[Construction of a scale to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews]

Effect of Nuts Combined with Energy Restriction on the Obesity Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Obesity is a multifactorial disease that is difficult to control worldwide. Although nuts are recognized health foods, the application of food in obesity management is unclear. We systematically reviewed the literature and performed a meta-analysis to evaluate if nut consumption favors people on energy restriction (ER) dietary interventions. Four databases were used to search for eligible articles in May 2024. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guide, and the bias risk of papers was evaluated. For the meta-analysis, we extracted the endpoint values of the group's variables and estimated the effect sizes by the random-effects model. Sixteen and ten articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. Almonds were evaluated in the majority of studies (n = 6). The consumption of nuts (28 to 84 g/d, 4 to 72 months) included in ER (-250 to 1000 kcal/d) did not differently affect anthropometry (weight loss, BMI, waist and hip circumferences), body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, or lean mass), markers of glucose (glycemia and insulinemia), lipid metabolism (total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c, LDL-c/HDL-c, or triglycerides), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In most analyses, stratifying studies by type of nut or intervention time did not present different results in the meta-analysis. As there are few studies, in addition to great methodological variability, more high-quality trials are needed to confirm these results. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42023444878.

Effects of iodine supplementation on thyroid function parameter: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Supplementation is an alternative with potential benefits for the prevention of iodine deficiency in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of iodine supplementation on maternal thyroid hormone concentrations and iodine status during and/or before pregnancy.

METHODS

The review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). The search was conducted in the databases: Cochrane, Embase, Pubmed/MEDLINE and Scopus. Studies involving pregnant women of all trimesters who received oral iodine supplementation were included. Study selection was performed in the Rayyan program. Risk of bias was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Meta-analysis was performed in R software version 4.0.4.

RESULTS

Eleven articles with low and moderate risk of bias were included. According to the results of the meta-analysis, supplementation of 200 μg/day of iodine was able to change urinary iodine concentration during pregnancy, thus contributing to adequate intake. When evaluating the period when the intervention started, the best time to start supplementation was prior to pregnancy or in early pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Daily iodine supplementation had satisfactory effects on iodine status and maternal thyroid hormone concentrations. Although supplementation with 200 µg showed positive effects on iodine status in pregnancy, some studies showed no effect. Prospero Registration: CRD42021249307 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=249307).

Prevalence of Excessive Iodine Intake in Pregnancy and Its Health Consequences: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The objective was to estimate the prevalence of excessive iodine intake in pregnant women and to investigate the consequences for maternal-fetal health. The systematic review was based on PRISMA. The search was conducted in September 2021 in LILACS, PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Direct, and SCOPUS databases. Observational studies that assessed excessive nutritional iodine status in pregnancy diagnosed by urinary iodine concentration and associated it with biomarkers of thyroid health function were included. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of biased evaluation were performed independently. Meta-analysis was calculated using a fixed and random effect model, and heterogeneity was assessed by the chi-square test. Meta-regressions were performed to identify the causes of heterogeneity using the Knapp and Hartung test. Nine studies were included in the systematic review, and eight in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of excessive iodine intake in 10,736 pregnant women in different regions of the world was 52%. The main implications for pregnant women were hypothyroxinemia, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism. For the newborn, macrosomia and thyroid dysfunction. In addition, drinking water with high iodine intake contributed to excessive iodine intake. Therefore, the prevalence of iodine excess was 52%, with high heterogeneity among studies, explained by trimester of gestation and FT4 level; therefore, the farther the trimester of gestation and the lower the FT4, the higher the prevalence of iodine excess. PROSPERO Registration: CRD420206467 ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=206467 ).

Food insecurity and its socioeconomic and health determinants in pregnant women and mothers of children under 2 years of age, during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has reduced access to adequate food in terms of quality and quantity, especially for the most vulnerable population groups. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Food Insecurity and its main socioeconomic and health determinants in pregnant women and mothers of children under 2 years of age, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42021278033). The descriptors "Pregnant Woman", "Postpartum Women", "Breastfeeding Women", "COVID-19", "Food Insecurity", "Food Security" were combined in Scopus (Elsevier), Medline/PubMed (via National Library of Medicine), Embase (Elsevier), Web of Science and Science Direct independently by two researchers in September 2022. Original articles about Food Insecurity in households with pregnant women and mothers of children under 2 years of age during the COVID-19 pandemic were included. The meta-analysis of the prevalence of Food Insecurity was conducted using the RStudio software (4.0.4).

Results

The initial search resulted in 539 records, and 10 articles met the proposed criteria and were included in this review. The prevalence of Food Insecurity ranged from 11.5 to 80.3% and in the meta-analysis it was 51% (IC: 30-71) (I 2 = 100.0%). The main socioeconomic and health determinants were ethnicity, domain language, low education, low income, informal employment, unemployment, occurrence of mental disorders, domestic violence, in addition to the unavailability of food in markets and lack of transport. The inclusion of studies with data collection by telephone stands out as a limitation, due to the non-inclusion of vulnerable groups without access to this means of communication.

Conclusion

It is necessary to implement and strengthen specific public policies for the maternal and child group with the objective of protecting and strengthening the rights of women to maintain the physical and mental integrity of this group and guarantee Food Security.

Correlation Between Drinking Water and Iodine Status: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Iodine is a micronutrient essential for maintaining normal body functioning, and the consumption depends on the distribution in the environment, and insufficient or excessive intake results in thyroid dysfunction. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the correlation between iodine concentration in drinking water and the iodine status of the population. The systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and was registered at the International Prospective Register of Ongoing Systematic Reviews (CRD42019128308). A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE/PUBMED (National Library of Medicine), LILACS (Latin-American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences), and Cochrane Library, June 2021. The quality of the studies was assessed by a checklist for cross-sectional studies developed by Joanna Briggs Institute. The initial search identified 121 articles, out of which ten were included in this systematic review, and five were included in the meta-analysis. Among the articles listed, six adopted cutoff points to classify the iodine content in the drinking water. The study identified median iodine concentration in drinking water from 2.2 to 617.8 μg/L and the correlation between iodine concentration in drinking water and urinary iodine concentration was 0.92, according to meta-analysis. Furthermore, the iodine status was correlated to the iodine content in water. The determination of a cutoff point can contribute to the implementation of iodine consumption control measures.

Análise da produção científica sobre a violência digital no namoro entre adolescentes

A violência no namoro entre adolescentes é considerada um problema de saúde pública e preditor de violência conjugal. O objetivo deste estudo foi produzir uma revisão sistemática acerca da violência digital no namoro entre adolescentes. A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados SciELO, LILACS, Scopus, PubMed e o buscador Google Acadêmico, nos idiomas Português, Inglês e Espanhol. A amostra final resultou em 34 artigos internacionais. A violência digital no namoro ocorre de duas formas: os comportamentos de controle e monitoramento e a violência sexual digital, ambos mediados pela Internet. Aponta-se a potência silenciosa da violência, naturalizada e quiçá tomada como parte integrante do relacionamento. Constatou-se necessidade de incremento na realização de pesquisas brasileiras para maior aprofundamento acerca do fenômeno, com vistas à prevenção deste tipo de violência, bem como o uso mais responsável e positivo das tecnologias de informação e comunicação pelos adolescentes nas relações de namoro.

Quality of the hospital infection control programs: an integrative review

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the quality of health in relation to the components of structure, process, and outcome in actions for the prevention and control of infections.

METHOD

An integrative literature review in the LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus, and SciELO databases. The time delimitation covered articles published between January 2009 and May 2019.

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 10 articles published, mainly in Scopus (60%), and in Web of Science (30%). The structural elements varied among the study countries, suggesting opportunities for improvement of organizational characteristics and human resources. Regarding the process of the implemented routines, inconsistencies were found to comply with the guidelines. The result component was not emphasized among the studies included in the review.

CONCLUSION

The quality of hospital infection control programs has yet to be improved among the health services, highlighting the need for investment in the structure, process, and outcome components.

Systematic review on the use and description of measures to evaluate psychotherapeutic interventions with children and adolescents in Brazil

INTRODUCTION

Psychotherapeutic interventions in childhood and adolescence are recognized as a mental treatment and as a tool to reduce psychological disorders in youth and adulthood. Therefore, there is an increasing concern about evidence of effectiveness of mental disorder interventions and adequacy of measurement. The objectives of this systematic review were to investigate predominant research designs and instruments used in Brazilian studies describing psychotherapeutic interventions with children and adolescents and to examine how these instruments are described regarding evidence of validity and reliability.

METHOD

Five databases were surveyed, and for each one two independent judges performed the selection of records and applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The final database comprised 28 papers, in which 92 instruments were referred. Fifty-seven instruments cited did not have descriptions of evidence of validity for the Brazilian population; for 31 instruments, validity evidence was mentioned, but the study did not detail which validity parameter was used; three studies described content validity evidence for their instruments. Furthermore, information about reliability was described for only two instruments.

CONCLUSION

A lack of studies in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy was found in Brazil. There is a significant need for the field to attend both the psychometric properties and the quality of description of research instruments. The scientific production of studies focused on the evaluation of psychotherapeutic interventions may promote evidence-based psychotherapy and justify the offer of mental treatment in different contexts.

Revisões da literatura científica: tipos, métodos e aplicações em enfermagem

Introdução: O interesse da Enfermagem pela metodologia de revisões da literatura tem vindo a aumentar, constituindo-se métodos que permitem uma prática baseada na evidência científica. Objetivo: Caracterizar os diferentes tipos de revisões da literatura e descrever etapas principais de uma revisão sistemática da literatura. Material e métodos: Revisão narrativa da literatura. Pesquisa em bases de dados nas seguintes plataformas Google Académico, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), EBSCO Host, e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS). As palavras-chave: metanálise; medicina baseada em evidências; literatura de revisão como assunto; metodologia, nos idiomas inglês e português. Resultados: Foram descritas 14 tipos de revisões e analisadas de acordo com o tipo de pesquisa, avaliação da qualidade metodológica dos artigos incluídos, síntese da informação colhida e análise global dos dados. Foram apresentadas as vantagens e desvantagens de cada tipo e descritos os principais passos de uma revisão sistemática da literatura. Conclusões: A revisão sistemática da literatura é um dos alicerces para prática baseada em evidência, uma vez que agrega uma grande quantidade de informações num único estudo. Palavras-chave: metanálise; medicina baseada em evidências; literatura de revisão como assunto; metodologia; enfermagem de reabilitação.

[Bullying and psychoactive substance use during adolescence: a systematic review]

Bullying and psychoactive substance abuse are prevalent phenomena among adolescents and identified as health problems that may jeopardise the development of all those involved. This systematic review of the literature aims to identify the extent to which involvement in bullying and psychoactive substance use during adolescence are associated, as well as check for differences regarding the social roles of bullying. From the search for empirical articles published between January 2009 and December 2014 in seven electronic databases, 585 records were identified. After the criteria for inclusion and exclusion were applied, the remaining 40 studies were analyzed based on the design, characteristics of the sample and results of the relationship between bullying and psychoactive substance use. Most studies are quantitative and cross-sectional, and they showed mixed samples of boys and girls in the school environment, which was the place where the phenomena are studied by preference. The association between the perpetration of bullying and psychoactive substance use for adolescents of both sexes is revealed. In relation to victimization by bullying, it was not possible to determine the direction and characterization of the relationship with psychoactive substance use.

ANALYSIS OF DAYTIME SLEEPINIESS IN ADOLESCENTS BY THE PEDIATRIC DAYTIME SLEEPINESS SCALE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Objective:

To systematically review the use of the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) in the analysis of daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents.

Data source:

The electronic databases PubMed and SciELO were consulted between 2003 and 2015. As inclusion criterion, studies were considered in English, Spanish and Portuguese, original articles of any type of design, articles with a sample of children and/or adolescents, articles that used the PDSS. Duplicate articles, articles with no relation to the theme, articles with another investigated population, and articles that the parents answered the instrument for their children were excluded. To find the material with these features, the terms “Daytime sleepiness” AND “adolescents” and “Daytime sleepiness” AND “children” were used in the searches. In addition, the descriptor “Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale” was used to filter more specifically.

Data synthesis:

Initially, 986 studies related to daytime sleepiness were identified. Considering the inclusion criteria, we analyzed 26 studies composed of 18,458 subjects aged 0 to 37 years. The diurnal sleepiness score ranged from 6.7±0.6 to 25.7±0.6 points. In general, all included studies investigated other sleep variables in addition to daytime sleepiness, such as: sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep hygiene or sleep disorders (narcolepsy and cataplexy), respiratory disorders, neurological and developmental disorders.

Conclusions:

There was a moderate use of PDSS to evaluate daytime sleepiness. This instrument allows the monitoring of factors that influence excessive daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents.

Evaluation practices in the field of Food and Nutrition

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to characterize and analyze the different existing methods for the evaluation of food and nutrition programs and services in Brazil, through a systematic review of the literature focused on complete articles published in national indexed journals. We searched the PubMed, MedLine and LILACS databases using the following search terms and Boolean operators: “evaluation and program”; “project”; “intervention”; “servisse”; “actions and nutrition”; “nutritional”. The research was restricted to articles written in Portuguese, English and Spanish and published between 2001 and 2015. Twenty-two studies were selected and the analysis indicates; most were carried out through quantitative approaches and external evaluations based on epidemiological theory; participatory evaluation strategies are still uncommon; Impact assessments and implementation were predominant; there is little diversity in terms of references to the theoretical framework in the field of evaluation of health care programs in the planning and execution of the evaluation processes analyzed. The results of this study indicate the need for a more comprehensive evaluation considering the complexity of the interventions evaluated using the theoretical-methodological apparatus available in the literature to understand the importance of the different perspectives of the agents involved in the evaluation processes.

Terapia de Casal e Estratégias de Resolução de Conflito: Uma Revisão Sistemática

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar uma revisão sistemática de artigos científicos sobre psicoterapia de casal e estratégias de resolução de conflito e identificar variáveis envolvidas no processo terapêutico. Foram consultadas oito bases de dados: Academic Search Complete, Biblioteca Cochrane, Ibecs, Lilacs, Medline, PsycINFO, SciELO e Web of Science, no período de 2006 a 2015. Foram encontrados 238 artigos, sendo incluídos 13 estudos após a avaliação de três juízes independentes. As abordagens comportamental e cognitivo-comportamental se destacaram em relação à sistêmica e à psicodinâmica. Observou-se consenso sobre o papel da comunicação, da empatia, do perdão, do apoio mútuo e da confiança para a resolução dos conflitos conjugais. Por outro lado, há falta de homogeneidade e de clareza na utilização de conceitos e técnicas. A análise da literatura forneceu um panorama internacional, composto por perspectivas de consenso já estabelecidos, inconsistências que devem ser superadas e carência de estudos, especialmente no Brasil, contexto potencial de investigação da temática.