Biofeedback in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment outcomes

Author(s):  
Katherine E Darling ◽  
Ethan R Benore ◽  
Erin E Webster

Abstract Biofeedback is commonly used for both pediatric and adult patients with a myriad of diagnoses in clinical settings. The majority of previous research has focused on the use of biofeedback in adults, with only a small body of literature examining the usefulness of biofeedback in treating children. The current systematic review and meta-analysis seeks to quantitatively examine the usefulness of biofeedback in addressing pediatric conditions. A systematic review of biofeedback interventions in children was conducted using four databases (Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane CENTRAL). Outcomes included changes in symptoms of associated conditions or changes in physiological functioning. Out of 3,128 identified articles, 23 studies (with 24 effect sizes) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Using a random effects model, the overall effect of pediatric biofeedback was statistically significant with a large effect size. Despite the large effect size, general study quality was low, limiting interpretation of findings. Despite widespread clinical use of biofeedback in pediatric populations, research is still limited concerning the efficacy of biofeedback in children. While findings suggest potential positive effects of biofeedback to address pediatric conditions, high-quality studies are necessary to fully support the use of biofeedback in children.

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 2572-2585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Huang ◽  
Grey Giddins ◽  
Li-dong Wu

Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), as a promising alternative to traditional corticosteroid (CS), is now increasingly used in the treatment of elbow epicondylitis (EE) and plantar fasciitis (PF). To date, however, the synthesis of information on the clinical efficacy of PRP versus CS is limited with divergent conclusions. Purpose: To compare the clinical efficacy of PRP and CS injections in reducing pain and improving function in EE and PF. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Online databases were searched from inception to October 2018 for prospective studies evaluating PRP versus CS injections for EE or PF. Independent reviewers undertook searches, screening, and risk-of-bias appraisals. The primary outcomes of interest were pain and function in both the short term (1-3 months) and the long term (≥6 months). Results: Twenty trials with 1268 participants were included. For EE, PRP provides a statistically and clinically meaningful long-term improvement in pain, with a very large effect size of −1.3 (95% CI, −1.9 to −0.7) when compared with CS, but the evidence level was low. For EE, there was moderate evidence that CS provides a statistically meaningful improvement in pain in the short term, with a medium effect size of 0.56 (95% CI, 0.08-1.03) as compared with PRP; this improvement might not be clinically significant. For PF, there was low evidence that PRP provides a statistically and clinically meaningful long-term improvement in function (American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society score), with a very large effect size of 1.94 (95% CI, 0.61-3.28). There were no significant differences between the groups in improvement in function in EE and pain and short-term function in PF, but the quality of the evidence was low. Conclusion: The use of PRP yields statistically and clinically better improvement in long-term pain than does CS in the treatment of EE. The use of PRP yields statistically and clinically better long-term functional improvement than that of CS in the treatment of PF.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 198-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.R. Moukhtarian ◽  
R.E. Cooper ◽  
E. Vassos ◽  
P. Moran ◽  
P. Asherson

AbstractBackground:Emotional lability (EL) is an associated feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults, contributing to functional impairment. Yet the effect of pharmacological treatments for ADHD on EL symptoms is unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effects of stimulants and atomoxetine on symptoms of EL and compare these with the effects on core ADHD symptoms.Methods:A systematic search was conducted on the databases Embase, PsychInfo, and Ovid Medline®and the clinicaltrials.gov website. We included randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of stimulants and atomoxetine in adults aged 18–60 years, with any mental health diagnosis characterised by emotional or mood instability, with at least one outcome measure of EL. All identified trials were on adults with ADHD. A random-effects meta-analysis with standardised mean difference and 95% confidence intervals was used to investigate the effect size on EL and compare this to the effect on core ADHD symptoms.Results:Of the 3,864 publications identified, nine trials met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Stimulants and atomoxetine led to large mean weighted effect-sizes for on ADHD symptoms (n= 9, SMD = −0.8, 95% CI:−1.07 to −0.53). EL outcomes showed more moderate but definite effects (n= 9, SMD = −0.41, 95% CI:−0.57 to −0.25).Conclusions:In this meta-analysis, stimulants and atomoxetine were moderately effective for EL symptoms, while effect size on core ADHD symptoms was twice as large. Methodological issues may partially explain the difference in effect size. Reduced average effect size could also reflect heterogeneity of EL with ADHD pharmacotherapy responsive and non-responsive sub-types. Our findings indicate that EL may be less responsive than ADHD symptoms overall, perhaps indicating the need for adjunctive psychotherapy in some cases. To clarify these questions, our findings need replication in studies selecting subjects for high EL and targeting EL as the primary outcome.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2571
Author(s):  
Tianxiang Cui ◽  
Jiaxuan Xi ◽  
Chanyuan Tang ◽  
Jianwen Song ◽  
Jinbo He ◽  
...  

Food intake has been shown to be related to several environmental factors including the presence of music. However, previous findings of the relationship between music and food intake are inconsistent. In the present study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to quantitatively review the extent to which music is associated with food intake as well as to investigate potential moderators that might have contributed to the heterogeneity of the existing findings. Literature was searched on four databases (i.e., PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses) and Google Scholar. Nine articles published from 1989 to 2020 met our inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was carried out via a three-level random-effects model. The overall effect size (i.e., Hedges’ g) was 0.19 (95% Confidence Interval: −0.003, 0.386; SE = 0.10, t = 1.99, p = 0.054), indicating a marginally significant but small effect size. Body Mass Index (F(1, 21) = 5.11, p = 0.035) was found to significantly contribute to the heterogeneity of effect sizes, with larger positive effects of music on food intake for individuals with higher BMI. However, music-related features did not significantly moderate the relationship between music and food intake. More experimental studies are needed to update the current meta-analysis and get a better understanding of this topic.


Author(s):  
Ciro Conversano ◽  
Graziella Orrù ◽  
Andrea Pozza ◽  
Mario Miccoli ◽  
Rebecca Ciacchini ◽  
...  

Background: Hypertension is among the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which are considered high mortality risk medical conditions. To date, several studies have reported positive effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions on physical and psychological well-being in other medical conditions, but no meta-analysis on MBSR programs for hypertension has been conducted. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of MBSR programs for hypertension. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining the effects of MBSR on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in people with hypertension or pre-hypertension was conducted. The PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases were searched in November 2020 to identify relevant studies. Results: Six studies were included. The comparison of MBSR versus control conditions on diastolic BP was associated with a statistically significant mean effect size favoring MBSR over control conditions (MD = −2.029; 95% confidence interval (CI): −3.676 to −0.383, p = 0.016, k = 6; 22 effect sizes overall), without evidence of heterogeneity (I2 = 0.000%). The comparison of MBSR versus control conditions on systolic BP was associated with a mean effect size which was statistically significant only at a marginal level (MD = −3.894; 95% CI: −7.736–0.053, p = 0.047, k = 6; 22 effect sizes overall), without evidence of high heterogeneity (I2 = 20.772%). The higher the proportion of participants on antihypertensive medications was, the larger the effects of MBSR were on systolic BP (B = −0.750, z = −2.73, p = 0.003). Conclusions: MBSR seems to be a promising intervention, particularly effective on the reduction of diastolic BP. More well-conducted trials are required.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyune June Lee ◽  
Sung Min Kim ◽  
Ji Yean Kwon

Abstract Background Peripartum depression is a common disorder with very high potential hazards for both the patients and their babies. The typical treatment options include antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy. However, these treatments do not ensure the safety of the fetus. Recently, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has emerged as a promising treatment for neuropathies as well as depression. Nevertheless, many studies excluded pregnant women. This systematic review was conducted to confirm whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was a suitable treatment option for peripartum depression. Methods We performed a systematic review that followed the PRISMA guidelines. We searched for studies in the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases published until the end of September 2020. Eleven studies were selected for the systematic review, and five studies were selected for quantitative synthesis. Data analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3 software. The effect size was analyzed using the standardized mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was determined by the generic inverse variance estimation method. Results The therapeutic effect size of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for peripartum depression was 1.394 (95% CI: 0.944–1.843), and the sensitivity analysis effect size was 1.074 (95% CI: 0.689–1.459), indicating a significant effect. The side effect size of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for peripartum depression was 0.346 (95% CI: 0.214–0.506), a meaningful result. There were no severe side effects to the mothers or fetuses. Conclusions From various perspectives, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can be considered an alternative treatment to treat peripartum depression to avoid exposure of fetuses to drugs and the severe side effects of electroconvulsive therapy. Further research is required to increase confidence in the results.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharare Taheri Moghadam ◽  
Farahnaz Sadoughi ◽  
Farnia Velayati ◽  
Seyed Jafar Ehsanzadeh ◽  
Shayan Poursharif

Abstract Background Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) for Prescribing are one of the innovations designed to improve physician practice performance and patient outcomes by reducing prescription errors. This study was therefore conducted to examine the effects of various CDSSs on physician practice performance and patient outcomes. Methods This systematic review was carried out by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library from 2005 to 2019. The studies were independently reviewed by two researchers. Any discrepancies in the eligibility of the studies between the two researchers were then resolved by consulting the third researcher. In the next step, we performed a meta-analysis based on medication subgroups, CDSS-type subgroups, and outcome categories. Also, we provided the narrative style of the findings. In the meantime, we used a random-effects model to estimate the effects of CDSS on patient outcomes and physician practice performance with a 95% confidence interval. Q statistics and I2 were then used to calculate heterogeneity. Results On the basis of the inclusion criteria, 45 studies were qualified for analysis in this study. CDSS for prescription drugs/COPE has been used for various diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, AIDS, appendicitis, kidney disease, malaria, high blood potassium, and mental diseases. In the meantime, other cases such as concurrent prescribing of multiple medications for patients and their effects on the above-mentioned results have been analyzed. The study shows that in some cases the use of CDSS has beneficial effects on patient outcomes and physician practice performance (std diff in means = 0.084, 95% CI 0.067 to 0.102). It was also statistically significant for outcome categories such as those demonstrating better results for physician practice performance and patient outcomes or both. However, there was no significant difference between some other cases and traditional approaches. We assume that this may be due to the disease type, the quantity, and the type of CDSS criteria that affected the comparison. Overall, the results of this study show positive effects on performance for all forms of CDSSs. Conclusions Our results indicate that the positive effects of the CDSS can be due to factors such as user-friendliness, compliance with clinical guidelines, patient and physician cooperation, integration of electronic health records, CDSS, and pharmaceutical systems, consideration of the views of physicians in assessing the importance of CDSS alerts, and the real-time alerts in the prescription.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110216
Author(s):  
Brooke N. Lombardi ◽  
Todd M. Jensen ◽  
Anna B. Parisi ◽  
Melissa Jenkins ◽  
Sarah E. Bledsoe

Background: The association between a lifetime history of sexual victimization and the well-being of women during the perinatal period has received increasing attention. However, research investigating this relationship has yet to be systematically reviewed or quantitatively synthesized. Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to calculate the pooled effect size estimate of the statistical association between a lifetime history of sexual victimization and perinatal depression (PND). Method: Four bibliographic databases were systematically searched, and reference harvesting was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles that empirically examined associations between a lifetime history of sexual victimization and PND. A random effects model was used to ascertain an overall pooled effect size estimate in the form of an odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were also conducted to assess whether particular study features and sample characteristic (e.g., race and ethnicity) influenced the magnitude of effect size estimates. Results: This review included 36 studies, with 45 effect size estimates available for meta-analysis. Women with a lifetime history of sexual victimization had 51% greater odds of experiencing PND relative to women with no history of sexual victimization ( OR = 1.51, 95% CI [1.35, 1.67]). Effect size estimates varied considerably according to the PND instrument used in each study and the racial/ethnic composition of each sample. Conclusion: Findings provide compelling evidence for an association between a lifetime history of sexual victimization and PND. Future research should focus on screening practices and interventions that identify and support survivors of sexual victimization perinatally.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Hee Lee ◽  
Ji Yeon Lee ◽  
Bora Kim

Abstract Background and Objectives The concept of person-centered care has been utilized/adapted to various interventions to enhance health-related outcomes and ensure the quality of care delivered to persons living with dementia. A few systematic reviews have been conducted on the use of person-centered interventions in the context of dementia care, but to date, none have analyzed intervention effect by intervention type and target outcome. This study aimed to review person-centered interventions used in the context of dementia care and examine their effectiveness. Research Design and Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. We searched through five databases for randomized controlled trials that utilized person-centered interventions in persons living with dementia from 1998 to 2019. Study quality was assessed using the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The outcomes of interest for the meta-analysis were behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) and cognitive function assessed immediately after the baseline measurement. Results In total, 36 studies were systematically reviewed. Intervention types were: reminiscence, music, and cognitive therapies, and multisensory stimulation. Thirty studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results showed a moderate effect size for overall intervention, a small one for music therapy, and a moderate one for reminiscence therapy on BPSD and cognitive function. Discussion and Implications Generally speaking, person-centered interventions showed immediate intervention effects on reducing BPSD and improving cognitive function, although the effect size and significance of each outcome differed by intervention type. Thus, healthcare providers should consider person-centered interventions as a vital element in dementia care.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e046352
Author(s):  
Lijuan Zhang ◽  
Yanli Song ◽  
Nan Jiang ◽  
Yaqi Huang ◽  
Bo Dong ◽  
...  

ObjectivesDespite remarkable advances in the treatment of oesophageal cancer (OC), the role of antiepidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) agents in treating OC remains controversial. Herein, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to elucidate the efficacy and safety of anti-EGFR agents in patients with OC.DesignMeta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) identified by searching the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biology Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform databases from inception to December 2019. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.SettingRCTs from any country and healthcare setting.ParticipantsPatients with OC.InterventionsCombination therapy with anti-EGFR agents and conventional treatments versus conventional treatments alone in patients with OC.Primary and secondary outcome measuresOverall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were primary outcome measures, and objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and treatment toxicities were secondary outcome measures.ResultsIn total, 25 RCTs comprising 3406 patients with OC were included. Overall, anti-EGFR treatment significantly improved the OS (HR: 0.81, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.89, p<0.00001), ORR (relative risk (RR): 1.33, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.52, p<0.0001) and DCR (RR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.34, p<0.0001) but not PFS (HR: 0.91, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.08, p=0.26). Anti-EGFR treatment was significantly associated with higher incidences of myelosuppression, diarrhoea, acne-like rash and hypomagnesaemia.ConclusionsOverall, anti-EGFR agents have positive effects on OS, the ORR and DCR in OC. However, considering the high incidence of adverse effects, such as myelosuppression, diarrhoea, acne-like rashes and hypomagnesaemia, careful monitoring of patients with OC is recommended during anti-EGFR treatment.Trial registration numberCRD42020169230.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 286
Author(s):  
Angelo Zinellu ◽  
Arduino A. Mangoni

The identification of biomarkers predicting disease severity and outcomes is the focus of intense research in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 infection). Ideally, such biomarkers should be easily derivable from routine tests. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the predictive role of the red blood cell distribution width (RDW), a routine hematological test, in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We searched the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, from January 2020 to November 2020, for studies reporting data on the RDW and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity, defined as severe illness or admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and mortality. Eleven studies in 4901 COVID-19 patients were selected for the meta-analysis. Pooled results showed that the RDW values were significantly higher in patients with severe disease and non-survivors (standard mean difference, SMD = 0.56, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.81, p < 0.001). Heterogeneity between studies was extreme (I2 = 80.6%; p < 0.001). In sensitivity analysis, the effect size was not modified when each study was in turn removed (effect size range, between 0.47 and 0.63). The Begg’s (p = 0.53) and Egger’s tests (p = 0.52) showed no evidence of publication bias. No significant correlations were observed between SMD and age, gender, whole blood count, end point, study geographic area, or design. Our meta-analysis showed that higher RDW values are significantly associated with COVID-19 severity and mortality. This routine parameter might assist with early risk stratification in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.


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