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Alternative Therapies in Health and... Jun 2024This meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic value of echocardiography for Acute Heart Failure (AHF) and its utility in urgent clinical situations, emphasizing its...
OBJECTIVE
This meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic value of echocardiography for Acute Heart Failure (AHF) and its utility in urgent clinical situations, emphasizing its significance for accurate and timely diagnosis in critical care.
METHODS
Relevant studies from databases like PubMed and Embase were selected using terms such as 'Ultrasound' and 'acute heart failure'. Inclusion criteria focused on studies evaluating echocardiographic diagnosis in adult patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of AHF. Quality assessment was performed using RevMan 5.3 and QUADAS. Key metrics like sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were analyzed using STATA 15.1. The types of echocardiography assessed included transthoracic and focused cardiac ultrasound.
RESULTS
Eighteen articles were included, indicating echocardiography's high sensitivity (0.92) and specificity (0.96) in diagnosing AHF. The combined positive likelihood ratio of 23.2 suggests that patients with AHF are over 23 times more likely to have a positive echocardiography result than those without AHF, greatly influencing clinical decision-making toward confirming the diagnosis. The AUC of the SROC curve was 0.98, indicating excellent overall accuracy.
CONCLUSION
Echocardiography is highly accurate in diagnosing AHF, underscored by its critical role in early treatment decisions and potential integration into standard care protocols, thereby preventing adverse outcomes and improving patient management.
PubMed: 38940797
DOI: No ID Found -
Anatolian Journal of Cardiology Jul 2024Women are often neglected in cardiovascular health prevention. Age at menarche (AAM) has been linked to cardiovascular (CVD) disease in women and is potentially... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Women are often neglected in cardiovascular health prevention. Age at menarche (AAM) has been linked to cardiovascular (CVD) disease in women and is potentially identified as one of the significant CVD risk factor. However, there is still limited comprehensive evidence addressing this issue. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate how early menarche affects the outcome of all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, total cardiovascular disease event, stroke (ischemic, hemorrhagic, and total stroke), and coronary heart disease (CHD).
METHOD
The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases were searched from March 2013 to March 2023 for cohorts investigating the effect of early onset of menarche on CVD events with a minimum follow-up period of 5 years. Studies that observed specific population and/or included women with a history of CVD at baseline were excluded. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for risk of bias assessment for each cohort included. The data were presented as dichotomous measure using risk ratios. I2 statistics were utilized to evaluate the heterogeneity of presented data.
RESULTS
Thirteen cohorts included 18 626 799 female patients with ages ranging from 43 to 62.6 years. These reported 6 estimates each for CHD (5 483 298 patients) and all-cause mortality (1 595 878 patients), 5 estimates each for total stroke (2 941 321 patients) and CVD mortality (1 706 742 patients), 4 estimates each for total CVD events (3 988 311 patients) and ischemic stroke (2 434 580 patients), and 1 estimate for hemorrhagic stroke (66 104 patients). Our study found that events of CHD were significantly lower in early menarche (RR 0.57; 95% CI 0.41-0.78; P <.00001), as well as total stroke (RR 0.51; 95% CI 0.35-0.73; P =.0003), CVD mortality (RR 0.47; 95% CI 0.22-0.98; P =.04), total CVD events (RR 0.44; 95% CI 0.25-0.76; P =.003), ischemic stroke (RR 0.31; 95% CI 0.15-0.61; P <.0008), and hemorrhagic stroke (RR 0.12; 95% CI 0.07-0.20; P <.00001); and insignificantly higher in all-cause mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.76-1.06, P =.20).
CONCLUSION
In our study, cardiovascular events are lower in women with early menarche; hence, the later age of menarche is a potential risk factor to be considered when assessing CVD risk in a patient. However, our sample characteristics were heterogenous, and we did not consider other female hormonal factors that might potentially contribute to the CVD outcomes observed; thus, further studies are needed to clarify.
Topics: Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Age Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Menarche; Protective Factors; Risk Factors; Adult
PubMed: 38940409
DOI: 10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2024.3996 -
Clinical Genetics Jun 2024HDR syndrome is a rare disease characterized by hypoparathyroidism, deafness, and renal dysplasia. An autosomal dominant disease caused by heterozygous pathogenic GATA3...
HDR syndrome is a rare disease characterized by hypoparathyroidism, deafness, and renal dysplasia. An autosomal dominant disease caused by heterozygous pathogenic GATA3 variants, the penetrance of each associated condition is variable. Literature reviews have provided some answers, but many questions remain, in particular what the relationship is between genotype and phenotype. The current study examines 28 patients with HDR syndrome combined with an exhaustive review of the literature. Some conditions such as hearing loss are almost always present, while others described as rare initially, do not seem to be so rare after all (genital malformations and basal ganglia calcifications). By modeling pathogenic GATA3 variants found in HDR syndrome, we found that missense variations appear to always be located in the same area (close to the two Zinc Finger domain). We describe new pathogenic GATA3 variants, of which some seem to always be associated with certain conditions. Many audiograms were studied to establish a typical audiometric profile associated with a phenotype in HDR. As mentioned in the literature, hearing function should always be assessed as early as possible and follow up of patients with HDR syndrome should include monitoring of parathyroid function and vesicoureteral reflux in order to prevent complications.
PubMed: 38940299
DOI: 10.1111/cge.14583 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jun 2024Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) facilitate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in health care. PICCs can fail due to infective and non-infective... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) facilitate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in health care. PICCs can fail due to infective and non-infective complications, which PICC materials and design may contribute to, leading to negative sequelae for patients and healthcare systems.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of PICC material and design in reducing catheter failure and complications.
SEARCH METHODS
The University of Queensland and Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL databases and the WHO ICTRP and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 16 May 2023. We aimed to identify other potentially eligible trials or ancillary publications by searching the reference lists of retrieved included trials, as well as relevant systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and health technology assessment reports. We contacted experts in the field to ascertain additional relevant information.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating PICC design and materials.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were venous thromboembolism (VTE), PICC-associated bloodstream infection (BSI), occlusion, and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were catheter failure, PICC-related BSI, catheter breakage, PICC dwell time, and safety endpoints. We assessed the certainty of evidence using GRADE.
MAIN RESULTS
We included 12 RCTs involving approximately 2913 participants (one multi-arm study). All studies except one had a high risk of bias in one or more risk of bias domain. Integrated valve technology compared to no valve technology for peripherally inserted central catheter design Integrated valve technology may make little or no difference to VTE risk when compared with PICCs with no valve (risk ratio (RR) 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19 to 2.63; I² = 0%; 3 studies; 437 participants; low certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether integrated valve technology reduces PICC-associated BSI risk, as the certainty of the evidence is very low (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.01 to 4.00; I² = not applicable; 2 studies (no events in 1 study); 257 participants). Integrated valve technology may make little or no difference to occlusion risk when compared with PICCs with no valve (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.38; I² = 0%; 5 studies; 900 participants; low certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether use of integrated valve technology reduces all-cause mortality risk, as the certainty of evidence is very low (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.64; I² = 0%; 2 studies; 473 participants). Integrated valve technology may make little or no difference to catheter failure risk when compared with PICCs with no valve (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.03; I² = 0%; 4 studies; 720 participants; low certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether integrated-valve technology reduces PICC-related BSI risk (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.19 to 1.32; I² = not applicable; 2 studies (no events in 1 study); 542 participants) or catheter breakage, as the certainty of evidence is very low (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.22 to 5.06; I² = 20%; 4 studies; 799 participants). Anti-thrombogenic surface modification compared to no anti-thrombogenic surface modification for peripherally inserted central catheter design We are uncertain whether use of anti-thrombogenic surface modified catheters reduces risk of VTE (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.13 to 3.54; I² = 15%; 2 studies; 257 participants) or PICC-associated BSI, as the certainty of evidence is very low (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.01 to 4.00; I² = not applicable; 2 studies (no events in 1 study); 257 participants). We are uncertain whether use of anti-thrombogenic surface modified catheters reduces occlusion (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.04 to 11.22; I² = 70%; 2 studies; 257 participants) or all-cause mortality risk, as the certainty of evidence is very low (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.05 to 5.26; I² = not applicable; 1 study; 111 participants). Use of anti-thrombogenic surface modified catheters may make little or no difference to risk of catheter failure (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.37 to 1.54; I² = 46%; 2 studies; 257 participants; low certainty evidence). No PICC-related BSIs were reported in one study (111 participants). As such, we are uncertain whether use of anti-thrombogenic surface modified catheters reduces PICC-related BSI risk (RR not estimable; I² = not applicable; very low certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether use of anti-thrombogenic surface modified catheters reduces the risk of catheter breakage, as the certainty of evidence is very low (RR 0.15, 95% CI 0.01 to 2.79; I² = not applicable; 2 studies (no events in 1 study); 257 participants). Antimicrobial impregnation compared to non-antimicrobial impregnation for peripherally inserted central catheter design We are uncertain whether use of antimicrobial-impregnated catheters reduces VTE risk (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.05 to 5.88; I² = not applicable; 1 study; 167 participants) or PICC-associated BSI risk, as the certainty of evidence is very low (RR 2.17, 95% CI 0.20 to 23.53; I² = not applicable; 1 study; 167 participants). Antimicrobial-impregnated catheters probably make little or no difference to occlusion risk (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.74; I² = 0%; 2 studies; 1025 participants; moderate certainty evidence) or all-cause mortality (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.75; I² = 0%; 2 studies; 1082 participants; moderate certainty evidence). Antimicrobial-impregnated catheters may make little or no difference to risk of catheter failure (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.30; I² = not applicable; 1 study; 221 participants; low certainty evidence). Antimicrobial-impregnated catheters probably make little or no difference to PICC-related BSI risk (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.55; I² = not applicable; 2 studies (no events in 1 study); 1082 participants; moderate certainty evidence). Antimicrobial-impregnated catheters may make little or no difference to risk of catheter breakage (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.19 to 3.83; I² = not applicable; 1 study; 804 participants; low certainty evidence).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
There is limited high-quality RCT evidence available to inform clinician decision-making for PICC materials and design. Limitations of the current evidence include small sample sizes, infrequent events, and risk of bias. There may be little to no difference in the risk of VTE, PICC-associated BSI, occlusion, or mortality across PICC materials and designs. Further rigorous RCTs are needed to reduce uncertainty.
Topics: Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Catheterization, Peripheral; Catheter-Related Infections; Equipment Failure; Equipment Design; Venous Thromboembolism; Catheter Obstruction; Central Venous Catheters; Cause of Death; Bias; Catheterization, Central Venous; Bacteremia
PubMed: 38940297
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD013366.pub2 -
Annals of Agricultural and... Jun 2024As globalization and modernization continue to impact people's lives, a significant shift in lifestyle has taken place, resulting in a worldwide decrease in physical... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
As globalization and modernization continue to impact people's lives, a significant shift in lifestyle has taken place, resulting in a worldwide decrease in physical activity and an increase in unhealthy eating patterns. Physical inactivity has become the fourth leading cause of death globally. The aim of this scoping review is to analyze the concept and development of integrating physical activity into healthcare (IPAHc), based on the principles of sports and exercise medicine (SEM) and exercise is medicine (EIM).
REVIEW METHODS
A systematic search was conducted of relevant published studies with full text using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Ultimate, Medline, and SPORTDiscus, via the EBSCO search platform.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE
Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The integration pathway centres around physical activity consultation and/or referral, and information technology which has been extensively utilized in IPAHc, including websites, electronic medical records, social media, wearable devices, mobile software, and referral tools. SEM and EIM face numerous implementation challenges, such as time constraints, education/training, resources, and tools.
SUMMARY
The concept of IPAHc involves the integration of Physical Activity Vital Signs (PAVS) into electronic medical records to evaluate the physical activity levels of the general population. This can assist individuals in achieving fitness goals, preventing diseases, treating existing illnesses, and undergoing rehabilitation. IPAHc has been in development for many years and is now being explored in practice. Despite the widespread use of information technology in this integration process, a number of challenges still need addressing.
Topics: Humans; Exercise; Delivery of Health Care
PubMed: 38940098
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/183778 -
Journal of Global Health Jun 2024Diarrhoeal disease disproportionately affects children <5 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The pathogens responsible for diarrhoea are commonly... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Lifestraw Family water filters in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis to define longer-term public health impact against childhood diarrhoea and inform scale-up.
BACKGROUND
Diarrhoeal disease disproportionately affects children <5 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The pathogens responsible for diarrhoea are commonly transmitted through faecally-contaminated drinking water. Lifestraw Family point-of-use water filters have been the subject of intervention studies for over a decade and were the first filters evaluated by the World Health Organization in its water treatment evaluation scheme to provide comprehensive protection against many diarrhoea-causing pathogens. This systematic review aimed to: 1) report on aspects related to physical environment and implementation and 2) conduct an updated meta-analysis on Lifestraw Family filter effectiveness against childhood diarrhoea based on studies with ≥12 months of follow-up.
METHODS
We conducted a literature search in November 2022 using MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases. Inclusion criteria were: 1) RCTs, cluster-RCTs, quasi-experimental, or matched cohort studies on 2) Lifestraw Family 1.0 or 2.0 filters 3) conducted in LMICs 4) that evaluated filter effectiveness against diarrhoea in children <5 and 5) analysed ≥12 months of follow-up data on clinical effectiveness against diarrhoea and were 6) published from 2010 with 7) full-text availability in English. A modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess risk of bias. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and analysed using a random-effects meta-analysis.
RESULTS
We included 6 studies in LMICs involving 4740 children <5. Of the four clinically-effective interventions, common characteristics were access to improved water sources (75%), the 2.0 version of the filter or the 1.0 version with additional water storage (100%), use of behaviour change theory, community engagement, and health messaging (75%), local filter repair-and-replace mechanisms (75%), and specially-trained local interventionists (100%). The meta-analysis showed a 30% reduction in diarrhoea risk in the intervention group (RR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.52-0.91, P = 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Lifestraw Family water filters can be effective interventions to reduce diarrhoea in vulnerable paediatric populations for at least one year, though certain aspects related to physical environment and implementation may increase their public health impact. The findings of this study suggest considerations for scale-up that can be applied in settings in need of longer-term interim solutions until universal access to safe drinking water is achieved.
Topics: Humans; Diarrhea; Developing Countries; Water Purification; Public Health; Filtration; Child, Preschool; Drinking Water; Infant
PubMed: 38939952
DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.04018 -
Journal of Arrhythmia Jun 2024The transdermal patch of bisoprolol available in Japan has been reported to demonstrate superior efficacy in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation, possibly...
BACKGROUND
The transdermal patch of bisoprolol available in Japan has been reported to demonstrate superior efficacy in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation, possibly surpassing its oral counterpart. However, there has been no systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the efficacy of transdermal bisoprolol.
METHODS
A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane to identify all relevant studies assessing the efficacy of transdermal bisoprolol in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation. The search covered studies from inception up to December 4, 2023. For data analysis, Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4 software was employed, using a random-effects model to calculate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
RESULTS
Three studies, comprising a total of 551 patients (transdermal bisoprolol 228 and control 323), were included. There was a decreased risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation or atrial tachyarrhythmias in patients treated with transdermal bisoprolol (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.27-0.67, = .0002, = 0%).
CONCLUSION
Transdermal administration of bisoprolol has consistently shown efficacy, and this pooled analysis supports its effectiveness. The heterogeneity of the included studies limits certain interpretations. Future randomized clinical trials may elucidate the superiority of transdermal administration over oral administration.
PubMed: 38939760
DOI: 10.1002/joa3.13049 -
Health Care Science Feb 2024Remarkable progress has been made in infection prevention and control (IPC) in many countries, but some gaps emerged in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019... (Review)
Review
Remarkable progress has been made in infection prevention and control (IPC) in many countries, but some gaps emerged in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Core capabilities such as standard clinical precautions and tracing the source of infection were the focus of IPC in medical institutions during the pandemic. Therefore, the core competences of IPC professionals during the pandemic, and how these contributed to successful prevention and control of the epidemic, should be studied. To investigate, using a systematic review and cluster analysis, fundamental improvements in the competences of infection control and prevention professionals that may be emphasized in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, and CBM databases for original articles exploring core competencies of IPC professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic (from January 1, 2020 to February 7, 2023). Weiciyun software was used for data extraction and the Donohue formula was followed to distinguish high-frequency technical terms. Cluster analysis was performed using the within-group linkage method and squared Euclidean distance as the metric to determine the priority competencies for development. We identified 46 studies with 29 high-frequency technical terms. The most common term was "infection prevention and control training" (184 times, 17.3%), followed by "hand hygiene" (172 times, 16.2%). "Infection prevention and control in clinical practice" was the most-reported core competency (367 times, 34.5%), followed by "microbiology and surveillance" (292 times, 27.5%). Cluster analysis showed two key areas of competence: Category 1 (program management and leadership, patient safety and occupational health, education and microbiology and surveillance) and Category 2 (IPC in clinical practice). During the COVID-19 pandemic, IPC program management and leadership, microbiology and surveillance, education, patient safety, and occupational health were the most important focus of development and should be given due consideration by IPC professionals.
PubMed: 38939168
DOI: 10.1002/hcs2.81 -
JACC. Advances Oct 2023The use of mobile health (mHealth, wireless communication devices, and/or software technologies) in health care delivery has increased rapidly in recent years. Their...
BACKGROUND
The use of mobile health (mHealth, wireless communication devices, and/or software technologies) in health care delivery has increased rapidly in recent years. Their integration into disease management programs (DMPs) has tremendous potential to improve outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), yet a more robust evaluation of the evidence is required.
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of mHealth-enabled DMPs to determine their effectiveness in reducing readmissions and mortality in patients with CAD.
METHODS
We systematically searched English language studies from January 1, 2007, to August 3, 2021, in multiple databases. Studies comparing mHealth-enabled DMPs with standard DMPs without mHealth were included if they had a minimum 30-day follow-up for at least one of all-cause or cardiovascular-related mortality, readmissions, or major adverse cardiovascular events.
RESULTS
Of the 3,411 references from our search, 155 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility, and data were extracted from 18 publications. Pooled findings for all-cause readmissions (10 studies, n = 1,514) and cardiac-related readmissions (9 studies, n = 1,009) indicated that mHealth-enabled DMPs reduced all-cause (RR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.50-0.91) and cardiac-related hospitalizations (RR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.44-0.68) and emergency department visits (RR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.26-0.54) compared to DMPs without mHealth. There was no significant reduction for mortality outcomes (RR: 1.72; 95% CI: 0.64-4.64) or major adverse cardiovascular events (RR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.40-1.15).
CONCLUSIONS
DMPs integrated with mHealth should be considered an effective intervention for better outcomes in patients with CAD.
PubMed: 38938339
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2023.100591 -
Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.) Jun 2024Discriminatory practices in mental health care undermine the right to health of marginalized service users. Intersectional approaches enable consideration of multiple... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Discriminatory practices in mental health care undermine the right to health of marginalized service users. Intersectional approaches enable consideration of multiple forms of discrimination that occur simultaneously and remain invisible in single-axis analyses. The authors reviewed intersectionality-informed qualitative literature on discriminatory practices in mental health care to better understand the experiences of marginalized service users and their evaluation and navigation of mental health care.
METHODS
The authors searched EBSCO, PubMed, MEDLINE, and JSTOR for studies published January 1, 1989-December 14, 2022. Qualitative and mixed-methods studies were eligible if they used an intersectional approach to examine discrimination (experiences, mechanisms, and coping strategies) in mental health care settings from the perspective of service users and providers. A qualitative evidence synthesis with thematic analysis was performed.
RESULTS
Fifteen studies were included in the qualitative evidence synthesis. These studies represented the experiences of 383 service users and 114 providers. Most studies considered the intersections of mental illness with race, sexual and gender diversity, or both and were performed in the United States or Canada. Four themes were identified: the relevance of social identity in mental health care settings, knowledge-related concerns in mental health care, microaggressions in clinical practice, and service users' responses to discriminatory practices.
CONCLUSIONS
Discriminatory practices in mental health care lead to specific barriers to care for multiply marginalized service users. Universities and hospitals may improve care by building competencies in recognizing and preventing discrimination through institutionalized training.
PubMed: 38938095
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20230252