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International Journal of Implant... Aug 2022This systematic review aimed at assessing the effect of the repositioned bone lid on bone augmentation in lateral sinus lift in pre-clinical in vivo and clinical... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review aimed at assessing the effect of the repositioned bone lid on bone augmentation in lateral sinus lift in pre-clinical in vivo and clinical studies. Secondary aims were to report on the healing of the bone window and to assess the implant survival rate.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Animal and human studies comparing lateral maxillary sinus floor elevation in combination or not with the repositioned bone lid were retrieved from MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Cochrane online library. Studies published in English up to April 2022 and reporting on histological and/or radiographic outcomes were considered. Case reports, case series and reviews were excluded. A hand search was also conducted. Risk of bias was assessed and meta-analysis performed to investigate the effect of the bone lid on new bone formation.
RESULTS
After screening, 5 animal studies (4 in rabbits, 1 in sheep) and 2 clinical studies (1 RCT, 1 case-control) were included. Meta-analysis confirmed a higher new bone formation in rabbits at 2 and 8 weeks using the bone lid. The two clinical studies investigated lateral sinus lift with concomitant implant placement and reported similar results and high short-term implant success rate in both test and control groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The meta-analysis provided moderate evidence that the repositioned bone lid favored the formation of new bone to a higher extent as compared to resorbable membranes in animal studies. Implant success seems not to be influenced by the technique in the short term.
Topics: Animals; Dental Implantation, Endosseous; Humans; Maxilla; Maxillary Sinus; Rabbits; Sheep; Sinus Floor Augmentation; Transverse Sinuses
PubMed: 36036281
DOI: 10.1186/s40729-022-00433-3 -
Journal of Internal Medicine Oct 2021Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), characterized by a loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, is a relatively rare but currently incurable... (Review)
Review
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), characterized by a loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, is a relatively rare but currently incurable neurodegenerative disease. The global incidence of ALS is estimated as 1.75 per 100,000 person-years and the global prevalence is estimated as 4.1-8.4 per 100,000 individuals. Contributions from outside the central nervous system to the etiology of ALS have been increasingly recognized. Gut microbiome is one of the most quickly growing fields of research for ALS. In this article, we performed a comprehensive review of the results from existing animal and human studies, to provide an up-to-date summary of the current research on gut microbiome and ALS. In brief, we found relatively consistent results from animal studies, suggesting an altered gut microbiome composition in experimental ALS. Publication bias might however be a concern. Findings from human studies are largely inconclusive. A few animal and human studies demonstrated the usefulness of intervention with microbial-derived metabolites in modulating the disease progression of ALS. We discussed potential methodological concerns in these studies, including study design, statistical power, handling process of biospecimens and sequencing data, as well as statistical methods and interpretation of results. Finally, we made a few proposals for continued microbiome research in ALS, with the aim to provide valid, reproducible, and translatable findings.
Topics: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Animals; Disease Progression; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans
PubMed: 34080741
DOI: 10.1111/joim.13336 -
Brain and Behavior Sep 2022Increasing evidence suggests Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) as a widespread pathological process comprising nonmotor features like fatigue, mild sensory symptoms,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Increasing evidence suggests Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) as a widespread pathological process comprising nonmotor features like fatigue, mild sensory symptoms, cognitive decline, and visual impairment. Measurements of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) may correlate with the neurodegeneration associated with ALS. In addition to RNFL thickness, other OCT parameters have been explored in the context of diagnosing ALS and predicting disease severity. In this study, we explore the possibility that OCT parameters of patients with ALS may differ significantly from those of healthy controls and thus serve as biomarkers for the disease and its progression.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Between 2010 and 2021, the PubMed and EMBASE databases were examined for English language literature. ALS severity was assessed using the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R). The pooled mean differences in RNFL thickness between ALS patients and controls were calculated using the Standard Mean Difference (Hedges's g) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) in STATA software version 16.
RESULTS
Eleven studies were reviewed for data collection. RNFL thickness was not statistically significantly different between ALS patients (n = 412) and controls (n = 376) (Hedges's g = -0.22; 95% CI: -0.51 to 0.07, I = 73.04%, p = .14). However, the thickness of inner nuclear layer was significantly different between ALS patients and controls (Hedges's g = -0.38; 95% CI: -0.61 to 0.14, I = 14.85%, p = .00).
CONCLUSION
Our meta-analysis found that RNFL thickness as a whole or by individual quadrants was not significantly different between ALS patients and controls while the inner nuclear layer (INL) was substantially thinner.
Topics: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Cognitive Dysfunction; Humans; Retina; Tomography, Optical Coherence
PubMed: 35996223
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2741 -
Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Surgery &... Feb 2022Non-union is a known and much-dreaded complication of paediatric lateral condyle fractures. This systematic review aims to pool together individual studies to find out... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIMS
Non-union is a known and much-dreaded complication of paediatric lateral condyle fractures. This systematic review aims to pool together individual studies to find out if the timing of fixation and method of fixation impacts surgical outcomes (postoperative union and elbow ROM) in paediatric lateral condyle non-union.
METHODS
A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. All surgical studies with original data on pediatric lateral humeral condyle non-union were included. Patients who did not undergo surgical fixation were excluded.
RESULTS
A total of 12 studies with 177 patients were included. In total, 159 patients (89.8%) achieved bony union postoperatively while 18 patients (10.2%) did not. Mixed-effects logistic regression showed that percutaneous fixation (p-value=0.020) was associated with lower rates of postoperative union compared to open fixation, whereas the age at surgery did not have a significant impact (p-value=0.401). For elbow ROM, mixed-effects linear regression showed that increased age at surgery (p-value=0.007) and reduction of the fracture fragment (vs. in situ fixation) (p-value=0.041) were associated with reduced postoperative ROM whereas female sex (p-value=0.009) and corrective osteotomy (p-value=0.045) were associated with increased postoperative ROM.
CONCLUSION
While the timing of surgical fixation did not significantly impact postoperative bony union, undergoing fixation at an older age was associated with reduced postoperative elbow ROM. In addition, percutaneous fixation may be associated with poorer postoperative union compared to open fixation while anatomical reduction may be associated with reduced postoperative elbow ROM compared to in situ fixation.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
IV.
Topics: Child; Elbow Joint; Female; Fracture Fixation, Internal; Humans; Humeral Fractures; Humerus; Range of Motion, Articular; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33857684
DOI: 10.1016/j.otsr.2021.102933 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jul 2023The purpose of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to methodically integrate peer-reviewed findings regarding lateral violence within Indigenous communities,... (Review)
Review
The purpose of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to methodically integrate peer-reviewed findings regarding lateral violence within Indigenous communities, with particular attention to the experiences of Indigenous women. Lateral violence describes aggression within systemically exploited groups. Interpretations from eligible articles were informed by intersectionality theory and post-colonial theory. Eligibility criteria included quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed articles on lateral violence within Indigenous communities. Only articles that were primary sources, available to download in English, and published between 2000 and 2021 were included. Samples did not need to consist of Indigenous women exclusively, but Indigenous women had to be included. First, advanced searches were conducted in five databases (Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, Indigenous Peoples: North America, ProQuest: Sociology Collection, and ERIC). Second, a multidisciplinary index (Google Scholar) was searched. Third, 23 peer-reviewed journals specializing in Indigenous topics were systematically searched. Lastly, forward and backward snowballing techniques were implemented. Articles were appraised following PRISMA-P guidelines. Ten articles passed the eligibility criteria. Findings suggest that lateral violence within Indigenous communities is a complex social concern, with participants disclosing both survivorship and contribution to lateral violence. Within Australian and Canadian contexts, lateral violence experiences are prevalent and persistent occurrences. Lateral violence is a controversial and taboo topic and is often silenced or normalized within Indigenous communities. For this reason, further research is warranted to raise awareness of lateral violence to disrupt the cycle of internalized oppression.
Topics: Female; Humans; Australia; Canada; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Violence
PubMed: 35337235
DOI: 10.1177/15248380221077316 -
Cureus Dec 2022Lateral epicondylitis (LE), also known as tennis elbow, is an overuse tendinopathy originating from the forearm extensor tendons of the elbow. An emerging therapy for... (Review)
Review
Lateral epicondylitis (LE), also known as tennis elbow, is an overuse tendinopathy originating from the forearm extensor tendons of the elbow. An emerging therapy for the treatment of LE is the use of transdermal nitroglycerin (NTG) patches for pain relief and improved function. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the current literature on the effect of a transdermal NTG patch for the treatment of LE. A literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, SportDiscus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted. Studies selected for inclusion were those in which patients were clinically diagnosed with LE, RCTs, observational studies, and only articles published in English. Studies were excluded if they involved patients <18 years of age or involved patients with a potential alternative source of elbow pain such as previous surgery to the elbow, a previous history of dislocation, fracture of the elbow or tendon rupture, or a referred pain source such as cervical radiculopathy or peripheral nerve involvement. Studies were also excluded if they involved patients who were already prescribed topical NTG for any other indication (i.e., angina), and if the studies had no measurement of symptom relief or measurement or functional scoring. The initial search strategy yielded 69 articles, out of which four met the eligibility criteria and were included in this systematic review. The studies showed improvement in elbow pain in the short-term and mid-term (up to six months), while one study that followed participants for a five-year duration post-treatment, showed no benefit. Three studies used an effective NTG dose of 1.25mg/24h and one study used an effective dose of 1.44mg/24h. Topical NTG was more effective when combined with a tendon rehabilitation program. The most commonly reported side effects of topical NTG were headaches and dermatitis. Overall, the current literature demonstrates that the use of NTG patches for LE improves short- and mid-term pain as well as elbow function. However, more studies are required to fully understand the effect of topical NTG on LE, particularly the effective dose range and the long-term benefits.
PubMed: 36654592
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.32560 -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Oct 2023Lateral ankle sprains are highly prevalent and result in tissue damage, impairments of muscle strength, instability, and muscle activation. Up to 74% will experience... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The effect of movement representation techniques on ankle function and performance in persons with or without a lateral ankle sprain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Lateral ankle sprains are highly prevalent and result in tissue damage, impairments of muscle strength, instability, and muscle activation. Up to 74% will experience ongoing symptoms after a lateral ankle sprain. In healthy subjects, motor imagery might induce neural changes in the somatosensory and motor areas of the brain, yielding favourable enhancements in muscular force. However, during motor imagery, difficulties in building a motor image, no somatosensory feedback, and the absence of structural changes at the level of the muscle might explain the differences found between motor imagery and physical practice. In rehabilitation, motor imagery might be supportive in rebuilding motor networks or creating new networks to restore impairments in muscle activation and movement patterns. This systematic review was undertaken to summarize the current body of evidence about the effect on motor imagery, or action observation, on lower leg strength, muscle performance, ankle range of motion, balance, and edema in persons with, and without, a lateral ankle sprain compared to usual care, a placebo intervention, or no intervention.
METHODS
A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted in healthy participants and participants with a lateral ankle sprain. Motor imagery or action observation in isolation, or in combination with usual care were compared to a placebo intervention, or no intervention. An electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cinahl, Psychinfo, Sportdiscus, Web of Science, Cochrane and Google Scholar was conducted, and articles published up to 7 June 2023 were included. Two reviewers individually screened titles and abstracts for relevancy using the inclusion criteria. Variables related to muscle strength, muscle function, range of motion, balance, return to sports tests, or questionnaires on self-reported function or activities were extracted. A risk of bias assessment was done using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool II by two reviewers. Meta-analysis using a random effects model was performed when two or more studies reported the same outcome measures. The Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) was calculated over the change from baseline scores. Review manager 5.4 was used to perform analysis of subgroup differences and test for statistically significant differences. Confidence intervals were visually checked for overlap between subgroups.
RESULTS
Nine studies, six examining healthy participants and three examining participants with an acute lateral ankle sprain, were included. All studies were rated with moderate to high risk of bias overall. Quality of the motor imagery interventions differed largely between studies. Meta-analysis showed a large and significant effect of motor imagery on lower leg strength (SMD 1.47, 95% CI 0.44 to 2.50); however, the evidence was downgraded to very low certainty due to substantial heterogeneity (I = 73%), limitations in the studies (some concerns in risk of bias in all studies), and imprecision (n = < 300). Evidence showed no association with ankle range of motion (SMD 0.25, 95% CI -0.43 to 0.93), edema (SMD -1.11, 95% CI -1.60 to 3.81), the anterior reach direction of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) (SMD 0.73, 95% CI -0.62 to 2.08), the posterolateral direction (SMD 0.32, 95% CI -0.94 to 1.57), and the posteromedial direction (SMD 0.52, 95% CI -0.07 to 1.10). The certainty of evidence for the different comparisons was very low.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a low certainty, significant, positive effect for motor imagery being able to improve lower leg muscle strength in healthy participants. The effect on balance, range of motion and edema was uncertain and of very low certainty.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42021243258.
Topics: Humans; Ankle; Lower Extremity; Ankle Joint; Ankle Injuries; Edema
PubMed: 37794344
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06906-9 -
Journal of Neurology Dec 2023Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motoneurons, leading to motor and... (Review)
Review
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motoneurons, leading to motor and non-motor symptoms. Recent evidence suggests that ALS is indeed a multisystem disorder, associated with cognitive impairment, dysautonomia, pain and fatigue, excess of secretions, and sensory symptoms. To evaluate whether sensory neuropathy could broaden its spectrum, we systematically reviewed its presence and characteristics in ALS, extracting data on epidemiological, clinical, neurophysiological, neuropathological, and genetic features. Sensory neuropathy can be found in up to 20% of ALS patients, affecting both large and small fibers, although there is a great heterogeneity related to different techniques used for its detection (electromyography vs skin biopsy vs nerve biopsy). Moreover, the association between CIDP-like neuropathy and ALS needs to be better explored, although it could be interpreted as part of the neuroinflammatory process in the latter disease. Sensory neuropathy in ALS may be associated with a spinal onset and might be more frequent in SOD1 patients. Moreover, it seems mutually exclusive with cognitive impairment. No associations with sex and other genetic mutation were observed. All these data in the literature reveal the importance of actively looking for sensory neuropathy in ALS patients, and suggest including sensory neuropathy among ALS non-motor features, as it may explain sensory symptoms frequently reported throughout the course of the disease. Its early identification could help avoid diagnostic delays and improve patients' treatment and quality of life.
Topics: Humans; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Quality of Life; Motor Neurons; Electromyography
PubMed: 37610446
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11954-1 -
Diagnostic Pathology Mar 2024Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease. Due to the limited knowledge about potential biomarkers that help in early diagnosis... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease. Due to the limited knowledge about potential biomarkers that help in early diagnosis and monitoring disease progression, today's diagnoses are based on ruling out other diseases, neurography, and electromyography examination, which takes a time-consuming procedure.
METHODS
PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science were explored to extract articles published from January 2015 to June 2023. In the searching strategy following keywords were included; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, biomarkers, cerebrospinal fluid, serum, and plama.
RESULTS
A total number of 6 studies describing fluid-based exosomal biomarkers were included in this study. Aggregated proteins including SOD1, TDP-43, pTDP-43, and FUS could be detected in the microvesicles (MVs). Moreover, TDP-43 and NFL extracted from plasma exosomes could be used as prognostic biomarkers. Also, downregulated miR-27a-3p detected through exoEasy Maxi and exoQuick Kit in the plasma could be measured as a diagnostic biomarker. Eventually, the upregulated level of CORO1A could be used to monitor disease progression.
CONCLUSION
Based on the results, each biomarker alone is insufficient to evaluate ALS. CNS-derived exosomes contain multiple ALS-related biomarkers (SOD1, TDP-43, pTDP-43, FUS, and miRNAs) that are detectable in cerebrospinal fluid and blood is a proper alternation. Exosome detecting kits listed as exoEasy, ExoQuick, Exo-spin, ME kit, ExoQuick Plus, and Exo-Flow, are helpful to reach this purpose.
Topics: Humans; Exosomes; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Superoxide Dismutase-1; Biomarkers; DNA-Binding Proteins; Disease Progression
PubMed: 38429818
DOI: 10.1186/s13000-024-01473-6 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Oct 2022To combine the current scientific literature evidence and elucidate the differences of lead (Pb) bioaccumulation in human tissues by comparing amyotrophic lateral... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIM
To combine the current scientific literature evidence and elucidate the differences of lead (Pb) bioaccumulation in human tissues by comparing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and healthy controls.
METHODS
We systematically searched for case-control studies on the association of Pb levels with ALS, in human cells, tissues, and body fluids (nervous tissue, muscle, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, skin appendages). Then, we performed a meta-analysis for all the tissues in which at least five case-control studies were available: whole blood (9 studies), serum/plasma (5 studies), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (6 studies). Differences between cases and controls were evaluated using standardized mean difference, and combined estimates were derived using random effect maximum likelihood (REML) meta-analyses.
RESULTS
Among 1734 records, we identified 46 full-text studies, of which 14 case-control studies met the meta-analysis inclusion criteria. We found higher Pb levels in ALS cases than controls in blood (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20, 1.01; p = 0.003), plasma/serum (SMD = 0.27; 95% CI - 0.16, 0.70; p = 0.26), and CSF (SMD = 0.53; 95% CI - 0.09, 1.15; p = 0.09).
CONCLUSIONS
This work provides further evidence of the association between Pb bioaccumulation and ALS in body fluids. The lack of association studies in solid tissues did not allow a robust meta-analysis. Future prospective studies are needed to clarify the causality in the association of Pb bioaccumulation with ALS.
Topics: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Biomarkers; Case-Control Studies; Humans; Lead
PubMed: 35809130
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06237-y