits clinical validation. Hence, we aimed to answer this relevant question via a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing studies.
METHODS AND RESULTS
International databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and the Web of Science, were comprehensively searched for studies assessing BDNF levels in patients with HF versus non-HF controls or as a prognostic factor for HF complications. Data were extracted and analysed by random-effect meta-analysis. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to pool the results of studies. We included 11 studies in the final review, among which six underwent meta-analysis. These studies analysed 1420 HF patients, with a mean age of 65.4 ± 11.2 years. Meta-analysis revealed that patients with HF had significantly lower circulating BDNF levels than healthy controls (SMD -2.47, 95% CI -4.39 to -0.54, P-value = 0.01). Moreover, patients with higher New York Heart Association functional classification had lower levels of BDNF. Adverse clinical outcomes such as all-cause mortality and HF rehospitalization were also associated with lower levels of BDNF in individual studies.
CONCLUSIONS
BDNF levels are decreased in patients with HF. Most importantly, we observed an association between lower BDNF levels and poor prognosis in patients with HF. Our study supports BDNF as an easy-to-dose diagnostic and prognostic biomarker to be implemented in clinical practice for HF. Further studies are warranted to address this ability specifically.
PubMed: 38923432
DOI: 10.1002/ehf2.14916 -
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Problem-solving therapy (PST) is a potential psychological intervention aimed at preventing and treating psychological issues in stroke patients, although its efficacy... (Review)
Review
Problem-solving therapy (PST) is a potential psychological intervention aimed at preventing and treating psychological issues in stroke patients, although its efficacy is not clearly established. This systematic review assessed the effectiveness of PST in improving mental health, functioning, quality of life, and mortality in this population. Six databases were searched for literature indexed through March 2024, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, NeuroBITE, and OTseeker. This review (CRD42023483757) followed the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Library Handbook, utilizing the RoB 2 tool and GRADE system to assess the quality of the evidence. It included eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1249 patients with stroke. Among them, five RCTs showed that PST might improve depression. Additionally, individual RCTs demonstrated the efficacy of PST in addressing patient anxiety, apathy, and coping. With respect to mental health, PST might affect patient quality of life and mortality. However, the results of four RCTs demonstrated no effect of PST on patient functioning. The quality of evidence for the outcomes ranged from very low to high. PST may improve mental health, quality of life, and mortality in patients with stroke.
PubMed: 38920778
DOI: 10.3390/bs14060446 -
Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Breast cancer is the fifth-ranked cancer globally. Despite early diagnosis and advances in treatment, breast cancer mortality is increasing. This meta-analysis aims to... (Review)
Review
Breast cancer is the fifth-ranked cancer globally. Despite early diagnosis and advances in treatment, breast cancer mortality is increasing. This meta-analysis aims to examine all possible prognostic factors that improve/deteriorate breast cancer-specific survival. MEDLINE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Ovid, and Google Scholar were systematically searched until September 16, 2023. The retrieved studies from 1995 to 2022 accumulated 1,386,663 cases from 30 countries. A total of 13 out of 22 prognostic factors were significantly associated with breast cancer-specific survival. A random-effects model provided a pooled estimate of the top five poorest prognostic factors, including Stage 4 (HR = 12.12; 95% CI: 5.70, 25.76), followed by Stage 3 (HR = 3.42, 95% CI: 2.51, 4.67), a comorbidity index ≥ 3 (HR = 3.29; 95% CI: 4.52, 7.35), the poor differentiation of cancer cell histology (HR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.79, 3.30), and undifferentiated cancer cell histology (HR = 2.24; 95% CI: 1.66, 3.01). Other survival-reducing factors include positive nodes, age, race, HER2-receptor positivity, and overweight/obesity. The top five best prognostic factors include different types of mastectomies and breast-conserving therapies (HR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.70), medullary histology (HR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.53, 0.72), higher education (HR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.77), and a positive estrogen receptor status (HR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.94). Heterogeneity was observed in most studies. Data from developing countries are still scarce.
PubMed: 38920543
DOI: 10.3390/diseases12060111