Treatment of Underlying Forms: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Treatment and Person-Related Variables on Treatment Response

Purpose This meta-analysis synthesizes published studies using “treatment of underlying forms” (TUF) for sentence-level deficits in people with aphasia (PWA). The study aims were to examine group-level evidence for TUF efficacy, to characterize the effects of treatment-related variables (sentence structural family and complexity; treatment dose) in relation to the Complexity Account of Treatment Efficacy (CATE) hypothesis, and to examine the effects of person-level variables (aphasia severity, sentence comprehension impairment, and time postonset of aphasia) on TUF response. Method Data from 13 single-subject, multiple-baseline TUF studies, including 46 PWA, were analyzed. Bayesian generalized linear mixed-effects interrupted time series models were used to assess the effect of treatment-related variables on probe accuracy during baseline and treatment. The moderating influence of person-level variables on TUF response was also investigated. Results The results provide group-level evidence for TUF efficacy demonstrating increased probe accuracy during treatment compared with baseline phases. Greater amounts of TUF were associated with larger increases in accuracy, with greater gains for treated than untreated sentences. The findings revealed generalization effects for sentences that were of the same family but less complex than treated sentences. Aphasia severity may moderate TUF response, with people with milder aphasia demonstrating greater gains compared with people with more severe aphasia. Sentence comprehension performance did not moderate TUF response. Greater time postonset of aphasia was associated with smaller improvements for treated sentences but not for untreated sentences. Conclusions Our results provide generalizable group-level evidence of TUF efficacy. Treatment and generalization responses were consistent with the CATE hypothesis. Model results also identified person-level moderators of TUF (aphasia severity, time postonset of aphasia) and preliminary estimates of the effects of varying amounts of TUF for treated and untreated sentences. Taken together, these findings add to the TUF evidence and may guide future TUF treatment–candidate selection. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16828630

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Meta-analysis of single-subject research using hierarchical linear modeling : empirical examination of the procedure and functional behavior assessment-based interventions

10.32469/10355/10347 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Nicholas A. Gage

Keyword(s):

Hierarchical Linear Modeling ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Functional Behavior Assessment ◽

Behavior Assessment ◽

Single Subject ◽

Linear Modeling ◽

Empirical Examination ◽

Single Subject Research ◽

Functional Behavior

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Effect of treatment delay, age, and stroke severity on the effects of intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase for acute ischaemic stroke: a meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomised trials.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.718525168.793499033 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Eivind Berge

Keyword(s):

Ischaemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischaemic Stroke ◽

Individual Patient Data ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Intravenous Thrombolysis ◽

Treatment Delay ◽

Patient Data ◽

Stroke Severity ◽

Randomised Trials ◽

Effect Of Treatment

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The effects of centralizing cancer surgery on postoperative mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Health Services Research & Policy ◽

10.1177/13558196211008942 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 135581962110089

Author(s):

Roberto Grilli ◽

Federica Violi ◽

Maria Chiara Bassi ◽

Massimiliano Marino

Keyword(s):

Evaluation Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Postoperative Mortality ◽

Interrupted Time Series ◽

High Volume ◽

Cancer Surgery ◽

Interrupted Time Series Analysis ◽

Meta Regression ◽

Meta Regression Analysis ◽

After Cancer

Objectives To review the evidence of the effects of centralization of cancer surgery on postoperative mortality. Methods We searched Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Cochrane and Scopus (up to November 2019) for studies that (i) assessed the effects of centralization of cancer surgery policies on in-hospital or 30-day mortality, or (ii) described changes in both postoperative mortality for a surgical intervention and degree of centralization using reduction in the number of hospitals or increases in the proportion of patients undergoing cancer surgery at high volume hospitals as proxy. PRISMA guidelines were followed. We estimated pooled odds ratios (OR) and conducted meta-regression to assess the relationship between degree of centralization and mortality. Results A total of 41 studies met our inclusion criteria of which 15 evaluated the effect of centralization policies on postoperative mortality after cancer surgery and 26 described concurrent changes in the degree of centralization and postoperative mortality. Policy evaluation studies mainly used before-after designs (n = 13) or interrupted time series analysis (n = 2), mainly focusing on pancreatic, oesophageal and gastric cancer. All but one showed some degree of reduction in postoperative mortality, with statistically significant effects demonstrated by six studies. The pooled odds ratio for centralization policy effect was 0.68 (95% Confidence interval: 0.54–0.85; I2 = 80%). Meta-regression analysis of the 26 descriptive studies found that an increase of the proportion of patients treated at high volume hospitals was associated with greater reduction in postoperative mortality. Conclusions Centralization of cancer surgery is associated with reduced postoperative mortality. However, existing evidence tends to be of low quality and estimates of the effect size are likely inflated. There is a need for prospective studies using more robust approaches, and for centralization efforts to be accompanied by well-designed evaluations of their effectiveness.

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Police-involved Deaths and the Impact on Homicide Rates in the Post-Ferguson Era: A Study of 44 U.S. Cities

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211028315 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110283

Author(s):

Tyler J Lane

Keyword(s):

Meta Analysis ◽

Interrupted Time Series ◽

Homicide Rates ◽

Aggravated Assault ◽

Series Design ◽

Percentage Points ◽

Black Populations ◽

Fbi Data ◽

The Impact ◽

Interrupted Time Series Design

This study investigated whether homicides increased after protested police-involved deaths, focusing on the period after Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson in August 2014. It also tests for effects of legal cynicism by comparing effects in homicide and aggravated assault on the assumption that reporting of the latter is discretionary and police abuses may make communities reluctant to notify police. Using FBI data from 44 U.S. cities, homicide and assault rates from 2011 to 2019 were analyzed using an interrupted time series design and combined in a meta-analysis to calculate pooled effects. A meta-regression tested effect moderators including external investigations and city/county sociodemographic characteristics. With a conservative threshold of p ≤ .01, 21 of the 44 cities experienced a significant increase and one had a significant decrease. The pooled effect was a 26.1% increase in the homicide (99% CI: 15.3% to 36.8%). Aggravated assaults increased above baseline, though the effect was 15.2 percentage points smaller (99% CI: –26.7 to –3.6) than the effect in homicides. When outcomes were measured as percent change, there were no significant effect moderators, but when measured as absolute change, homicides increased to a greater extent when the death was subject to external investigation and in cities with higher Black populations, poverty rates, and baseline homicide rates. The findings suggest that protested police-involved deaths led to an increase in homicides and other violence due to the distrust fomented within the very communities whom police are meant to protect.

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A Meta-Analysis of Line Bisection and Landmark Task Performance in Older Adults

Neuropsychology Review ◽

10.1007/s11065-021-09505-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gemma Learmonth ◽

Marietta Papadatou-Pastou

Keyword(s):

Meta Analysis ◽

Line Length ◽

Line Bisection ◽

Group Level ◽

Bisection Task ◽

Leftward Bias ◽

State Dependent ◽

The Right ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Line Bisection Task

AbstractYoung adults exhibit a small asymmetry of visuospatial attention that favours the left side of space relative to the right (pseudoneglect). However, it remains unclear whether this leftward bias is maintained, eliminated or shifted rightward in older age. Here we present two meta-analyses that aimed to identify whether adults aged ≥50 years old display a group-level spatial attention bias, as indexed by the line bisection and the landmark tasks. A total of 69 datasets from 65 studies, involving 1654 participants, were analysed. In the meta-analysis of the line bisection task (n = 63), no bias was identified for studies where the mean age was ≥50, but there was a clear leftward bias in a subset where all individual participants were aged ≥50. There was no moderating effect of the participant’s age or sex, line length, line position, nor the presence of left or right cues. There was a small publication bias in favour of reporting rightward biases. Of note, biases were slightly more leftward in studies where participants had been recruited as part of a stand-alone older group, compared to studies where participants were recruited as controls for a clinical study. Similarly, no spatial bias was observed in the meta-analysis of the landmark task, although the number of studies included was small (n = 6). Overall, these results indicate that over 50s maintain a group-level leftward bias on the line bisection task, but more studies are needed to determine whether this bias can be modulated by stimulus- or state-dependent factors.

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Evaluation of Antiviral Therapy Performed after Curative Therapy in Patients with HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology ◽

10.1155/2016/5234969 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Peng Yuan ◽

Peng Chen ◽

Yeben Qian

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Curative Therapy ◽

B Virus ◽

Effect Of Treatment ◽

Long Term Prognosis ◽

One Year ◽

The One ◽

The Impact

Background.The long-term prognosis after curative therapy for hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unsatisfactory due to the high incidence of recurrence. The effect of treatment with nucleotide analogues (NAs) in patients with HBV-related HCC after curative therapy remains unclear.Objective.To assess the impact of using NAs after curative therapy.Method.A computerized literature search was performed; eligible studies were identified from databases. The pooled risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated using Review Manager 5.3.Result.The meta-analysis included a total of 15 studies with 8060 patients. The one-year and three-year recurrence (one-year recurrence: RR 0.41 [95% CI 0.28 to 0.61];P<0.00001; three-year recurrence: RR 0.63 [95% CI 0.43 to 0.94];P=0.001) and the one-, three-, and five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were significantly better in the treatment group.Conclusion.NAs can reduce the recurrence and improve the prognosis of HBV-related HCC after curative therapy.

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A Meta-analysis of Single-Subject Research Designs on Smart Education for Students with Disabilities

10.47635/kjld.2021.18.3.21 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 21-50

Author(s):

Dongil Kim ◽

Younghee Cho ◽

Eunjung Cho ◽

Jungeun Lim

Keyword(s):

Students With Disabilities ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Single Subject ◽

Single Subject Research ◽

Research Designs ◽

Smart Education

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Coronavirus disease 2019 in kidney transplant recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Singapore Medical Journal ◽

10.11622/smedj.2021171 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

QY Ho ◽

R Sultana ◽

TL Lee ◽

S Thangaraju ◽

T Kee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kidney Transplant ◽

Clinical Presentation ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Kidney Injury ◽

High Dose ◽

Transplant Recipients ◽

Kidney Transplant Recipients ◽

Presenting Symptoms ◽

Effect Of Treatment ◽

Dose Corticosteroid

Introduction: The clinical presentation and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have not been well studied. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis to examine the presenting features, outcomes and the effect of treatment on outcomes of KTRs with COVID-19. Database search was performed up to 5 September 2020 through PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and CENTRAL. Results: Overall, 23 studies (1373 patients) were included in the review and meta-analysis. The most common presenting symptoms included fever (74.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 65.3–81.1), cough (63.3% 95% CI 56.5–69.6) and dyspnoea (47.5%, 95% CI 39.6–55.6). Pooled rates of mortality and critical illness were 21.1% (95% CI 15.3-28.4) and 27.7% (95% CI 21.5–34.8) respectively. Acute kidney injury occurred in 38.9% (95% CI 30.6–48.1) and dialysis was required in 12.4% (95% CI 8.3–18.0) of the cases. Discussion: KTRs with COVID-19 have a similar clinical presentation as the general population but have higher morbidity and mortality. It is uncertain whether high dose corticosteroid or hydroxychloroquine reduces the risks of mortality in KTRs with COVID-19.

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