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Medicine May 2018Chronic constipation is described as a common complication determined by difficult and/or rare passage of stool or both. The difference in definition of constipation has... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chronic constipation is described as a common complication determined by difficult and/or rare passage of stool or both. The difference in definition of constipation has led to a wide range of reported prevalence (i.e., between 1% and 80%). Various factors are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease, including type of diet, genetic predisposition, colonic motility, absorption, social economic status, daily behaviors, and biological and pharmaceutical factors. Diagnostic and therapeutic options play a key role in the treatment of chronic constipation. There are still debates about the timing of these diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms.
METHODS
A systematic and comprehensive search will be performed using MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, AMED, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Better understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic constipation and efficacy of pharmacological agent can help physicians for treating and managing symptoms.In this study, some of the old and new therapies in the treatment of chronic constipation have been studied based on the controlled studies and strong evidence. We are trying to address some of the controversial issues to manage the disease and to provide appropriate diagnostic options in an efficient and cost-effective way.
RESULTS
The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
CONCLUSION
To our knowledge, our study will provide an overall estimate of chronic constipation to assess controversial issues, available diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of chronic constipation.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
Ethical approval and informed consent are not required, as the study will be a literature review and will not involve direct contact with patients or alterations to patient care.
Topics: Chronic Disease; Colon; Constipation; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 29768326
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000010631 -
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease : JAD 2017Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a major subtype of diabetes and is usually diagnosed at a young age with insulin deficiency. The life expectancy of T1DM patients has... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a major subtype of diabetes and is usually diagnosed at a young age with insulin deficiency. The life expectancy of T1DM patients has increased substantially in comparison with that three decades ago due to the availability of exogenous insulin, though it is still shorter than that of healthy people. However, the relation remains unclear between T1DM and dementia as an aging-related disease. We conducted a systematic review of existing literature on T1DM and cognition impairments by carrying out searches in electronic databases Medline, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. We restricted our review to studies involving only human subjects and excluded studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus or non-classified diabetes. A meta-analysis was first performed on the relationship between T1DM and cognitive changes in youths and adults respectively. Then the review focused on the cognitive complications of T1DM and their relation with the characteristics of T1DM, glycemic control, diabetic complications, comorbidities, and others. First, age at onset, disease duration, and glycemic dysregulation were delineated for their association with cognitive changes. Then diabetic ketoacidosis, angiopathy, and neuropathy were examined as diabetic complications for their involvement in cognitive impairments. Lastly, body mass index and blood pressure were discussed for their relations with the cognitive changes. Future studies are needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of T1DM-related cognitive impairments or dementia.
Topics: Cognitive Dysfunction; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Humans
PubMed: 28222533
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-161250 -
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Nov 2015Hiccups are familiar to everyone, but remain poorly understood. Acute hiccups can often be terminated by physical manoeuvres. In contrast, persistent and intractable... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Hiccups are familiar to everyone, but remain poorly understood. Acute hiccups can often be terminated by physical manoeuvres. In contrast, persistent and intractable hiccups that continue for days or months are rare, but can be distressing and difficult to treat.
AIM
To review the management of hiccups, including a systematic review of reported efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments.
METHODS
Available articles were identified using three electronic databases in addition to hand searching of published articles. Inclusion criteria were any reports of pharmaceutical therapy of 'hiccup(s)', 'hiccough(s)' or 'singultus' in English or German.
RESULTS
Treatment of 341 patients with persistent or intractable hiccups was reported in 15 published studies. Management was most effective when directed at the underlying condition. An empirical trial of anti-reflux therapy may be appropriate. If the underlying cause is not known or not treatable, then a range of pharmacological agents may provide benefit; however, systematic review revealed no adequately powered, well-designed trials of treatment. The use of baclofen and metoclopramide are supported by small randomised, placebo-controlled trials. Observational data suggest that gabapentin and chlorpromazine are also effective. Baclofen and gabapentin are less likely than standard neuroleptic agents to cause side effects during long-term therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
This systematic review revealed no high quality data on which to base treatment recommendations. Based on limited efficacy and safety data, baclofen and gabapentin may be considered as first line therapy for persistent and intractable hiccups, with metoclopramide and chlorpromazine in reserve.
Topics: Amines; Anticonvulsants; Antipsychotic Agents; Baclofen; Benzamides; Chlorpromazine; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; GABA-B Receptor Agonists; Gabapentin; Hiccup; Humans; Metoclopramide; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
PubMed: 26307025
DOI: 10.1111/apt.13374 -
Romanian Journal of Ophthalmology 2015The objective of our study was to review the current knowledge on Age- Related Macular Degeneration, including pathogenesis, ocular manifestations, diagnosis and... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
The objective of our study was to review the current knowledge on Age- Related Macular Degeneration, including pathogenesis, ocular manifestations, diagnosis and ancillary testing.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW METHODOLOGY
Relevant publications on Age-Related Macular Degeneration that were published until 2014.
CONCLUSIONS
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common macular disease affecting elderly people in the Western world. It is characterized by the appearance of drusen in the macula, accompanied by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or geographic atrophy.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Progression; Fluorescein Angiography; Geographic Atrophy; Humans; Macular Degeneration; Prevalence; Retinal Drusen; Risk Factors; Romania; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Wet Macular Degeneration
PubMed: 26978865
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023Gout arthritis (GA) is a common and curable type of inflammatory arthritis that has been attributed to a combination of genetic, environmental and metabolic factors.... (Review)
Review
Gout arthritis (GA) is a common and curable type of inflammatory arthritis that has been attributed to a combination of genetic, environmental and metabolic factors. Chronic deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in articular and periarticular spaces as well as subsequent activation of innate immune system in the condition of persistent hyperuricemia are the core mechanisms of GA. As is well known, drugs for GA therapy primarily consists of rapidly acting anti-inflammatory agents and life-long uric acid lowering agents, and their therapeutic outcomes are far from satisfactory. Although MSU crystals in articular cartilage detected by arthrosonography or in synovial fluid found by polarization microscopy are conclusive proofs for GA, the exact molecular mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the course of GA still remains mysterious, severely restricting the early diagnosis and therapy of GA. On the one hand, the activation of Nod-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome requires nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-dependent transcriptional enhancement of NLRP3, precursor (pro)-caspase-1 and pro-IL-1β, as well as the assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome complex and sustained release of inflammatory mediators and cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-18 and caspase-1. On the other hand, NLRP3 inflammasome activated by MSU crystals is particularly relevant to the initiation and progression of GA, and thus may represent a prospective diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. As a result, pharmacological inhibition of the assembly and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome may also be a promising avenue for GA therapy. Herein, we first introduced the functional role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and relevant biological mechanisms in GA based on currently available evidence. Then, we systematically reviewed therapeutic strategies for targeting NLRP3 by potentially effective agents such as natural products, novel compounds and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the treatment of MSU-induced GA mouse models. In conclusion, our present review may have significant implications for the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of GA.
Topics: Humans; Animals; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Arthritis, Gouty; Inflammasomes; Polymorphism, Genetic; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Cytokines
PubMed: 37051231
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1137822 -
Journal of Immunology Research 2021Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that mainly involves exocrine glands. Patients present with dry mouth and eyes, fever,...
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that mainly involves exocrine glands. Patients present with dry mouth and eyes, fever, arthralgia, and other systemic symptoms. In severe cases, the quality of life of patients is affected. At present, there is no cure for SS, and the treatment options are extremely limited. In recent years, studies of patients and animal models have identified abnormalities of immune cell function and cytokines to be involved in SS. A systematic review of the literature may clarify the etiology and pathogenesis of SS, as well as provide a theoretical basis for the development of new drugs for the treatment of SS.
Topics: Animals; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Exocrine Glands; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Quality of Life; Severity of Illness Index; Signal Transduction; Sjogren's Syndrome
PubMed: 34660815
DOI: 10.1155/2021/5928232 -
Ophthalmology Jun 2022This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the existing evidence for the association of alcohol use with intraocular pressure (IOP) and open-angle glaucoma... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
TOPIC
This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the existing evidence for the association of alcohol use with intraocular pressure (IOP) and open-angle glaucoma (OAG).
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Understanding and quantifying these associations may aid clinical guidelines or treatment strategies and shed light on disease pathogenesis. The role of alcohol, a modifiable factor, in determining IOP and OAG risk also may be of interest from an individual or public health perspective.
METHODS
The study protocol was preregistered in the Open Science Framework Registries (https://osf.io/z7yeg). Eligible articles (as of May 14, 2021) from 3 databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus) were independently screened and quality assessed by 2 reviewers. All case-control, cross-sectional, and cohort studies reporting a quantitative effect estimate and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between alcohol use and either IOP or OAG were included. The evidence for the associations with both IOP and OAG was qualitatively summarized. Effect estimates for the association with OAG were pooled using random effects meta-analysis. Studies not meeting formal inclusion criteria for systematic review, but with pertinent results, were also appraised and discussed. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.
RESULTS
Thirty-four studies were included in the systematic review. Evidence from 10 studies reporting an association with IOP suggests that habitual alcohol use is associated with higher IOP and prevalence of ocular hypertension (IOP > 21 mmHg), although absolute effect sizes were small. Eleven of 26 studies, comprising 173 058 participants, that tested for an association with OAG met inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. Pooled effect estimates indicated a positive association between any use of alcohol and OAG (1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.36; P = 0.03; I = 40.5%), with similar estimates for both prevalent and incident OAG. The overall GRADE certainty of evidence was very low.
CONCLUSIONS
Although this meta-analysis suggests a harmful association between alcohol use and OAG, our results should be interpreted cautiously given the weakness and heterogeneity of the underlying evidence base, the small absolute effect size, and the borderline statistical significance. Nonetheless, these findings may be clinically relevant, and future research should focus on improving the quality of evidence.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Ethanol; Glaucoma, Open-Angle; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Ocular Hypertension; Tonometry, Ocular
PubMed: 35101531
DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2022.01.023 -
European Spine Journal : Official... Nov 2016Low back pain (LBP) is the most disabling condition worldwide. Although LBP relates to different spinal pathologies, vertebral bone marrow lesions visualized as Modic... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Low back pain (LBP) is the most disabling condition worldwide. Although LBP relates to different spinal pathologies, vertebral bone marrow lesions visualized as Modic changes on MRI have a high specificity for discogenic LBP. This review summarizes the pathobiology of Modic changes and suggests a disease model.
METHODS
Non-systematic literature review.
RESULTS
Chemical and mechanical stimulation of nociceptors adjacent to damaged endplates are likely a source of pain. Modic changes are adjacent to a degenerated intervertebral disc and have three generally interconvertible types suggesting that the different Modic change types represent different stages of the same pathological process, which is characterized by inflammation, high bone turnover, and fibrosis. A disease model is suggested where disc/endplate damage and the persistence of an inflammatory stimulus (i.e., occult discitis or autoimmune response against disc material) create predisposing conditions. The risk to develop Modic changes likely depends on the inflammatory potential of the disc and the capacity of the bone marrow to respond to it. Bone marrow lesions in osteoarthritic knee joints share many characteristics with Modic changes adjacent to degenerated discs and suggest that damage-associated molecular patterns and marrow fat metabolism are important pathogenetic factors. There is no consensus on the ideal therapy. Non-surgical treatment approaches including intradiscal steroid injections, anti-TNF-α antibody, antibiotics, and bisphosphonates have some demonstrated efficacy in mostly non-replicated clinical studies in reducing Modic changes in the short term, but with unknown long-term benefits. New diagnostic tools and animal models are required to improve painful Modic change identification and classification, and to clarify the pathogenesis.
CONCLUSION
Modic changes are likely to be more than just a coincidental imaging finding in LBP patients and rather represent an underlying pathology that should be a target for therapy.
Topics: Bone Marrow; Humans; Intervertebral Disc; Low Back Pain; Lumbar Vertebrae; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Models, Biological
PubMed: 26914098
DOI: 10.1007/s00586-016-4459-7 -
The Clinical Respiratory Journal Jul 2022To present a review on the pathogenesis, risk factor and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with osteoporosis and provide new ideas for the... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To present a review on the pathogenesis, risk factor and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with osteoporosis and provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment.
DATA SOURCE
A systematic search is carried out using keywords as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, risk factors, and pulmonary rehabilitation.
RESULTS
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a high prevalence of osteoporosis and a high risk of fracture. The mechanisms of osteoporosis in COPD patients are associated with general risk factors, such as smoking, reduced physical activity, low weight, and disease-specific risk factors, such as systemic inflammatory, Vitamin D deficiency, use of glucocorticoid, anemia, hypoxemia, and hypercapnia. The treatment of osteoporosis in COPD emphasizes comprehensive intervention, which mainly include basic treatment and anti-osteoporosis drugs. Noticeably, pulmonary rehabilitation program is an important part of treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
This work summarizes the pathogenesis, risk factor, prevention, and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with osteoporosis, and the latest progress of studies on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and osteoporosis is discussed.
Topics: Fractures, Bone; Humans; Osteoporosis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Risk Factors; Vitamin D Deficiency
PubMed: 35688435
DOI: 10.1111/crj.13514 -
Clinical Rheumatology Aug 2021Radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (also known as ankylosing spondylitis [AS]) is a chronic immune-mediated arthritis characterized by inflammation of the axial...
Radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (also known as ankylosing spondylitis [AS]) is a chronic immune-mediated arthritis characterized by inflammation of the axial skeleton, peripheral joints, and entheses. It is estimated that 1 in every 200 people are affected by AS, making it an important healthcare and socioeconomic issue. In this review, we aim to explore the current understanding of AS risk factors and provide a comprehensive update. Multiple search strings were used to identify articles of interest published in PubMed between January 1, 2013, and February 1, 2021. On the basis of the literature review and analysis, we present up-to-date information on the risk factors of developing AS and our viewpoints on disease onset and progression. Multiple genetic and nongenetic risk factors have been suggested in the onset of AS. HLA-B27 is known to have a strong association with the disease, but other genes have been implicated in disease development. Aside from genetics, other factors are thought to be involved; up to 70% of patients with AS have subclinical intestinal inflammation, suggesting that the origin of the disease may be in the gut. The exact mechanism by which AS onset begins is most likely complex and multifactorial. Key Points • It remains unclear how interactions between genes, microbes, mechanical stress, gender, and other environmental and lifestyle factors predispose patients to the development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). • The exact mechanisms of AS are complex and multifactorial which will require much future research • Recognizing the risk factors, as well as understanding gene-environment interactions, may offer valuable insights into the etiology of AS and have important implications for diagnosis and treatment strategies.
Topics: HLA-B27 Antigen; Humans; Inflammation; Risk Factors; Spondylarthritis; Spondylitis, Ankylosing
PubMed: 33754220
DOI: 10.1007/s10067-021-05679-7