The development of a critical appraisal tool for use in systematic reviews addressing questions of prevalence

BACKGROUND

Recently there has been a significant increase in the number of systematic reviews addressing questions of prevalence. Key features of a systematic review include the creation of an a priori protocol, clear inclusion criteria, a structured and systematic search process, critical appraisal of studies, and a formal process of data extraction followed by methods to synthesize, or combine, this data. Currently there exists no standard method for conducting critical appraisal of studies in systematic reviews of prevalence data.

METHODS

A working group was created to assess current critical appraisal tools for studies reporting prevalence data and develop a new tool for these studies in systematic reviews of prevalence. Following the development of this tool it was piloted amongst an experienced group of sixteen healthcare researchers.

RESULTS

The results of the pilot found that this tool was a valid approach to assessing the methodological quality of studies reporting prevalence data to be included in systematic reviews. Participants found the tool acceptable and easy to use. Some comments were provided which helped refine the criteria.

CONCLUSION

The results of this pilot study found that this tool was well-accepted by users and further refinements have been made to the tool based on their feedback. We now put forward this tool for use by authors conducting prevalence systematic reviews.

Risk of surgery for inflammatory bowel diseases has decreased over time: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic diseases that often require surgery. However, the risk of requirement of surgery over time has not been well characterized. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish the cumulative risk of surgery among patients with IBD and evaluated how this risk has changed over time.

METHODS

We searched Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, and conference proceedings (2009-2012) on May 8, 2013, for terms related to IBD and intestinal surgery. Two reviewers screened 8338 unique citations to identify 486 for full-text review. The analysis included population-based studies published as articles (n = 26) and abstracts (n = 4) that reported risks of surgery at 1, 5, or 10 years after a diagnosis of Crohn's disease and/or ulcerative colitis. The trend in risk of surgery over time was analyzed by meta-regression using mixed-effect models.

RESULTS

Based on all population-based studies, the risk of surgery 1, 5, and 10 years after diagnosis of Crohn's disease was 16.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.4%-23.2%), 33.3% (95% CI, 26.3%-42.1%), and 46.6% (95% CI, 37.7%-57.7%), respectively. The risk of surgery 1, 5, and 10 years after diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was 4.9% (95% CI, 3.8%-6.3%), 11.6% (95% CI, 9.3%-14.4%), and 15.6% (95% CI, 12.5%-19.6%), respectively. The risk of surgery 1, 5, and 10 years after diagnosis of Crohn's disease and 1 and 10 years after diagnosis of ulcerative colitis has decreased significantly over the past 6 decades (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies, the risk of intestinal surgery among patients with IBD has decreased over the past 6 decades.

Caregiver burden for informal caregivers of patients with dementia: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Dementia is an irreversible illness. The caregiver is expected to assume increased responsibility as the condition of the person with dementia declines. It is important to explore the factors constituting caregiver burden on the informal caregivers of people with dementia.

AIMS

The purpose of this article is to identify the factors constituting caregiver burden on the informal caregivers of people with dementia living in the community.

METHODS

A systematic review of the four databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library, was carried out to access relevant articles published between 2003 and 2012. Twenty-one articles met the inclusion criteria of this study.

RESULTS

Behavioural problems or psychological symptoms were the primary factor of the person with dementia that is associated with caregiver burden. Caregiver socio-demographical factors and psychological factors were the two primary factors of the caregiver burden.

LIMITATIONS

Several results of this study were based on studies that had their own limitations. Furthermore, the concept of caregiver 'burden' was not clearly defined in some of the studies; instead, the term was broadly defined.

CONCLUSION

Factors of caregiver burden in regard to people with dementia living in the community were clarified in this review study. By identifying all of the factors, healthcare professionals can deliver appropriate assistance to relieve caregiver burden and improve the quality of caregiving for people with dementia.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

It is important to identify the factors of the burden on the caregivers of people with dementia living in the community to prevent early nursing home placement, deterioration of caregiver's health and reduce the adverse health outcomes for care recipients. A health-related policy should be formulated to help informal caregivers receive more professional assistance. Training opportunities should be provided for family caregivers to reduce the impact of caregiving on the delivery of effective care.

Are differences in travel time or distance to healthcare for adults in global north countries associated with an impact on health outcomes? A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether there is an association between differences in travel time/travel distance to healthcare services and patients' health outcomes and assimilate the methodologies used to measure this.

DESIGN

Systematic Review. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Transport database, HMIC and EBM Reviews for studies up to 7 September 2016. Studies were excluded that included children (including maternity), emergency medical travel or countries classed as being in the global south.

SETTINGS

A wide range of settings within primary and secondary care (these were not restricted in the search).

RESULTS

108 studies met the inclusion criteria. The results were mixed. 77% of the included studies identified evidence of a distance decay association, whereby patients living further away from healthcare facilities they needed to attend had worse health outcomes (eg, survival rates, length of stay in hospital and non-attendance at follow-up) than those who lived closer. 6 of the studies identified the reverse (a distance bias effect) whereby patients living at a greater distance had better health outcomes. The remaining 19 studies found no relationship. There was a large variation in the data available to the studies on the patients' geographical locations and the healthcare facilities attended, and the methods used to calculate travel times and distances were not consistent across studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The review observed that a relationship between travelling further and having worse health outcomes cannot be ruled out and should be considered within the healthcare services location debate.

Global Incidence of Acute Pancreatitis Is Increasing Over Time: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Acute pancreatitis is a common disease with significant associated morbidity and mortality. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies to explore the changing temporal trends of acute pancreatitis incidence globally.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search to identify population-based studies reporting the annual incidence of acute pancreatitis. Abstracts were assessed independently to identify applicable articles for full-text review and data extraction. Joinpoint temporal trend analyses were performed to calculate the average annual percent change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The AAPCs were pooled in a meta-analysis to capture the overall and regional trends in acute pancreatitis incidence over time. Temporal data were summarized in a static map and an interactive, web-based map.

RESULTS

Forty-four studies reported the temporal incidence of acute pancreatitis (online interactive map: https://kaplan-acute-pancreatitis-ucalgary.hub.arcgis.com/). The incidence of acute pancreatitis has increased from 1961 to 2016 (AAPC, 3.07%; 95% CI, 2.30% to 3.84%; n = 34). Increasing incidence was observed in North America (AAPC, 3.67%; 95% CI, 2.76% to 4.57%; n = 4) and Europe (AAPC, 2.77%; 95% CI, 1.91% to 3.63%; n = 23). The incidence of acute pancreatitis was stable in Asia (AAPC, -0.28%; 95% CI, -5.03% to 4.47%; n = 4).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the global incidence of acute pancreatitis over the last 56 years and demonstrates a steadily rising incidence over time in most countries of the Western world. More studies are needed to better define the changing incidence of acute pancreatitis in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The International Incidence of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Understanding the epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is essential to shape public health policy, implement prevention strategies, and justify allocation of resources toward research, education, and rehabilitation in TBI. There is not, to our knowledge, a systematic review of population-based studies addressing the epidemiology of TBI that includes all subtypes. We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the worldwide incidence of TBI.

METHODS

A search was conducted on May 23, 2014, in Medline and EMBASE according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Abstracts were screened independently and in duplicate to identify original research. Study quality and ascertainment bias were assessed in duplicate using a previously published tool. Demographic data and incidence estimates from each study were recorded, along with stratification by age, gender, year of data collection, and severity.

RESULTS

The search strategy yielded 4944 citations. Two hundred and sixteen articles met criteria for full-text review; 144 were excluded. Hand searching resulted in ten additional articles. Eighty-two studies met all eligibility criteria. The pooled annual incidence proportion for all ages was 295 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval: 274-317). The pooled incidence rate for all ages was 349 (95% confidence interval: 96.2-1266) per 100,000 person-years. Incidence proportion and incidence rate were examined to see if associated with age, sex, country, or severity.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that most TBIs are mild and most TBIs occur in males among the adult population. The incidence of TBI varies widely by ages and between countries. Despite being an important medical, economic, and social problem, the global epidemiology of TBI is still not well-characterized in the current literature. Understanding the incidence of TBI, particularly mild TBI, remains challenging because of nonstandardized reporting among neuroepidemiological studies.

Frequency of progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis and risk factors: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIM

Acute pancreatitis (AP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) traditionally have been thought to be distinct diseases, but there is evidence that AP can progress to CP. Little is known about the mechanisms of pancreatitis progression. We performed a meta-analysis to quantify the frequency of transition of AP to CP and identify risk factors for progression.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Embase for studies of patients with AP who developed CP, published from 1966 through November 2014. Pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for these outcomes, and sensitivity, subgroup, and meta-regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

We analyzed 14 studies, which included a total of 8492 patients. The pooled prevalence of recurrent AP was 22% (95% CI, 18%-26%), and the pooled prevalence of CP was 10% (95% CI, 6%-15%). Sensitivity analyses yielded a pooled prevalence of CP of 10% (95% CI, 4%-19%) and 36% (95% CI, 20%-53%) in patients after the first occurrence and recurrent AP, respectively. Subgroup analyses found alcohol use and smoking to be the largest risk factors for the development of CP, with pooled prevalence values of 65% (95% CI, 48%-56%) and 61% (95% CI, 47%-73%), respectively. Meta-regression analysis found that men were more likely than women to transition from AP to CP.

CONCLUSIONS

Ten percent of patients with a first episode of AP and 36% of patients with recurrent AP develop CP; the risk is higher among smokers, alcoholics, and men. Prospective clinical studies are needed to study pancreatitis progression.

The association of mild, moderate, and binge prenatal alcohol exposure and child neuropsychological outcomes: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The objective of this review is to evaluate the literature on the association between mild, moderate, and binge prenatal alcohol exposure and child neurodevelopment.

METHODS

Meta-analysis with systematic searches of MEDLINE (1970 through August 2012), EMBASE (1988 through August 2012), and PsycINFO(®) (1970 through August 2012) and examination of selected references.

RESULTS

From 1,593 articles, we identified 34 presenting data from cohort studies that met our inclusion criteria. Information on study population, outcomes, measurement instruments, timing and quantification of alcohol exposure, covariates, and results was abstracted. Outcomes included academic performance, attention, behavior, cognition, language skills, memory, and visual and motor development. The quality of each article was assessed by 2 researchers using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Based on 8 studies of 10,000 children aged 6 months through 14 years, we observed a significant detrimental association between any binge prenatal alcohol exposure and child cognition (Cohen's d [a standardized mean difference score] -0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.21, -0.05). Based on 3 high-quality studies of 11,900 children aged 9 months to 5 years, we observed a statistically significant detrimental association between moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and child behavior (Cohen's d -0.15; 95% CI, -0.28, -0.03). We observed a significant, albeit small, positive association between mild-to-moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and child cognition (Cohen's d 0.04; 95% CI, 0.00, 0.08), but the association was not significant after post hoc exclusion of 1 large study that assessed mild consumption nor was it significant when including only studies that assessed moderate alcohol consumption. None of the other completed meta-analyses resulted in statistically significant associations between mild, moderate, or binge prenatal alcohol exposure and child neuropsychological outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support previous findings suggesting the detrimental effects of prenatal binge drinking on child cognition. Prenatal alcohol exposure at levels less than daily drinking might be detrimentally associated with child behavior. The results of this review highlight the importance of abstaining from binge drinking during pregnancy and provide evidence that there is no known safe amount of alcohol to consume while pregnant.

Efficacy of Proton Pump Inhibitor Drugs for Inducing Clinical and Histologic Remission in Patients With Symptomatic Esophageal Eosinophilia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy might lead to clinical and histologic remission in a significant proportion of patients with symptomatic esophageal eosinophilia (>15 eos/high-power field). We aimed to evaluate systematically the efficacy of PPI therapy for these patients.

METHODS

A search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases, and the American Gastroenterological Association Institute, American College of Gastroenterology, and United European Gastroenterology meetings abstract books, was performed. Primary outcomes were clinical response and histologic remission (<15 eos/high-power field) after PPI therapy. Secondary outcomes were the influence on the response to PPIs of age group, study design/quality, PPI type, doses and interval dosing, and pH monitoring results. Data were pooled using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies (11 prospective studies) comprising 619 patients with symptomatic esophageal eosinophilia (188 children and 431 adults) were included. PPI therapy led to a clinical response in 60.8% (95% confidence interval, 48.38%-72.2%; I(2) = 80.2) and histologic remission in 50.5% (95% confidence interval, 42.2%-58.7%; I(2) = 67.5) of patients. No differences were observed regarding the study population (children vs adults), the type of publication, or its quality. PPIs were nonsignificantly more effective in prospective studies (52.6% vs 39.1%) administered twice daily compared with once daily (55.9% vs 49.7%), and with pathologic pH monitoring (65.4% vs 49.3%). A significant publication bias in favor of studies reporting histologic responses to PPIs was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

PPI therapy induces clinicohistologic remission in half of patients with symptomatic esophageal eosinophilia. This finding should be interpreted with caution because of poor-quality evidence, heterogeneity, and publication bias.

Effectiveness of conservative interventions including exercise, manual therapy and medical management in adults with shoulder impingement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effectiveness of conservative interventions for pain, function and range of motion in adults with shoulder impingement.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase and PEDro were searched from inception to January 2017.

STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials including participants with shoulder impingement and evaluating at least one conservative intervention against sham or other treatments.

RESULTS

For pain, exercise was superior to non-exercise control interventions (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.94, 95% CI -1.69 to -0.19). Specific exercises were superior to generic exercises (SMD -0.65, 95% CI -0.99 to -0.32). Corticosteroid injections were superior to no treatment (SMD -0.65, 95% CI -1.04 to -0.26), and ultrasound guided injections were superior to non-guided injections (SMD -0.51, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.13). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) had a small to moderate SMD of -0.29 (95% CI -0.53 to -0.05) compared with placebo. Manual therapy was superior to placebo (SMD -0.35, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.01). When combined with exercise, manual therapy was superior to exercise alone, but only at the shortest follow-up (SMD -0.32, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.01). Laser was superior to sham laser (SMD -0.88, 95% CI -1.48 to -0.27). Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ECSWT) was superior to sham (-0.39, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.01) and tape was superior to sham (-0.64, 95% CI -1.16 to -0.12), with small to moderate SMDs.

CONCLUSION

Although there was only very low quality evidence, exercise should be considered for patients with shoulder impingement symptoms and tape, ECSWT, laser or manual therapy might be added. NSAIDS and corticosteroids are superior to placebo, but it is unclear how these treatments compare to exercise.

Exercise-based Interventions for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-analysis and Meta-regression

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide. We performed a meta-analysis to determine the effectiveness of exercise-based lifestyle interventions on liver-specific end points in populations with NAFLD and underlying metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

We searched PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central register through October 21, 2015 for randomized trials of exercise-based lifestyle interventions on end points such as intrahepatic lipid content and blood levels of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases. Effect sizes are reported as standardized mean difference and weighted mean difference values. To investigate heterogeneity, we performed sensitivity and meta-regression analyses. Results were reported according to the PRISMA statement.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 28 trials. Physical activity, independently from diet change, was associated with a significant reduction in intrahepatic lipid content (standardized mean difference, -0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.90 to -0.48) and with reductions in alanine aminotransferase (weighted mean difference, -3.30 IU/L; 95% CI, 5.57 to -1.04) and aspartate aminotransferase (weighted mean difference, -4.85 IU/L; 95% CI, -8.68 to -1.02). By meta-regression, we found individuals with increasing body mass index to be increasingly more likely to benefit from the intervention (beta coefficient = -0.10; P = .037). We recorded no effect modification by variables related to the intensity of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

In a meta-analysis of randomized trials, we found strong evidence that physical activity reduces intrahepatic lipid content and markers of hepatocellular injury in patients with NAFLD. This effect correlated with baseline body mass index.

Neural mobilization: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials with an analysis of therapeutic efficacy

Neural mobilization is a treatment modality used in relation to pathologies of the nervous system. It has been suggested that neural mobilization is an effective treatment modality, although support of this suggestion is primarily anecdotal. The purpose of this paper was to provide a systematic review of the literature pertaining to the therapeutic efficacy of neural mobilization. A search to identify randomized controlled trials investigating neural mobilization was conducted using the key words neural mobilisation/mobilization, nerve mobilisation/mobilization, neural manipulative physical therapy, physical therapy, neural/nerve glide, nerve glide exercises, nerve/neural treatment, nerve/neural stretching, neurodynamics, and nerve/neural physiotherapy. The titles and abstracts of the papers identified were reviewed to select papers specifically detailing neural mobilization as a treatment modality. The PEDro scale, a systematic tool used to critique RCTs and grade methodological quality, was used to assess these trials. Methodological assessment allowed an analysis of research investigating therapeutic efficacy of neural mobilization. Ten randomized clinical trials (discussed in 11 retrieved articles) were identified that discussed the therapeutic effect of neural mobilization. This review highlights the lack in quantity and quality of the available research. Qualitative analysis of these studies revealed that there is only limited evidence to support the use of neural mobilization. Future research needs to re-examine the application of neural mobilization with use of more homogeneous study designs and pathologies; in addition, it should standardize the neural mobilization interventions used in the study.

A Systematic Review of Loneliness and Common Chronic Physical Conditions in Adults

Loneliness is a prevalent and global problem for adult populations and has been linked to multiple chronic conditions in quantitative studies. This paper presents a systematic review of quantitative studies that examined the links between loneliness and common chronic conditions including: heart disease, hypertension, stroke, lung disease, and metabolic disorders. A comprehensive literature search process guided by the PRISMA statement led to the inclusion of 33 articles that measure loneliness in chronic illness populations. Loneliness is a significant biopsychosocial stressor that is prevalent in adults with heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and lung disease. The relationships among loneliness, obesity, and metabolic disorders are understudied but current research indicates that loneliness is associated with obesity and with psychological stress in obese persons. Limited interventions have demonstrated long-term effectiveness for reducing loneliness in adults with these same chronic conditions. Future longitudinal randomized trials that enhance knowledge of how diminishing loneliness can lead to improved health outcomes in persons with common chronic conditions would continue to build evidence to support the translation of findings to recommendations for clinical care.

Body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in trans people: A systematic review of the literature

Body dissatisfaction plays a prominent role in gender dysphoria. In some individuals body dissatisfaction appears to manifest disordered eating in order to suppress bodily features of natal gender and accentuate features of gender identity. To date, there has been no systematic review of the literature pertaining to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in trans individuals. Such a review may highlight important implications for clinicians working with trans people. Therefore, the aim was to critically and systematically review the available literature examining body dissatisfaction or disordered eating in a trans population, and also the literature pertaining to how body dissatisfaction and disordered eating are related in trans people. This review found three studies that explored disordered eating in trans people, five studies that explored body image and disordered eating in trans people, and 18 studies that explored body image in trans people. The findings from this review suggest that body dissatisfaction is core to the distress trans people experience and that this dissatisfaction may also put some individuals at risk of developing disordered eating. Additionally, the findings appear to suggest that gender dysphoria treatment is successful at increasing body satisfaction and improving body image. The clinical implications are discussed.

The essentials of nursing leadership: A systematic review of factors and educational interventions influencing nursing leadership

BACKGROUND

Nursing leadership plays a vital role in shaping outcomes for healthcare organizations, personnel and patients. With much of the leadership workforce set to retire in the near future, identifying factors that positively contribute to the development of leadership in nurses is of utmost importance.

OBJECTIVES

To identify determining factors of nursing leadership, and the effectiveness of interventions to enhance leadership in nurses.

DESIGN

We conducted a systematic review, including a total of nine electronic databases.

DATA SOURCES

Databases included: Medline, Academic Search Premier, Embase, PsychInfo, Sociological Abstracts, ABI, CINAHL, ERIC, and Cochrane.

REVIEW METHODS

Studies were included if they quantitatively examined factors contributing to nursing leadership or educational interventions implemented with the intention of developing leadership practices in nurses. Two research team members independently reviewed each article to determine inclusion. All included studies underwent quality assessment, data extraction and content analysis.

RESULTS

49,502 titles/abstracts were screened resulting in 100 included manuscripts reporting on 93 studies (n=44 correlational studies and n=49 intervention studies). One hundred and five factors examined in correlational studies were categorized into 5 groups experience and education, individuals' traits and characteristics, relationship with work, role in the practice setting, and organizational context. Correlational studies revealed mixed results with some studies finding positive correlations and other non-significant relationships with leadership. Participation in leadership interventions had a positive impact on the development of a variety of leadership styles in 44 of 49 intervention studies, with relational leadership styles being the most common target of interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this review make it clear that targeted educational interventions are an effective method of leadership development in nurses. However, due to equivocal results reported in many included studies and heterogeneity of leadership measurement tools, few conclusions can be drawn regarding which specific nurse characteristics and organizational factors most effectively contribute to the development of nursing leadership. Contextual and confounding factors that may mediate the relationships between nursing characteristics, development of leadership and enhancement of leadership development programs also require further examination. Targeted development of nursing leadership will help ensure that nurses of the future are well equipped to tackle the challenges of a burdened health-care system.

Alcohol Use and Breast Cancer: A Critical Review

The objective of this study was to outline the biological pathways of alcohol-attributable breast cancer, the epidemiological risk relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, and the global burden of breast cancer incidence and mortality attributable to alcohol consumption, with a focus on light drinking. First, the literature regarding the biological mechanisms of how alcohol affects the risk of breast cancer was reviewed and summarized. Second, a search of meta-analyses that evaluated the risk relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer was conducted. Last, the burden of alcohol-attributable breast cancer incidence and mortality was estimated by means of a Population-Attributable Fraction methodology. Data on alcohol consumption were obtained from the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health, and data on cancer incidence and mortality were obtained from the GLOBOCAN database. Alcohol consumption affects breast cancer risk through the alteration in hormone levels and the associated biological pathways, the metabolism of ethanol resulting in carcinogens, and the inhibition of the one carbon metabolism pathway. The systematic review found 15 meta-analyses on the risk relationship between alcohol consumption (also light consumption) and the risk of breast cancer. All but 2 of these analyses showed a dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer. An estimated 144,000 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 88,000 to 200,000) breast cancer cases and 38,000 (95% CI: 2,400 to 53,000) breast cancer deaths globally in 2012 were attributable to alcohol, with 18.8% of these cases and 17.5% of these deaths affecting women who were light alcohol consumers. All levels of evidence showed a risk relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer, even at low levels of consumption. Due to this strong relationship, and to the amount of alcohol consumed globally, the incidence of and mortality from alcohol-attributable breast cancer is large.

Nearly 80 systematic reviews were published each day: Observational study on trends in epidemiology and reporting over the years 2000-2019

BACKGROUND

Systematic reviews (SRs) are useful tools in synthesising the available evidence, but high numbers of overlapping SRs are also discussed in the context of research waste. Although it is often claimed that the number of SRs being published is increasing steadily, there are no precise data on that. We aimed to assess trends in the epidemiology and reporting of published SRs over the last 20 years.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was conducted to identify potentially eligible SRs indexed in PubMed from 2000 to 2019. From all 572,871 records retrieved, we drew a simple random sample of 4,000. The PRISMA-P definition of SRs was applied to full texts and only SRs published in English were included. Characteristics were extracted by one reviewer, with a 20% sample verified by a second person.

RESULTS

A total of 1,132 SRs published in 710 different journals were included. The estimated number of SRs indexed in 2000 was 1,432 (95% CI: 547-2,317), 5,013 (95% CI: 3,375-6,650) in 2010 and 29,073 (95% CI: 25,445-32,702) in 2019. Transparent reporting of key items increased over the years. About 7 out of 10 named their article a SR (2000-2004: 41.9% and 2015-2019: 74.4%). In 2000-2004, 32.3% of SRs were based in the UK (0% in China), in 2015-2019 24.0% were from China and 10.8% from the UK. Nearly all articles from China (94.9%) conducted a meta-analysis (overall: 58.9%). Cochrane reviews (n = 84; 7.4%) less often imposed language restrictions, but often did not report the number of records and full texts screened and did not name their article a SR (22.6% vs. 73.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a more than 20-fold increase in the number of SRs indexed over the last 20 years. In 2019, this is equivalent to 80 SRs per day. Over time, SRs got more diverse in respect to journals, type of review, and country of corresponding authors. The high proportion of meta-analyses from China needs further investigation.

STUDY REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/pxjrv/).

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty for treatment of proximal humeral fractures in older adults: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Displaced proximal humeral fractures have traditionally been treated with hemiarthroplasty in older adults, but sometimes hemiarthroplasty results in poor functional outcomes due to rotator cuff deficiency. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) can offer potentially improved outcomes in these situations. We assessed the functional outcomes of older adults treated with RSA for proximal humeral fractures compared with hemiarthroplasty.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, and 3 clinical trials registries. We included all studies treating proximal humeral fractures with RSA in adults with a mean age older than 60 years and 1 year of follow-up. We calculated weighted mean differences (WMD) for range of motion and standardized mean differences (SMD) for shoulder scores. Postoperative complications were evaluated qualitatively.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria, including 377 patients treated with RSA and 504 patients treated with hemiarthroplasty. In controlled studies, the RSA group had improved forward flexion (WMD, 21°;, P = .02) and functional outcome scores (SMD, 0.44; P = .005) compared with the hemiarthroplasty group but decreased external rotation (WMD, -5°; P < .0001). Postoperative complications were similar between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

RSA results in improved forward flexion and functional outcome scores compared with hemiarthroplasty for older adults with proximal humeral fractures. Complications do not appear to be appreciably higher in the RSA group in the existing follow-up. The results of this review suggest that RSA is a reasonable alternative for treating older adults with proximal humeral fractures, but more research and longer follow-up are needed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review.

IFSO Position Statement on the Role of Esophago-Gastro-Duodenal Endoscopy Prior to and after Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Procedures

One of the roles of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) is to provide guidance on the management of patients seeking surgery for adiposity-based chronic diseases. The role of endoscopy around the time of endoscopy is an area of clinical controversy. In 2018, IFSO commissioned a task force to determine the role of endoscopy before and after surgery for the management of adiposity and adiposity-based chronic diseases. The following position statement is issued by the IFSO Endoscopy in Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery Taskforce. It has been approved by the IFSO Scientific Committee and Executive Board. This statement is based on current clinical knowledge, expert opinion, and published peer-reviewed scientific evidence. It will be reviewed regularly.

Celiac plexus neurolysis for abdominal cancer pain: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review assesses the effectiveness and side effects of celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) in the treatment of upper abdominal cancer pain, and evaluates whether there are any differences between the percutaneous and endoscopic ultrasound-guided (EUS) denervation techniques.

METHODS

Five databases were searched, expanded by assessing the reference lists of all retrieved papers. Sixty-six publications fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Randomized controlled trials were available for the percutaneous CPN, and therefore meta-analyses were performed for pain, opioid consumption, and specific side effects. The quality of life data were too heterogeneous to be assessed by a meta-analysis, and evidence for EUS CPN could only be evaluated by observational studies.

RESULTS

Meta-analyses show that percutaneous CPN significantly improves pain in patients with upper abdominal cancer, with a decrease in opioid consumption and side effects. It is unclear whether there is any change in quality of life. Case series suggest that EUS CPN improves pain. No conclusion can be made about EUS CPN's influence on opioid consumption. Although CPN is a safe procedure, side effects and complications can occur with both the percutaneous and EUS techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

Following this review, evidence suggests that CPN should be considered in patients with upper abdominal cancer where the pain is not adequately controlled with systemic analgesics or when significant opioid-induced side effects are present. The percutaneous approach remains the standard technique as robust evidence for EUS CPN is lacking.

Systematic Review of Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonists in Extraintestinal Manifestations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

This systematic review investigated the efficacy and the effectiveness of biologic drugs in extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

Literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane until October 2015. Main inclusion criteria were adults with IBD, use of a biologic drug, evolution of EIMs, interventional study, or non-interventional study.

RESULTS

Nine interventional studies (2 randomized controlled trials [N = 797], 7 open label trials [N = 1143], and 13 non-interventional studies [N = 914]) were included. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists achieved complete response for pyoderma gangrenosum in 21%-25% of patients in interventional studies and in 92%-100% patients in non-interventional studies, with similar results for other cutaneous manifestations such as erythema nodosum or stomatitis. Adalimumab significantly reduced the prevalence of anemia vs placebo after 56 weeks in 1 randomized controlled trial. In 2 non-interventional studies, anti-TNF therapy improved anemia in the short-term (67%) and in the long-term (34%). Complete response after anti-TNF treatment was reported in interventional studies, including arthralgia (reduction in prevalence from 47.1% to 26.8% in the mid-term in 1 open label trial) and arthritis (reduction in prevalence from 8.7% to 2.1% and from 58% to 12.5% in 2 open label trials). Anti-TNFs were beneficial for a majority of patients with ocular manifestations. Infliximab was associated with improved outcomes in bone formation and bone mineral density.

CONCLUSIONS

Anti-TNFs appear to be effective alternatives for certain EIMs associated with IBD including musculoskeletal, cutaneous, and ocular manifestations, and some beneficial effect may be obtained in metabolic bone disease and on hematologic or vascular EIMs.

Telehealth in palliative care is being described but not evaluated: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Telehealth is growing and its application in palliative care is seen as a solution to pressures on palliative care services. A 2010 UK review reported growing awareness of telehealth in palliative care but a lack of evidence-based research to support its use. The primary aim of this review was to describe the current use of telehealth in palliative care in the UK and evaluate telehealth initiatives against a digital service standard. The secondary aim was to explore whether telehealth results in a reduction in emergency care access.

METHODS

Systematic review of the literature with thematic synthesis. Records were screened and data extracted by two reviewers. EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Psychinfo and Cochrane central register for controlled trials were searched using pre-defined terms. Hand searching of conference literature, thesis databases and citation tracking was also conducted. The protocol for this systematic review was registered with PROSPERO and can be found at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42017080038.

RESULTS

The search identified 3807 titles and 30 studies were included in the review. Telehealth was used to support patients and carers, electronic record keeping and professional education. Notably, the number of home telemonitoring initiatives for patients had increased from the 2010 review. Despite this variety, many studies were small scale, descriptive and provided little evidence of evaluation of the service. Ten papers were sufficiently detailed to allow appraisal against the digital service standard and only one of these met all of the criteria to some extent. Seven studies made reference to emergency care access.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there is growth of telehealth services, there remains a lack of evaluation and robust study design meaning conclusions regarding the clinical application of telehealth in palliative care cannot be drawn. There is insufficient evidence to appreciate any benefit of telehealth on access to emergency care. Future work is needed to evaluate the use of telehealth in palliative care and improve telehealth design in line with digital service standards.

How effective are brief interventions in reducing alcohol consumption: do the setting, practitioner group and content matter? Findings from a systematic review and metaregression analysis

BACKGROUND

While the efficacy and effectiveness of brief interventions for alcohol (ABI) have been demonstrated in primary care, there is weaker evidence in other settings and reviews do not consider differences in content. We conducted a systematic review to measure the effect of ABIs on alcohol consumption and how it differs by the setting, practitioner group and content of intervention.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO; CINAHL, Social Science Citation Index, Cochrane Library and Global Health up to January 2015 for randomised controlled trials that measured effectiveness of ABIs on alcohol consumption. We grouped outcomes into measures of quantity and frequency indices. We used multilevel meta-analysis to estimate pooled effect sizes and tested for the effect of moderators through a multiparameter Wald test. Stratified analysis of a subset of quantity and frequency outcomes was conducted as a sensitivity check.

RESULTS

52 trials were included contributing data on 29 891 individuals. ABIs reduced the quantity of alcohol consumed by 0.15 SDs. While neither the setting nor content appeared to significantly moderate intervention effectiveness, the provider did in some analyses. Interventions delivered by nurses had the most effect in reducing quantity (d=-0.23, 95% CI (-0.33 to -0.13)) but not frequency of alcohol consumption. All content groups had statistically significant mean effects, brief advice was the most effective in reducing quantity consumed (d=-0.20, 95% CI (-0.30 to -0.09)). Effects were maintained in the stratified sensitivity analysis at the first and last assessment time.

CONCLUSIONS

ABIs play a small but significant role in reducing alcohol consumption. Findings show the positive role of nurses in delivering interventions. The lack of evidence on the impact of content of intervention reinforces advice that services should select the ABI tool that best suits their needs.

Effectiveness of befriending interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Befriending is an emotional supportive relationship in which one-to-one companionship is provided on a regular basis by a volunteer. It is commonly and increasingly offered by the voluntary sector for individuals with distressing physical and mental conditions. However, the effectiveness of this intervention on health outcomes is largely unknown. We aim to conduct a systematic review of the benefits of befriending.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental trials of befriending for a range of physical and mental health indications including depression, anxiety, mental illness, cancer, physical illness and dementia. Main outcomes included patient-relevant and disease-specific outcomes, such as depression, loneliness, quality of life, self-esteem, social support and well-being.

RESULTS

A total of 14 trials (2411 participants) were included; 7 were judged at low risk of bias. Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with befriending but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials. Befriending was significantly associated with better patient-reported outcomes across primary measures (standardised mean difference 0.18 (95% CI, -0.002 to 0.36, I²=26%, seven trials)). However, there was no significant benefit on single outcomes, including depression, quality of life, loneliness ratings, self-esteem measures, social support structures and well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

There was moderate quality evidence to support the use of befriending for the treatment of individuals with different physical and mental health conditions. This evidence refers to an overall improvement benefit in patient-reported primary outcomes, although with a rather small effect size. The current evidence base does not allow for firm conclusions on more specific outcomes. Future trials should hypothesise a model for the precise effects of befriending and use specified inclusion and outcome criteria.

Health literacy interventions for immigrant populations: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Health literacy is considered a social health determinant that influences improvement in health, patient empowerment and reduction in inequalities. There is a lack of health literacy interventions for vulnerable social groups (i.e. immigrants), and nurses have shown little familiarity with the concept.

AIM

This study aimed to identify and analyse whether interventions directed at immigrant populations improve the functional (basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills), interactive (social and cognitive skills) and critical (advanced cognitive and social skills in critically analyzing information and making informed decisions) dimensions of health literacy, taking into account the role played by nursing in these interventions.

METHODS

A systematic review of four databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library and ERIC was conducted to identify relevant articles published between 2000 and 2015. Thirty-four articles met the inclusion criteria, and nine articles used a validated instrument.

RESULTS

Few specific health literacy interventions for immigrant populations were found. The main findings of the studies showed positive changes in functional health literacy. However, the interventions were less effective in improving interactive and critical health literacy.

LIMITATIONS

Several of the findings of this review were based on studies that had their own limitations. The assessment of the articles was not blinded, and the review was restricted to articles written in Spanish and English.

CONCLUSIONS

The interventions studied were reported as being effective in improving health literacy in immigrants, particularly the functional aspects. Regarding the role played by nursing, this review observed little involvement.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

It is important for educational strategies to include health literacy dimensions. The concept of health literacy should be included as a Nursing Outcomes Classification and in its subsequent validation taxonomy. To promote community health, health literacy must be a prioritized objective of health management and policies.