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Renal Failure Dec 2024This review aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of apixaban vs. vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in patients on dialysis. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
This review aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of apixaban vs. vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in patients on dialysis.
METHODS
All types of studies published on PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, and Web of Science up to 10 September 2023 and comparing outcomes of apixaban vs. VKA in dialysis patients were eligible.
RESULTS
Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and six retrospective studies were included. Apixaban treatment was associated with significantly lower risk of major bleeding (RR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.77; = 50%) and clinically relevant non-major bleeding (RR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.98, = 9%) compared to VKA. Meta-analysis also showed that the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (RR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.85, = 16%) and intracranial bleeding (RR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.84, = 0%) was significantly reduced with apixaban. Meta-analysis showed no difference in the risk of ischemic stroke (RR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.06, 2.69, = 0%), mortality (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 0.74, 2.16, = 94%) and recurrent venous thromboembolism (RR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.21, = 0%) between the two groups. Subgroup analysis of RCTs showed no difference in bleeding outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Low-quality evidence from a mix of RCTs and retrospective studies shows that apixaban may have better safety and equivalent efficacy as compared to VKA in dialysis patients. Apixaban treatment correlated with significantly reduced risk of major bleeding and clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding in observational studies but not in RCTs. The predominance of retrospective data warrants caution in the interpretation of results.
Topics: Humans; Anticoagulants; Factor Xa Inhibitors; Hemorrhage; Pyrazoles; Pyridones; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Renal Dialysis; Vitamin K
PubMed: 38770962
DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2024.2349114 -
Cureus Apr 2024The systematic review investigates the impact of different nutrients and dietary patterns on metabolism and immunity to answer the research question: "Can personalized... (Review)
Review
The systematic review investigates the impact of different nutrients and dietary patterns on metabolism and immunity to answer the research question: "Can personalized nutritional approaches boost immunity?" The importance of diet in supporting the immune system has come to light in today's environment, where a strong immune system is crucial for protection against infectious illnesses, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020. Four databases were screened for relevant data published in 2022-2023: PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were utilized, and 13 papers were finalized after screening and employing the quality appraisal tool Cochrane Bias assessment for randomized controlled trials (RCT). Personalized nutrition can strengthen immunity and enhance overall health by adjusting dietary recommendations and following a person's genetic makeup, lifestyle, and health state. An adequate supply of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fatty acids as well as an optimum caloric intake are essential for immune health, and individual requirements can vary significantly due to genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and underlying health conditions. Personalized nutrition considers these factors, enabling tailored dietary recommendations to address specific nutrient needs and optimize nutrient intake, leading to better health outcomes. The review concludes that personalized nutrition is more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach in boosting immunity, and its potential impact on health and immune function is highly important.
PubMed: 38765327
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58553 -
Food Research International (Ottawa,... Jul 2024Vitamins are responsible for providing biological properties to the human body; however, their instability under certain environmental conditions limits their... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Vitamins are responsible for providing biological properties to the human body; however, their instability under certain environmental conditions limits their utilization in the food industry. The objective was to conduct a systematic review on the use of biopolymers and lipid bases in microencapsulation processes, assessing their impact on the stability, controlled release, and viability of fortified foods with microencapsulated vitamins. The literature search was conducted between the years 2013-2023, gathering information from databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and publishers including Taylor & Francis, Elsevier, Springer and MDPI; a total of 49 articles were compiled The results were classified according to the microencapsulation method, considering the following information: core, coating material, solvent, formulation, process conditions, particle size, efficiency, yield, bioavailability, bioaccessibility, in vitro release, correlation coefficient and references. It has been evidenced that gums are the most frequently employed coatings in the protection of vitamins (14.04%), followed by alginate (10.53%), modified chitosan (9.65%), whey protein (8.77%), lipid bases (8.77%), chitosan (7.89%), modified starch (7.89%), starch (7.02%), gelatin (6.14%), maltodextrin (5.26%), zein (3.51%), pectin (2.63%) and other materials (7.89%). The factors influencing the release of vitamins include pH, modification of the coating material and crosslinking agents; additionally, it was determined that the most fitting mathematical model for release values is Weibull, followed by Zero Order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas; finally, foods commonly fortified with microencapsulated vitamins were described, with yogurt, bakery products and gummy candies being notable examples.
Topics: Food, Fortified; Vitamins; Drug Compounding; Chitosan; Biological Availability; Humans; Biopolymers; Alginates; Whey Proteins
PubMed: 38763670
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114420 -
Complementary Therapies in Medicine Jun 2024The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the association between folic acid supplementation during pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the association between folic acid supplementation during pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia.
METHODS
Relevant studies were included by searching Embase, PubMed, Scope, Web of science, Cochrane Library databases. Studies were reviewed according to prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Study characteristics were summarized, and study quality was assessed. Risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as indicators of effect to assess the relationship between folic acid supplementation and risk of preeclampsia.
RESULTS
The protocol of this study was prospectively registered with the PROSPERO (registration No. CRD42022380636). A total of nine studies were included, divided into three groups according to the type of study, containing a total of 107 051 and 105 222 women who were supplemented and not supplemented with folic acid during pregnancy. The results showed that folic acid supplementation during pregnancy could not be proven to reduce the risk of preeclampsia.
CONCLUSION
The results of the study suggest that folic acid supplementation alone is not associated with a decreased risk of pre-eclampsia,but the inferences are somewhat limited by the low methodological quality of the included literature, and therefore higher quality studies are needed to prove this point.
Topics: Pre-Eclampsia; Humans; Pregnancy; Folic Acid; Female; Dietary Supplements
PubMed: 38763206
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2024.103052 -
Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical... 2024Since the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and their comparison with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), conflicting results have been reported regarding the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants compared with vitamin-k antagonists in the treatment of left ventricular thrombosis. A systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Since the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and their comparison with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), conflicting results have been reported regarding the optimal treatment for left ventricular thrombosis (LVT).
OBJECTIVES
In this meta-analysis, we intend to comprehensively evaluate the safety and efficacy of these treatments.
METHODS
All clinical trials and cohorts that compared the efficacy or safety of VKAs with DOACs in the treatment of LVTs were systematically searched until April 15, 2023.
RESULTS
The results of 32 studies with a pooled sample size of 4213 patients were extracted for meta-analysis. DOACs, especially rivaroxaban and apixaban, cause faster resolution, lower mortality, and fewer complications (SSE and bleeding events) than VKAs in the management of LVTs.
CONCLUSION
Compared with VKAs, DOACs result in significantly faster (only rivaroxaban) and safer resolution of left ventricular thrombosis.
Topics: Humans; Vitamin K; Thrombosis; Heart Ventricles; Administration, Oral; Anticoagulants; Factor Xa Inhibitors; Rivaroxaban; Heart Diseases; Pyrazoles; Pyridones
PubMed: 38754272
DOI: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2024.04.019 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... May 2024According to global prevalence analysis studies, acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are the most common acute infectious disease in children, especially in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
According to global prevalence analysis studies, acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are the most common acute infectious disease in children, especially in preschool children. Acute URTIs lead to an economic burden on families and society. Vitamin A refers to the fat-soluble compound all-trans-retinol and also represents retinol and its active metabolites. Vitamin A interacts with both the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system and improves the host's defences against infections. Correlation studies show that serum retinol deficiency was associated with a higher risk of respiratory tract infections. Therefore, vitamin A supplementation may be important in preventing acute URTIs.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness and safety of vitamin A supplements for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections in children up to seven years of age.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and two trial registration platforms to 8 June 2023. We also checked the reference lists of all primary studies and reviewed relevant systematic reviews and trials for additional references. We imposed no language or publication restrictions.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), which evaluated the role of vitamin A supplementation in the prevention of acute URTIs in children up to seven years of age.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We used the standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane.
MAIN RESULTS
We included six studies (27,351 participants). Four studies were RCTs and two were cluster-RCTs. The included studies were all conducted in lower-middle-income countries (two in India, two in South Africa, one in Ecuador, and one in Haiti). Three studies included healthy children who had no vitamin A deficiency, one study included children born to HIV-infected women, one study included low-birthweight neonates, and one study included children in areas with a high local prevalence of malnutrition and xerophthalmia. In two studies, vitamin E was a co-treatment administered in addition to vitamin A. We judged the included studies to be at either a high or unclear risk of bias for random sequence generation, incomplete outcome data, and blinding. Primary outcomes Six studies reported the incidence of acute URTIs during the study period. Five studies reported the number of acute URTIs over a period of time, but there was population heterogeneity and the results were presented in different forms, therefore only three studies were meta-analysed. We are uncertain of the effect of vitamin A supplementation on the number of acute URTIs over two weeks (risk ratio (RR) 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92 to 1.09; I = 44%; 3 studies, 22,668 participants; low-certainty evidence). Two studies reported the proportion of participants with an acute URTI. We are uncertain of the effect of vitamin A supplementation on the proportion of participants with an acute URTI (2 studies, 15,535 participants; low-certainty evidence). Only one study (116 participants) reported adverse events. No infant in either the placebo or vitamin A group was found to have feeding difficulties (failure to feed or vomiting), a bulging fontanelle, or neurological signs before or after vitamin A administration (very low-certainty evidence). Secondary outcomes Two studies (296 participants) reported the severity of subjective symptoms, presented by the mean duration of acute URTI. Vitamin A may have little to no effect on the mean duration of acute URTI (very low-certainty evidence).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The evidence for the use of vitamin A supplementation to prevent acute URTI is uncertain, because population, dose and duration of interventions, and outcomes vary between studies. From generally very low- to low-certainty evidence, we found that there may be no benefit in the use of vitamin A supplementation to prevent acute URTI in children up to seven years of age. More RCTs are needed to strengthen the current evidence. Future research should report over longer time frames using validated tools and consistent reporting, and ensure adequate power calculations, to allow for easier synthesis of data. Finally, it is important to assess vitamin A supplementation for preschool children with vitamin A deficiency.
Topics: Humans; Vitamin A; Respiratory Tract Infections; Child, Preschool; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Infant; Acute Disease; Dietary Supplements; Child; Vitamins; Vitamin A Deficiency; Administration, Oral; Bias
PubMed: 38738639
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD015306.pub2 -
Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy Jun 2024Protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) is the final precursor of heme, forming heme when iron is inserted. Individuals with erythropoietic protoporphyrias (EPP) have accumulation of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) is the final precursor of heme, forming heme when iron is inserted. Individuals with erythropoietic protoporphyrias (EPP) have accumulation of PPIX, causing photosensitivity and increased liver disease risk. Many also have iron deficiency and anemia. We investigated outcomes of oral iron supplements in individuals with EPP.
METHODS
A systematic review identified literature on oral iron supplements in EPP patients. Subsequently, we administered iron supplements to EPP patients with iron deficiency. The primary outcome was impact on PPIX level. Secondary outcomes were adverse events and relative differences in hemoglobin and iron parameters.
RESULTS
The systematic review found 13 case reports and one uncontrolled clinical trial with uncertain results. From our department 10 patients with EPP and iron deficiency took daily dosages of 330 mg of ferrous fumarate for two months. Five of our patients had anemia at baseline. After 2 months of supplementation seven patients had increased PPIX level compared to baseline, two had decrease, one remained unchanged. The administration of iron led to a rise in ferritin, and in four of the anemic patients also to an improvement in blood hemoglobin. A small transiently elevation in plasma alanine transaminase concentration was observed during supplementation.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, iron supplementation in EPP patients replenished iron stores and elevated erythrocyte PPIX and plasma alanine transaminase. For anemic patients, there was some degree of normalization of the hemoglobin level. If iron therapy is needed for EPP patients, monitoring of photosensitivity, PPIX, hemoglobin, and plasma liver enzymes is advisable.
Topics: Humans; Protoporphyria, Erythropoietic; Protoporphyrins; Dietary Supplements; Male; Female; Adult; Iron; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38734198
DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104211 -
Nutrients Apr 2024This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of any vitamin administration(s) in preventing and managing COVID-19 and/or long-COVID. Databases were searched up to May 2023... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The Efficacy of Multivitamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D Supplements in the Prevention and Management of COVID-19 and Long-COVID: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.
This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of any vitamin administration(s) in preventing and managing COVID-19 and/or long-COVID. Databases were searched up to May 2023 to identify randomized clinical trials comparing data on the effects of vitamin supplementation(s) versus placebo or standard of care on the two conditions of interest. Inverse-variance random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to estimate pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality between supplemented and non-supplemented individuals. Overall, 37 articles were included: two regarded COVID-19 and long-COVID prevention and 35 records the COVID-19 management. The effects of vitamin D in preventing COVID-19 and long-COVID were contrasting. Similarly, no conclusion could be drawn on the efficacy of multivitamins, vitamin A, and vitamin B in COVID-19 management. A few positive findings were reported in some vitamin C trials but results were inconsistent in most outcomes, excluding all-cause mortality (RR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.72-0.97). Vitamin D results were mixed in most aspects, including mortality, in which benefits were observed in regular administrations only (RR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49-0.91). Despite some benefits, results were mostly contradictory. Variety in recruitment and treatment protocols might explain this heterogeneity. Better-designed studies are needed to clarify these vitamins' potential effects against SARS-CoV-2.
Topics: Humans; Dietary Supplements; COVID-19; Vitamins; Vitamin D; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Ascorbic Acid; SARS-CoV-2; Vitamin A; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Vitamin B Complex
PubMed: 38732592
DOI: 10.3390/nu16091345 -
Nutrients Apr 2024(1) Background: Fortifying maize and wheat flours with folic acid has effectively reduced neural tube defect-affected births. However, maize and wheat flours may not be...
(1) Background: Fortifying maize and wheat flours with folic acid has effectively reduced neural tube defect-affected births. However, maize and wheat flours may not be widely consumed in all countries; further reduction in neural tube defect-affected births could benefit from the identification of alternative food vehicles. We aimed to use dietary intake or apparent consumption data to determine alternative food vehicles for large-scale fortification with folic acid in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LILMICs) and identify current research related to examining the technological feasibility of fortifying alternative foods with folic acid. (2) Methods: We identified 81 LILMICs, defined by the World Bank's (WB) 2018 income classifications. To identify dietary intake or apparent consumption, we reviewed WB's Microdata Library and Global Health Data Exchange for national surveys from 1997-2018. We reviewed survey reports for dietary intake or apparent consumption data and analyzed survey datasets for population coverage of foods. We defined alternative food vehicles as those that may cover/be consumed by ≥30% of the population or households; cereal grains (maize and wheat flours and rice) were included as an alternative food vehicle if a country did not have existing mandatory fortification legislation. To identify current research on fortification with folic acid in foods other than cereal grains, we conducted a systematic review of published literature and unpublished theses, and screened for foods or food products. (3) Results: We extracted or analyzed data from 18 national surveys and countries. The alternative foods most represented in the surveys were oil ( = 16), sugar ( = 16), and salt ( = 14). The coverage of oil ranged from 33.2 to 95.7%, sugar from 32.2 to 98.4%, and salt from 49.8 to 99.9%. We found 34 eligible studies describing research on alternative foods. The most studied alternative foods for fortification with folic acid were dairy products ( = 10), salt ( = 6), and various fruit juices ( = 5). (4) Conclusions: Because of their high coverage, oil, sugar, and salt emerge as potential alternative foods for large-scale fortification with folic acid. However, except for salt, there are limited or no studies examining the technological feasibility of fortifying these foods with folic acid.
Topics: Folic Acid; Food, Fortified; Humans; Neural Tube Defects; Triticum; Edible Grain; Flour; Zea mays; Developing Countries
PubMed: 38732559
DOI: 10.3390/nu16091312 -
Medicine May 2024Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9, found in supplements and fortified foods, while folate occurs naturally in foods. Folic acid and its derivatives are...
Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9, found in supplements and fortified foods, while folate occurs naturally in foods. Folic acid and its derivatives are extremely important in the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and ribose nucleic acid [RNA]) and different proteins. It acts as a coenzyme for the transfer of 1 carbon in the biosynthesis of purine, pyrimidine, and amino acids. Folic acid is critically important in rapidly proliferating tissues, including fetus and trophoblastic tissue to prevent neural tube defect (NTD). The main objective of this review is to identify the role of folic acid to prevent NTD among pregnancy mothers. Electronic databases including Web of Science, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane library used to systematically search without limitation of publication date and status. In pregnancy, the first trimester is a significant time for neural tube closure. Decreased blood folic acid levels inhibit DNA replication, repair, RNA synthesis, histone and DNA methylation, methionine production, and homocysteine remethylation reactions that cause NTDs in pregnancy. Therefore, folic acid supplementation is critically important for childbearing mothers before conception and in the first trimester pregnancy. As a result, women are recommended to take 400 microgram FA/day from preconception until the end of the first trimester to prevent NTD-affected pregnancies. This allows the developing neural tissue to acquire critical mass and provides the preferred rostrocaudal orientation so that these divisions contribute to the elongation of the developing neural tube in embryos.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Dietary Supplements; Folic Acid; Neural Tube Defects; Vitamin B Complex
PubMed: 38728462
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000038154