Cranberry Supplements for Urinary Tract Infection Prophylaxis in Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials and Observational Studies on Efficacy, Acceptability, Outcomes Measurement Methods, and Studies' Feasibility

Cranberry supplements are commonly used to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, their usefulness is uncertain in pregnant women. We aimed to comprehensively summarize the current knowledge on cranberry supplements' efficacy and acceptability during pregnancy in addition to the outcomes measurement methods and studies' feasibility. To achieve it, we searched PubMed, PMC, and Europe PMC databases plus screened citations followed by critical appraisal of included eligible English-written primary studies that (1) focused on pregnant women supplemented with any cranberry supplements; (2) provided data on cranberry supplements' efficacy, acceptability, outcomes measurement methods, and studies' feasibility; (3) included human subjects; and (4) published worldwide. Two randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and one nested cohort study, including 1156 pregnant women in total, contributed to our analysis. A tendency toward UTI reduction was demonstrated, although the results' validity was impacted by significant juice-induced gastrointestinal intolerance (23%; 44 of 188 subjects). Changing the form of supplementation from cranberry juice to capsules reduced the issue, causing side effects in one of 49 subjects (2%). Nevertheless, both RCTs still experienced significant recruitment and retention problems, which were at 33% and 59% on average, respectively. Newly acquired safety data on 919 more subjects suggests no increased risks of all malformations, vaginal bleeding, and neonatal complications. Investigating cranberry capsules' efficacy as a non-antibacterial option for UTI prevention in pregnant women has become a feasible and important direction with the current advancement in understanding cranberry supplements' actions, recommended doses plus regimens, and their safety in the population. We reviewed the challenges and discovered knowledge gaps and the implementation strategies for future studies.

The Prognosis of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in HIV/AIDS Patients Undergoing Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment: A Systematic Review

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a viral infection of the central nervous system (CNS), is most commonly associated with advanced HIV infection. Although the severe neurological conditions - PML and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (PML-IRIS) - are linked to HIV, little is known about their characteristics in the era of established antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of this systematic review, which was performed by adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, was to determine the prognosis of PML in patients with HIV. We gathered and examined articles, including case-control and cohort studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that were published between January 1, 2013, and May 2023. These articles were compiled from the following databases: Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Google Scholar, Wiley Library, and ScienceDirect. A total of 519 records were found from these databases for our systematic review after applying the proper filters. They were then further screened and put through quality appraisal tools, which ultimately led to the selection of 10 articles for the final analysis. This research offers crucial insights into the clinical consequences of PML in HIV patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

From Snoring to Soaring: Unveiling the Positive Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation on Cardiovascular Health in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Through a Systematic Review

Increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and death are linked to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The primary method of treating OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP has some debatable outcomes on CV events in people suffering from OSA. The current study investigates how CPAP affects CV outcomes. The goal is to evaluate CPAP's effectiveness in lowering CV outcomes in OSA patients. We used a computer to search the PubMed, PubMed Central Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases for studies comparing the effects of CPAP and a control group on CV outcomes in OSA patients. These included randomised control trials (RCT), narrative reviews, systematic reviews, case-control studies, observational studies and meta-analyses. A total of 52,937 patients were included in the final analysis of six RCTs, four observational studies, 10 meta-analyses, one case-control study, two systematic reviews and one narrative review. The weighted mean follow-up lasted for a period of between three months and nine years. The risk of major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) was the same for both the CPAP and control groups. According to subgroup analysis, patients with lower MACE adherence rates (four hours per night) were more likely to use CPAP. The risk of all-cause mortality, CV-related complications causing mortality, acute myocardial infarction acute stroke, or hospitalisations for angina was the same in the CPAP and control groups. The primary outcome was that in patients with therapy with CPAP in addition to usual care and usual care alone did not prevent CV events in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA and existing CV illness. Patients with OSA who utilise CPAP may not experience fewer CV events. Patients who use CPAP consistently (four hours per night) could benefit from improved CV results. Future research must assess how well-adherent patients with severe OSA and low CV event rates respond to CPAP therapy. In patients who use CPAP for more than four hours each night, CPAP therapy may minimise the risk of MACE and stroke. Additional randomised trials requiring adequate CPAP time adherence are needed to support this perception. Despite the fact that there is no evidence to support the claim that CPAP therapy improves CV outcomes, bias difficulties, CPAP adherence problems, and the patient groups included in each RCT may have made it more difficult to generalise the findings to all patients. Future research is therefore needed to look at these relevant results.

Cervical and Vaginal Deciduosis: Insights on Management and a Systematic Review of Observational Studies on Pregnancy Complications and Management Outcomes (Including Vaginal Birth)

INTRODUCTION

Deciduosis is an ectopic transformation of connective tissue into decidual-like cells. This is the first systematic review describing the clinical course, associated pregnancy complications, and management outcomes of cervical and vaginal deciduosis.

METHODS

Our search covered worldwide observational studies published in English in five databases (PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Europe PMC, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar) from inception to February 24, 2023. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and critically appraised studies using CAse REport (CARE) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools. Then, we extracted patient characteristics, clinical features, management-related information, and outcomes.

RESULTS

The selection process identified 15 studies describing 30 pregnancies. Macroscopic cervical and vaginal deciduosis presented as recurrent vaginal bleeding in over 16 of 24 women (57%). Differential diagnoses included miscarriages, cervical pregnancy, placenta previa, and malignancy. Significant antenatal hemorrhages, preterm rupture of membranes, and preterm birth were the most frequent pregnancy complications. Only one of 27 electively performed procedures resulted in biopsy-induced uncontrolled vaginal bleeding (0.04%), suggesting the relative safety of the interventions. Lesion resection led to the cessation of recurrent symptoms in eight of eight patients (100%) compared to eight of 15 women (53%) under observation management. All women with polypoid deciduosis over 1.5 cm entered labor and delivered without complications.

CONCLUSIONS

We described the clinical course, pregnancy complications, diagnostic-related challenges, management, and associated outcomes in women with macroscopic cervical and vaginal deciduosis. We supported the analysis with the current state of the problem and discovered gaps for prospective studies.

Clinical Value of Circulating microRNAs in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers and has a high mortality rate due to high invasiveness and rapid progression. Microribonucleic acid (microRNA) plays an essential role in diagnosing PC in the early stages, which improves the five-year survival rate. This systematic review aims to highlight the different subtypes of serum and plasma microRNAs and panel-based assays of microRNAs and how they play a crucial role in the diagnosis and prognosis of PC as a high-sensitive and specific novel biomarker. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, an in-depth search was performed by using regular keywords and major Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) keywords in PubMed (MEDLINE), PubMed Central, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library for articles related to this topic and published between 2013 and 2023, up to April 18, 2023. Further eligibility criteria and quality assessment tools were employed to assess the risk of bias, and 13 articles were finalized to be used in this review. The chosen articles included five cross-sectional studies, six systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and two literature reviews. This review provides strong evidence of the usage of microRNA for early diagnosis. It can also be used to exclude differential diagnoses of other diseases, and its prognostic value for determining metastasis and therapeutic efficacy in PC patients. Also, combining microRNA panels with carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA19-9) improves the sensitivity and specificity of microRNA as a biomarker.

The Role of Gut Microbiome in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

Gut microbiome dysbiosis is common in patients with chronic liver diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and plays an essential role in developing, diagnosing, and treating HCC. The purpose of this systematic review, which was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses 2020 guidelines, is to determine the role of the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of HCC. We collected and reviewed articles, including clinical trials, literature reviews, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, published between May 30, 2013, and May 30, 2023. The databases used to collect these articles included PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. After applying appropriate filters, a total of 2,969 studies were identified. They were further screened and subjected to quality assessment tools which finally yielded 17 studies included in this systematic review. This systematic review provides information regarding the gut-liver axis and the relationship between gut microbiome dysbiosis and HCC.