scholarly journals Evolution of the methodological quality of controlled clinical trials for myofascial trigger point treatments for the period 1978–2015: A systematic review

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahel Stoop ◽  
Ron Clijsen ◽  
Diego Leoni ◽  
Emiliano Soldini ◽  
Greta Castellini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Trigger Point ◽  
Myofascial Trigger Point ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials

Effectiveness and safety of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for excessive sweating and facial blushing: A systematic review

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antti Malmivaara ◽  
Pekka Kuukasjärvi ◽  
Ilona Autti-Ramo ◽  
Niina Kovanen ◽  
Marjukka Mäkelä
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy ◽  
Excessive Sweating ◽  
Thoracic Sympathectomy ◽  
Facial Blushing

Objectives:Despite controversies, endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) has been used as a treatment for excessive sweating of hands and face and for facial blushing. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ETS for the current indications in a systematic review.Methods:Controlled clinical trials and cohort studies with more than 100 patients were included. Abstracts were searched from MEDLINE and CCTR from 1966 to June 2004. Two reviewers extracted the data and assessed study quality. Data on effectiveness and safety were synthesized qualitatively.Results:We did not find any controlled clinical trials. Fifteen prospective studies were included. The internal and external quality of these studies were poor overall. Follow-up was commonly less than 2 years, during which time excessive sweating and facial blushing seemed to decrease among most patients. Immediate complications related to thoracoscopy occurred in up to 10 percent of patients. Compensatory sweating below breast level was reported in up to 90 percent of the patients. Other common side effects included dryness of face and hands, gustatory sweating, and neuralgic pain. Several other less common side effects were reported.Conclusions:The evidence of the effectiveness of ETS is weak due to a lack of randomized trials. The intervention leads to severe immediate complications in some of the patients, and to persistent side-effects for many of the patients.

scholarly journals Chinese Herbal Medicines Compared with N-Acetylcysteine for the Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Jing Guo ◽  
Bin Li ◽  
Wenbin Wu ◽  
Zhichao Wang ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Chinese Herbal

Background. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a major global health problem. The prevalence of the disease appears to be increasing. There is no curative therapy for IPF except lung transplantation. Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are showing promise for treatment of IPF. However, their effectiveness and safety are still unclear and deserve further investigation. The aim of this systematic review is to access the efficacy and safety of CHMs in treating IPF. Methods. The protocol of this review is registered at PROSPERO. We searched seven main databases for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on CHMs for IPF from their inception to June 4, 2018. The methodological quality of RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. All trials included were analyzed according to the criteria of the Cochrane Handbook. Review Manager 5.3, R-3.5.2 software, and Grade pro GDT web solution were used for data synthesis and analysis. Results. Thirteen randomized clinical trials enrolling 733 patients were included. All trials included had clear outcome indicators. The methodological quality of included trials was generally “poor.” Few trials reported methods of randomization. One trial on Xuefu-zhuyu capsule assessed rate of acute exacerbation and mortality after treatment for 72 weeks and found no statistically significant difference between two groups. This meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in QOL of IPF patients when CHMs was applied or combined with conventional medicine treatment. 6MWT was significantly improved in IPF patients after using CHMs or combined with conventional medicine treatment. CHMs treatment also had a certain improvement in TLC and DLCO, but the effect on FVC was not significant. Besides, CHMs failed to provide benefits in terms of PaO2. The reported adverse events were not obvious and severe. Conclusions. Some CHMs seem effective and safe as alternative remedies for patients with IPF, suggesting that further study of CHMs in the treatment of IPF is warranted. Although this systematic review suggests that CHMs may have positive effect on quality of life, 6-minute walk test distance, and lung function (TLC, DLOC%) and seem to be relatively safe during the course of treatment, the results must be treated with great caution because of the methodological flaws of the included trials. Long-term and high-quality trials are needed in the future to provide clear evidence for the use of CHMs.

METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS ALONGSIDE TRIALS OF KNEE PHYSIOTHERAPY

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidia García-Pérez ◽  
Renata Linertová ◽  
Alejandro Arvelo-Martín ◽  
Carolina Guerra-Marrero ◽  
Carlos Enrique Martínez-Alberto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Evaluation Studies ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Quality Of Reporting ◽  
Evidence Database

Objectives:The methodological quality of an economic evaluation performed alongside a clinical trial can be underestimated if the paper does not report key methodological features. This study discusses methodological assessment issues on the example of a systematic review on cost-effectiveness of physiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis.Methods:Six economic evaluation studies included in the systematic review and related clinical trials were assessed using the 10-question check-list by Drummond and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.Results:All economic evaluations were performed alongside a clinical trial but the studied interventions were too heterogeneous to be synthesized. Methodological quality of the economic evaluations reported in the papers was not free of drawbacks, and in some cases, it improved when information from the related clinical trial was taken into account.Conclusions:Economic evaluation papers dedicate little space to methodological features of related clinical trials; therefore, the methodological quality can be underestimated if evaluated separately from the trials. Future economic evaluations should follow more strictly the recommendations about methodology and the authors should pay special attention to the quality of reporting.

scholarly journals Proprioceptive activities to postural balance of the elderly - systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano Drummond ◽  
Clarissa Cardoso dos Santos Couto Paz ◽  
Ruth Losada de Menezes
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Postural Balance ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Functional Abilities ◽  
Strengthening Exercises

Abstract Introduction: Proprioceptive activities are commonly described for control of the postural balance of the elderly in order to avoid falls. But, there is no consensus on which ones can significantly improve balance or on intervention and assessment protocols. Objective: To investigate which proprioceptive activities are specific to static and dynamic postural balance of the elderly through a systematic review. Method: This is a systematic review based on PRISMA recommendation, by surveying PubMed, Medline, LILACS, Scielo and EBSCO databases. The period considered for the search was from 2006 to 2016, using the following descriptors - aged, proprioception, exercise therapy, and postural balance for articles in English, Portuguese or Spanish. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials were included using the PEDro scale to analyze the methodological quality of the studies. Results: Eight articles were included with different protocols, without standardization of evaluation and intervention, but, which demonstrated improvement of functional abilities. Different kinds of walk, muscular strengthening exercises, stretching, postural oscillations and Yoga patterns for the improvement of functional abilities. Conclusion: The association of static and dynamic activities can contribute to the improvement of functional abilities, but it cannot be affirmed that they are specific for postural control, given the lack of standardization of exercise protocols and evaluation tools.

scholarly journals The effects of exercise and low-calorie diets compared with low-calorie diets alone on health: a protocol for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of controlled clinical trials

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Beigrezaei ◽  
Zeinab Yazdanpanah ◽  
Sepideh Soltani ◽  
Seiedeh Hamideh Rajaei ◽  
Sahar Mohseni-Takalloo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials

Abstract Background: Exercise and weight loss diets are two independent non-pharmaceutical strategies used to improve several aspects of body composition and health. We plan to systematically review controlled clinical trials investigating weight loss diets alone compared to weight loss diets in conjunction with exercise on energy intake, body weight, body composition, cardiometabolic risk factors, sex hormones, and mental health. Methods and analysis: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI (Web of Science), Scopus, and Google Scholar will be searched to retrieve potential controlled clinical trials investigating the effects of exercise in conjunction with weight-loss diets compared with weight-loss diets alone on energy intake, body weight and composition (fat mass, fat-free mass), anthropometrics (waist circumference), cardiometabolic markers, sex hormones [testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)], liver and kidney enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), quality of life and depression in adults. The weighted mean difference (WMD) and its corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) will be derived using random effects model. Several subgroup analyses such as gender, age, BMI, exercise protocol, and diet used for weight loss will be conducted to explore possible sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias will be explored by inspecting funnel plots and by conducting asymmetry tests. Overall quality of the evidence will be assessed by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) tool.Discussion: We envisage that this systematic review and meta-analysis will provide valuable information regarding the effectiveness of adding exercise to weight-loss diets. No primary data is going to be collected, therefore ethical approval is not required. The resulting manuscripts will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at international and national conferences.Systematic review registration: The study protocol is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, Registration ID: CRD42020173434).

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