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BMJ Open May 2024To systematically assess the diagnostic accuracy of CXCL13 testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for neurosyphilis diagnosing. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To systematically assess the diagnostic accuracy of CXCL13 testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for neurosyphilis diagnosing.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases from their inception until 1 May 2023.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Both cross-sectional and case-control diagnostic test studies evaluating the diagnostic value of CSF CXCL13 in diagnosing neurosyphilis were included, with no language restrictions.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Two researchers extracted data independently from all finally included articles. The updated Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Quantitative synthesis was done using a bivariate random-effects model.
RESULTS
This meta-analysis included seven eligible studies involving a total of 1152 patients with syphilis and 430 patients with neurosyphilis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity and summary area under the curve (AUC) of CSF CXCL13 testing for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis were 0.76 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.85; I=82%), 0.83 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.85; I=32.29%) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.87), respectively. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of the combined results. Meta-regression analysis revealed that the heterogeneity of pooled sensitivity was related to different study regions; subgroup analysis indicated that the diagnostic value of CSF CXCL13 testing reported in studies from China was superior to that reported in non-Chinese studies (pooled sensitivity, specificity and summary AUC values were 0.84 I=0) vs 0.64 (I=79.53%), 0.83 (I=42.03%) vs 0.83 (I=32.87%) and 0.87 vs 0.83, respectively). The diagnostic value reported in studies with a sample size ≥200, unclassified neurosyphilis and HIV-negative subgroups was superior to the total combined value.
CONCLUSIONS
This meta-analysis has demonstrated a reasonable level of accuracy for diagnosis of neurosyphilis with CSF CXCL13 testing. Further multicentre, prospective diagnostic studies, especially in asymptomatic neurosyphilis and HIV-infected patients, are needed to provide more evidence for evaluation before clinical application.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42023414212.
Topics: Humans; Neurosyphilis; Chemokine CXCL13; Sensitivity and Specificity; Biomarkers
PubMed: 38821573
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078527 -
Systematic Reviews May 2024Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant health burden in China, affecting a sizable portion of the population. Conventional pharmacological treatments frequently... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant health burden in China, affecting a sizable portion of the population. Conventional pharmacological treatments frequently fall short of desirable outcomes. Therefore, exploring alternative therapies is crucial. Remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPostC) is a noninvasive and cost-effective adjunctive therapy. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of RIPostC as an adjunctive therapy for AIS to inform clinical practice.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted across the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang, Weipu (VIP), and China Biology Medicine disc (CBM) databases up to October 2023. All included studies underwent bias risk assessment using the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. The primary outcome measure was the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), with secondary outcomes including the Barthel index (BI), D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (FIB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), modified Rankin scale (mRS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. The data were analyzed using fixed-effects and random-effects models in Review Manager, with mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated for each outcome. The grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluations (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the level of evidence for each outcome measure.
RESULTS
This meta-analysis included 38 studies, encompassing 4334 patients. Compared with the control group, the RIPostC group had significantly lower NIHSS scores, serum CRP, D-dimer, IL-6, TNF-α, and FIB levels, and increased BDNF levels. Moreover, it improved the patient's BI and mRS scores. According to the GRADE approach, the quality of evidence for mRS was deemed "moderate," while the NIHSS, BI, and CRP were rated as "low" quality. IL-6, TNF-α, FIB, D-dimer, and BDNF received "very low" quality ratings.
CONCLUSION
The findings suggest that RIPostC activates endogenous protective mechanisms, providing benefits to patients with AIS.
Topics: Humans; Ischemic Stroke; Ischemic Postconditioning; China; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
PubMed: 38816852
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02568-3 -
Revista Clinica Espanola 2024The care of patients with a suspected infectious process in hospital emergency departments (ED) accounts for 15%-35% of all daily care in these healthcare areas in Spain... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
The care of patients with a suspected infectious process in hospital emergency departments (ED) accounts for 15%-35% of all daily care in these healthcare areas in Spain and Latin America. The early and adequate administration of antibiotic treatment (AB) and the immediate making of other diagnostic-therapeutic decisions have a direct impact on the survival of patients with severe bacterial infection. The main objective of this systematic review is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of PCT to predict bacterial infection in adult patients treated with clinical suspicion of infection in the ED, as well as to analyze whether the different studies manage to identify a specific value of PCT as the most relevant from the diagnostic point of view of clinical decision that can be recommended for decision making in ED.
METHOD
A systematic review is carried out following the PRISMA regulations in the database of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Lilacs, Cochrane, Epistemonikos, Tripdatabase and ClinicalTrials.gov from January 2005 to May 31, 2023 without language restriction and using a combination of MESH terms: "Procalcitonin", "Infection/Bacterial Infection/Sepsis", "Emergencies/Emergency/Emergency Department", "Adults" and "Diagnostic". Observational cohort studies (diagnostic performance analyses) were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of the method used and the risk of bias of the included articles. Observational cohort studies were included. No meta-analysis techniques were performed, but results were compared narratively.
RESULTS
A total of 1,323 articles were identified, of which 21 that met the inclusion criteria were finally analyzed. The studies include 10,333 patients with 4,856 bacterial infections (47%). Eight studies were rated as high, 9 as moderate, and 4 as low. The AUC-ROC of all studies ranges from 0.68 (95% CI: 0.61-0.72) to 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98-1). The value of PCT 0.2-0.3 ng/ml is the most used and proposed in up to twelve of the works included in this review whose average estimated performance is an AUC-ROC of 0.79. If only the results of the 5 high-quality studies using a cut-off point of 0.2-0.3 ng/ml PCT are taken into account, the estimated mean AUC-COR result is 0.78 with Se:69 % and Es:76%.
CONCLUSIONS
PCT has considerable diagnostic accuracy for bacterial infection in patients treated in ED for different infectious processes. The cut-off point of 0.25 (0.2-0.3) ng/ml has been positioned as the most appropriate to predict the existence of bacterial infection and can be used to help reasonably rule it out.
Topics: Humans; Emergency Service, Hospital; Bacterial Infections; Procalcitonin; Biomarkers; Sensitivity and Specificity; Adult
PubMed: 38815753
DOI: 10.1016/j.rceng.2024.05.006 -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Jul 2024To conduct a randomized controlled trial meta-analysis and provide concise and specific recommendations for clinical practice optimization of gestational diabetes for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
AIMS
To conduct a randomized controlled trial meta-analysis and provide concise and specific recommendations for clinical practice optimization of gestational diabetes for probiotics.
METHODS
Up until May 2023, we conducted a thorough, systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Central Controlled Trials, and Embase. Stata software was used to merge the resulting data from the original studies. Cochran's Q and the I statistics were used to evaluate and quantify heterogeneity. The GRADE method was used to evaluate the overall quality of the evidence. Sources of heterogeneity were analyzed through a leave-one-out meta-analysis, a Galbraith plot, and a subgroup analysis.
RESULTS
A meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials with a total of 713 participants was finally conducted. Our findings indicated the administration of probiotics at a median dosage of 6 × 10 CFU/day led to a substantial improvement in fasting glucose levels (MD: -4.16 mg/dL [95% CI: -6.78, -1.54]; P < 0.001), fasting insulin levels (MD: -3.33 μIU/ml [95% CI: -4.92, -1.74]; P < 0.001), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD: -0.71 [95% CI: -0.97, -0.45]; P < 0.001), and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (MD: 0.01 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.02]; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis indicated that probiotic intervention exerted a more significant reduction in fasting blood glucose in patients with higher baseline BMI and glucose levels, and reduced fasting insulin more markedly in those with elevated baseline insulin. According to the GRADE assessment, the quality of evidence for fasting blood glucose and QUICKI was rated as "high", while the quality for fasting insulin and HOMA-IR was rated as "moderate".
CONCLUSIONS
Probiotic intervention has been shown to significantly decrease levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR, while elevating QUICKI levels in patients with GDM, underscoring the potential utility of probiotics in the adjunctive management of GDM.
Topics: Probiotics; Humans; Diabetes, Gestational; Pregnancy; Female; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Blood Glucose; Insulin Resistance; Insulin; Adult
PubMed: 38815494
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.05.020 -
Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine... Jul 2024We aimed to comprehensively assess the safety and efficacy of mavacamten in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
AIMS
We aimed to comprehensively assess the safety and efficacy of mavacamten in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients.
METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, and efficacy [changes in postexercise left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), peak oxygen consumption (pVO 2 ), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ CSS), and the proportion of patients exhibiting an improvement of at least one New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class from baseline)], safety (total count of treatment-emergent adverse events and SAEs, as well as the proportion of patients experiencing at least one adverse event or SAE), and cardiac biomarkers (NT-proBNP and cTnI) outcomes were evaluated.
RESULTS
We incorporated data from four randomized controlled trials, namely EXPLORER-HCM, VALOR-HCM, MAVERICK-HCM, and EXPLORER-CN. Mavacamten demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing the postexercise LVOT gradient by 49.44 mmHg ( P = 0.0001) and LVEF by 3.84 ( P < 0.0001) and improving pVO 2 by 0.69 ml/kg/min ( P = 0.4547), KCCQ CSS by 8.11 points ( P < 0.0001), and patients with at least one NYHA functional class improvement from baseline by 2.20 times ( P < 0.0001). Importantly, mavacamten increased 1.11-fold adverse events ( P = 0.0184) 4.24-fold reduced LVEF to less than 50% ( P = 0.0233) and 1.06-fold SAEs ( P = 0.8631). Additionally, mavacamten decreased NT-proBNP by 528.62 ng/l ( P < 0.0001) and cTnI by 8.28 ng/l ( P < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
Mavacamten demonstrates both safety and efficacy in patients with HCM, suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic strategy for this condition. Further research is warranted to confirm these results and explore its long-term effects.
Topics: Humans; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic; Treatment Outcome; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Ventricular Function, Left; Stroke Volume; Middle Aged; Male; Female; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; Pyrimidines; Exercise Tolerance; Biomarkers; Adult; Recovery of Function; Oxygen Consumption; Aged; Benzylamines; Uracil
PubMed: 38814051
DOI: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000001638 -
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders May 2024In the current systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to analyze the existing literature to evaluate the role of inflammatory biomarkers, including... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
In the current systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to analyze the existing literature to evaluate the role of inflammatory biomarkers, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) among individuals with cardiac syndrome X (CSX) compared to healthy controls.
METHODS
We used PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Embase to systematically search relevant publications published before April 2, 2023. We performed the meta-analysis using Stata 11.2 software (Stata Corp, College Station, TX). So, we used standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to compare the biomarker level between patients and healthy controls. The I and Cochran's Q tests were adopted to determine the heterogeneity of the included studies.
RESULTS
Overall, 29 articles with 3480 participants (1855 with CSX and 1625 healthy controls) were included in the analysis. There was a significantly higher level of NLR (SMD = 0.85, 95%CI = 0.55-1.15, I = 89.0 %), CRP (SMD = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.38 to 1.02, p < 0.0001), IL-6 (SMD = 5.70, 95%CI = 1.91 to 9.50, p = 0.003), TNF-a (SMD = 3.78, 95%CI = 0.63 to 6.92, p = 0.019), and PLR (SMD = 1.38, 95%CI = 0.50 to 2.28, p = 0.02) in the CSX group in comparison with healthy controls.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study showed that CSX leads to a significant increase in inflammatory biomarkers, including NLR, CRP, IL-6, TNF-a, and PLR.
Topics: Humans; Biomarkers; Microvascular Angina; Inflammation Mediators; Neutrophils; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; C-Reactive Protein; Lymphocyte Count; Interleukin-6; Aged; Platelet Count; Adult; Blood Platelets; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Lymphocytes; Prognosis; Inflammation
PubMed: 38807048
DOI: 10.1186/s12872-024-03939-3 -
BMJ Mental Health May 2024Does neurodegenerative disease underlie the increased rate of dementia observed in older people with schizophrenia? Several studies have reported a higher prevalence of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
QUESTION
Does neurodegenerative disease underlie the increased rate of dementia observed in older people with schizophrenia? Several studies have reported a higher prevalence of dementia in people with schizophrenia compared with the general population. This may reflect a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as vascular dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD). Alternatively, this may reflect non-pathological, age-related cognitive decline in a population with low cognitive reserve.
STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS
We reviewed papers that compared postmortem findings, hippocampal MRI volume or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of AD, between patients with schizophrenia with evidence of cognitive impairment (age ≥45 years) with controls. We subsequently performed a meta-analysis of postmortem studies that compared amyloid-β plaques (APs) or neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in cognitively impaired patients with schizophrenia to normal controls or an AD group.
FINDINGS
No studies found a significant increase of APs or NFTs in cognitively impaired patients with schizophrenia compared with controls. All postmortem studies that compared APs or NFTs in patients with schizophrenia to an AD group found significantly more APs or NFTs in AD. No studies found a significant differences in CSF total tau or phosphorylated tau between patients with schizophrenia and controls. The two studies which compared CSF Aβ42 between patients with schizophrenia and controls found significantly decreased CSF Aβ42 in schizophrenia compared with controls. Hippocampal volume findings were mixed.
CONCLUSIONS
Studies have not found higher rates of AD-related pathology in cognitively impaired individuals with schizophrenia compared with controls. Higher rates of dementia identified in population studies may reflect a lack of specificity in clinical diagnostic tools used to diagnose dementia.
Topics: Humans; Schizophrenia; Biomarkers; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Alzheimer Disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Plaque, Amyloid
PubMed: 38796179
DOI: 10.1136/bmjment-2024-301017 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2024Heart failure (HF) remains a major medical and social problem. The NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and its active form, brain-type natriuretic peptide... (Review)
Review
Heart failure (HF) remains a major medical and social problem. The NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and its active form, brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), in a simple blood test are the gold-standard biomarkers for HF diagnosis. However, even good biomarkers such as natriuretic peptides fail to predict all the risks associated with HF due to the diversity of the mechanisms involved. The pathophysiology of HF is determined by numerous factors, including oxidative stress, inflammation, neuroendocrine activation, pathological angiogenesis, changes in apoptotic pathways, fibrosis and vascular remodeling. High readmission and mortality rates prompt a search for new markers for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of HF. Oxidative-stress-mediated inflammation plays a crucial role in the development of subsequent changes in the failing heart and provides a new insight into this complex mechanism. Oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers appear to be a promising diagnostic and prognostic tool in patients with HF. This systematic review provides an overview of the current knowledge about oxidative stress and inflammation parameters as markers of HF.
Topics: Humans; Oxidative Stress; Heart Failure; Inflammation; Biomarkers; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; Peptide Fragments; Prognosis
PubMed: 38792942
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60050760 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Chemokines orchestrate many aspects of tumorigenic processes such as angiogenesis, apoptosis and metastatic spread, and related receptors are expressed on tumor cells as... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Chemokines orchestrate many aspects of tumorigenic processes such as angiogenesis, apoptosis and metastatic spread, and related receptors are expressed on tumor cells as well as on inflammatory cells (e.g., tumor-infiltrating T cells, TILs) in the tumor microenvironment. Expressional changes of chemokines and their receptors in solid cancers are common and well known, especially in affecting colorectal cancer patient outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this current systematic review and meta-analysis was to classify chemokines as a prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer patients. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, CENTRAL and Web of Science. Information on the chemokine expression of 25 chemokines in colorectal cancer tissue and survival data of the patients were investigated. The hazard ratio of overall survival and disease-free survival with chemokine expression was examined. The risk of bias was analyzed using Quality in Prognosis Studies. Random effects meta-analysis was performed to determine the impact on overall respectively disease survival. For this purpose, the pooled hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used for calculation. Twenty-five chemokines were included, and the search revealed 5556 publications. A total of thirty-one publications were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Overexpression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 was associated with both a significantly reduced overall survival (HR = 2.70, 95%-CI: 1.57 to 4.66, = 0.0003) as well as disease-free survival (HR = 2.68, 95%-CI: 1.41 to 5.08, = 0.0026). All other chemokines showed either heterogeneous results or few studies were available. The overall risk of bias for CXCR4 was rated low. At the current level of evidence, this study demonstrates that CXCR4 overexpression in patients with colorectal cancer is associated with a significantly diminished overall as well as disease-free survival. Summed up, this systematic review and meta-analysis reveals CXCR4 as a promising prognostic biomarker. Nevertheless, more evidence is needed to evaluate CXCR4 and its antagonists serving as new therapeutic targets.
Topics: Humans; Colorectal Neoplasms; Prognosis; Biomarkers, Tumor; Chemokines; Receptors, CXCR4; Disease-Free Survival
PubMed: 38791414
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105374 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Given its prevalence, reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis are required.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Given its prevalence, reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis are required. Exosomal proteins within extracellular nanovesicles are promising candidates for diagnostic, screening, prognostic, and disease monitoring purposes in neurological diseases such as PD. This review aims to evaluate the potential of extracellular vesicle proteins or miRNAs as biomarkers for PD. A comprehensive literature search until January 2024 was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, to identify relevant studies reporting exosome biomarkers in blood samples from PD patients. Out of 417 articles screened, 47 studies were selected for analysis. Among exosomal protein biomarkers, α-synuclein, tau, Amyloid β 1-42, and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) were identified as significant markers for PD. Concerning miRNA biomarkers, miRNA-24, miR-23b-3p, miR-195-3p, miR-29c, and mir-331-5p are promising across studies. α-synuclein exhibited increased levels in PD patients compared to control groups in twenty-one studies, while a decrease was observed in three studies. Our meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in total exosomal α-synuclein levels between PD patients and healthy controls (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.369, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.893 to 1.846, < 0.001), although these results are limited by data availability. Furthermore, α-synuclein levels significantly differ between PD patients and healthy controls (SMD = 1.471, 95% CI = 0.941 to 2.002, < 0.001). In conclusion, certain exosomal proteins and multiple miRNAs could serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and assessment of disease progression in PD.
Topics: Humans; Parkinson Disease; Exosomes; Biomarkers; MicroRNAs; alpha-Synuclein; Amyloid beta-Peptides
PubMed: 38791346
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105307