DO PROBIOTICS HAVE ANY FUTURE IN NEONATOLOGY? (ANALYSIS OF THE LATEST DATA. PART I) T. K. Znamenska, O. V. Vorobiova

From year to year prescription of probioticsremains a controversial issue both in medicine for adults andpediatrics. Some doctors make a positive conclusion about theeffectiveness of probiotics, while large individual tests beinga part of meta-analyses show negative results pointing that acertain probiotic strain has no influence on a patient. It’s betterto avoid excessively negative or positive conclusions CRTabout probiotics. The issue of using probiotics in newborns isespecially acute among neonatologists. The aim of this articleis the analysis of the latest data on the possibility of usingprobiotics in newborns.In 2021 the clinical report about the use of probiotics inpremature newborns in the USA was published (ААР committeeon fetus and newborns issue). It pointed out that the numberof premature newborns who get prescriptions for probiotics,namely in the USA, is steadily increasing despite significantdifferences in combinations of probiotic drugs and absenceof pharmaceutical class of probiotic products. Accordingto the latest source of database in the USA, around 10% ofnewborns with extremely low gestational age get a certaintype of probiotics while being in the intensive care unit fornewborns with different variations among the units. Despitethe fact that lots of doctors argue their usual use of probioticsin premature newborns, other groups, including ESPGHANand АРР are more cautious admitting the main restrictions ofmany researches, methodological differences in the design ofa research and guidelines along with the conclusion that theeffectiveness of probiotics may vary widely.Recently the ESPGHAN working group on probiotics andprebiotics has published the document on using an approachof network meta-analysis of finding strains with the largestpotential of effectiveness to prevent major diseases inpremature newborns. Following this the ESPGHAN committeeon feeding issue and the ESPGHAN working group onprobiotics and prebiotics have an aim to develop a documentwhich can serve as a guidance for possible use of probiotics inpremature newborns the positions of which we will consider inthe second part of the article.

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Sarcopenia Is Associated with Mortality in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000517099 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Jane Xu ◽

Ching S. Wan ◽

Kiriakos Ktoris ◽

Esmee M. Reijnierse ◽

Andrea B. Maier

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Working Group ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Nursing Home Residents ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

European Working ◽

Subgroup Analyses ◽

Meta Analyses

Background: Sarcopenia can predispose individuals to falls, fractures, hospitalization, and mortality. The prevalence of sarcopenia depends on the population studied and the definition used for the diagnosis. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between sarcopenia and mortality and if it is dependent on the population and sarcopenia definition. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane from 1 January 2010 to 6 April 2020 for articles relating to sarcopenia and mortality. Articles were included if they met the following criteria – cohorts with a mean or median age ≥18 years and either of the following sarcopenia definitions: Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS and AWGS2019), European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP and EWGSOP2), Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), International Working Group for Sarcopenia (IWGS), or Sarcopenia Definition and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC). Hazard ratios (HR) and odds ratios (OR) were pooled separately in meta-analyses using a random-effects model, stratified by population (community-dwelling adults, outpatients, inpatients, and nursing home residents). Subgroup analyses were performed for sarcopenia definition and follow-up period. Results: Out of 3,025 articles, 57 articles were included in the systematic review and 56 in the meta-analysis (42,108 participants, mean age of 49.4 ± 11.7 to 86.6 ± 1.0 years, 40.3% females). Overall, sarcopenia was associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality (HR: 2.00 [95% CI: 1.71, 2.34]; OR: 2.35 [95% CI: 1.64, 3.37]), which was independent of population, sarcopenia definition, and follow-up period in subgroup analyses. Conclusions: Sarcopenia is associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality, independent of population and sarcopenia definition, which highlights the need for screening and early diagnosis in all populations.

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Analysis of the Most-Cited Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis in Acupuncture Research

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/3469122 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Ying He ◽

Yuxi Li ◽

Juan Li ◽

Ning Li ◽

Yonggang Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Reviews ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Research Field ◽

Maryland School ◽

The Usa ◽

Acupuncture Research ◽

New Research ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

The University

Objectives. The aim of the current study was to analyze the 100 most-cited systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the field of acupuncture research. Methods. The Web of Science Core Collection was used to retrieve lists of 100 most-cited systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the field of acupuncture research. Two authors screened literature, extracted data, and analyzed the results. Results. The citation number of the 100 most-cited systematic reviews or meta-analyses varied from 65 to 577; they were published between 1989 and 2018. Fourteen authors published more than 1 study as the corresponding author and 10 authors published more than 1 study as the first author. In terms of the corresponding authors, Edzard Ernst and Linde Klaus published the most systematic reviews/meta-analyses (n = 7). The USA published most of the systematic reviews or meta-analyses (n = 24), followed by England (n = 23) and China (n = 14). Most institutions with more than 1 study were from England (4/13). The institutions with the largest numbers of most-cited systematic reviews or meta-analyses were the Technical University of Munich in Germany, the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the USA (n = 8), the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth in England (n = 6), and the University of Exeter in England (n = 6). The journal with the largest number of most-cited systematic reviews or meta-analyses was the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (n = 20), followed by Pain (n = 6). Conclusion. Our study reveals that the 100 most-cited systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the acupuncture research field are mostly from high impact factor journals and developed countries. It will help researchers follow research hot spots, broaden their research scope, expand their academic horizons, and explore new research ideas, thereby improving the quality of acupuncture research.

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Prevalence, main serovars, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Non-typhoidal Salmonella in poultry samples from the Americas: A systematic review and meta-analysis

10.22541/au.163253387.70584910/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Diaz ◽

Pavel Eduardo Hernandez-Carreño ◽

Diana Zuleika Velazquez ◽

Miguel Angel Chaidez-Ibarra ◽

Arnulfo Montero-Pardo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Environmental Samples ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

National Level ◽

Production Chain ◽

National Differences ◽

Pooled Prevalence ◽

The Usa ◽

Meta Analyses

Poultry and poultry-derived products such as meat and eggs are among the main sources of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) transmission to the human. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and used random-effects meta-analyses to 1) estimate the prevalence of NTS in poultry samples from birds, products and subproducts, and environmental samples, 2) examine the diversity and frequency of their serovars, and 3) estimate the prevalence and profiles of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in NTS isolates reported in studies from the Americas. We included 157 studies from 15 countries comprising 261,408 poultry samples and estimated an overall pooled prevalence of 17.9% (95% CI: 10.8–26.3) in birds, 21.8% (17.7–26.1) in products and subproducts, and 29.5% (24.2–35.1) in environmental samples. At the national level, the prevalence of NTS was heterogenous across countries with the highest values in Mexico, the USA, and Canada. In total, 131 serovars were identified from 13,388 isolates, Heidelberg, Kentucky, Enteritidis, and Typhimurium were the most prevalent in the overall top 10 ranking (range 6.5–20.8%). At the national level, Enteritidis and Typhimurium were identified in most of the countries, though with national differences in their ranks. The prevalence of AMR increased from 24.1% for 1 antibiotic, to 36.2% for 2-3 antibiotics, and 49.6% for ≥ 4 antibiotics. Kentucky, Heidelberg, Typhimurium, and Enteritidis were the serovars with the highest prevalence of AMR and tetracycline, ampicillin, streptomycin, ceftiofur, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were the top five antibiotics to which NTS isolates were resistant. In conclusion, NTS was distributed through the avian production chain with high and heterogenous values of prevalence in poultry samples. Besides, there were distinctive patterns of serovars distribution across countries and an alarming prevalence of AMR among zoonotic serovars.

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A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of asthma in Puerto Ricans

European Respiratory Journal ◽

10.1183/13993003.01505-2016 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 49 (5) ◽

pp. 1601505 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Qi Yan ◽

John Brehm ◽

Maria Pino-Yanes ◽

Erick Forno ◽

Jerome Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Puerto Ricans ◽

Association Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Linkage Disequilibrium Block ◽

Genome Wide Association ◽

Health Study ◽

Genome Wide Association Studies ◽

Genome Wide ◽

The Usa ◽

Meta Analyses

Puerto Ricans are disproportionately affected with asthma in the USA. In this study, we aim to identify genetic variants that confer susceptibility to asthma in Puerto Ricans.We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of asthma in Puerto Ricans, including participants from: the Genetics of Asthma in Latino Americans (GALA) I-II, the Hartford–Puerto Rico Study and the Hispanic Community Health Study. Moreover, we examined whether susceptibility loci identified in previous meta-analyses of GWAS are associated with asthma in Puerto Ricans.The only locus to achieve genome-wide significance was chromosome 17q21, as evidenced by our top single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs907092 (OR 0.71, p=1.2×10−12) at IKZF3. Similar to results in non-Puerto Ricans, SNPs in genes in the same linkage disequilibrium block as IKZF3 (e.g. ZPBP2, ORMDL3 and GSDMB) were significantly associated with asthma in Puerto Ricans. With regard to results from a meta-analysis in Europeans, we replicated findings for rs2305480 at GSDMB, but not for SNPs in any other genes. On the other hand, we replicated results from a meta-analysis of North American populations for SNPs at IL1RL1, TSLP and GSDMB but not for IL33.Our findings suggest that common variants on chromosome 17q21 have the greatest effects on asthma in Puerto Ricans.

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Temporal trends of sex differences for COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation, severe disease, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death: a meta-analysis of 229 studies covering over 10M patients

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.74645.1 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 5

Author(s):

Bart G. Pijls ◽

Shahab Jolani ◽

Anique Atherley ◽

Janna I.R. Dijkstra ◽

Gregor H.L. Franssen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Disease Severity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Icu Admission ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Relative Risks ◽

Meta Analyses

Background: This review aims to investigate the association of sex with the risk of multiple COVID-19 health outcomes, ranging from infection to death. Methods: Pubmed and Embase were searched through September 2020. We considered studies reporting sex and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Qualitative and quantitative data were extracted using standardised electronic data extraction forms with the assessment of Newcastle Ottawa Scale for risk of bias. Pooled trends in infection, hospitalization, severity, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death rate were calculated separately for men and women and subsequently random-effects meta-analyses on relative risks (RR) for sex was performed. Results: Of 10,160 titles, 229 studies comprising 10,417,452 patients were included in the analyses. Methodological quality of the included studies was high (6.9 out of 9). Men had a higher risk for infection with COVID-19 than women (RR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.07 to 1.21). When infected, they also had a higher risk for hospitalization (RR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.27 to 1.41), higher risk for severe COVID-19 (RR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.17 to 1.27), higher need for Intensive Care (RR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.28 to 1.55), and higher risk of death (RR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.28 to 1.43). Within the period studied, the RR for infection and severity increased for men compared to women, while the RR for mortality decreased for men compared to women. Conclusions: Meta-analyses on 229 studies comprising over 10 million patients showed that men have a higher risk for COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, disease severity, ICU admission and death. The relative risks of infection, disease severity and death for men versus women showed temporal trends with lower relative risks for infection and severity of disease and higher relative risk for death at the beginning of the pandemic compared to the end of our inclusion period. PROSPERO registration: CRD42020180085 (20/04/2020)

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A method to the madness? Quantitative research reviewing

Research in Education ◽

10.1177/003452378603500104 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 25-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alison Kelly

Keyword(s):

Educational Research ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Economic Status ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

School Achievement ◽

Educational Productivity ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

The Usa ◽

A New Technique ◽

Meta Analyses

Quantitative research reviewing, or meta-analysis, is increasingly popular in the USA, but has made little impact in Britain. Proponents of this technique claim that it can overcome the subjectivity inherent in traditional research reviews and synthesise large numbers of findings in a way which reveals their underlying trends. This paper discusses the claims and criticisms of meta-analysis. It suggests that quantitative reviewing is not a supplement to narrative reviewing, but fulfills rather different functions. It may also be more suited to the climate of educational research in America than in Britain. Nevertheless it is an important development which British researchers should not ignore. A new technique is transforming educational research in America — and incidentally generating a new optimism both in the power of educational research and in the effectiveness of schools to bring about change. The technique is metaanalysis. Essentially, it is a quantitative method of reviewing and summarising the findings of research on any particular topic. It started in the late 1970's, and a few ripples crossed the Atlantic with reports of a synthesis of research on the relationship between class size and achievement. This confirmed what teachers had always maintained but educational researchers had disputed — that better results were obtained with smaller classes (Glass and Smith, 1979; Smith and Glass, 1980). Since then, little has been heard of meta-analysis in this country, but it has expanded rapidly in the USA. Virtually every topic of established interest has been reviewed in this way, ranging from the efficacy of new science curricula (Shyman-sky et al., 1983) to that of open education (Giaconia and Hedges, 1977), and from the effect of socio-economic status (SES) on achievement (White, 1982) to that of graded homework (Paschal et al., 1985). Part of the reason for this surge of interest is that in general the quantitative reviewers conclude that the results are larger and less contradictory than was thought on the basis of the traditional narrative review. Based largely on the results of these meta-analyses, writers such as Bloom (1984) and Walberg (1984) have developed theories of educational productivity in which they argue that alterable variables, whether in schools or in homes, are the major component of school achievement. This viewpoint contrasts strongly with the socio-economic determinism which was dominant throughout the 1970's. I have recently become acquainted with meta-analysis, both through reading completed reviews and through undertaking to write one myself. In this paper I will examine the rationale underlying this development in educational research and assess how the theory stands up in practice. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of the approach are discussed, with particular reference to the possibility of quantitative reviews becoming as widespread in Britain as they are in the USA. I will not attempt to describe the methodology in any detail as a number of textbooks are now available (Glass et al., 1981; Cooper, 1984; Rosenthal, 1984; Hedges and Olkin, 1985). Fitzgibbon (1984) has recently provided an introduction for British readers.

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Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of fluoxetine v. placebo and tricyclic antidepressants in the short-term treatment of major depression

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.176.5.421 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 176 (5) ◽

pp. 421-428 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

P. Bech ◽

P. Cialdella ◽

M. C. Haugh ◽

M. A. Birkett ◽

A. Hours ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Major Depression ◽

Tricyclic Antidepressants ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Term Treatment ◽

Short Term Treatment ◽

Intention To Treat ◽

The Usa ◽

Methodological Problems ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

Meta Analyses

BackgroundPrevious meta-analyses of fluoxetine as an antidepressant have many methodological problems, including diagnosis of major depression, validity of outcome measures and lack of intention-to-treat analyses.AimsTo provide an estimate of the effect of fluoxetine compared with placebo and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and to investigate reasons for early discontinuation from acute treatment.MethodRandomised trials were analysed using both intention-to-treat, efficacy and end-point.ResultsFluoxetine was superior to placebo but effect size was low. In trials comparing fluoxetine v. TCA, the results for all trials and for the USA trials showed a trend in favour of fluoxetine. Those for the non-USA trials showed a trend in favour of TCA. When combined, the results showed that significantly fewer patients on fluoxetine discontinued treatment because of adverse events.ConclusionFluoxetine is superior to placebo, irrespective of the analytical approach use, whereas the results obtained v. TCAs depend on the approach used. Hence, the results should be interpreted in this light.

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A systematic review and meta-analysis of obesity and COVID-19 outcomes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86694-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xinya Zhang ◽

Alexander M. Lewis ◽

John R. Moley ◽

Jonathan R. Brestoff

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Distress Syndrome ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Invasive Mechanical Ventilation ◽

Obese Patients ◽

Disease Course ◽

Quantitative Analyses ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Random Effects Modeling

AbstractSome studies report that obesity is associated with more severe symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection and worse COVID-19 outcomes, however many other studies have not reproduced these findings. Therefore, it is uncertain whether obesity is in fact associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes compared to non-obese individuals. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed (including MEDLINE) and Google Scholar on May 18, 2020 to identify published studies on COVID-19 outcomes in non-obese and obese patients, covering studies published during the first 6 months of the pandemic. Meta-analyses with random effects modeling was used to determine unadjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for various COVID-19 outcomes in obese versus non-obese patients. By quantitative analyses of 22 studies from 7 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia, we found that obesity is associated with an increased likelihood of presenting with more severe COVID-19 symptoms (OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.45–6.28, P = 0.003; 4 studies, n = 974), developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS; OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.14–7.34, P = 0.025; 2 studies, n = 96), requiring hospitalization (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.14–1.59, P < 0.001; 4 studies, n = 6611), being admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU; OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.15–1.65, P = 0.001; 9 studies, n = 5298), and undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV; OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.29–2.40, P < 0.001; 7 studies, n = 1558) compared to non-obese patients. However, obese patients had similar likelihoods of death from COVID-19 as non-obese patients (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.74–1.25, P = 0.750; 9 studies, n = 20,597). Collectively, these data from the first 6 months of the pandemic suggested that obesity is associated with a more severe COVID-19 disease course but may not be associated with increased mortality.

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The 100 top-cited meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy in radiology journals: a bibliometric analysis

Insights into Imaging ◽

10.1186/s13244-020-00936-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kaspar L. Yaxley ◽

Minh-Son To

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Diagnostic Accuracy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Application Programming Interface ◽

Body Regions ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Formal Statistical Analysis ◽

The Usa ◽

Pubmed Search ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Purpose To identify the 100 top-cited meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy studies published in radiology, medical imaging and nuclear medicine journals. Methods A PubMed search with pre-defined criteria was performed. The 100 top-cited articles meta-analyses were retrieved, using a custom Python script and the Scopus Application Programming Interface (Elsevier). Publication, citation and affiliation details were extracted from each meta-analysis. No formal statistical analysis was performed. Results The top meta-analysis was cited 394 times, the 100th meta-analysis 38 times. The USA was the top country represented in the papers (33 meta-analyses) followed by The Netherlands, China and Germany. The journal Radiology published 24 studies. The most common modality reported was positron emission tomography (PET) or PET computed tomography (36 instances), followed by magnetic resonance imaging (30 instances) and computed tomography (27 instances). Cardiac (19 meta-analyses), abdominal (18 meta-analyses), followed by neurological (12 meta-analyses) investigations were the most frequently encountered in the top 100 cited meta-analyses. Conclusions The 100 top-cited meta-analyses encompass a broad range of imaging modalities and body regions. This may comprise a useful resource for identifying influential evidence-based diagnostic accuracy information in radiology.

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A Meta-Analysis of Interviews and Cognitive Ability

Journal of Personnel Psychology ◽

10.1027/1866-5888/a000091 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 157-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Philip L. Roth ◽

Allen I. Huffcutt

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Ability ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Incremental Validity ◽

Employment Interviews ◽

Moderator Analysis ◽

The Future ◽

Research Questions ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

The Relationship

The topic of what interviews measure has received a great deal of attention over the years. One line of research has investigated the relationship between interviews and the construct of cognitive ability. A previous meta-analysis reported an overall corrected correlation of .40 ( Huffcutt, Roth, & McDaniel, 1996 ). A more recent meta-analysis reported a noticeably lower corrected correlation of .27 ( Berry, Sackett, & Landers, 2007 ). After reviewing both meta-analyses, it appears that the two studies posed different research questions. Further, there were a number of coding judgments in Berry et al. that merit review, and there was no moderator analysis for educational versus employment interviews. As a result, we reanalyzed the work by Berry et al. and found a corrected correlation of .42 for employment interviews (.15 higher than Berry et al., a 56% increase). Further, educational interviews were associated with a corrected correlation of .21, supporting their influence as a moderator. We suggest a better estimate of the correlation between employment interviews and cognitive ability is .42, and this takes us “back to the future” in that the better overall estimate of the employment interviews – cognitive ability relationship is roughly .40. This difference has implications for what is being measured by interviews and their incremental validity.

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