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Global Spine Journal Jun 2015Study Design Systematic review. Clinical Questions (1) Has the proportion and number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an indicator of quality of evidence... (Review)
Review
Study Design Systematic review. Clinical Questions (1) Has the proportion and number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an indicator of quality of evidence regarding lumbar fusion increased over the past 10 years? (2) Is there a difference in the proportion of RCTs among the four primary fusion diagnoses (degenerative disk disease, spondylolisthesis, deformity, and adjacent segment disease) over the past 10 years? (3) Is there a difference in the type and quality of clinical outcomes measures reported among RCTs over time? (4) Is there a difference in the type and quality of adverse events measures reported among RCTs over time? (5) Are there changes in fusion surgical approach and techniques over time by diagnosis over the past 10 years? Methods Electronic databases and reference lists of key articles were searched from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2013, to identify lumbar fusion RCTs. Fusion studies designed specifically to evaluate recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 or other bone substitutes, revision surgery studies, nonrandomized comparison studies, case reports, case series, and cost-effectiveness studies were excluded. Results Forty-two RCTs between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2013, met the inclusion criteria and form the basis for this report. There were 35 RCTs identified evaluating patients diagnosed with degenerative disk disease, 4 RCTs evaluating patients diagnosed with degenerative spondylolisthesis, and 3 RCTs evaluating patients with a combination of degenerative disk disease and degenerative spondylolisthesis. No RCTs were identified evaluating patients with deformity or adjacent segment disease. Conclusions This structured review demonstrates that there has been an increase in the available clinical database of RCTs using patient-reported outcomes evaluating the benefit of lumbar spinal fusion for the diagnoses of degenerative disk disease and degenerative spondylolisthesis. Gaps remain in the standardization of reportage of adverse events in such trials, as well as uniformity of surgical approaches used. Finally, continued efforts to develop higher-quality data for other surgical indications for lumbar fusion, most notably in the presence of adult spinal deformity and revision of prior surgical fusions, appear warranted.
PubMed: 26131387
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1552984 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2023This study aimed to evaluate the retina and microvascular alterations with optical coherence tomography (OCT) or optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in...
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the retina and microvascular alterations with optical coherence tomography (OCT) or optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO).
METHODS
PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to find relevant literature on patients with MA or MO using OCT/OCTA devices. The eligible data were analyzed by Stata Software (version 15.0).
RESULTS
There were 16 studies identified, involving 379 eyes with MA, 583 eyes with MO, and 658 eyes of healthy controls. The thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) of patients with MA decreased significantly in most regions. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area and perimeter in MA patients significantly enlarged, while the perfusion density (PD) in the macular deep capillary plexus (mDCP) significantly decreased in the whole image and its subregions except for the fovea, with the PD in radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) decreasing inside the disk. Patients with MO demonstrated a significantly decreased thickness of pRNFL in most regions, and the FAZ parameters were significantly enlarged. No statistical significance was observed in the retina and microvascular features of patients with MA and MO.
CONCLUSION
The eyes affected by MA and MO demonstrated significantly reduced thickness of pRNFL and enlarged FAZ. Patients with MA showed retinal microvascular impairments, including a decreased PD in mDCP. The OCT and OCTA could detect membrane morphology and circulation status in migraine and might provide the basis for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with migraine.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, CRD42023397653.
PubMed: 37840933
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1241778 -
Global Spine Journal Feb 2017Systematic review. (Review)
Review
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness and safety between iliac crest bone graft (ICBG), non-ICBG autologous bone, and allograft in cervical spine fusion. To avoid problems at the donor site, various allograft materials have been used as a substitute for autograft. However, there are still questions as to the comparative effectiveness and safety of cadaver allograft compared with autologous ICBG.
METHODS
A systematic search of multiple major medical reference databases was conducted to identify studies evaluating spinal fusion in patients with cervical degenerative disk disease using ICBG compared with non-ICBG autograft or allograft or non-ICBG autograft compared with allograft in the cervical spine. Radiographic fusion, patient-reported outcomes, and functional outcomes were the primary outcomes of interest. Adverse events were evaluated for safety.
RESULTS
The search identified 13 comparative studies that met our inclusion criteria: 2 prospective cohort studies and 11 retrospective cohort studies. Twelve cohort studies compared allograft with ICBG autograft during anterior cervical fusion and demonstrated with a low evidence level of support that there are no differences in fusion percentages, pain scores, or functional results. There was insufficient evidence comparing patients receiving allograft with non-ICBG autograft for fusion, pain, revision, and functional and safety outcomes. No publications directly comparing non-ICBG autograft with ICBG were found.
CONCLUSION
Although the available literature suggests ICBG and allograft may have similar effectiveness in terms of fusion rates, pain scores, and functional outcomes following anterior cervical fusion, there are too many limitations in the available literature to draw any significant conclusions. No individual study provided greater than class III evidence, and when evaluating the overall body of literature, no conclusion had better than low evidence support. A prospective randomized trial with adequate sample size to compare fusion rates, efficacy measures, costs, and safety is warranted.
PubMed: 28451511
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1580610 -
Global Spine Journal Sep 2022Systematic review and meta-analysis.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVES
Cervical spine endoscopic discectomy and decompression have gained popularity in the last decade. This review aimed to shed light on the current outcomes of cervical spine endoscopic procedures for degenerative disc disease (DDD) and to calculate a pooled estimate of various outcome measures.
METHODS
We retrieved articles published in English related to endoscopic cervical spine procedures from 3 central databases from inception until September 2020. A subgroup analysis based on the anterior versus the posterior approach was performed.
RESULTS
Thirty-one articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria and included 1,410 patients. A successful outcome was observed in 91.3% (88.6-93.4%, = 0.000). This percentage was lower for the anterior approach (89.6% [85.8-92.5%], = 0.000) than for the posterior approach (94.2% [90.4-96.5%], = 0.000). A higher percentage of poor outcomes was reported for the anterior approach (5.7% [3.2-10.1%], = 0.000 vs. 2.3% [1-5.5%], = 0.000 for the posterior approach). The overall complication rate was 7.2% (5.2-9.8%, = 0.000). There was a slightly higher complication rate for the anterior approach (7.9% [4.5-13.3%], = 0.000) than for the posterior approach (6.7% [4.4-10%], = 0.000). The revision rate was 4.2% (2.6-6.8%, = 0.000); and 4.2% (1.8-9.7%, = 0.000) for the anterior approach and 4.00% (2.2-7.4%, = 0.000) for the posterior approach.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a higher success rate and lower complication rate with the posterior approach than with the anterior approach. However, high-quality randomized controlled trials are vital to evaluate the efficacy of these procedures.
PubMed: 34402323
DOI: 10.1177/21925682211037270 -
International Journal of Infectious... Mar 2019Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a worldwide problem and Bangladesh is a major contributor to this owing to its poor healthcare standards, along with the misuse and...
BACKGROUND
Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a worldwide problem and Bangladesh is a major contributor to this owing to its poor healthcare standards, along with the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. This systematic review was conducted to summarize the present scenario of ABR in Bangladesh, to identify gaps in surveillance, and to provide recommendations based on the findings.
METHODS
Google Scholar, PubMed, and Bangladesh Journals Online were searched using relevant keywords to identify articles related to ABR in Bangladesh published between 2004 and 2018. Inclusion or exclusion was based on a predefined set of criteria. The resistance of a bacterium to a given drug was presented as the median resistance (MR) and interquartile range (IQR).
RESULTS
Forty-six articles were included in this systematic review. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method in 82.6% of studies, while the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines were followed in 78.3%. Data regarding the susceptibility testing method, guidelines for interpretation, and source of infection (hospital/community) were absent in 10.9%, 19.6%, and 73.9% of the studies, respectively. A high prevalence of resistance was detected in most tested pathogens, and many of the common first-line drugs were mostly ineffective. Resistance to carbapenems was low in most cases. The presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms was indicated by the high resistance to beta-lactams. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was identified in four studies. Three studies reported vancomycin susceptibility of enterococci, and the median susceptibility was 100%. Streptococcus pneumoniae exhibited high susceptibility to penicillin (MR 4%). Resistance data were available from only six out of the 64 districts of Bangladesh.
CONCLUSIONS
A high prevalence of resistance to most antibiotics was detected, along with major gaps in surveillance and information gaps in the methodological data of the studies (susceptibility testing method, guidelines for susceptibility interpretation, source of infection). Based on the findings, we recommend appropriate initiatives to monitor and control the use of antibiotics, as well as nationwide surveillance following standardized methodologies.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bangladesh; Carbapenems; Databases, Factual; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Enterococcus; Humans; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Penicillins; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Vancomycin
PubMed: 30634043
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2018.12.017 -
Frontiers in Surgery 2022To compare the effectiveness and safety of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) and minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) for... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To compare the effectiveness and safety of oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) and minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) for degenerative lumbar disease.
METHODS
We searched relevant studies in Embase, PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases comprehensively from inception to March 2022. The data were extracted from included studies, including operation indications, radiographic parameters, and clinical outcomes. Random or fixed-effects models were used in all meta-analyses according to the between-study heterogeneity.
RESULTS
In total, 30 studies, including 2,125 patients, were included in this meta-analysis. Our study found similar disk height, length of hospital stay, visual analog scale (VAS), and Oswestry disability index(ODI) between the two groups. However, the OLIF showed an advantage in restoring lumbar lordotic angle compared with MI-TLIF, with the pooled mean change of 17.73° and 2.61°, respectively. Additionally, the operative time and blood loss in the OLIF group appeared to be less compared with the MI-TLIF group. Regarding complications, the rates of the two groups were similar (OLIF 14.0% vs. MI-TLIF 10.0%), but the major complications that occurred in these two procedures differed significantly.
CONCLUSION
The results of disk height, length of hospital stay, VAS, and ODI between the OLIF and MI-TLIF groups were similar. And the OLIF was superior in restoring lumbar lordotic angle, operative time, and blood loss. However, the OLIF group's complication rate was higher, although not significantly, than that in the MI-TLIF group.
PubMed: 36311941
DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.1014314 -
Asian Spine Journal Dec 2023Laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion (L-ALIF), which employs laparoscopic cameras to facilitate a less invasive approach, originally gained traction during the...
Laparoscopic anterior lumbar interbody fusion (L-ALIF), which employs laparoscopic cameras to facilitate a less invasive approach, originally gained traction during the 1990s but has subsequently fallen out of favor. As the envelope for endoscopic approaches continues to be pushed, a recurrence of interest in laparoscopic and/or endoscopic anterior approaches seems possible. Therefore, evaluating the current evidence base in regard to this approach is of much clinical relevance. To this end, a systematic literature search was performed according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using the following keywords: "(laparoscopic OR endoscopic) AND (anterior AND lumbar)." Out of the 441 articles retrieved, 22 were selected for quantitative analysis. The primary outcome of interest was the radiographic fusion rate. The secondary outcome was the incidence of perioperative complications. Meta-analysis was performed using RStudio's "metafor" package. Of the 1,079 included patients (mean age, 41.8±2.9 years), 481 were males (44.6%). The most common indication for L-ALIF surgery was degenerative disk disease (reported by 18 studies, 81.8%). The mean follow-up duration was 18.8±11.2 months (range, 6-43 months). The pooled fusion rate was 78.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 68.9-90.4). Complications occurred in 19.2% (95% CI, 13.4-27.4) of L-ALIF cases. Additionally, 7.2% (95% CI, 4.6-11.4) of patients required conversion from L-ALIF to open surgery. Although L-ALIF does not appear to be supported by studies available in the literature, it is important to consider the context from which these results have been obtained. Even if these results are taken at face value, the failure of endoscopy to have a role in the ALIF approach does not mean that it should not be incorporated in posterior approaches.
PubMed: 38105638
DOI: 10.31616/asj.2023.0135 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Dec 2020The surgical treatment of thoracic myelopathy is still controversial and also a challenge for spine surgeons. Therefore, the objective of this study was to review the...
PURPOSE
The surgical treatment of thoracic myelopathy is still controversial and also a challenge for spine surgeons. Therefore, the objective of this study was to review the related literature on the surgical treatment of thoracic myelopathy and try to define treatment guidelines for spine surgeons on thoracic myelopathy.
METHODS
Relevant literatures were searched based on the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library between January 2008 and December 2018. Some data on the characteristics of patients were extracted, including number of patients, mean age, surgical procedures, blood loss, complications, and pre-/post-operation modified JOA score. Recovery rate was used to assess the effect of surgery outcome, and the safety was evaluated by blood loss and incidence of complications.
RESULTS
Thirty-five studies met the inclusion criteria and were retrieved. A total of 2183 patients were included in our systematic review, with the average age of 55.2 years. There were 69.8% patients diagnosed as ossification of ligamentum flavum (OLF), 20.0% as ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), 9.3% as disk herniation (DH), and 0.9% as others including diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The volume of blood loss was more in the treatment of circumferential decompression (CD) than posterior decompression (PD), and the incidence of complications was higher in CD (P < 0.05). The volume of blood loss in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was lowest and the incidence of complications was 19.2%. Post-operation recovery rate was 0.49 in PD, 0.35 in CD, and 0.29 in MIS while the recovery rate was 0.54 in PD, 0.55 in CD, and 0.49 in MIS at the last follow-up. When focusing on the OLF specifically, incidence of complications in PD was much lower than CD, with less blood loss and higher recovery rate. Focusing on the OPLL specifically, incidence of complications in PD was much lower than CD, with less blood loss while there was no statistical difference in recovery rate between these two methods.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review showed that posterior decompression for thoracic myelopathy is safer and better than circumferential decompression according to the complication rate and surgical outcome. And we should also consider the location of compression before the operation.
Topics: Blood Loss, Surgical; Female; Humans; Male; Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament; Postoperative Complications; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Spinal Cord Diseases; Spinal Stenosis; Thoracic Vertebrae; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33302988
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-020-02081-y -
Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection... 2018Mupirocin is widely used for nasal decolonization of to prevent subsequent staphylococcal infection in patients and healthcare personnel. However, the prolonged and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Mupirocin is widely used for nasal decolonization of to prevent subsequent staphylococcal infection in patients and healthcare personnel. However, the prolonged and unrestricted use has led to the emergence of mupirocin-resistant (mupR) . The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence, phenotypic and molecular characteristics, and geographic spread of mupR in Africa.
METHODS
We examined five electronic databases (EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Scopus) for relevant English articles on screening for mupR from various samples in Africa. In addition, we performed random effects meta-analysis of proportions to determine the pooled prevalence of mupR in Africa. The search was conducted until 3 August 2016.
RESULTS
We identified 43 eligible studies of which 11 (26%) were obtained only through Google Scholar. Most of the eligible studies (28/43; 65%) were conducted in Nigeria (10/43; 23%), Egypt (7/43; 16%), South Africa (6/43; 14%) and Tunisia (5/43; 12%). Overall, screening for mupR was described in only 12 of 54 (22%) African countries. The disk diffusion method was the widely used technique (67%; 29/43) for the detection of mupR in Africa. The -positive isolates were identified in five studies conducted in Egypt ( = 2), South Africa ( = 2), and Nigeria ( = 1). Low-level resistance (LmupR) and high-level resistance (HmupR) were both reported in six human studies from South Africa ( = 3), Egypt ( = 2) and Libya ( = 1). Data on mupR-MRSA was available in 11 studies from five countries, including Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Nigeria and South Africa. The pooled prevalence (based on 11 human studies) of mupR in Africa was 14% (95% CI =6.8 to 23.2%). The proportion of -positive in Africa ranged between 0.5 and 8%. Furthermore, the frequency of isolates that exhibited LmupR, HmupR and mupR-MRSA in Africa were 4 and 47%, 0.5 and 38%, 5 and 50%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of mupR in Africa (14%) is worrisome and there is a need for data on administration and use of mupirocin. The disk diffusion method which is widely utilized in Africa could be an important method for the screening and identification of mupR . Moreover, we advocate for surveillance studies with appropriate guidelines for screening mupR in Africa.
Topics: Africa; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial Proteins; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Databases, Bibliographic; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Humans; Mupirocin; Sheep; Sheep Diseases; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus aureus
PubMed: 30147868
DOI: 10.1186/s13756-018-0382-5 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2022Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disease. The optic nerve, as a window into the central nervous system (CNS), is known to be an important...
BACKGROUND
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disease. The optic nerve, as a window into the central nervous system (CNS), is known to be an important part of the CNS and can be detected non-invasively. With the widespread availability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices, an increasing number of studies have paid attention to the neuropathological disorders in the retina of PD patients in recent years. However, it is still controversial whether OCT can be used as a complementary tool for PD diagnosis.
METHODS
This review is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42022301258. The Embase, PUBMED, and The Cochrane Library databases were independently retrieved by 2 investigators to identify relevant papers published from 1 January 2017 to 24 January 2022. These studies used OCT or OCTA to evaluate the difference in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, ganglion cell layer(GCL) thickness, macula thickness, Cup and disk area superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP), and deep retinal capillary plexus(DCP). The standard mean difference (SMD) with the 95% confidence interval (CI) was pooled for continuous outcomes.
RESULTS
In total, 26 studies had been enrolled in this meta-analysis with a total number of 2,790 eyes, including 1,343 eyes from the PD group along with 1,447 eyes from the HC group. The results revealed that the RNFL thickness (SMD: -0.53; 95%CI, -0.71∼-0.35; < 0.00001), GCL thickness (SMD: -0.43; 95%CI, -0.66 to -0.19; = 0.0003), macula thickness (SMD: -0.22; 95%CI, -0.22 to -0.11; < 0.0001) were significantly thinner in patients with PD. The SCP (SMD: -0.61; 95%CI, -1.31to -0.10; = 0.02) was significantly lower in PD patients. The DCP (SMD: -0.48; 95%CI, -1.02 to -0.06; = 0.08) is lower in PD patients, but the difference was statistically insignificant.
CONCLUSION
Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, GCL thickness, macular thickness, and SVD of PD patients are lower than those of healthy control. OCT and OCTA could detect morphological retinal changes in PD and might be objective and reproducible auxiliary tools to assist clinician diagnosis.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42022301258].
PubMed: 36186761
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.957700