Can Liver Ultrasound Elastography Predict the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Radiofrequency Ablation? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Purpose The role of liver stiffness (LS) on ultrasound elastography in the prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is still unclear. Our aim was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether LS can predict the recurrence of HCC after RFA. Materials and Methods Medline via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases, and abstracts of international conference proceedings were searched up to June 30, 2020. Cohort studies were included if they assessed the association between LS values measured by ultrasound elastography before RFA and HCC recurrence. Results 9 studies including 1373 patients with HCC treated by RFA, 643 of whom developed HCC recurrence, were identified. The mean value of LS before RFA was significantly higher in patients who developed HCC recurrence than in those who did not (weighted mean difference=11.98 kPa, 95%CI: 7.60–16.35, I2=63.8%). There was a significant positive association between LS value and HCC recurrence both at univariate (unadjusted HR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.00–1.07, I2=72.7%) and multivariate analysis (adjusted HR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.02–1.04, I2=0). Patients with LS value ≥13–14 kPa or >1.5 m/s have a higher risk of both HCC recurrence (unadjusted HR=2.18, 95%CI: 1.46–3.25, I2=49.7%; adjusted HR=2.41, 95%CI: 1.53–3.79, I2=0) and overall mortality (adjusted HR=4.38; 95%CI: 2.33–8.25, I2=0) in comparison with those with LS below these cutoffs. Conclusion Liver ultrasound elastography appears to be a reliable tool to predict HCC recurrence and overall survival after RFA. This technique may be useful for the management of patients with HCC treated by RFA.

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Adjuvant Transarterial Chemoembolization Following Curative-Intent Hepatectomy Versus Hepatectomy Alone for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13122984 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 2984

Author(s):

Stepan M. Esagian ◽

Christos D. Kakos ◽

Emmanouil Giorgakis ◽

Lyle Burdine ◽

J. Camilo Barreto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Transarterial Chemoembolization ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Curative Intent ◽

Randomized Controlled

The role of adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing hepatectomy is currently unclear. We performed a systematic review of the literature using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Random-effects meta-analysis was carried out to compare the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients with resectable HCC undergoing hepatectomy followed by adjuvant TACE vs. hepatectomy alone in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore the effect of hepatitis B viral status, microvascular invasion, type of resection (anatomic vs. parenchymal-sparing), and tumor size on the outcomes. Ten eligible RCTs, reporting on 1216 patients in total, were identified. The combination of hepatectomy and adjuvant TACE was associated with superior OS (hazard ratio (HR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52 to 0.85; p < 0.001) and RFS (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.88; p < 0.001) compared to hepatectomy alone. There were significant concerns regarding the risk of bias in most of the included studies. Overall, adjuvant TACE may be associated with an oncologic benefit in select HCC patients. However, the applicability of these findings may be limited to Eastern Asian populations, due to the geographically restricted sample. High-quality multinational RCTs, as well as predictive tools to optimize patient selection, are necessary before adjuvant TACE can be routinely implemented into standard practice. PROSPERO Registration ID: CRD42021245758.

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Individual or combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a time-to-event meta-analysis

World Journal of Surgical Oncology ◽

10.1186/s12957-021-02188-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chuang Jiang ◽

Gong Cheng ◽

Mingheng Liao ◽

Jiwei Huang

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

Similar Rate ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Arterial Chemoembolization

Abstract Background There is still some debate as to whether transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is better than TACE or RFA alone. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of TACE plus RFA for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with RFA or TACE alone. Methods We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) for all relevant randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies reporting overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and complications of TACE plus RFA for HCC, compared with RFA or TACE alone. Results Twenty-one studies involving 3413 patients were included. TACE combined with RFA was associated with better OS (hazard ratio [HR]=0.62, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.55–0.71, P < 0.001) and RFS (HR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.39–0.69, P < 0.001) than TACE alone; compared with RFA alone, TACE plus RFA resulted in longer OS (HR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.53–0.75, P < 0.001) and RFS (HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.51–0.71, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by tumor size also showed that combined treatment resulted in better OS and RFS compared with RFA alone in patients with HCC larger than 3 cm. Combined treatment resulted in similar rate of major complications compared with TACE or RFA alone (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 0.99–3.20, P = 0.05; OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.42–2.38, P = 1.00, respectively). Conclusions TACE combined with RFA was more effective for HCC than TACE alone. For patients with a tumor larger than 3 cm, the combined treatment also achieved a better effect than RFA alone.

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Effect of Earthworm on Wound Healing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.691742 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Dong Wang ◽

Zhen Ruan ◽

Rongchao Zhang ◽

Xuejing Wang ◽

Ruihui Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Wound Healing ◽

Healing Rate ◽

Weighted Mean Difference ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Healing Process ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Weighted Mean

Background: Earthworm, also called dilong (Chinese language), has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Recently, some scientists believe that earthworm extracts (EE) can promote wound healing. However, its effectiveness remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of EE on wound healing based on the healing rate.Methods: We comprehensively reviewed literature that mentioned EE for wound healing in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, and WanFang database that have been published until January 2021. We computed weighted mean difference (WMD) for analysis with RevMan 5.3 software in animal and human models groups. Two researchers independently selected studies and evaluated the risk of bias with the Cochrane Collaboration tool. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. This study is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020168400).Results: From 2,486 articles, we selected 16 studies for analysis. EE treatment was associated with improvements in wound healing performance based on wound healing rate (mouse model: weighted mean difference (WMD) = 3.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.34–4.77, p < 0.00001; rat model: WMD = 17.29, 95% CI: 5.75–28.82, p = 0.003; rabbit model: WMD = 19.29, 95% CI: 9.95–28.64, p < 0.0001). Clinical studies also confirmed that EE could reduce healing time in hospital (WMD = −8.94, 95% CI: −17.75 to −0.14, p = 0.05).Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis demonstrated the efficacy of EE on wound healing process. As a corollary, EE can be a useful natural product for wound healing drug development.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=168400, identifier CRD42020168400.

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Radiofrequency ablation versus hepatic resection for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: an updated meta-analysis

BMC Gastroenterology ◽

10.1186/s12876-020-01544-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daopeng Yang ◽

Bowen Zhuang ◽

Yan Wang ◽

Xiaoyan Xie ◽

Xiaohua Xie

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Hepatic Resection ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Major Complications ◽

Alternative Treatment Option ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Background The clinical benefits of treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and repeat hepatic resection (RHR) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) remain controversial. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the outcomes and major complications of RFA versus RHR in patients with early-stage RHCC. Methods PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for comparative studies on the evaluation of RHR versus RFA for RHCC. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and major complications. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model or fixed-effects model, and heterogeneity was tested by the Cochran Q statistic. Results Ten studies with 1612 patients (RHR = 654, RFA = 958) were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that RHR had superior OS (HR 0.77, 95% CI =0.65–0.92, P = 0.004) and PFS (HR 0.81, 95% CI =0.67–0.98, P = 0.027) compared to RFA, whereas major complications may be less frequent in the RFA group (OR 0.15, 95% CI = 0.06–0.39, P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis of patients with single RHCC ≤3 cm, OS (HR 1.03, 95% CI =0.69–1.52, P = 0.897) and PFS (HR 0.99, 95% CI = 0.71–1.37, P = 0.929) showed no significant differences in the comparison of RHR and RFA. In single RHCC> 3 cm and ≤ 5 cm, RFA showed an increased mortality in terms of OS (HR 0.57, 95% CI = 0.37–0.89, P = 0.014). Conclusion RHR offers a longer OS and PFS than RFA for patients with RHCC, but no statistically significant difference was observed for single RHCC ≤3 cm. The advantages of fewer major complications may render RFA an alternative treatment option for selected patients.

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Safety and efficacy of larval therapy on treating leg ulcers: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039898 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. e039898

Author(s):

Weijing Fan ◽

Baozhong Yang ◽

Xiaoming Hu ◽

Xiao Yang ◽

Chenyan Shi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Treatment Time ◽

Weighted Mean Difference ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Measurement Data ◽

Complete Healing ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Leg Ulcers ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Larval Therapy

IntroductionLeg ulcers (LUs) not only seriously affect life and work of patients, but also bring huge economic burden to the society. As a potential underused biological debridement, larval therapy provides help for the treatment of LUs. The purpose of our research is to assess whether patients with LUs can benefit from larval therapy.Methods and analysisThe following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database and Chinese Biological Medicine. Randomised controlled trials are eligible for inclusion. There will be no restrictions with respect to language and search date is up to June 2020. Primary outcomes investigated are complete healing rate after treatment, time to ulcer healing, reduction of wound surface area and adverse events. Risk ratios will be used for categorical data; weighted mean difference will be used for measurement data. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis will be considered if heterogeneity exists. The results of data synthesis will be performed by narrative summary and quantitative analysis.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review does not require the approval of the ethics committee because individual data on patients are not collected. The results of the study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020176953.

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Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic Predictors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Various Treatments: a Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000485396 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 967-981 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Jun Zheng ◽

Jianye Cai ◽

Hui Li ◽

Kaining Zeng ◽

Liying He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Palliative Therapy ◽

Neutrophil To Lymphocyte Ratio ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Platelet To Lymphocyte Ratio ◽

Lymphocyte Ratio ◽

Poor Outcomes ◽

The Cochrane Library

Background/Aims: Systemic inflammatory response (SIR) is widely considered as a preoperative risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) outcomes. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), two of the prognostic indices, have been investigated in post-therapeutic recurrence and survival of HCC. Here, we quantify the prognostic value of these two biomarkers and evaluate their consistency in different HCC therapies. Methods: A systematic review of electronic database of the Web of Science, Embase, PubMed and the Cochrane Library was conducted to search for associations between the NLR and PLR in the blood and clinical outcomes of HCC. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were the primary outcomes, and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were explored as effect measures. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore the heterogeneity of different therapies. Results: A total of 24 articles comprising 6318 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the pooled outcomes revealed that a high NLR before treatment predicted a poor OS (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.34 to 1.76, p<0.001) and poor RFS (HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.16 to 1.82, p=0.001). Moreover, an increased PLR predicted a poor OS (HR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.34 to 1.98, p<0.001) and earlier HCC recurrence (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.21 to 1.91, p<0.001). In addition, both the NLR and PLR were identified as independent risk factors for predicting OS and RFS in HCC patients in a subgroup analysis of different treatment types, including curative or palliative therapy; however, these results were not found in the sorafenib subgroup due to limited clinical research. Conclusion: An increased NLR or PLR indicated poor outcomes for patients with HCC. The NLR and PLR may be considered as reliable and inexpensive biomarkers for making clinical decisions regarding HCC treatment.

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The effect of l-arginine supplementation on lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114519001855 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 122 (9) ◽

pp. 1021-1032

Author(s):

Amir Hadi ◽

Arman Arab ◽

Sajjad Moradi ◽

Ana Pantovic ◽

Cain C. T. Clark ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Lipid Profile ◽

Randomised Controlled Trials ◽

Weighted Mean Difference ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Inconsistency Index ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

Arginine Supplementation

AbstractA number of clinical trials have examined the effect of l-arginine on lipid profile in recent years; however, the results remain equivocal. Therefore, the present study aims to summarise and quantitatively examine the available evidence on the effectiveness l-arginine supplementation on lipid parameters using a systematic review and meta-analytic approach. Online databases including PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar were searched up to April 2019 for randomised controlled trials that examined the effect of l-arginine supplementation on lipid profile in adults. Treatment effects were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and the corresponding standard error in concentrations of serum lipids. To estimate the overall effect of l-arginine supplementation, we used the random-effects model. In total, twelve studies were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis revealed that l-arginine supplementation did not significantly change the concentrations of total cholesterol (WMD: –5·03 mg/dl; 95 % CI –10·78, 0·73; P = 0·08; inconsistency index (I2) = 39·0 %), LDL (WMD: –0·47 mg/dl; 95 % CI –3·61, 2·66; P = 0·76; I2 = 0·0 %), or HDL (WMD: 0·57 mg/dl; 95 % CI –1·28, 2·43; P = 0·54; I2 = 68·4 %). A significant reduction was observed only in serum TAG levels (WMD: –7·04 mg/dl; 95 % CI –11·42, –2·67; P < 0·001; I2 = 0·0 %). This meta-analysis concludes that l-arginine supplementation can significantly reduce blood TAG levels; however, there is insufficient evidence to support its hypocholesterolaemic effects. To draw straightforward conclusions regarding generalised recommendations for l-arginine supplementation for improving lipid profile, there is a need for more well-controlled trials targeting exclusively patients with dyslipidaemia.

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