Academic performance of children born preterm: a meta-analysis and meta-regression

BackgroundAdvances in neonatal healthcare have resulted in decreased mortality after preterm birth but have not led to parallel decreases in morbidity. Academic performance provides insight in the outcomes and specific difficulties and needs of preterm children.ObjectiveTo study academic performance in preterm children born in the antenatal steroids and surfactant era and possible moderating effects of perinatal and demographic factors.DesignPubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO were searched for peer-reviewed articles. Cohort studies with a full-term control group reporting standardised academic performance scores of preterm children (<37 weeks of gestation) at age 5 years or older and born in the antenatal steroids and surfactant era were included. Academic test scores and special educational needs of preterm and full-term children were analysed using random effects meta-analysis. Random effects meta-regressions were performed to explore the predictive role of perinatal and demographic factors for between-study variance in effect sizes.ResultsThe 17 eligible studies included 2390 preterm children and 1549 controls. Preterm children scored 0.71 SD below full-term peers on arithmetic (p<0.001), 0.44 and 0.52 SD lower on reading and spelling (p<0.001) and were 2.85 times more likely to receive special educational assistance (95% CI 2.12 to 3.84, p<0.001). Bronchopulmonarydysplasia explained 44% of the variance in academic performance (p=0.006).ConclusionPreterm children born in the antenatal steroids and surfactant era show considerable academic difficulties. Preterm children with bronchopulmonarydysplasia are at particular risk for poor academic outcome.

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Coenzyme Q10 supplementation for prophylaxis in adult patients with migraine—a meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039358 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. e039358

Author(s):

Suhairul Sazali ◽

Salziyan Badrin ◽

Mohd Noor Norhayati ◽

Nur Suhaila Idris

Keyword(s):

Random Effects ◽

Coenzyme Q10 ◽

Migraine Headache ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Adult Patients ◽

Control Group ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Statistical Heterogeneity ◽

Coq10 Supplementation ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveTo determine the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) for reduction in the severity, frequency of migraine attacks and duration of headache in adult patients with migraine.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesCochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Psychological Information Database (PsycINFO) from inception till December 2019.Study selectionAll randomised control trials comparing CoQ10 with placebo or used as an adjunct treatment included in this meta-analysis. Cross-over designs and controlled clinical trials were excluded.Data synthesisHeterogeneity at face value by comparing populations, settings, interventions and outcomes were measured and statistical heterogeneity was assessed by means of the I2 statistic. The treatment effect for dichotomous outcomes were using risk ratios and risk difference, and for continuous outcomes, mean differences (MDs) or standardised mean difference; both with 95% CIs were used. Subgroup analyses were carried out for dosage of CoQ10 and if CoQ10 combined with another supplementation. Sensitivity analysis was used to investigate the impact risk of bias for sequence generation and allocation concealment of included studies.ResultsSix studies with a total of 371 participants were included in the meta-analysis. There is no statistically significant reduction in severity of migraine headache with CoQ10 supplementation. CoQ10 supplementation reduced the duration of headache attacks compared with the control group (MD: −0.19; 95% CI: −0.27 to −0.11; random effects; I2 statistic=0%; p<0.00001). CoQ10 usage reduced the frequency of migraine headache compared with the control group (MD: −1.52; 95% CI: −2.40 to −0.65; random effects; I2 statistic=0%; p<0.001).ConclusionCoQ10 appears to have beneficial effects in reducing duration and frequency of migraine attack.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019126127.

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Clinical efficacy on glycemic control and safety of mesenchymal stem cells in patients with diabetes mellitus: Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCT data

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0247662 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0247662

Author(s):

Jingjing He ◽

Desheng Kong ◽

Zhifen Yang ◽

Ruiyun Guo ◽

Asiamah Ernest Amponsah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Stem Cells ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Random Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

Significant Difference

Background Diabetes mellitus as a chronic metabolic disease is threatening human health seriously. Although numerous clinical trials have been registered for the treatment of diabetes with stem cells, no articles have been published to summarize the efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods and findings The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence from RCTs and, where possible, conduct meta-analyses to provide a reliable numerical summary and the most comprehensive assessment of therapeutic efficacy and safety with MSCs in diabetes. PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, the Cochrane Library and CNKI were searched. The retrieval time was from establishment of these databases to January 4, 2020. Seven RCTs were eligible for analysis, including 413 participants. Meta-analysis results showed that there were no significant differences in the reduction of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) compared to the baseline [mean difference (MD) = -1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-2.26,0.16), P<0.01, I2 = 94%] and the control group [MD = -0.62, 95%CI (-1.46,0.23), P<0.01, I2 = 87%]. The MSCs treatment group showed a significant decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) A1c [random-effects, MD = -1.32, 95%CI (-2.06, -0.57), P<0.01, I2 = 90%] after treatment. Additionally, HbA1c reduced more significantly in MSC treatment group than in control group [random-effects, MD = -0.87, 95%CI (-1.53, -0.22), P<0.01, I2 = 82%] at the end of follow-up. However, as for fasting C-peptide levels, the estimated pooled MD showed that there was no significant increase [MD = -0.07, 95%CI (-0.30, 0.16), P<0.01, I2 = 94%] in MSCs treatment group compared with that in control group. Notably, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between MSCs treatment group and control group [relative risk (RR) = 0.98, 95%CI (0.72, 1.32), P = 0.02, I2 = 70%]. The most commonly observed adverse reaction in the MSC treatment group was hypoglycemia (29.95%). Conclusions This meta-analysis revealed MSCs therapy may be an effective and safe intervention in subjects with diabetes. However, due to the limited studies, a number of high-quality as well as large-scale RCTs should be performed to confirm these conclusions.

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Benzodiazepine Use and Risk of Dementia in the Elderly Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neuroepidemiology ◽

10.1159/000454881 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 47 (3-4) ◽

pp. 181-191 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

Md. Mohaimenul Islam ◽

Usman Iqbal ◽

Bruno Walther ◽

Suleman Atique ◽

Navneet Kumar Dubey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Random Effects ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Control Group ◽

Clinical Heterogeneity ◽

Dementia Risk ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Benzodiazepine Use

Background: Benzodiazepines are a widely used medication in developed countries, particularly among elderly patients. However, benzodiazepines are known to affect memory and cognition and might thus enhance the risk of dementia. The objective of this review is to synthesize evidence from observational studies that evaluated the association between benzodiazepines use and dementia risk. Summary: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled observational studies to evaluate the risk of benzodiazepines use on dementia outcome. All control observational studies that compared dementia outcome in patients with benzodiazepine use with a control group were included. We calculated pooled ORs using a random-effects model. Ten studies (of 3,696 studies identified) were included in the systematic review, of which 8 studies were included in random-effects meta-analysis and sensitivity analyses. Odds of dementia were 78% higher in those who used benzodiazepines compared with those who did not use benzodiazepines (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.33-2.38). In subgroup analysis, the higher association was still found in the studies from Asia (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.66-3.47) whereas a moderate association was observed in the studies from North America and Europe (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.34-1.65 and OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.16-1.75). Also, diabetics, hypertension, cardiac disease, and statin drugs were associated with increased risk of dementia but negative association was observed in the case of body mass index. There was significant statistical and clinical heterogeneity among studies for the main analysis and most of the sensitivity analyses. There was significant statistical and clinical heterogeneity among the studies for the main analysis and most of the sensitivity analyses. Key Messages: Our results suggest that benzodiazepine use is significantly associated with dementia risk. However, observational studies cannot clarify whether the observed epidemiologic association is a causal effect or the result of some unmeasured confounding variable. Therefore, more research is needed.

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Craniofacial Morphology in Prematurely Born Children

The Angle Orthodontist ◽

10.2319/030108-124.1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 79 (2) ◽

pp. 276-283 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Liselotte Paulsson ◽

Lars Bondemark

Keyword(s):

Head Circumference ◽

Null Hypothesis ◽

Full Term ◽

Craniofacial Morphology ◽

Control Group ◽

Preterm Children ◽

Very Preterm ◽

Anterior Cranial Base ◽

Extremely Preterm ◽

Preterm Group

Abstract Objective: To test the null hypothesis that there is no difference between the craniofacial morphology of prematurely born children and that of matched full-term born controls. Materials and Methods: White children 8 to 10 years of age, born at the University Hospitals of Lund and Malmö and living in the same part of Sweden, were included. One group consisted of 36 very preterm children, born during gestational weeks 29 to 32; the other group included 36 extremely preterm children, who were born before the 29th gestational week. Subjects were compared with a control group of 31 full-term children, who were matched for gender, age, nationality, and living area. One lateral head radiograph was taken for each child, and the cephalometric analysis included 15 angular and 11 linear variables. Also, the height, weight, and head circumference of each child were registered. Results: A significantly shorter anterior cranial base and a less convex skeletal profile were found among extremely preterm children, and significantly shorter maxillary length was noted in both extremely preterm and very preterm groups as compared with full-term children. The lower incisors were significantly more retroclined and retruded in the extremely preterm group compared with the very preterm group and the full-term control group. Extremely preterm children were significantly shorter, and both extremely preterm and very preterm children had significantly lower weight and smaller head circumference compared with full-term children. Conclusion: The null hypothesis was rejected because several craniofacial parameters differed significantly between preterm and full-term born control children.

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The Impact of Peer Assessment on Academic Performance: A Meta-analysis of Control Group Studies

10.31234/osf.io/c4rkv ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kit S Double

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Peer Assessment ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Teacher Assessment ◽

Medium Effect ◽

Practice Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

Peer assessment has been the subject of considerable research interest over the last three decades, with numerous educational researchers advocating for the integration of peer assessment into schools and instructional practice. Research synthesis in this area has, however, largely relied on narrative reviews to evaluate the efficacy of peer assessment. Here we present a meta-analysis (54 studies, k = 141) of experimental and quasi-experimental studies that evaluated the effect of peer assessment on academic performance in primary, secondary, or tertiary students across subjects and domains. An overall small to medium effect of peer assessment on academic performance was found (g = 0.31, p < .001). The results suggest that peer assessment improves academic performance compared with no assessment (g = 0.31, p < .001) and teacher assessment (g = 0.28, p = .007), but was not significantly different in its effect from self-assessment (g = 0.23, p = .209). Additionally, meta-regressions examined the moderating effects of several feedback and educational characteristics (e.g. online vs offline, frequency, education level etc.). Results suggested that the effectiveness of peer assessment was remarkably robust across a wide range of contexts. These findings provide support for peer assessment as a formative practice and suggest several implications for the implementation of peer assessment into the classroom.

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Anatomic features of anterior chamber angle in children with glaucoma depending on the degree of the cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity

Ophthalmology journal ◽

10.17816/ov2019121-26 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 21-26

Author(s):

Maria A. Makarova ◽

Viktoria M. Panchishena ◽

Elena V. Brusakova ◽

Regina V. Ershova ◽

Elvira I. Saidasheva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anterior Chamber ◽

Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽

Full Term ◽

Congenital Glaucoma ◽

Control Group ◽

Study Group ◽

Anterior Chamber Angle ◽

Anatomic Structure ◽

Preterm Children ◽

Chamber Angle

Introduction. The retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading condition in the nosological structure of ophthalmic pathology in preterm children. A number of researchers note the increase in frequency of glaucoma development in such patients, considerably worsening the prognosis of the disease. At the same time, features of ocular hydrostatics and hydrodynamics taking into account the immaturity of the eye are studied insufficiently. The purpose of the study was to estimate the anterior chamber angle anatomy in preterm children with glaucoma depending on the cicatricial ROP severity. Materials and methods. The study group included 45 preterm children (87 eyes) aged from 6 months to 18 years with glaucoma on the background of cicatricial ROP. The control group consisted of 27 full-term children (54 eyes) with congenital glaucoma. As an addition to traditional ophthalmologic examination, iridocorneal goniography using a pediatric retinal camera was performed. Results. In children of the study group, anomalies of anterior chamber angle anatomic structure were diagnosed in the absolute majority of cases 97.7% of cases (85 eyes) and depended on the cicatricial ROP severity: at degrees 1-3 they were similar to those in congenital glaucoma in full-term children; at degrees 4-5 glaucoma was of secondary nature and developed as a result of a combination of dysgenesis signs in the anterior chamber angle. Conclusion. Cicatricial ROP of any degree is a high risk factor for the development of secondary glaucoma.

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Effect of Web 2.0 Technologies on Academic Performance: A Meta-analysis Study

International Journal of Technology in Education and Science ◽

10.46328/ijtes.161 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 108-127

Author(s):

Esra Ergül Sönmez ◽

Hasan Çakır

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Experimental Approach ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Control Group ◽

Analysis Method ◽

Web 2.0 Technologies ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

G Value ◽

The Impact

With the development of Web 2.0 technologies, the studies conducted in this field are diversifying and quite different results are obtained. In the current study, the contributions of wikis and blogs, which are considered as web 2.0 technologies, to academic performance were examined with meta-analysis method. The studies following quasi-experimental approach and have a control group with pretest-posttest measures published both in Turkish and English are included in the study. In consideration of the criteria determined, 19 studies were selected to be considered for the current study. The studies having participants from nine different countries were coded, and then they were analyzed in a meta-analysis software called CMA. As the distribution of data was heterogeneous, a random effects model was selected and the analysis was performed. Effect size (E++) according to the analysis performed by the Hedge’s g value and 95% confidence interval was found as 0.740. Results show that the impact of web 2.0 technologies on academic performance is positive and moderate.

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Efficacy of Corticosteroids in Patients with SARS, MERS and COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm9082392 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 2392 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Keum Hwa Lee ◽

Sojung Yoon ◽

Gwang Hun Jeong ◽

Jong Yeob Kim ◽

Young Joo Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Random Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Random Effect Model ◽

Control Group ◽

Random Effects Model ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Coronavirus Infections

(1) Background: The use of corticosteroids in critical coronavirus infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), or Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been controversial. However, a meta-analysis on the efficacy of steroids in treating these coronavirus infections is lacking. (2) Purpose: We assessed a methodological criticism on the quality of previous published meta-analyses and the risk of misleading conclusions with important therapeutic consequences. We also examined the evidence of the efficacy of corticosteroids in reducing mortality in SARS, MERS and COVID-19. (3) Methods: PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were used to identify studies published until 25 April 2020, that reported associations between steroid use and mortality in treating SARS/MERS/COVID-19. Two investigators screened and extracted data independently. Searches were restricted to studies on humans, and articles that did not report the exact number of patients in each group or data on mortality were excluded. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios (HRs) under the fixed- and random-effect model. (4) Results: Eight articles (4051 patients) were eligible for inclusion. Among these selected studies, 3416 patients were diagnosed with SARS, 360 patients with MERS, and 275 with COVID-19; 60.3% patients were administered steroids. The meta-analyses including all studies showed no differences overall in terms of mortality (OR 1.152, 95% CI 0.631–2.101 in the random effects model, p = 0.645). However, this conclusion might be biased, because, in some studies, the patients in the steroid group had more severe symptoms than those in the control group. In contrast, when the meta-analysis was performed restricting only to studies that used appropriate adjustment (e.g., time, disease severity), there was a significant difference between the two groups (HR 0.378, 95% CI 0.221–0.646 in the random effects model, p < 0.0001). Although there was no difference in mortality when steroids were used in severe cases, there was a difference among the group with more underlying diseases (OR 3.133, 95% CI 1.670–5.877, p < 0.001). (5) Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis providing the most accurate evidence on the effect of steroids in coronavirus infections. If not contraindicated, and in the absence of side effects, the use of steroids should be considered in coronavirus infection including COVID-19.

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Meta-Analysis of Sensorimotor Gating Deficits in Patients With Schizophrenia Evaluated by Prepulse Inhibition Test

Schizophrenia Bulletin ◽

10.1093/schbul/sbaa059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (6) ◽

pp. 1482-1497

Author(s):

Rodrigo San-Martin ◽

Leonardo Andrade Castro ◽

Paulo Rossi Menezes ◽

Francisco José Fraga ◽

Priscyla Waleska Simões ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prepulse Inhibition ◽

Random Effects ◽

Effect Size ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Sensorimotor Gating ◽

Control Group ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Meta Regression Analysis ◽

High Level ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstracts Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating that is often impaired in patients with schizophrenia. Despite the large number of studies, there is considerable variation in PPI outcomes reported. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating PPI impairment in patients with schizophrenia compared with healthy control subjects, and examined possible explanations for the variation in results between studies. Major databases were screened for observational studies comparing healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia for the prepulse and pulse intervals of 60 and 120 ms as primary outcomes, ie, PPI-60 and PPI-120. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted and pooled using random effects models. We then estimated the mean effect size of these measures with random effects meta-analyses and evaluated potential PPI heterogeneity moderators, using sensitivity analysis and meta-regressions. Sixty-seven primary studies were identified, with 3685 healthy and 4290 patients with schizophrenia. The schizophrenia group showed reduction in sensorimotor gating for both PPI-60 (SMD = −0.50, 95% CI = [−0.61, −0.39]) and PPI-120 (SMD = −0.44, 95% CI = [−0.54, −0.33]). The sensitivity and meta-regression analysis showed that sample size, gender proportion, imbalance for gender, source of control group, and study continent were sources of heterogeneity (P < .05) for both PPI-60 and PPI-120 outcomes. Our findings confirm a global sensorimotor gating deficit in schizophrenia patients, with overall moderate effect size for PPI-60 and PPI-120. Methodological consistency should decrease the high level of heterogeneity of PPI results between studies.

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The Impact of Peer Assessment on Academic Performance: A Meta-analysis of Control Group Studies

Educational Psychology Review ◽

10.1007/s10648-019-09510-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 481-509 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Kit S. Double ◽

Joshua A. McGrane ◽

Therese N. Hopfenbeck

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Peer Assessment ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Teacher Assessment ◽

Medium Effect ◽

Practice Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

AbstractPeer assessment has been the subject of considerable research interest over the last three decades, with numerous educational researchers advocating for the integration of peer assessment into schools and instructional practice. Research synthesis in this area has, however, largely relied on narrative reviews to evaluate the efficacy of peer assessment. Here, we present a meta-analysis (54 studies, k = 141) of experimental and quasi-experimental studies that evaluated the effect of peer assessment on academic performance in primary, secondary, or tertiary students across subjects and domains. An overall small to medium effect of peer assessment on academic performance was found (g = 0.31, p < .001). The results suggest that peer assessment improves academic performance compared with no assessment (g = 0.31, p = .004) and teacher assessment (g = 0.28, p = .007), but was not significantly different in its effect from self-assessment (g = 0.23, p = .209). Additionally, meta-regressions examined the moderating effects of several feedback and educational characteristics (e.g., online vs offline, frequency, education level). Results suggested that the effectiveness of peer assessment was remarkably robust across a wide range of contexts. These findings provide support for peer assessment as a formative practice and suggest several implications for the implementation of peer assessment into the classroom.

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