The relationship between zinc intake and serum/plasma zinc concentration in adults: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis by the EURRECA Network

Dietary Zn recommendations vary widely across Europe due to the heterogeneity of approaches used by expert panels. Under the EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned (EURRECA) consortium a protocol was designed to systematically review and undertake meta-analyses of research data to create a database that includes ‘best practice’ guidelines which can be used as a resource by future panels when setting micronutrient recommendations. As part of this process, the objective of the present study was to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of previously published data describing the relationship between Zn intake and status in adults. Searches were performed of literature published up to February 2010 using MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Data extracted included population characteristics, dose of Zn, duration of study, dietary intake of Zn, and mean concentration of Zn in plasma or serum at the end of the intervention period. An intake–status regression coefficient ($\circ {>\beta }$) was estimated for each individual study, and pooled meta-analysis undertaken. The overall pooled $\circ {>\beta }$ for Zn supplementation on serum/plasma Zn concentrations from randomised controlled trials and observational studies was 0·08 (95 % CI 0·05, 0·11; P < 0·0001; I2 84·5 %). An overall $\circ {>\beta }$ of 0·08 means that for every doubling in Zn intake, the difference in Zn serum or plasma concentration is $2^{ \circ {>\beta }}$ (20·08 = 1·06), which is 6 %. Whether the dose–response relationship, as provided in the present paper, could be used as either qualitative or quantitative evidence to substantiate the daily Zn intake dose necessary to achieve normal or optimal levels of biomarkers for Zn status remains a matter of discussion.

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The J-Shaped Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Mortality in Patients With Covid-19: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Journal of the Endocrine Society ◽

10.1210/jendso/bvab048.055 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. A28-A29

Author(s):

Khulood Bukhari ◽

Huei-Kai Huang ◽

Duan-Pei Hung ◽

Carol Chiung-Hui Peng ◽

Ming-Chieh Shih ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

Dose Response ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Severe Illness ◽

Underweight Patients ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Introduction: Several studies have linked obesity to more severe illness and higher mortality in COVID-19 patients. However, the relationship between being underweight and COVID-19 mortality remains inconclusive. Previous dose-response meta-analyses did not enroll or specifically analyze the underweight population. Herein, we conducted a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality in both obese and underweight patients with COVID-19. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception until August 12, 2020 using the keywords “COVID-19,” “body mass index,” “obesity,” “overweight”, and “underweight.” Three reviewers independently assessed the relevant articles, including the title, abstract, and full text, to identify eligible studies. We performed a two-stage random-effects dose-response meta-analysis, including only studies with at least three quantitative classifications for BMI. The nonlinear trend was evaluated using a restricted cubic splines model with three-knots at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles. A sensitivity analysis was conducted by pooling only those studies which specifically evaluated underweight patients (BMI<18.5 kg/m2). Results: Thirteen studies comprising 25,828 patients were included in the analysis. In the linear model, the mortality of patients with COVID-19 increased by 1.5% for each 1-kg/m2 increase in BMI (pooled relative risk [RR] =1.015, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.004−1.027). However, a significant non-linear relationship between BMI and mortality was observed (Wald test: Pnon-linearity<0.001). We demonstrated a J-shaped curve, indicating that both underweight and obese patients had a higher mortality than those with normal weight. Interestingly, overweight patients (BMI, 25−30 kg/m2) seemed to have the lowest mortality risk. Using a BMI of 15 kg/m2 as the reference, the RRs of mortality decreased with BMI, and this trend continued until BMI of approximately 28 kg/m2 (RR=0.743, 95% CI=0.576−0.959). The relationship between BMI and mortality was then reversed, and an upward trend was observed when BMI exceeded 30 kg/m2; the RRs (95% CI) at BMIs 30, 35, 40, and 45 kg/m2 were 0.745 (0.570−0.974), 0.841 (0.643−1.100), 1.082 (0.850−1.377), and 1.457 (1.129−1.879), respectively. Conclusion: This study is the first dose-response meta-analysis that showed both underweight and obese COVID-19 patients are at higher risk of increased mortality. A J-curve relationship was demonstrated between BMI and COVID-19 mortality.

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Effect of somatometric parameters on the prevalence and severity of varicocele: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology ◽

10.1186/s12958-021-00695-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Runqing Li ◽

Junjie Liu ◽

Yushan Li ◽

Quanxian Wang

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Regression Test ◽

Mean Differences ◽

Q Statistic ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Published studies have shown contradictory results regarding the relationship between somatometric parameters and varicoceles. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the possible effects of age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) on the presence and severity of varicoceles. Methods Databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to identify relevant articles published up to March 2020. Two researchers independently identified eligible articles and extracted data. Cochran’s Q statistic and I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was performed using StataSE 12.0 software (StataCorp LP, USA). Random-effects models were used to obtain the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was assessed using Begg’s funnel plot and Egger’s regression test. Results The search strategy produced 272 articles, of which 18 articles were eligible according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A total of 56,325 patients with varicocele and 1,334,694 patients without varicocele were included in the meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of somatometric parameters on the presence and severity of varicocele. The overall results demonstrated that the presence of varicoceles was significantly associated with height (WMD = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.74, P < 0.001) and inversely correlated with BMI (WMD = − 1.35, 95% CI = -1.67 to − 1.03, P < 0.001) but not with age (WMD = -0.93, 95% CI = -2.19 to 0.33, P = 0.149) or weight (WMD = 0.24, 95% CI = -2.24 to 2.72, P = 0.850). The severity of varicocele was inversely correlated with increased BMI but not with age. Conclusion The presence of varicoceles was significantly associated with height and inversely correlated with BMI.

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Long-term manifestations and modifiers of prevalence estimates of the post-COVID-19 syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

10.1101/2021.10.17.21265123 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel De-la-Rosa-Martínez ◽

Marco Antonio Delaye-Martínez ◽

Omar Yaxmehen Bello-Chavolla ◽

Alejandro Sicilia-Andrade ◽

Isaac David Juárez-Cruz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Population Characteristics ◽

Published Data ◽

System Disease ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Meta Regression ◽

Meta Regression Analysis

Background: Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) is a multi-system disease comprising persistent symptomatology after the acute phase of infection. Long-term PACS effects significantly impact patient outcomes, but their incidence remains uncharacterized due to high heterogeneity between studies. Therefore, we aimed to summarize published data on PACS, characterizing the clinical presentation, prevalence, and modifiers of prevalence estimates. Method: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we research MEDLINE for original studies published from January 1st, 2020, to January 31st, 2021, that reported proportions of PACS manifestations. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included patients aged ≥18 years with confirmed COVID-19 by RT-PCR or antigen testing and a minimum follow-up of 21 days. The prevalence of individual manifestations across studies was pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. For evaluating determinants of heterogeneity, meta-regression analysis was performed. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019125025). Results: After screening 1,235 studies, we included 29 reports for analysis. Twenty-seven meta-analyses were performed, and 61 long-term manifestations were described. The pooled prevalence of PACS was 56% (95%CI 45-66%), with the most common manifestations being diminished health status, fatigue, asthenia, dyspnea, myalgias, hyposmia and dysgeusia. Most of the included studies presented high heterogeneity. After conducting the meta-regression analysis, we identified that age, gender, number of comorbidities, and reported symptoms significantly modify the prevalence estimation of PACS long-term manifestations. Conclusion: PACS is inconsistently reported between studies, and population characteristics influence the prevalence estimates due to high heterogeneity. A systematized approach for the study of PACS is needed to characterize its impact adequately.

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The relationship between major food sources of fructose and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition ◽

10.1080/10408398.2021.2000361 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Asma Kazemi ◽

Sepideh Soltani ◽

Zeinab Mokhtari ◽

Tauseef Khan ◽

Mahdieh Golzarand ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Cohort Studies ◽

Dose Response ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Food Sources ◽

Major Food ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

The Relationship

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"Effectiveness of Robotics Intervention in Education for Children and Healthcare of Elderly People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol" (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32942 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ramesh Athe ◽

Vidushi Varma ◽

Shivendra Pandey ◽

Ayush Gupta ◽

Sravanthi Chaitanya

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Elder Care ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Educational Institution ◽

Humanoid Robots ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Population Characteristics ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Test Procedures ◽

The Impact

UNSTRUCTURED A systematic review will be carried out to examine the use of robots in early childhood and lower-level education, elder care, and learning/teaching in an educational institution(s). Present study to critically review the currently available evidence of studies carried out and look at the impact of humanoid robots on children, elder care, and education. Four major factors will be considered – the type of studies carried on the influence of robots on children’s behavior and growth, elder care, the understanding of stakeholders (parents, children, and educators) on educational robots, and finally, the reactions of the children and elderly population on robot design or presence. This review will reveal the validating of their use of robots including experimental and non-experimental trials. The steps in this process will be conducted according to the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols) guidelines for meta-analysis. A comprehensive review of the literature search from Medline, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, and secondary references will be performed from inception to April 15, 2021. Analyses will be done to calculate summary estimates on awareness indicators and test procedures by using fixed/random-effects models. Meta-regression and covariate analyses will be performed to explore the influence of confounders on the net pooled effect. Titles and abstracts will be assessed by three independent reviewers for potential relevance. Using study-specific data forms, predetermined data will be extracted for each study. Data extracted will include: 1) study characteristics, 2) study design, 3) population characteristics, 4) details of the comparison group(s), 5) awareness indicators, 6) skills development, 7) progressive, 8) outcome data, and 9) Study year. Other classifications to be considered are a type of skill and specific age.

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Prognostic Role of miR-221 and miR-222 Expression in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers11070970 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 970 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Gloria Ravegnini ◽

Sarah Cargnin ◽

Giulia Sammarini ◽

Federica Zanotti ◽

Justo Lorenzo Bermejo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Fine Tuning ◽

High Expression ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Published Data ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Free Survival

Background: A wealth of evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) can modulate specific genes, increasing our knowledge on the fine-tuning regulation of protein expression. miR-221 and miR-222 have been frequently identified as deregulated across different cancer types; however, their prognostic significance in cancer remains controversial. In view of these considerations, we performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of published data investigating the effects of miR-221/222 on overall survival (OS) and other secondary outcomes among cancer patients. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to assess the strength of association. Results: Fifty studies, analyzing 6086 patients, were included in the systematic review. Twenty-five studies for miR-221 and 17 studies for miR-222 which assessed OS were included in the meta-analysis. High expression of miR-221 and miR-222 significantly predicted poor OS (HR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.14–1.93, p = 0.003 and HR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.43–2.54, p < 0.001, respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed that the finding on miR-221 was not as robust as the one on miR-222. Furthermore, high miR-222 expression was also associated with worse progression-free survival and disease-free survival pooled with recurrence-free survival. Conclusions: The meta-analysis demonstrated that high expression of miR-222 is associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients, whereas the significance of miR-221 remains unclear. More work is required to fully elucidate the role of miR-221 and miR-222 in cancer prognosis, particularly in view of the limitations of existing results, including the significant heterogeneity and limited number of studies for some cancers.

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Simultaneous compared to interval administration of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion up to 10+0 weeks' gestation: a systematic review with meta-analyses

BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health ◽

10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200448 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. bmjsrh-2019-200448

Author(s):

Mia Schmidt-Hansen ◽

Jonathan Lord ◽

Elise Hasler ◽

Sharon Cameron

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Collaboration ◽

Medical Abortion ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Published Data ◽

Study Results ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

Meta Analyses

BackgroundMedical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol usually involves an interval of 36–48 hours between administering these drugs; however, it is possible that the clinical efficacy at early gestations may be maintained when the drugs are taken simultaneously. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the safety and effectiveness of simultaneous compared with interval administration of mifepristone and misoprostol for abortion up to 10+0 weeks’ gestation.MethodsWe searched Embase Classic, Embase; Ovid MEDLINE(R) including Daily, and Epub Ahead-of-Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations; and Cochrane Library on 11 December 2019. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs), published in English from 1985, comparing simultaneous to interval administration of mifepristone and misoprostol for early abortion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration checklist for RCTs. Meta-analysis of risk ratios (RRs) using the Mantel-Haenszel method were performed. The quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE.ResultsMeta-analyses of three RCTs (n=1280) showed no differences in ‘ongoing pregnancy’ (RR 1.78, 95% CI 0.38 to 8.36), ‘haemorrhage requiring transfusion or ≥500 mL blood loss’ (RR 0.11, 95% CI 0.01 to 2.03) and ‘incomplete abortion with the need for surgical intervention’ (RR 1.30, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.25) between the interventions. Individual study results showed no difference in patient satisfaction, or ‘need for repeat misoprostol’, although ‘time to onset of bleeding or cramping’ was longer after simultaneous than interval administration. The quality of evidence was very low to moderate.ConclusionThe published data support the use of simultaneous mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion up to 9+0 weeks in women who prefer this method of administration.

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Zinc Supplementation and Body Weight: A Systematic Review and Dose–Response Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmz084 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shima Abdollahi ◽

Omid Toupchian ◽

Ahmad Jayedi ◽

David Meyre ◽

Vivian Tam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Body Weight ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Dose Response ◽

Zinc Supplementation ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Anthropometric Measures ◽

Randomized Controlled

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the effect of zinc supplementation on anthropometric measures. In this systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to August 2018 for relevant randomized controlled trials. Mean differences and SDs for each outcome were pooled using a random-effects model. Furthermore, a dose–response analysis for zinc dosage was performed using a fractional polynomial model. Quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. Twenty-seven trials (n = 1438 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. There were no significant changes in anthropometric measures after zinc supplementation in the overall analysis. However, subgroup analyses revealed that zinc supplementation increased body weight in individuals undergoing hemodialysis (HD) [3 trials, n = 154 participants; weighted mean difference (WMD) = 1.02 kg; 95% CI: 0.38, 1.65 kg; P = 0.002; I2 = 11.4%] and decreased body weight in subjects who are overweight/obese but otherwise healthy (5 trials, n = 245 participants; WMD = −0.55 kg; 95% CI: −1.06, −0.04 kg; P = 0.03; I2 = 31.5%). Dose–response analyses revealed a significant nonlinear effect of supplementation dosage on BMI (P = 0.001). Our data suggest that zinc supplementation increases body weight in patients undergoing HD and decreases body weight in individuals who are overweight/obese but otherwise healthy, although after normalization for study duration, the association observed in subjects who are overweight/obese disappeared. Although more high-quality studies are needed to reach a definitive conclusion, our study supports the view that zinc may be associated with body weight.

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Opioids in Post-stroke Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2020.587050 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Damiana Scuteri ◽

Elisa Mantovani ◽

Stefano Tamburin ◽

Giorgio Sandrini ◽

Maria Tiziana Corasaniti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Dose Response ◽

Analgesic Effect ◽

Literature Search ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Post Stroke ◽

Pain Syndromes

Background: Post-stroke pain is one of the most common sequelae of stroke, which stands among the leading causes of death and adult-acquired disability worldwide. The role and clinical efficacy of opioids in post-stroke pain syndromes is still debated.Objectives: Due to the important gap in knowledge on the management of post-stroke pain, this systematic review aimed at assessing the efficacy of opioids in post-stroke pain syndromes.Methods: A literature search was conducted on databases relevant for medical scientific literature, i.e. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases from databases inception until August 31st, 2020 for clinical trials assessing the effects of opioids and opioid antagonists on pain reduction and pain related symptoms in patients with post-stroke pain syndromes. Studies assessing the effects of other medications (e.g., tricyclic antidepressant, pregabalin) or non - pharmacological management strategies (e.g., neurostimulation techniques) were excluded. The selected studies have been subjected to examination of the risk of bias.Results: The literature search retrieved 83,435 results. After duplicates removal, 34,285 articles were title and abstract screened. 25 full texts were assessed and 8 articles were identified to be eligible for inclusion in the qualitative summary and narrative analysis, of which three were placebo-controlled and two were dose-response. Among placebo-controlled studies, two evaluated the analgesic effect of morphine and one assessed the effects of the opioid antagonist naloxone on patients with central post-stroke pain. With regard to dose-response studies, both were on patients with central post-stroke pain, one assessing the efficacy of levorphanol, and the other on naloxone. Seven out of eight included studies showed an overall slight analgesic effect of opioids, with less consistent effects on other pain-related symptoms (e.g., mood, quality of life). The randomized controlled trials were subjected to meta-analysis and rating of the quality of evidence for the two outcomes considered according to GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) system. The overall results are inconclusive because of the small number of studies and of patients.Conclusions: The limited number of the included studies and their heterogeneity in terms of study design do not support the efficacy of opioids in post-stroke pain and in pain-related outcomes. Large double-blind randomized clinical trials with objective assessment of pain and related symptoms are needed to further investigate this topic.

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