Should we search Chinese biomedical databases when performing systematic reviews?

Acupuncture for pediatric chronic pain: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To survey, analyze and discuss the scientific evidence supporting the use of acupuncture and related techniques in the management of chronic pain in the pediatric population.

SOURCES

A survey of databases (MEDLINE, Scopus and Scielo) was carried out with search strategies, following the PRISMA statement, without limits on publication dates and languages. Clinical studies (clinical trials, single-arm, and case series) were accepted for review if they included participants aged up to 22 years. Study quality was assessed by MMAT, and the randomized clinical trial was analyzed under the STRICTA criteria.

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS

2369 articles were retrieved. After excluding repetitions, 1335 underwent the initial selection. Only 16 articles were selected for full reading, of which 5 were included in the review, being two case series, two single-arm studies, and one randomized clinical trial. The articles were considered of good quality by the adopted criteria.

CONCLUSION

The analyzed studies showed important clinical results such as the reduction of pain intensity, and improvement in school attendance and social life. However, there are many limitations in study design and sample size. Therefore, there is weak evidence to support the use of acupuncture in the context of pediatric chronic pain, but the positive results reinforce the need for further investigation of the topic with the conduct of larger and well-designed studies, to obtain more data and greater scientific conviction of the findings.

An Evidence-Based Update on the Potential for Malignancy of Oral Lichen Planus and Related Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

A systematic review and a meta-analysis is presented on published articles on the malignant transformation of oral lichen planus (OLP) and related conditions, which, based on current evidence, updates an earlier systematic review published by our research group that included publications until November 2018. In this updated study (Nov-2023) we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. We evaluated the methodological quality of studies (QUIPS tool) and carried out meta-analyses. The inclusion criteria were met by 101 studies (38,083 patients), of which, 20 new primary-level studies (11,512 patients) were published in the last 5 years and were added to our updated study. The pooled malignant transformation ratio was 1.43% (95% CI = 1.09-1.80) for OLP; 1.38% (95% CI = 0.16-3.38) for oral lichenoid lesions; 1.20% (95% CI = 0.00-4.25) for lichenoid reactions; and 5.13% (95% CI = 1.90-9.43) for OLP with dysplasia. No significant differences were found between the OLL or LR groups and the OLP subgroup (p = 0.853 and p = 0.328, respectively), and the malignant transformation was significantly higher for the OLP with dysplasia group in comparison with the OLP group (p = 0.001). The factors that had a significant impact with a higher risk of malignant transformation were the presence of epithelial dysplasia, a higher methodological quality, the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, the location of lesions on the tongue, the presence of atrophic and erosive lesions, and infection by the hepatitis C virus. In conclusion, OLP behaves as an oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD), whose malignancy ratio is probably underestimated as a consequence essentially of the use of inadequate diagnostic criteria and the low methodological quality of the studies on the subject.

Effect of exercises on the maturation of newly created arteriovenous fistulas over distal and proximal upper limb: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The aims of our review were: (i) to evaluate the effect of post-operative upper extremity exercise on maturation of AVFs, stratified by their locations. (ii) To evaluate the effect of pre-operative arm exercise on patients' superficial vein caliber of patients. Literature search was performed on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to identify eligible articles. The quality of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0. In the Meta-analysis, Risk ratios (RRs) of clinical maturation and ultrasonographic maturation were pooled from studies focused on post-operative exercise program; Mean difference (MD) of venous caliver was pooled from those studied pre-operative exercise. Nine studies (six for post-operative exercise; three for pre-operative exercise) were included in the review. Among the AVFs created in distal region (158 patients in exercise group and 144 patients in control group), there was a significantly superior clinical maturation (RR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.10-1.48, p = 0.001; I2 = 0), and ultrasonographic maturation (RR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.07-1.59, p = 0.009; I2 = 0) in the exercise group in comparison to the control group. For the AVFs created in proximal region (93 and 96 patients in exercise group and control group respectively), there is no significant difference in clinical maturation (RR:1.25, 95% CI: 0.88-1.78, p = 0.27, I2 = 74%) and ultrasonographic maturation (RR: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.97-1.40, p = 0.11, I2 = 43%) between the exercise group and controls. For pre-operative exercise, the mean difference of 0.34 mm (95% CI: 0.23-0.46, p < 0.001, I2 = 87% ) was found for vein size. In conclusion, existing upper extremity exercise programs appear to be useful in facilitating maturation of AVFs created in distal region, while its effect on fistulas created in proximal region is less certain. However, more robust trials are warranted to establish these findings.

University-based behavioral interventions to promote safer sex practices: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to critically review the characteristics and effectiveness of university-based intervention to promote safer sex practice.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

The published studies were selected from 5 databases with the publication year restricted between 1974 and 2018. The data were then pooled using a random-effect meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 41 studies with 10,144 participants were included from 5,253 potentially relevant citations. Compared with minimal intervention, those people who participated in the intervention reported a statistically significant increase in the frequency of condom use (SMD 0.61; 95%CI 0.46-0.77, I2 = 9%). There was an insignificant change after the intervention (SMD 0.34; 95%CI -0.04-0.72, I2 = 72%) in communication with sexual partners and the heterogeneity existed in diversity of sessions of the intervention.

CONCLUSION

Behavioral interventions can significantly increase in the frequency of condom use but not in communication with sexual partners. A standardized measurement is a necessary consideration for future studies.

Screen time and health issues in Chinese school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Backgrounds

Many literature reviews summarized relationships between screen time and child health, but they only included a few studies conducted in Chinese children and adolescents. The potential influence of screen time may vary by social context. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate relationships between screen time and health issues among Chinese school-aged children and adolescents.

Methods

Peer-reviewed articles written in Chinese and English were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to June 2020. The Downs & Black checklist was applied to assess study quality. Meta analyses used random effect models and mixed effects model to calculate pooled adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias were assessed using Q and I² statistics, “one-study removed” analysis, the funnel plot, trim and fill analysis, and classical fail-safe N, respectively.

Results

In total, we identified 252 articles reporting 268 studies with unique samples. These studies investigated relationships between screen time and health issues of adiposity, myopia, psycho-behavioral problems, poor academic performance, cardiometabolic disease risks, sleep disorder, poor physical fitness, musculoskeletal injury, sub-health, and miscellaneous issues of height and pubertal growth, injury, sick leave, and respiratory symptoms. Proportions of studies reporting positive relationships with screen time were lowest in adiposity (50.6%) and higher in myopia (59.2%) and psycho-behavioral problems (81.8%). Other health issues were examined in 10 or less studies, all of which had more than half showing positive relationships. The pooled odds ratio from 19 studies comparing health risks with the screen time cutoff of 2 hours per day was 1.40 (95% CI: 1.31 to 1.50, I² = 85.9%). The pooled effect size was 1.29 (95% CI: 1.20 to 1.39) after trimming 7 studies for publication bias adjustments.

Conclusions

Findings exclusively generated from Chinese school-aged children and adolescents resonate those mainly from western countries. Evidence suggests that higher levels of screen time are related with greater risks of various health issues, although the relationships appear to be weak and intertwined with other confounding factors. Future studies need to investigate health-specific dose effects and mechanisms of screen time.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13155-3.

Modeling Chronic Kidney Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Literature Review of Models, Data Sources, and Derivation Cohorts

INTRODUCTION

As novel therapies for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) become available, their long-term benefits should be evaluated using CKD progression models. Existing models offer different modeling approaches that could be reused, but it may be challenging for modelers to assess commonalities and differences between the many available models. Additionally, the data and underlying population characteristics informing model parameters may not always be evident. Therefore, this study reviewed and summarized existing modeling approaches and data sources for CKD in T2DM, as a reference for future model development.

METHODS

This systematic literature review included computer simulation models of CKD in T2DM populations. Searches were implemented in PubMed (including MEDLINE), Embase, and the Cochrane Library, up to October 2021. Models were classified as cohort state-transition models (cSTM) or individual patient simulation (IPS) models. Information was extracted on modeled kidney disease states, risk equations for CKD, data sources, and baseline characteristics of derivation cohorts in primary data sources.

RESULTS

The review identified 49 models (21 IPS, 28 cSTM). A five-state structure was standard among state-transition models, comprising one kidney disease-free state, three kidney disease states [frequently including albuminuria and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)], and one death state. Five models captured CKD regression and three included cardiovascular disease (CVD). Risk equations most commonly predicted albuminuria and ESKD incidence, while the most predicted CKD sequelae were mortality and CVD. Most data sources were well-established registries, cohort studies, and clinical trials often initiated decades ago in predominantly White populations in high-income countries. Some recent models were developed from country-specific data, particularly for Asian countries, or from clinical outcomes trials.

CONCLUSION

Modeling CKD in T2DM is an active research area, with a trend towards IPS models developed from non-Western data and single data sources, primarily recent outcomes trials of novel renoprotective treatments.

Evolution of the Research Literature and the Scientific Community of Alzheimer's Disease from 1983-2017: A 35-Year Survey

This study surveys the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the research literature, the scientific community, and the journals containing AD papers over a 35-year period. Research papers on AD published from 1983 to 2017 in journals indexed in the Web of Science were analyzed in seven five-year periods. The number of AD papers increased from 1,095 in 1983-1987 to 50,532 by 2013-2017 and in the same time period, the number of participating countries went from 27 to 152. The US was the most prolific country throughout, followed by several European countries, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Asian countries have emerged and by 2013-2017, China surpassed all but the US in productivity. Countries in Latin America and Africa have also contributed to AD research. Additionally, several new non-governmental institutions (e.g., ADNI, ADI) have emerged and now play a key role in the fight against AD. Likewise the AD scientific publishing universe evolved in various aspects: an increase in number of journals containing AD papers (227 journals in 1983-1987 to 3,257 in 2013-2017); appearance of several AD-focused journals, e.g., Alzheimer's & Dementia, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease; and the development of special issues dedicated to AD. Our paper complements the numerous extant papers on theoretical and clinical aspects of AD and provides a description of the research landscape of the countries and journals contributing papers related to AD.

Associating the risk of three urinary cancers with obesity and overweight: an overview with evidence mapping of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

The relationship between cancer with overweight and obesity has been extensively reported. However, the association between urinary cancers with these risk factors remains unclear, with existing reports showing conflicting findings. The current review, therefore, sought to clarify the latter association by assessing the methodological and reporting quality of existing systematic reviews on the subject.

METHODS

We first screened PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant literature and subjected the resulting articles to meta-analysis. We adopted the AMSTAR-2 and PRISMA checklists for assessing methodological and reporting quality, respectively, then performed meta-analyses to determine the relationship between incidence and mortality of three types of urinary cancers with obesity and overweight. Indirect comparisons were also done across subgroups.

RESULTS

All systematic reviews (SRs) were of critically low methodological quality. Seventeen SRs had minimal reporting flaws, and 11 SRs had minor reporting flaws. We found an association between obesity with an incidence of kidney (RR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.47-1.92), bladder (RR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.07-1.13), and prostate (RR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.91, 1.13) cancers. Similarly, overweight was associated with the incidence of the three types of cancer, recording RR values of 1.37 (95% CI 1.26-1.48), 1.07 (95% CI 1.03-1.1), and 1 (95% CI 0.93, 1.07) for kidney, bladder, and prostate cancers, respectively. With regard to the dose analysis, the RR of BMI (per 5 kg/m2 increase) was associated with kidney (RR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.2-1.28), bladder (RR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.05), and prostate (RR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.01, 1.03) cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive quantitative analysis provides an affirmation that overweight and obesity are strong risk factors for kidney cancer, owing to a strong association between them. Conversely, a weak association between overweight and obesity with bladder and prostate cancers confirms their status as mild risk factors for the 2 types of cancer. But due to the low quality of included SRs, the results need to be interpreted with caution.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42019119459.

Effect of redundant clinical trials from mainland China evaluating statins in patients with coronary artery disease: cross sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To identify redundant clinical trials evaluating statin treatment in patients with coronary artery disease from mainland China, and to estimate the number of extra major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) experienced by participants not treated with statins in those trials.

DESIGN

Cross sectional study.

SETTING

2577 randomized clinical trials comparing statin treatment with placebo or no treatment in patients with coronary artery disease from mainland China, searched from bibliographic databases to December 2019.

PARTICIPANTS

250 810 patients with any type of coronary artery disease who were enrolled in the 2577 randomized clinical trials.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Redundant clinical trials were defined as randomized clinical trials that initiated or continued recruiting after 2008 (ie, one year after statin treatment was strongly recommended by clinical practice guidelines). The primary outcome is the number of extra MACEs that were attributable to the deprivation of statins among patients in the control groups of redundant clinical trials-that is, the number of extra MACEs that could have been prevented if patients were given statins. Cumulative meta-analyses were also conducted to establish the time points when statins were shown to have a statistically significant effect on coronary artery disease.

RESULTS

2045 redundant clinical trials were identified published between 2008 and 2019, comprising 101 486 patients in the control groups not treated with statins for 24 638 person years. 3470 (95% confidence interval 3230 to 3619) extra MACEs were reported, including 559 (95% confidence interval 506 to 612) deaths, 973 (95% confidence interval 897 to 1052) patients with new or recurrent myocardial infarction, 161 (132 to 190) patients with stroke, 83 (58 to 105) patients requiring revascularization, 398 (352 to 448) patients with heart failure, 1197 (1110 to 1282) patients with recurrent or deteriorated angina pectoris, and 99 (95% confidence interval 69 to 129) unspecified MACEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Of more than 2000 redundant clinical trials on statins in patients with coronary artery disease identified from mainland China, an extra 3000 MACEs, including nearly 600 deaths, were experienced by participants not treated with statins in these trials. The scale of redundancy necessitates urgent reform to protect patients.

Berberine for the treatment of hypertension: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Hypertension is the highest risk factor for disease globally. When prescription of drug therapy is recommended, patients might decline treatment due to hypertension asymptomatic nature, sometimes turning to alternative therapies. One popular therapy is berberine, a plant alkaloid that has been used in eastern medicine for millennia to treat several ailments, including cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors.

AIMS

Through a transparent and pragmatic approach towards searching, synthesising, assessing, and reporting the available clinical evidence, the present review aimed to investigate berberine effect on blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. It also intended to provide guidance for clinician when advising their patients, and to highlight gaps in the research along offering suggestions to fill them.

METHODS

The review was conducted following the protocol PRISMA-P, and reported according to the related PRISMA statement. The PICO framework was used to define the scope of the review, and to arrive at a database search strategy. The strategy was run on the databases Medline, CINAHL, AMED, Embase, and Cochrane Library through the platforms EBSCOhost and Ovid. Citations were exported to Mendeley citation manger for screening. Relevant studies were selected based on specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data from included studies was extracted in the form of a detailed table of characteristics of studies, and summarised in an evidence table. Quality of studies was assessed using the SIGN methodology checklist for controlled trials. The results from the quality assessment were summarised through an adaptation of the Robvis tool software package output. Effect estimates and their precision were calculated with RevMan 5 computer program from the extracted study outcomes.

RESULTS

Five randomised controlled trials and two non-randomised controlled trials were included with 614 participants. All provided data on blood pressure, but none measured cardiovascular events or long-term adverse events. The group of studies was highly heterogeneous in terms of experimental intervention, comparator intervention, length to follow-up, participants' diagnosis, and setting. The heterogeneity prevented a meaningful meta-analysis. Berberine plus amlodipine was not significantly better than amlodipine alone at reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Compared to metformin, berberine provided a statistically significant moderate reduction effect on systolic blood pressure (-11.87 [-16.64, -7.10] mmHg). A proprietary nutraceutical containing berberine as one of its ingredients was in one study significantly effective at reducing blood pressure compared to placebo (-11.80 [-18.73, -4.87] mmHg systolic, and -11.10 [-15.17, -7.43] mmHg diastolic), and also effective in another study compared to dietary advice (-3.40 [-5.48, -1.32] mmHg for systolic 24 h ambulatory blood pressure), although effects could not be reliably attributed to berberine alone. The herbal extract Chunghyul-dan, which contains berberine, showed a significant beneficial moderate effect compared to no treatment on systolic 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (-7.34 [-13.14, -1.54] mmHg) in one study, but in another study employing higher dose and longer treatment duration, no effects were detected. Again, the effects could not be attributed to berberine alone. The quality of the body of evidence was low, especially due to lack of trial design details and presence of outcome reporting bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence around berberine effect on blood pressure is limited, of low quality, and ultimately inconclusive. Clinicians should be aware that the evidence from randomised trials is not sufficient to establish berberine effectiveness and safety in the treatment of hypertension, and they should balance these findings with the long history of berberine use in the Eastern world. Researchers should aim at improving quality of studies, by raising the standard of designing and reporting them, e.g., by following the CONSORT guidelines, and strive to measure meaningful clinical endpoints, such as cardiovascular events, mortality, and adverse outcomes.

Neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced colon cancer: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Background

The role of perioperative or neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced colon cancer is unclear. Emerging evidence such as the FOXTROT trial is challenging the conventional norm of upfront operation for these patients. However, these trials have yet to reach statistical significance.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI) and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies of patients with locally advanced colon cancer were included. The intervention arm was neoadjuvant chemotherapies while the comparator arm was adjuvant chemotherapies. Studies which reported outcomes of interests included overall survival, disease-free survival, R0 resection rate, perioperative complications and adverse effects of chemotherapy were chosen.

Results

We identified five eligible randomized trials and two observational studies, including 29,504 patients. Neoadjuvant therapies exhibited statistically significant improvement in overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) =0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65-0.89, P=0.0005], and disease-free survival (HR =0.74, 95% CI: 0.58-0.95, P=0.02). R0 resection rate fell slightly short of significance [odds ratio (OR) =1.86, 95% CI: 0.95-3.62, P=0.07]. Risk of peri-operative complications did not differ between groups when examining abdominal infection [risk ratio (RR) =1.14, 95% CI: 0.59-2.18, P=0.70] and anastomotic leakage (RR =0.83, 95% CI: 0.53-1.31, P=0.42). No statistical differences in complications from chemotherapy were reported.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis highlights the potential survival benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced colon cancer, without an increase in surgical morbidity. Neoadjuvant or perioperative approaches may be considered an alternative to upfront surgery followed by chemotherapy for locally advanced colon cancer.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in fecal specimens of patients with confirmed COVID-19: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Recent studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA may be found in fecal specimens of COVID-19 patients, but the sample size is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in fecal specimens of these patients according to their clinical characteristics.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and three Chinese biomedical databases were searched up to 25 March 2020 with no language restriction. We included original observational studies that reported the detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in fecal specimens of COVID-19 patients. Two separate reviewers conducted the review. Metaprop was adopted to conduct a meta-analysis of prevalence with variances stabilized by Freeman-Tukey Double Arcsine Transformation. A random-effects model was used. Heterogeneity across different studies was computed using Cochran's Q test and chi square statistics.

RESULTS

From 17 studies, the pooled detection rate of fecal SARS-CoV-2 RNA was 43.7% (95% CI 32.6%-55.0%) and 33.7% (95% C.I. 33.7%, 95% C.I. 20.1%-48.8%) by patient and number of specimens as a unit count, respectively. Female individuals (59.6% vs. 53.5%), those who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms (77.1% vs. 57.7%), and patients with more severe disease (68.3% vs. 34.6%) tended to have a higher detection rate.

DISCUSSION

A significant proportion of COVID-19 patients carry SARS-CoV-2 in their intestinal tract. Feces being a self-collected specimen bears a potential to improve case identification in community, especially for young children where proper respiratory sampling at home is difficult. Specific infection control strategies focusing on spread via fecal contamination and faulty toilet drainage are urgently needed.

Assessment of Language and Indexing Biases Among Chinese-Sponsored Randomized Clinical Trials

IMPORTANCE

Language and indexing biases may exist among Chinese-sponsored randomized clinical trials (CS-RCTs). Such biases may threaten the validity of systematic reviews.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the existence of language and indexing biases among CS-RCTs on drug interventions.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

In this retrospective cohort study, eligible CS-RCTs were retrieved from trial registries, and bibliographic databases were searched to determine their publication status. Eligible CS-RCTs were for drug interventions conducted from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2014. The search and analysis were conducted from March 1 to August 31, 2019. Primary trial registries were recognized by the World Health Organization and the Drug Clinical Trial Registry Platform sponsored by the China Food and Drug Administration.

EXPOSURES

Individual CS-RCTs with positive vs negative results (positive vs negative CS-RCTs).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

For assessing language bias, the main outcome was the language of the journal in which CS-RCTs were published (English vs Chinese). For indexing bias, the main outcome was the language of the bibliographic database where the CS-RCTs were indexed (English vs Chinese).

RESULTS

The search identified 891 eligible CS-RCTs. Four hundred seventy CS-RCTs were published by August 31, 2019, of which 368 (78.3%) were published in English. Among CS-RCTs registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), positive CS-RCTs were 3.92 (95% CI, 2.20-7.00) times more likely to be published in English than negative CS-RCTs; among CS-RCTs in English-language registries, positive CS-RCTs were 3.22 (95% CI, 1.34-7.78) times more likely to be published in English than negative CS-RCTs. These findings suggest the existence of language bias. Among CS-RCTs registered in ChiCTR, positive CS-RCTs were 2.89 (95% CI, 1.55-5.40) times more likely to be indexed in English bibliographic databases than negative CS-RCTs; among CS-RCTs in English-language registries, positive CS-RCTs were 2.19 (95% CI, 0.82-5.82) times more likely to be indexed in English bibliographic databases than negative CS-RCTs. These findings support the existence of indexing bias.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This study suggests the existence of language and indexing biases among registered CS-RCTs on drug interventions. These biases may distort evidence synthesis toward more positive results of drug interventions.

Patient-Reported Barriers and Facilitators to Seeking and Accessing Support in Gynecologic and Breast Cancer Survivors With Sexual Problems: A Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies

BACKGROUND

Greater understanding of patient-reported barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing sexual health services will help formulate strategies to assist gynecologic and breast cancer patients to overcome obstacles to accessing sexual health support because they typically do not seek sexual education and/or treatment when confronted with sexual concerns.

AIM

The objectives of this systematic review were to (i) explore the patient-reported barriers to seeking and accessing support for sexual problems in gynecologic and breast cancer survivors, and (ii) identify strategies used to successfully overcome the barriers to accessing sexual health information and/or treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The main outcome measures included factors that prevent and/or facilitate gynecologic and breast cancer patients with sexual concerns seeking and accessing sexual health-related services.

METHODS

Systematic searches of major electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Chinese database CNKI) from January 2009 to July 2019 were used to identify the barriers and facilitators to seeking sexual education/treatment from the perspective of gynecologic and breast cancer survivors. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

RESULTS

20 studies met the inclusion criteria including 12 qualitative, 6 quantitative, and 2 mixed methods studies. 4 interconnected themes were derived from 13 subthemes relating to the barriers/facilitators to seeking and accessing sexual health support. The most common barriers were embarrassment/discomfort in discussing sexual concerns, perceived discomfort of healthcare providers in discussing sexual issues, limitations of the healthcare system to address sexual problems, and the multidimensional nature of sexuality. Help-seeking for sexual health concerns was facilitated by: (i) oncology health professionals initiating and conducting open, honest discussions around sexual concerns with patients; (ii) the availability of information in multiple forms; and (iii) appropriate timing of information provision according to women's preferences.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Oncology health professionals need to develop an open, honest, accepting communication style and be accessible to women with cancer and their partners within healthcare systems.

STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS

The systematic review was conducted in accordance with guidelines. Variability in the primary aims and outcomes of the included studies precluded a meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Training programs for providers of oncology care should enhance their knowledge of sexual issues in gynecologic and/or breast cancer, enhance their communication skills with patients, and improve their ability to consult or refer patients to psycho-oncologists or other mental health professionals. Dai Y, Cook OY, Yeganeh L, et al. Patient-Reported Barriers and Facilitators to Seeking and Accessing Support in Gynecologic and Breast Cancer Survivors With Sexual Problems: A Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies. J Sex Med 2020;17:1326-1358.

Clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinomas arising in patients with oral lichen planus: A systematic review and a comprehensive meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate current evidence in relation to the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of oral squamous cell carcinomas arising in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP-OSCC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus for studies published before May-2019. We evaluated the quality of studies (QUIPS tool). We carried out meta-analyses to fulfill our objective. We examined the between-study heterogeneity and small-study effects, and conducted sensitivity and subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

Inclusion criteria were met by 27 studies (10,505 patients with OLP, of whom 205 developed a total of 247 OSCCs). The combined 5-year mortality rate was 15.48% for OLP-OSCC (95%CI  =  7.34-25.19), clearly lower than the 34.70-50.00% mortality rate for conventional oral cancer communicated in previous official reports. Also, 14.67% (95%CI  =  6.34-24.81) of OLP-OSCC developed N+ status, compared to 47.00% of conventional oral carcinomas. Likewise, most of the OSCCs in the study were T1/T2 (93.57%, 95%CI  =  82.20-99.88) and presented at stage I/II (81.51%, 95%CI = 68.32-92.38) at the time of diagnosis, which contrasts with 50.00% of conventional carcinomas diagnosed in stages I/II. Furthermore, most of the cases were grade I (well differentiated OSCC) (67.79%; 95%CI = 43.50-88.65), in comparison to conventional OSCCs, which present typically in grade II in 90.00% of cases. Our results also show an 11.21% of the OLP-OSCC patients in this study developed multiple tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral squamous cell carcinomas that developed in oral lichen planus show favorable prognostic parameters, especially with regard to the mortality rate. Around 11% of OLP-OSCC patients develop multiple tumors, which confirms that OLP can lead to field cancerization.

Searching practices and inclusion of unpublished studies in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy

Introduction

Many diagnostic accuracy studies are never reported in full in a peer‐reviewed journal. Searching for unpublished studies may avoid bias due to selective publication, enrich the power of systematic reviews, and thereby help to reduce research waste. We assessed searching practices among recent systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy.

Methods

We extracted data from 100 non‐Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy indexed in MEDLINE and published between October 2017 and January 2018 and from all 100 Cochrane systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy published by December 2018, irrespective of whether meta‐analysis had been performed.

Results

Non‐Cochrane and Cochrane reviews searched a median of 4 (IQR 3‐5) and 6 (IQR 5‐9) databases, respectively; most often MEDLINE/PubMed (n = 100 and n = 100) and EMBASE (n = 81 and n = 100). Additional efforts to identify studies beyond searching bibliographic databases were performed in 76 and 98 reviews, most often through screening reference lists (n = 71 and n = 96), review/guideline articles (n = 18 and n = 52), or citing articles (n = 3 and n = 42). Specific sources of unpublished studies were searched in 22 and 68 reviews, for example, conference proceedings (n = 4 and n = 18), databases only containing conference abstracts (n = 2 and n = 33), or trial registries (n = 12 and n = 39). At least one unpublished study was included in 17 and 23 reviews. Overall, 39 of 2082 studies (1.9%) included in non‐Cochrane reviews were unpublished, and 64 of 2780 studies (2.3%) in Cochrane reviews, most often conference abstracts (97/103).

Conclusion

Searching practices vary considerably across systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy. Unpublished studies are a minimal fraction of the evidence included in recent reviews.

Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis: Efficacy and Safety of Direct-Acting Antivirals for Chronic Hepatitis C Genotypes 5 and 6

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are modern treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection, but majority of available evidence on its treatment effect covers genotypes 1 to 4. Therefore, the efficacy and safety of DAAs for genotypes 5 and 6 need to be analysed. Studies were identified from Medline, Scopus, and CENTRAL and a Chinese database CNKI, from inception until Dec 4, 2018. Clinical trials were included if they enrolled patients with genotypes 5 and/or 6 infection, any type of second-generation DAAs was studied, and sustained virological response was assessed at the 12^th week after treatment (SVR12) as outcome measure. Meta-analysis using metaprop statistical program was applied for pooling proportions if data were sufficient (i.e., at least 2 studies). Thirteen studies were included in the analysis. Four studies assessed the efficacy of four DAA regimens in genotype 5 patients, which were mainly sofosbuvir (SOF) plus pegylated-interferon/ribavirin (PR) or other DAAs, with SVR12 ranging from 94.4% to 100%. Twelve studies assessed the efficacy of seven DAA regimens among genotype 6 patients, but only two DAA regimens (i.e., SOF + PR and SOF/ledipasvir) had sufficient data for pooling. The pooled SVR12 rates (95% CI) were 99.6% (92.2 to 100) for SOF + PR and 99.2% (96.5 to 100) for SOF/ledipasvir. No treatment-related serious adverse event was reported, while the nonserious adverse events were comparable to other genotypes. In conclusion, DAAs are effective and may be safe for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotypes 5 and 6. However, our evidence is based on noncomparative studies; hence, further larger-scale randomized controlled trials in these genotypes are still required.

Malignant transformation risk of oral lichen planus: A systematic review and comprehensive meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate current evidence on the malignant transformation of oral lichen planus (OLP), oral lichenoid lesions (OLLs), and oral lichenoid reactions (LRs) and to determine the variables with greatest influence on cancer development.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies published before November 2018. We evaluated the quality of studies (QUIPS tool). We carried out meta-analyses to fulfill our objectives. We examined the between-study heterogeneity and small-study effects, and conducted sensitivity studies and subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

Inclusion criteria were met by 82 studies (26,742 patients. The combined malignant transformation rate was 1.14% for OLP (95% CI = 0.84-1.49), 1.88% for OLLs (95% CI = 0.15-4.95) and 1.71% for LRs (95% CI = 0.00-5.46). Subgroup analysis revealed a higher malignant transformation rate in studies when the presence of epithelial dysplasia was not an exclusion criterion (p = 0.001), when both clinical and histopathological criteria were used for diagnosis (p < 0.001), when the follow-up was at least 12 months (p = 0.048), and when there was lower risk of potential bias (p = 0.002). Malignant transformation risk factors were: tongue localization (RR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.21-2.74, p = 0.004), presence of atrophic-erosive lesions (RR = 4.09, 95% CI = 2.40-6.98, p < 0.001), tobacco use (RR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.28-3.05, p = 0.002), alcohol consumption (RR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.14-4.56, p = 0.02), and hepatitis C virus infection (RR = 4.46, 95% CI = 0.98-20.22, p = 0.053).

CONCLUSIONS

The malignant transformation rates of OLP, OLLs and LRs are underestimated due essentially to restrictive diagnostic criteria, inadequate follow-up periods, and/or low quality of studies.

Twenty-Four-Hour Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

In China, high sodium and low potassium intakes result in elevated blood pressure, a major cause of cardiovascular disease, yet the intake estimates lack accuracy and nutritional strategies remain limited.

Methods and Results

We aimed to determine sodium and potassium intake by systematically searching for and quantitatively summarizing all published 24‐hour urinary sodium and potassium data (ie, the most accurate method). MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang were searched up to February 2019. All studies reporting 24‐hour urinary sodium or potassium in China were included; hospitalized patients were excluded. Data were pooled using random‐effects meta‐analysis and heterogeneity was explored with meta‐regression. Sodium data were reported in 70 studies (n=26 767), 59 of which also reported potassium (n=24 738). Mean sodium and potassium excretions were 86.99 mmol/24 h (95% CI, 69.88–104.10) and 14.65 mmol/24 h (95% CI, 11.10–18.20) in children aged 3 to 6 years, 151.09 mmol/24 h (95% CI, 131.55–170.63) and 25.23 mmol/24 h (95% CI, 22.37–28.10) in children aged 6 to 16 years, and 189.07 mmol/24 h (95% CI, 182.14–195.99) and 36.35 mmol/24 h (95% CI, 35.11–37.59) in adults aged >16 years. Compared with southern China, sodium intake was higher in northern China (P<0.0001) but is declining (P=0.0066).

Conclusions

Average sodium intake in all age groups across China is approximately double the recommended maximum limits, and potassium intake is less than half that recommended. Despite a decline, sodium intake in northern China is still among the highest in the world, and the North–South divide persists. Urgent action is needed to simultaneously reduce sodium and increase potassium intake across China.

Searching for qualitative health research required several databases and alternative search strategies: a study of coverage in bibliographic databases

OBJECTIVE

Retrieving the qualitative literature can be challenging, but the number and specific choice of databases are key factors. The aim of the present study is to provide guidance for the choice of databases for retrieving qualitative health research.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

Seventy-one qualitative systematic reviews, from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and JBI database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, including 927 qualitative studies, were used to analyze the coverage of the qualitative literature in nine bibliographic databases.

RESULTS

The results show that 94.4% of the qualitative studies are indexed in at least one database, with a lower coverage for publication types other than journal articles. Maximum recall with two databases is 89.1%, with three databases recall increases to 92% and maximum recall with four databases is 93.1%. The remaining 6.9% of the publications consists of 1.3% scattered across five databases and 5.6% that are not indexed in any of the nine databases used in this study.

CONCLUSION

Retrieval in one or a few-although well selected-databases does not provide all the relevant qualitative studies. The remaining studies needs to be located using several other databases and alternative search strategies.

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of antidepressants in the long-term treatment of major depression: protocol for a systematic review and networkmeta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of major depression. At the initiation of antidepressant treatment, both improvement of symptoms in the short term and relapse prevention in the long term should be taken into account. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the efficacy and the acceptability of continuation/maintenance treatments and the relative efficacy/acceptability of antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE

We will conduct a pairwise meta-analysis and a network meta-analysis (NMA) to examine the relative efficacy, tolerability and acceptability of antidepressants in the long-term treatment of major depression.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will include double-blind randomised controlled trials comparing any of the following antidepressants, which we included in our previous NMA of the acute treatment for major depression, with placebo or with another active drug for long-term treatment of major depression: agomelatine, amitriptyline, bupropion, citalopram, clomipramine, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, levomilnacipran, milnacipran, mirtazapine, nefazodone, paroxetine, reboxetine, sertraline, trazodone, venlafaxine, vilazodone and vortioxetine. Our primary outcomes will be sustained response and all-cause dropouts. We will include four types of designs that are used to investigate long-term treatment. We will conduct two main analyses. First, we will conduct a pairwise meta-analysis comparing all antidepressants versus placebo to investigate whether continuing antidepressants after achieving a positive response in the acute-phase treatment is beneficial and/or safe. Second, we will conduct an NMA to examine the comparative efficacy and acceptability of the drugs. We will use a novel approach that will combine the results of acute-phase treatment NMA with long-term treatment studies to include all related designs in the NMA. We will ensure the validity of combining different designs and our new approach by checking the distribution of important effect modifiers and consistency of network.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study did not require ethical approval. We will disseminate our findings by publishing results in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018114561; Pre-results.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students: overview of systematic reviews

CONTEXT

The prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students has been found to be higher than among other students because of their longer studying time, higher workload and larger financial burden. Despite the availability of reviews examining this, some have focused solely on one country, whereas others used databases containing papers of solely one language; therefore, the results from reviews might not be comprehensive. Against this background, this overview aims to synthesise the results from all the published systematic reviews of depression among medical students, in order to provide a more accurate result.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted of online databases for published systematic reviews or meta-analyses examining the prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students. The findings of individual studies included in these reviews were extracted and then combined with a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis was conducted by regions.

RESULTS

A total of 10 studies were selected in this overview, involving 249 primary studies and 162 450 medical students. MEDLINE was the most popular database used in these studies. The overlapping of primary studies in these reviews was appreciably high, except for three studies that focused on specific countries. The overall pooled prevalence was 27.0% (95% CI, 24.7-29.5%). Significant subgroup differences were detected (p < 0.001). The pooled prevalence among studies in the Western Pacific Region was the lowest, 18.9% (95% CI, 11.7-29.0%), whereas that in Africa (40.9%) was the highest (95% CI, 28.8-54.4%). The top five significant factors associated with depressive symptoms were: (i) year of study; (ii) gender; (iii) personal issues; (iv) family relations or issues, and (v) health status.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression affected around a quarter of medical students in general and 40.9% of students in Africa. It is suggested that medical schools and health authorities should introduce preventive measures to curb the high prevalence of depressive symptoms.

National and subnational estimation of the prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Peripheral artery disease (PAD), the third leading cause of atherosclerotic vascular morbidity, affects approximately 202 million people worldwide, among whom more than two-thirds reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). For China, the largest developing country, little is known about the epidemiology of PAD. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of PAD and the number of affected people in China, establish the main risk factors for PAD and assess the number of people with PAD at the sub-national level.

Methods

We searched China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Chinese Biomedicine Literature Database (CBM-SinoMed), PubMed, Embase and Medline for population-based studies that have reported the prevalence of PAD in the general Chinese population from 1990 onwards. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial index (ABI) lower than or equal to 0.90. We used a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression to generate the gender- and age-specific prevalence of PAD, and a random-effects meta-analysis to pool the odds ratios (ORs) of major risk factors. United Nations population numbers were used to estimate and project the number of affected people from 2000 to 2020. Finally, we used the risk factors-based model to distribute the national number of people with PAD into different settings (urban and rural) and regions (East, Central and West) for the year 2010.

Results

Overall, 37 articles met all inclusion criteria and provided prevalence estimates, among which 14 also explored risk factors for PAD. The prevalence of PAD increased gradually by age until mid-60s, after which the increase accelerated. In males, the prevalence of PAD ranged from 2.81% (95% CI = 1.77-4.43) in those aged 25-29 years to 21.95% (95% CI = 15.39-30.31) in those 95-99 years old. In females, the PAD prevalence increased from 3.84% (95% CI = 2.44-5.98) in those aged 25-29 years to 27.95% (95% CI = 20.14-37.37) in those aged 95-99 years. The PAD prevalence was consistently higher in females than in males across all age groups. This difference was most significantly pronounced among the elderly, starting from 60 years. Between 2000 and 2020, the total number of Chinese people with PAD is expected to increase by 40%: from 29.44 million (95% CI = 22.51-38.62) in 2000 to 41.13 million (95% CI = 32.00-52.95) in 2020. Current smoking was the strongest risk factor for PAD, with a meta-odds ratio (OR) of 2.62 (95% CI = 1.44-4.76), followed by hypertension (1.94, 95% CI = 1.48-2.53) and diabetes (1.71, 95% CI = 1.45-2.01). In 2010, 15.18 million (95% CI = 11.74-19.67) people with PAD resided in the East China, 11.08 million (95% CI = 8.61-14.28) in the Central China and 8.65 million (95% CI = 6.71-11.16) in the West China. In addition, 24.20 million (95% CI = 18.82-31.16) people with PAD were living in rural areas, accounting for almost 70% of all PAD cases in China.

Conclusions

With rapid ageing in China, PAD has become a serious public health problem. More research and optimal interventions on PAD are required to better identify effective strategies for prevention and treatment of PAD in China.

Treatment Strategies for Clozapine-Induced Sialorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Clozapine is the most effective medication for treatment-refractory schizophrenia. However, it has a high burden of adverse events, including common adverse events such as sialorrhea. Sialorrhea can lead to severe physical complications such as aspiration pneumonia, as well as psychological complications including embarrassment and low self-esteem. Compromised adherence and treatment discontinuation can occur due to intolerability. There have been no meta-analyses examining strategies to mitigate clozapine-induced sialorrhea.

METHODS

We systematically searched Chinese and Western research databases for randomised controlled trials examining agents for clozapine-induced sialorrhea. No limit to language or date were applied to the search. Where sufficient data for individual agents was available, pairwise meta-analyses were conducted. Results were provided as risk ratios and number needed to treat. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by study quality. Adverse events were provided as number needed to harm.

RESULTS

19 studies provided data for use in the meta-analysis. Improvement in clozapine-induced sialorrhea was seen in meta-analyses of propantheline (studies = 6, risk ratio [RR] 2.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.52-3.73; number needed to treat [NNT] 3, 95% CI 1.9-2.7), diphenhydramine (studies = 5, RR 3.09, 95% CI 2.36-4.03; NNT 2, 95% CI 1.5-2.0), chlorpheniramine (studies = 2, RR 2.37, 95% CI 1.59-3.55; NNT 3, 95% CI 1.6-3.5), and benzamide derivatives (odds ratio [OR] 6.93, 95% CI 3.03-15.86). When meta-analyses were limited to high-quality studies, all these results remained significant. Single studies of benzhexol, cyproheptadine, doxepin and Kongyan Tang showed promise. Propantheline increased rates of constipation with a number needed to harm (NNH) of 9 (95% CI 4.2-204.1).

CONCLUSION

Clozapine-induced sialorrhea is a potentially serious adverse event. Included studies in this meta-analysis were limited by poor study quality. Diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine and benzamide derivatives appear to have the best supporting evidence and lowest reported adverse events. Caution should be exercised when using propantheline given its increased risk of constipation.

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for opioid-induced constipation: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Pain is very common and its management with a huge burden for patients and the healthcare system. And the network meta-analysis was designed to provide reference for the clinical practice.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CNKI, VIP, Wan Fang, and CBM will be systematically searched their inception to November 2018. Randomized controlled trials that compared the effect of differently pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatments for opioid-induced constipation will be included. The primary outcome is the efficacy of therapeutic regimens. Risk of bias assessment of the included studies will be performed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A network meta-analysis will be performed using STATA 13.0 software with WinBUGS 1.4.3 software. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation will be used to assess the overall quality of evidence.

RESULTS

This study is ongoing and will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

CONCLUSION

This study will provide a comprehensive evidence on the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for opioid-induced constipation.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018116533.

Methodological quality of systematic reviews on treatments for depression: a cross-sectional study

AIMS

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders and identifying effective treatment strategies is crucial for the control of depression. Well-conducted systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses can provide the best evidence for supporting treatment decision-making. Nevertheless, the trustworthiness of conclusions can be limited by lack of methodological rigour. This study aims to assess the methodological quality of a representative sample of SRs on depression treatments.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study on the bibliographical and methodological characteristics of SRs published on depression treatments trials was conducted. Two electronic databases (the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects) were searched for potential SRs. SRs with at least one meta-analysis on the effects of depression treatments were considered eligible. The methodological quality of included SRs was assessed using the validated AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool. The associations between bibliographical characteristics and scoring on AMSTAR items were analysed using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 358 SRs were included and appraised. Over half of included SRs (n = 195) focused on non-pharmacological treatments and harms were reported in 45.5% (n = 163) of all studies. Studies varied in methods and reporting practices: only 112 (31.3%) took the risk of bias among primary studies into account when formulating conclusions; 245 (68.4%) did not fully declare conflict of interests; 93 (26.0%) reported an 'a priori' design and 104 (29.1%) provided lists of both included and excluded studies. Results from regression analyses showed: more recent publications were more likely to report 'a priori' designs [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.57], to describe study characteristics fully (AOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06-1.28), and to assess presence of publication bias (AOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06-1.19), but were less likely to list both included and excluded studies (AOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.81-0.92). SRs published in journals with higher impact factor (AOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.25), completed by more review authors (AOR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.24) and SRs on non-pharmacological treatments (AOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.01-2.59) were associated with better performance in publication bias assessment.

CONCLUSION

The methodological quality of included SRs is disappointing. Future SRs should strive to improve rigour by considering of risk of bias when formulating conclusions, reporting conflict of interests and authors should explicitly describe harms. SR authors should also use appropriate methods to combine the results, prevent language and publication biases, and ensure timely updates.

Active mind-body movement therapies as an adjunct to or in comparison with pulmonary rehabilitation for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Active mind-body movement therapies (AMBMTs), including but not limited to yoga, tai chi, and qigong, have been applied as exercise modalities for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). AMBMT strategies have been found to be more effective than usual care; however, whether AMBMT is inferior, equivalent, or superior to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in people with COPD remains to be determined.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of AMBMTs compared with, or in addition to, PR in the management of COPD.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register of trials and major Chinese databases, as well as trial registries from inception to July 2017. In addition, we searched references of primary studies and review articles. We updated this search in July 2018 but have not yet incorporated these results.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included (1) randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing AMBMT (i.e. controlled breathing and/or focused meditation/attention interventions for which patients must actively move their joints and muscles for at least four weeks with no minimum intervention frequency) versus PR (any inpatient or outpatient, community-based or home-based rehabilitation programme lasting at least four weeks, with no minimum intervention frequency, that included conventional exercise training with or without education or psychological support) and (2) RCTs comparing AMBMT + PR versus PR alone in people with COPD. Two independent review authors screened and selected studies for inclusion.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, extracted outcome data, and assessed risk of bias. We contacted study authors if necessary to ask them to provide missing data. We calculated mean differences (MDs) using a random-effects model.

MAIN RESULTS

We included in the meta-analysis 10 studies with 762 participants across one or more comparisons. The sample size of included studies ranged from 11 to 206 participants. Nine out of 10 studies involving all levels of COPD severity were conducted in China with adults from 55 to 88 years of age, a higher proportion of whom were male (78%). Nine out of 10 studies provided tai chi and/or qigong programmes as AMBMT, and one study provided yoga. Overall, the term 'PR' has been uncritically applied in the vast majority of studies, which limits comparison of AMBMT and PR. For example, eight out of 10 studies considered walking training as equal to PR and used this as conventional exercise training within PR. Overall study quality for main comparisons was moderate to very low mainly owing to imprecision, indirectness (exercise component inconsistent with recommendations), and risk of bias issues. The primary outcomes for our review were quality of life, dyspnoea, and serious adverse events.When researchers compared AMBMT versus PR alone (mainly unstructured walking training), statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life (QoL) (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total score) favoured AMBMT: mean difference (MD) -5.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) -8.75 to -2.92; three trials; 249 participants; low-quality evidence. The common effect size, but not the 95% CI around the pooled treatment effect, exceeded the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of minus four. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) also revealed statistically significant improvements favouring AMBMT over PR, with scores exceeding the MCID of three, with an MD of 6.58 units (95% CI -9.16 to - 4.00 units; one trial; 74 participants; low-quality evidence). Results show no between-group differences with regard to dyspnoea measured by the modified Medical Research Council Scale (MD 0.00 units, 95% CI -0.37 to 0.37; two trials; 127 participants; low-quality evidence), the Borg Scale (MD 0.44 units, 95% CI -0.88 to 0.00; one trial; 139 participants; low-quality evidence), or the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) Dyspnoea Scale (MD -0.21, 95% CI -2.81 to 2.38; one trial; 11 participants; low-quality evidence). Comparisons of AMBMT versus PR alone did not include assessments of generic quality of life, adverse events, limb muscle function, exacerbations, or adherence.Comparisons of AMBMT added to PR versus PR alone (mainly unstructured walking training) revealed significant improvements in generic QoL as measured by Short Form (SF)-36 for both the SF-36 general health summary score (MD 5.42, 95% CI 3.82 to 7.02; one trial; 80 participants; very low-quality evidence) and the SF-36 mental health summary score (MD 3.29, 95% CI 1.45 to 4.95; one trial; 80 participants; very low-quality evidence). With regard to disease-specific QoL, investigators noted no significant improvement with addition of AMBMT to PR versus PR alone (SGRQ total score: MD -2.57, 95% CI -7.76 to 2.62 units; one trial; 192 participants; moderate-quality evidence; CRQ Dyspnoea Scale score: MD 0.04, 95% CI -2.18 to 2.26 units; one trial; 80 participants; very low-quality evidence). Comparisons of AMBMT + PR versus PR alone did not include assessments of dyspnoea, adverse events, limb muscle function, exacerbations, or adherence.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Given the quality of available evidence, the effects of AMBMT versus PR or of AMBMT added to PR versus PR alone in people with stable COPD remain inconclusive. Evidence of low quality suggests better disease-specific QoL with AMBMT versus PR in people with stable COPD, and evidence of very low quality suggests no differences in dyspnoea between AMBMT and PR. Evidence of moderate quality shows that AMBMT added to PR does not result in improved disease-specific QoL, and evidence of very low quality suggests that AMBMT added to PR may lead to better generic QoL versus PR alone. Future studies with adequate descriptions of conventional exercise training (i.e. information on duration, intensity, and progression) delivered by trained professionals with a comprehensive understanding of respiratory physiology, exercise science, and the pathology of COPD are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding treatment outcomes with AMBMT versus PR or AMBMT added to PR versus PR alone for patients with COPD.

Quality of randomized controlled trials of new generation antidepressants and antipsychotics identified in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI): a literature and telephone interview study

Background

We are witnessing an exponential increase in the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported from mainland China. The increase is particularly notable in the field of new generation antidepressants and antipsychotics. Several previous studies have raised doubts regarding their quality. However, the quality of most recent RCTs published in China may have improved.

Methods

We searched RCTs that examined new generation antidepressants and antipsychotics published between 2013 and 2016 in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the largest database of scientific publications in China. We interviewed the authors of a random subset of the identified references. We assessed the methodological rigor of each study based on the published reports and telephone interviews with the authors using six methodological domains adapted from the Cochrane’s risk of bias tool.

Results

The final sample consisted of 138 studies, for which we interviewed 58 authors; the authors of 51 studies declined the interview, and the authors of 29 studies could not be contacted. The 51 studies with refused interviews were significantly less likely to be reported from university-affiliated hospitals and were less likely to be published in Chinese core journals. Based on the published reports, most of the 58 studies were assessed to be at unclear risk of bias in most methodological domains. After the interview, only 10 studies were assessed to be at low risk of bias for sequence generation and allocation concealment. Assuming that the studies for which the authors declined interviews had an unclear risk, the proportion of RCTs at low risk of bias in both sequence generation and allocation concealment was 9.2% (10/109, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.0 to 16.2). The interviews indicated that the studies were at high risk of bias for most of the other domains.

Conclusion

In general, RCTs that evaluate new generation antidepressants or antipsychotics and are indexed in the CNKI continue to be of low quality. When conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses in this field, it would be wise to include a specialist from China as a coresearcher to help assess the risk of bias in the identified studies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12874-018-0554-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The prevalence of and factors associated with inclusion of non-English language studies in Campbell systematic reviews: a survey and meta-epidemiological study

BACKGROUND

Studies published in languages other than English are often neglected when research teams conduct systematic reviews. Literature on how to deal with non-English studies when conducting reviews have focused on the importance of including such studies, while less attention has been paid to the practical challenges of locating and assessing relevant non-English studies. We investigated the factors which might predict the inclusion of non-English studies in systematic reviews in the social sciences, to better understand how, when and why these are included/excluded.

METHODS

We appraised all Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews (n = 123) published to July 2016, categorising each by its language inclusiveness. We sought additional information from review authors via a questionnaire and received responses concerning 47 reviews. Data were obtained for 17 factors and we explored correlations with the number of non-English studies in the reviews via statistical regression models. Additionally, we asked authors to identify factors that support or hinder the inclusion of non-English studies.

RESULTS

Of 123 reviews, 108 did not explicitly exclude, and of these, 17 included non-English language studies. One factor correlated with the number of included non-English studies across all models: the number of countries in which the members of the review team work (B-value = 0.56; SE B = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.07-1.03; p = 0.02). This indicates that reviews which included non-English studies were more likely to be produced by international review teams. Our survey showed a dominance of researchers from English-speaking countries (52.9%) and review teams consisting only of team members from these countries (65.9%). The most frequently mentioned challenge to including non-English studies was a lack of resources (funding and time) followed by a lack of language resources (e.g. professional translators).

CONCLUSION

Our findings may indicate a connection between the limited inclusion of non-English studies and a lack of resources, which forces review teams to rely on their limited language skills rather than the support of professional translators. If unaddressed, review teams risk ignoring key data and introduce bias in otherwise high-quality reviews. However, the validity and interpretation of our findings should be further assessed if we are to tackle the challenges of dealing with non-English studies.

Augmentation strategies for clozapine refractory schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Although clozapine is the most effective medication for treatment refractory schizophrenia, only 40% of people will meet response criteria. We therefore undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of global literature on clozapine augmentation strategies.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, Cochrane Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System and China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database for randomised control trials of augmentation strategies for clozapine resistant schizophrenia. We undertook pairwise meta-analyses of within-class interventions and, where possible, frequentist mixed treatment comparisons to differentiate treatment effectiveness Results: We identified 46 studies of 25 interventions. On pairwise meta-analyses, the most effective augmentation agents for total psychosis symptoms were aripiprazole (standardised mean difference: 0.48; 95% confidence interval: -0.89 to -0.07) fluoxetine (standardised mean difference: 0.73; 95% confidence interval: -0.97 to -0.50) and, sodium valproate (standardised mean difference: 2.36 95% confidence interval: -3.96 to -0.75). Memantine was effective for negative symptoms (standardised mean difference: -0.56 95% confidence interval: -0.93 to -0.20). However, many of these results included poor-quality studies. Single studies of certain antipsychotics (penfluridol), antidepressants (paroxetine, duloxetine), lithium and Ginkgo biloba showed potential, while electroconvulsive therapy was highly promising. Mixed treatment comparisons were only possible for antipsychotics, and these gave similar results to the pairwise meta-analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of the limited data available, the best evidence is for the use of aripiprazole, fluoxetine and sodium valproate as augmentation agents for total psychosis symptoms and memantine for negative symptoms. However, these conclusions are tempered by generally short follow-up periods and poor study quality.

Acupuncture treatments for infantile colic: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis of blinding test validated randomised controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

Needle acupuncture in small children has gained some acceptance in Western medicine. It is controversial, as infants and toddlers are unable to consent to treatment. We aimed to assess its efficacy for treating infantile colic.

DESIGN

A systematic review and a blinding-test validation based on individual patient data from randomised controlled trials. Primary end-points were crying time at mid-treatment, at the end of treatment and at a 1-month follow-up. A 30-min mean difference (MD) in crying time between acupuncture and control was predefined as a clinically important difference. Pearson's chi-squared test and the James and Bang indices were used to test the success of blinding of the outcome assessors [parents]. Eligibility criteria and data sources: We included randomised controlled trials of acupuncture treatments of infantile colic. Systematic searches were conducted in Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and AMED, and in the Chinese language databases CNKI, VIP, Wang fang, SinoMed and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.

RESULTS

We included three randomised controlled trials with data from 307 participants. Only one of the included trials obtained a successful blinding of the outcome assessors in both the acupuncture and control groups. The MD in crying time between acupuncture intervention and no acupuncture control was -24.9 min [95% confidence interval, CI -46.2 to -3.6; three trials] at mid-treatment, -11.4 min [95% CI -31.8 to 9.0; three trials] at the end of treatment and -11.8 min [95% CI -62.9 to 39.2; one trial] at the 4-week follow-up. The corresponding standardised mean differences [SMDs] were -0.23 [95% CI -0.42 to -0.06], -0.10 [95% CI -0.29 to 0.08] and -0.09 [95% CI -0.48 to 0.30]. The heterogeneity was negligible in all analyses. The statistically significant result at mid-treatment was lost when excluding the apparently unblinded study in a sensitivity analysis: MD -13.8 min [95%CI -37.5 to 9.9] and SMD -0.13 [95%CI -0.35 to 0.09]. The registration of crying during treatment suggested more crying during acupuncture [odds ratio 7.7; 95% CI 2.7-20.6; one trial]. GRADE-Moderate quality evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous needle acupuncture treatments should not be recommended for infantile colic on a general basis. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO 2015:CRD42015023253 Key points The role of acupuncture in the treatment of infantile colic is controversial. Available trials are small and present conflicting results. There were no clinically important differences between infants receiving acupuncture and no acupuncture control in this IPD meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. The data indicate that acupuncture induces some treatment pain in many of the children. The study results indicate that percutaneous needle acupuncture should not be recommended for treatment of infantile colic on a general basis.

The Prevalence of Vitamin A Deficiency in Chinese Children: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness, has been recognized as an important public health problem in many developing countries. In this study, we conducted a systematic review to identify all population-based studies of VAD and marginal VAD (MVAD) in Chinese children published from 1990 onwards. Hierarchical Bayesian meta-regressions were performed to examine the effects of age, sex, setting and year on the prevalence of VAD and MVAD, separately. The estimated prevalence was applied to the Chinese pediatric population in the year 2015 to generate prevalence estimates of VAD and MVAD for defined age groups, with 95% credible intervals (CrIs). Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of VAD and MVAD both decreased with increasing age, and rural children had a higher prevalence of VAD and MVAD than urban children. In 2015, the prevalence of VAD was 5.16% (95% CrI: 1.95-12.64) and that of MVAD was 24.29% (95% CrI: 12.69-41.27) in Chinese children aged 12 years and under. VAD remains a public health problem in China. Efforts to reduce VAD in younger children are needed, especially for those in rural areas.

Association between prospective registration and overall reporting and methodological quality of systematic reviews: a meta-epidemiological study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in main characteristics, reporting and methodological quality between prospectively registered and nonregistered systematic reviews.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

PubMed was searched to identify systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials published in 2015 in English. After title and abstract screening, potentially relevant reviews were divided into three groups: registered non-Cochrane reviews, Cochrane reviews, and nonregistered reviews. For each group, random number tables were generated in Microsoft Excel, and the first 50 eligible studies from each group were randomly selected. Data of interest from systematic reviews were extracted. Regression analyses were conducted to explore the association between total Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Review (R-AMSTAR) or Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) scores and the selected characteristics of systematic reviews.

RESULTS

The conducting and reporting of literature search in registered reviews were superior to nonregistered reviews. Differences in 9 of the 11 R-AMSTAR items were statistically significant between registered and nonregistered reviews. The total R-AMSTAR score of registered reviews was higher than nonregistered reviews [mean difference (MD) = 4.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.70, 5.94]. Sensitivity analysis by excluding the registration-related item presented similar result (MD = 4.34, 95% CI: 3.28, 5.40). Total PRISMA scores of registered reviews were significantly higher than nonregistered reviews (all reviews: MD = 1.47, 95% CI: 0.64-2.30; non-Cochrane reviews: MD = 1.49, 95% CI: 0.56-2.42). However, the difference in the total PRISMA score was no longer statistically significant after excluding the item related to registration (item 5). Regression analyses showed similar results.

CONCLUSION

Prospective registration may at least indirectly improve the overall methodological quality of systematic reviews, although its impact on the overall reporting quality was not significant.

Clinical Research Informatics: Supporting the Research Study Lifecycle

Objectives: The primary goal of this review is to summarize significant developments in the field of Clinical Research Informatics (CRI) over the years 2015-2016. The secondary goal is to contribute to a deeper understanding of CRI as a field, through the development of a strategy for searching and classifying CRI publications. Methods: A search strategy was developed to query the PubMed database, using medical subject headings to both select and exclude articles, and filtering publications by date and other characteristics. A manual review classified publications using stages in the "research study lifecycle", with key stages that include study definition, participant enrollment, data management, data analysis, and results dissemination. Results: The search strategy generated 510 publications. The manual classification identified 125 publications as relevant to CRI, which were classified into seven different stages of the research lifecycle, and one additional class that pertained to multiple stages, referring to general infrastructure or standards. Important cross-cutting themes included new applications of electronic media (Internet, social media, mobile devices), standardization of data and procedures, and increased automation through the use of data mining and big data methods. Conclusions: The review revealed increased interest and support for CRI in large-scale projects across institutions, regionally, nationally, and internationally. A search strategy based on medical subject headings can find many relevant papers, but a large number of non-relevant papers need to be detected using text words which pertain to closely related fields such as computational statistics and clinical informatics. The research lifecycle was useful as a classification scheme by highlighting the relevance to the users of clinical research informatics solutions.

Invited review: A systematic review and qualitative analysis of treatments other than conventional antimicrobials for clinical mastitis in dairy cows

Clinical mastitis is an important disease in dairies. Its treatment is mainly based on the use of antimicrobial drugs. Numerous non-antimicrobial drugs and treatment strategies have already been reported for clinical mastitis treatment, but data on their efficacy have never been collated in a systematic way. The objective of this systematic review was to identify treatments other than conventional antimicrobials for the treatment of clinical mastitis in lactating dairy cows. A systematic review was performed with studies written in English or French selected from CAB Abstracts, PubMed, and Web of Science from January 1970 to June 2014. Controlled clinical trials, observational studies, and experimental challenges were retained. Lactating dairy cows with clinical mastitis were the participant of interest. All treatments other than conventional antimicrobials for clinical mastitis during lactation were retained. Only studies comparing the treatment under investigation to a negative or positive control, or both, were included. Outcomes evaluated were clinical and bacteriological cure rates and milk production. Selection of the study, data extraction, and assessment of risk of bias was performed by 3 reviewers. Assessment of risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool for systematic review of interventions. A total of 2,451 manuscripts were first identified and 39 manuscripts corresponding to 41 studies were included. Among these, 22 were clinical trials, 18 were experimental studies, and 1 was an observational study. The treatments evaluated were conventional anti-inflammatory drugs (n = 14), oxytocin with or without frequent milk out (n = 5), biologics (n = 9), homeopathy (n = 5), botanicals (n = 4), probiotics (n = 2), and other alternative products (n = 2). All trials had at least one unclear or high risk of bias. Most trials (n = 13) did not observe significant differences in clinical or bacteriological cure rates in comparison with negative or positive controls. Few studies evaluated the effect of treatment on milk yield. In general, the power of the different studies was very low, thus precluding conclusions on noninferiority or nonsuperiority of the treatments investigated. No evidence-based recommendations could be given for the use of an alternative or non-antimicrobial conventional treatment for clinical mastitis. However, probiotics and oxytocin with or without frequent milk out should not be recommended. We concluded that homeopathic treatments are not efficient for management of clinical mastitis.

Epidemiology Characteristics, Methodological Assessment and Reporting of Statistical Analysis of Network Meta-Analyses in the Field of Cancer

Because of the methodological complexity of network meta-analyses (NMAs), NMAs may be more vulnerable to methodological risks than conventional pair-wise meta-analysis. Our study aims to investigate epidemiology characteristics, conduction of literature search, methodological quality and reporting of statistical analysis process in the field of cancer based on PRISMA extension statement and modified AMSTAR checklist. We identified and included 102 NMAs in the field of cancer. 61 NMAs were conducted using a Bayesian framework. Of them, more than half of NMAs did not report assessment of convergence (60.66%). Inconsistency was assessed in 27.87% of NMAs. Assessment of heterogeneity in traditional meta-analyses was more common (42.62%) than in NMAs (6.56%). Most of NMAs did not report assessment of similarity (86.89%) and did not used GRADE tool to assess quality of evidence (95.08%). 43 NMAs were adjusted indirect comparisons, the methods used were described in 53.49% NMAs. Only 4.65% NMAs described the details of handling of multi group trials and 6.98% described the methods of similarity assessment. The median total AMSTAR-score was 8.00 (IQR: 6.00-8.25). Methodological quality and reporting of statistical analysis did not substantially differ by selected general characteristics. Overall, the quality of NMAs in the field of cancer was generally acceptable.

Metformin for Clozapine Associated Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Although clozapine is the gold-standard for treatment refractory schizophrenia, it has the worst metabolic profile of all antipsychotics. This is partly mediated by clozapine's impact on glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1). There is an absence of robust evidence for effective treatments for clozapine associated weight gain and metabolic syndrome. Metformin, with its role in increasing GLP-1 may aid weight loss among people on clozapine.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic-review and meta-analysis of metformin versus placebo for change in weight and metabolic syndrome for people on clozapine without diabetes mellitus. We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's trial register, Pubmed and Embase, as well as the following Chinese databases: the Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System and China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database. This was supplemented by hand searches of key papers.

RESULTS

Eight studies, of which three were from Chinese databases, with 478 participants were included. We found that metformin was superior to placebo in terms of weight loss (-3.12kg, 95%CI -4.88kg to -1.37kg) and BMI (-1.18kg/m2, 95%CI -1.76kg/m2 to -0.61kg/m2). Metformin significantly improved three of the five components of metabolic syndrome; waist circumference, fasting glucose and triglycerides. Sensitivity analysis on study quality and duration did not greatly impact results.

CONCLUSIONS

Metformin led to clinically meaningful weight loss among people on clozapine, and may reduce the rates of metabolic syndrome. Inclusion of metformin into the treatment protocols of people on clozapine, as tolerated, should be considered.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015029723.

Regional citrate versus heparin anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients: a meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Regional citrate or heparin is often prescribed as an anticoagulant for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). However, their efficacy and safety remain controversial. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to compare these two agents and to determine whether the currently available evidence is sufficient and conclusive by using trial sequential analysis (TSA).

Methods

We searched for relevant studies in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library databases and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Database from database inception until September 2015. We selected randomized controlled trials comparing regional citrate with heparin in adult patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) who were prescribed CRRT.

Results

Fourteen trials (n = 1134) met the inclusion criteria. Pooled analyses showed that there was no difference in mortality between the regional citrate and heparin groups (relative risk (RR) 0.97, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.84, 1.13, P > 0.05), which was confirmed by TSA. Compared with heparin, regional citrate significantly prolonged the circuit life span in the continuous venovenous haemofiltration (CVVH) subgroup (mean difference (MD) 8.18, 95 % CI 3.86, 12.51, P < 0.01) and pre-dilution subgroup (MD 17.51, 95 % CI 9.85, 25.17, P < 0.01) but not in the continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) subgroup (MD 28.60, 95 % CI −3.52, 60.73, P > 0.05) or post-dilution subgroup (MD 13.06, 95 % CI −2.36, 28.48, P > 0.05). However, the results were not confirmed by TSA. A reduced risk of bleeding was found in the regional citrate compared with the systemic heparin group (RR 0.31, 95 % CI 0.19, 0.51, P < 0.01) and TSA provided conclusive evidence. Fewer episodes of heparin-induced thrombocytopoenia (HIT) (RR 0.41, 95 % CI 0.19, 0.87, P = 0.02) and a greater number of episodes of hypocalcaemia (RR 3.96, 95 % CI 1.50, 10.43, P < 0.01) were found in the regional citrate group. However, TSA did not provide conclusive evidence.

Conclusion

In adult patients with AKI, there is no difference in mortality between the regional citrate and heparin treated groups. However, regional citrate is more efficacious in prolonging circuit life span and reducing the risk of bleeding and should be recommended as the priority anticoagulant for critically ill patients who require CRRT.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-016-1299-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Psychological Interventions for the Management of Glycemic and Psychological Outcomes of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials

Introduction

China has the largest number of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) cases globally, and T2DM management has become a critical public health issue in China. Individuals with T2DM have an increased risk of developing mental health disorders, psychological disturbances, and functional problems associated with living with their condition. Previous systematic reviews have demonstrated that, generally, psychological interventions are effective in the management of T2DM-related outcomes; however, these reviews have predominantly included studies conducted within English-speaking countries and have not determined the efficacy of the varying types of psychological interventions. As such, this paper aims to synthesize evidence and quantify the efficacy of psychological therapies for the management of glycemic and psychological outcomes of T2DM in China, relative to control conditions.

Methods

A systematic search (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wangfang Data) for all years to December 2014 identified all available literature. Eligibility criteria included: peer-reviewed journal articles, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of a psychological therapy for the management of T2DM, adult participants (≥18 years) diagnosed with T2DM or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and Chinese speaking participants only (in mainland China). Outcome measures were glycated hemoglobin, blood glucose concentration, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Effect sizes were pooled using a random effects model. Negative effect sizes corresponded to positive outcomes favoring the intervention.

Results

Forty-five RCTs were eligible for the meta-analyses. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) were more effective than the control condition in the reduction of glycated hemoglobin [CBT: −0.97 (95% CI −1.37 to −0.57); MI: −0.71 (95% CI −1.00 to −0.43)]. CBT and client-centered therapy (CCT) were also associated with reductions in depression and blood glucose concentration, and CBT was associated with reductions in anxiety.

Conclusion

Psychological interventions, namely, CBT, MI, and CCT are effective in improving certain T2DM-related outcomes in China. Considerable levels of heterogeneity and unclear risk of bias associated with most included RCTs suggest caution when interpreting results. In China, where the burden of T2DM is increasing significantly, psychological interventions may provide promising approaches to assist in the management of T2DM to delay the progression of T2DM related outcomes.

How do systematic reviews of acupuncture for pain relief incorporate risk of bias assessments into the synthesis? A methodological study

OBJECTIVE

By reviewing the assessment of internal validity in relevant systematic reviews (SRs), the aim of this study was to identify how critical appraisals of risk of bias (RoB) inform the synthesis of evidence in SRs of acupuncture for pain relief.

METHODS

SRs were searched in Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of SRs from their inception to 30 December 2014. Only SRs of acupuncture for pain relief were included. Basic information, types of RoB appraisal tool, whether or not there was domain-level assessment of RoB, whether or not the reviews ranked studies by RoB, plus whether or not (and, if so, how) RoB appraisal was incorporated into the synthesis were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 91 SRs met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Over half of the SRs (85, 64.8%) used standard tools, such as the Jadad quality score and the Cochrane RoB tool, followed by adapted tools (n=23, 25.3%). Of the 85 SRs that assessed RoB, 29 (34.1%) presented domain-level assessment and 71 SRs (83.5%) included ranking of the studies based on RoB assessment. Of these 71, 35 (49.4%) used a cut-off threshold score and 26 (36.6%) required all criteria sum-up. Of the 85 SRs that assessed RoB, 48 (56.5%) incorporated RoB appraisal into the data synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

Although most SRs of acupuncture for pain relief conducted some form of RoB assessment, nearly half of them failed to incorporate the RoB assessment into the synthesis.