BDNF Val66Met and clinical response to antipsychotic drugs: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AbstractBackgroundThe polymorphic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene has been postulated to be involved in inter-individual variability response to antipsychotic drugs.PurposeTo perform a qualitative and quantitative synthesis of studies evaluating the influence of BDNF genetic variation on clinical response to antipsychotics.MethodsThe review protocol was published in the PROSPERO database (Reg. no CRD42015024614). A comprehensive search was performed through PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Cochrane databases up to July 2015. The methodological quality of identified studies was assessed using the MINORS criteria. Publication bias was estimated and potential sources of heterogeneity were investigated via meta-regression, subgroup and sensitivity analyses.ResultsNine studies including a total of 2461 antipsychotic-treated patients fulfilled inclusion criteria for meta-analysis of BDNF Val66Met. Using the random-effects model, the pooled results showed no significant association with antipsychotic response for the dominant (Met carriers vs Val/Val, OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.72–1.19, P = 0.55), codominant (Met/Met vs Val/Val, OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.59–1.15, P = 0.25), recessive (Met/Met vs Val carriers, OR: 0.81, 95% CI 0.60–1.10, P = 0.18) or the allelic contrast (Met vs Val, OR: 0.92, 95% CI 0.76–1.10, P = 0.34). Visual inspection of funnel plots and further evaluation with Egger's test did not suggest evidence of publication bias. Despite lack of significant heterogeneity in most comparisons, no evidence of association also emerged in the subgroup and sensitivity analyses conducted.ConclusionThe present meta-analysis excludes a clinically relevant effect of BDNF Val66Met on antipsychotic drug response per se. Nevertheless, further investigation is still needed to clarify in well-designed, large sample-based studies, the impact of BDNF haplotypes containing the Val66Met polymorphism.

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A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Professional Development on Teachers’ Knowledge, Skill, and Self-Efficacy in Data-Based Decision-Making

Journal of Learning Disabilities ◽

10.1177/0022219420970196 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 002221942097019

Author(s):

Samantha A. Gesel ◽

Lauren M. LeJeune ◽

Jason C. Chow ◽

Anne C. Sinclair ◽

Christopher J. Lemons

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Decision Making ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

K 12 ◽

The Impact ◽

Data Based Decision Making

The purpose of this review was to synthesize research on the effect of professional development (PD) targeting data-based decision-making processes on teachers’ knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy related to curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and data-based decision-making (DBDM). To be eligible for this review, studies had to (a) be published in English, (b) include in-service or pre-service K–12 teachers as participants, (c) use an empirical group design, and (d) include sufficient data to calculate an effect size for teacher outcome variables. The mean effect of DBDM PD on teacher outcomes was g = 0.57 ( p < .001). This effect was not moderated by study quality. These results must be viewed through the lens of significant heterogeneity in effects across included studies, which could not be explained by follow-up sensitivity analyses. In addition, the experimental studies included in this review occurred under ideal, researcher-supported conditions, which impacts the generalizability of the effects of DBDM PD in practice. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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The impact of time to adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) on survival in colorectal cancer (CRC): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2011.29.4_suppl.364 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 29 (4_suppl) ◽

pp. 364-364 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. J. Biagi ◽

M. Raphael ◽

W. D. King ◽

W. Kong ◽

W. J. Mackillop ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Prognostic Factors ◽

Adjuvant Chemotherapy ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

364 Background: The optimal timing from CRC surgery to initiation of AC is unknown. We report a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the relationship between time to adjuvant chemotherapy (TTAC) and survival. Methods: A systematic review of literature was done to identify studies that described the relationship between TTAC and survival. Studies were only included if the distribution of relevant prognostic factors was adequately described, and either comparative groups were balanced or results adjusted for the prognostic factors. Hazard ratio (HR) and TTAC for overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) from each study were converted to a regression coefficient (β) and standard error (SE) corresponding to a continuous representation per 4 weeks of TTAC. The adjusted β from individual studies were combined using a fixed-effect model. Inverse-variance (1/SE2) was used to weight individual studies. The possible effect of publication bias was investigated using the trim and fill approach. Results: We identified 9 eligible studies involving 14,357 patients (4 published articles, 5 abstracts). Two studies were randomized trials and 7 were cohort studies. Six studies reported TTAC as a binary variable and 3 reported TTAC as ≥3 categories. An estimate of HR for OS was derived from all 9 studies and estimate for DFS was derived from 5 studies. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 4-week increase in TTAC was associated with a significant decrease in both OS (HR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.09-1.15), and DFS (HR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.11-1.20). The analysis showed no significant heterogeneity among studies. These TTAC associations remained significant after analysis for potential publication bias, and when the analysis was repeated excluding the two studies of largest weight. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a 12% increase in the risk of death for each 4 week of delay in the start of AC for CRC. These findings indicate the need for clinicians and health systems managers to take the steps necessary to keep TTAC as short as reasonably achievable. In addition, our results suggest there may be some benefit to AC after a 3-month TTAC delay. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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Meta-Analysis on the Association of Neuropeptide Y rs16139 Variant With the Risk of Alcoholism

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.737440 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Biqing Chen ◽

Manish Yadav ◽

Madhubala Mulkalwar ◽

Lakkakula Saikrishna ◽

Henu Verma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neuropeptide Y ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Large Scale ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Conclusive Evidence ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Web Tool ◽

Alcoholism Risk ◽

The Relationship

Introduction: The neuropeptide-Y (NPY) is involved in the development of alcoholism through NPY receptors. A T>C mutation causes substitution of leucine to proline at codon 7 (L7P; rs16139) in the signal peptide of neuropeptide Y is known to cause a 42% increase in plasma NPY levels. Studies that analyzed the association between NPY rs16139 and alcoholism risk did not demonstrate conclusive evidence for this relationship. The present study aims to evaluate the association between NPY gene rs16139 variant and alcohol dependence.Method: An electronic search of databases including PubMed and Google Scholar was performed to retrieve studies investigating the association between NPY rs16139 and alcoholism. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated in allelic and dominant genetic models. Sensitivity analyses and publication bias were assessed in our meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was conducted using the MetaGenyo web tool.Result: Significant heterogeneity was observed across studies (p < 0.001). Our results have shown that there is no significant association between NPY rs16139 variant and the risk of alcoholism in allelic (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.70–1.38, p = 0.921) and dominant models (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.69–1.40, p = 0.919). Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test have not shown publication bias (p = 0.332).Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis that evaluates the relationship between the NPY rs16139 polymorphism and the risk of alcoholism. Our large-scale meta-analysis suggests that NPY rs16139 polymorphism is not associated with alcoholism. However, further studies are needed to increase our understanding of the relationship between NPY variants in alcoholism.

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The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Programmes on Self-Compassion in Nonclinical Populations: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Mindfulness ◽

10.1007/s12671-020-01501-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 29-52

Author(s):

Hannah L. Golden ◽

Jane Vosper ◽

Jessica Kingston ◽

Lyn Ellett

Keyword(s):

Publication Bias ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Small Sample ◽

Medium Effect ◽

Future Research ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Self Compassion ◽

Small Sample Sizes ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objectives Self-compassion has been proposed as a mechanism of change in mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs). The current study systematically reviewed the evidence for the effect of MBPs on self-compassion, in randomised controlled trials addressing broad mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety and stress) in nonclinical populations, and statistically synthesisesd these findings in a meta-analysis. Methods Three databases were systematically searched, and pre-post programme between group effect sizes (Hedges g) were calculated and synthesised using meta-analytic procedures. Correlation between change in self-compassion and distress (r) was also assessed. Moderator analyses were conducted and publication bias was assessed. Results Twenty-six studies met inclusion criteria (n = 598). A significant medium effect of pre-post change on self-compassion was found for MBPs compared to control conditions (g = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.41 to 0.80, p < 0.001). There was significant heterogeneity in the study sample, and no differences found for any of the moderators tested. There was no strong evidence for publication bias. Meta-analysis of correlation between change in self-compassion and distress was underpowered and found no significant effect. The improvement in self-compassion following MBI was not always consistent with improvements in depression or anxiety. Conclusions The results suggest that MBPs can increase self-compassion in nonclinical populations, though the moderators of this effect remain unknown. Methodological limitations include small sample sizes, over-reliance on wait-list control conditions and limitations in how self-compassion is measured. Theoretical and clinical implications of the review, and future research directions, are also discussed.

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Pre-eclampsia and the risk of autism-spectrum disorder in offspring: meta-analysis

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.2017.27 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 212 (3) ◽

pp. 142-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Berihun Assefa Dachew ◽

Abdullah Mamun ◽

Joemer Calderon Maravilla ◽

Rosa Alati

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Early Screening ◽

Intrauterine Exposure ◽

Relative Risks

BackgroundEvidence about the effect of intrauterine exposure to pre-eclampsia on offspring autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) is not well established.AimsTo examine the association between pre-eclampsia and ASD.MethodPubMed, Embase and PsycINFO databases were searched. Pooled relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran'sQ- and theI2−test. The presence of publication bias was evaluated by Egger's test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots.ResultsTen studies meet the inclusion criteria. The risk of ASD was 32% higher in offspring who had intrauterine exposure to pre-eclampsia compared with those not exposed (RR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.20–1.45). Sensitivity analysis revealed consistent pooled estimates ranging from RR = 1.30 (95% CI 1.17–1.44) to RR = 1.37 (95% CI 1.26–1.48). We found no significant heterogeneity and evidence of publication bias.ConclusionPre-eclampsia increased the risk of ASD in offspring. The finding suggests a need for early screening for ASD in offspring of women with pre-eclampsia.Declaration of interestNone.

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Risk of dementia in gout and hyperuricaemia: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041680 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e041680

Author(s):

Shu-Yue Pan ◽

Rui-Juan Cheng ◽

Zi-Jing Xia ◽

Qiu-Ping Zhang ◽

Yi Liu

Keyword(s):

Cohort Studies ◽

Quality Assessment ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Crystal Formation ◽

Medical Subject Headings ◽

Eligibility Criteria

ObjectivesGout, characterised by hyperuricaemia with monosodium urate crystal formation and inflammation, is the most common inflammatory arthritis in adults. Recent studies have found that elevated uric acid levels are related to the occurrence of dementia. We conducted a study to investigate the association between dementia and gout or hyperuricaemia.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Data sourcesStudies were screened from inception to 28 June 2019 by searching Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases.Eligibility criteriaCohort studies comparing the risk of dementia in patients with gout and hyperuricaemia versus non-gout and non-hyperuricaemia controls were enrolled.Data extraction and analysisTwo reviewers separately selected studies and extracted data using the Medical Subject Headings without restriction on languages or countries. The adjusted HRs were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random effects model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the stability of the results. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger’s and Begg’s tests. Quality assessment was performed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsFour cohort studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in our meta-analysis. We found that gout and hyperuricaemia did not increase the risk of dementia, with a pooled HR of 0.94 (95% CI 0.69 to 1.28), but might decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with a pooled HR of 0.78 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.95). There was little evidence of publication bias. Quality assessment of the included studies was high (range: 6–8 points).ConclusionsOur study shows that gout and hyperuricaemia do not increase the risk of dementia. However, gout and hyperuricaemia might have a protective effect against AD. Due to the limited number of research articles, more investigations are needed to demonstrate the potential relationship between dementia and gout or hyperuricaemia.

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Use of Statins and Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Seven Randomized Clinical Trials and Nine Observational Studies

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2005.02.7045 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 23 (34) ◽

pp. 8606-8612 ◽

Cited By ~ 139

Author(s):

Stefanos Bonovas ◽

Kalitsa Filioussi ◽

Nikolaos Tsavaris ◽

Nikolaos M. Sitaras

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Breast Cancer Risk ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Fixed Effects Model

Purpose A growing body of evidence suggests that statins may have chemopreventive potential against breast cancer. Laboratory studies demonstrate that statins induce apoptosis and reduce cell invasiveness in various cell lines, including breast carcinoma cells. However, the clinical relevance of these data remains unclear. The nonconclusive nature of the epidemiologic data prompted us to conduct a detailed meta-analysis of the studies published on the subject in peer-reviewed literature. Patients and Methods A comprehensive search for articles published up until 2005 was performed; reviews of each study were conducted; and data were abstracted. Before meta-analysis, the studies were evaluated for publication bias and heterogeneity. Pooled relative risk (RR) estimates and 95% CIs were calculated using the random and the fixed-effects models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Results Seven large randomized trials and nine observational studies (five case-control and four cohort studies) contributed to the analysis. We found no evidence of publication bias or heterogeneity among the studies. Statin use did not significantly affect breast cancer risk (fixed effects model: RR = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.14; random effects model: RR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.89 to 1.18). When the analyses were stratified into subgroups, there was no evidence that study design substantially influenced the estimate of effects. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of our results. Conclusion Our meta-analysis findings do not support a protective effect of statins against breast cancer. However, this conclusion is limited by the relatively short follow-up times of the studies analyzed. Further studies are required to investigate the potential decrease in breast cancer risk among long-term statin users.

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Leishmanicidal effects of resveratrol and its derivatives: a systematic review and meta-Analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-25274/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nasrin Amiri Dashatan ◽

Marzieh Ashrafmansouri ◽

Mehdi Koushki ◽

Nayebali Ahmadi

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Important Health ◽

Mean Differences ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Background Leishmaniasis is one of the most important health problems worldwide. The evidence has suggested that resveratrol and its derivatives have anti-leishmanial effects; however, the results are inconsistent and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of resveratrol and its derivatives on the Leishmania viability through a systematic review and meta-analysis of available relevant studies. Methods The electronic databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus were queried between October 2000 and April 2020 using a comprehensive search strategy. The eligible articles selected and data extraction conducted by two reviewers. Mean differences of IC50 (concentration leading to reduction of 50% of Leishmania) for each outcome was calculated using random-effects models. Sensitivity analyses and prespecified subgroup were conducted to evaluate potential heterogeneity and the stability of the pooled results. Publication bias was evaluated using the Egger’s and Begg’s tests. We also followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for this review. Results Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. We observed that RSV and its derivatives had significant reducing effects on Leishmania viability in promastigote [24.02 µg/ml; (95% CI 17.1, 30.8); P < 0.05; I2 = 99.8%; P heterogeneity = 0.00] and amastigote [18.3 µg/ml; (95% CI 13.5, 23.2); P < 0.05; I2 = 99.6%; P heterogeneity = 0.00] stages of Leishmania. A significant publication bias was observed in the meta-analysis. Sensitivity analyses showed a similar effect size while reducing the heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis indicated that the pooled effects of leishmanicidal of resveratrol and its derivatives were affected by type of stilbenes and Leishmania species. Conclusions Our findings clearly suggest that the strategies for the treatment of leishmaniasis should be focused on natural products such as RSV and its derivatives. Further study is needed to identify the mechanisms mediating this protective effects of RSV and its derivatives in leishmaniasis.

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The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Europe: A Systematic Review

10.1101/2021.04.12.439425 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Natasha Marcella Vaselli ◽

Daniel Hungerford ◽

Ben Shenton ◽

Arwa Khashkhusha ◽

Nigel A. Cunliffe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Age Groups ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Community Studies ◽

Past Infection ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

AbstractBackgroundA year following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, new infections and deaths continue to increase in Europe. Serological studies, through providing evidence of past infection, can aid understanding of the population dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection.ObjectivesThis systematic review of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies in Europe was undertaken to inform public health strategies including vaccination, that aim to accelerate population immunity.MethodsWe searched the databases Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and grey literature sources for studies reporting seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Europe published between 01/12/2019 - 30/09/20. We provide a narrative synthesis of included studies. Studies were categorized into subgroups including healthcare workers (HCWs), community, outbreaks, pregnancy and children/school. Due to heterogeneity in other subgroups, we only performed a random effects meta-analysis of the seroprevalence amongst HCWs stratified by their country.Results109 studies were included spanning 17 European countries, that estimated the seroprevalence of SAR-CoV2 from samples obtained between November 2019 – August 2020. A total of 53/109 studies included HCWs with a reported seroprevalence among HCWs ranging from 0.7% to 45.3%, which did not differ significantly by country. In community studies significant heterogeneity was reported in the seroprevalence among different age groups and the majority of studies reported there was no significant difference by gender.ConclusionThis review demonstrates a wide heterogeneity in reported seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies between populations. Continued evaluation of seroprevalence is required to understand the impact of public health measures and inform interventions including vaccination programmes.

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Abstract 14339: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and the Risk of Clinical Cardiovascular Events: A Meta-Analysis

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.132.suppl_3.14339 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Toufik Mahfood Haddad ◽

Shadi Hamdeh ◽

Mahesh Anantha Narayanan ◽

Arun Kanmanthareddy ◽

Venkata M Alla

Keyword(s):

Liver Disease ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Publication Bias ◽

Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver

Background: Numerous studies have assessed the association of Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) withcardiovascular disease (CVD). However, results have been conflicting due to variability in definitionsof NAFLD and ascertainment of CVD, often combining clinical and surrogate endpoints. We therefore systematically reviewed published literature to assess the association between NAFLD and clinical cardiovascular events. Methods: We searched Medline, Cochrane, google scholar, CINAHL, and Web of Sciencedatabasesusing terms “nonalcoholic fatty liver disease”, “cardiovascular disease”, and their combinations to identify studies published through March 2015. Data from selected studies was extracted and meta-analysis was then performed using Random effects model following the PRISMA guidelines. Publication bias and heterogeneity wereassessed. The main outcome measure was Odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI. Clinical CVD was defined as symptomatic coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, coronary or peripheral intervention, ischemic stroke, and symptomatic peripheral vascular disease. Results: A total of 7 studies with 14634 patients (NAFLD: 4204; controls: 10430) were included in the final analysis. 3 studies were cross- sectional reporting prevalence, while 4 studies were prospective cohort studies reporting incidence. Patients with NAFLD had a significantly higher risk of clinical CVD compared to controls [OR: 3.17; 95% CI: 1.89-5.30, P<0.01) (figure 1A). There was significant heterogeneity (I2=93%). Funnel plot and Begg’s test did not reveal significant publication bias. Separate analyses of the cohort and cross sectional studies and exclusion sensitivity analysis did not alter the findings (figure 1B). Conclusion: NAFLD is associated with a three fold increase in the risk of clinical CVD compared to controls without NAFLD. These results need to be conformed in large prospective studies.

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