Efficacy of mobilisation with movement in chronic shoulder pain: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials

IntroductionShoulder pain affects approximately one in four adults and is thus one of the most common musculoskeletal problems. Only 50% of patients who begin treatment for shoulder pain are cured within 6 months. There is a need for systematic reviews to estimate the effectiveness of shoulder treatments. We decided to evaluate the effect of mobilisation with movement (MWM) on chronic shoulder pain in a systematic review.Methods and analysisThe review will include controlled trial articles identified via five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Physiotherapy Evidence Database and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), reference lists, citations searches and experts in the field. Only controlled trials involving participants with a mean duration of pain of ≥3 months, in which the effectiveness of MWM has been compared with non-invasive treatments, sham mobilisation or wait-and-see will be included. The included trials will be synthesised with random effects meta-analyses. Risk-of-bias will be assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database 0–10 point scale.Ethics and disseminationThe review does not require ethics approval as it is based on anonymised data from trial reports. The results of the review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018109380.

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TaiChi and Qigong for Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/5585239 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Wei Jiang ◽

Shaojun Liao ◽

Xiankun Chen ◽

Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg ◽

Gaetano Marrone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Meta Analyses

Background. Depression is a debilitating comorbidity of heart failure (HF) that needs assessment and management. Along with mind-body exercise to deal with HF with depression, the use of TaiChi and/or Qigong practices (TQPs) has increased. Therefore, this systematic review assesses the effects of TQPs on depression among patients with HF. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effect of TQPs on depression in patients with HF were searched by five databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, CINAHL, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)). With standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), random-effects meta-analyses of the effect of TQPs on depressive symptoms were performed. Results. Of eight included RCTs, seven (481 patients) provided data for the meta-analysis. The pooling revealed that TQPs contribute to depression remission in HF (SMD −0.66; 95% CI −0.98 to −0.33, P < 0.0001 ; I2 = 64%). Its antidepressive effect was not influenced by intervention duration or exercise setting, but rather by ejection fraction subtype, depressive severity, and depression instruments. The beneficial effects were preserved when the study with the largest effect was removed. Conclusion. This study suggests that TQPs might be a good strategy for alleviating depressive symptoms in patients with HF. And rigorous-design RCTs, which focus on the identified research gaps, are needed to further establish the therapeutic effects of TQPs for depression in HF.

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Buteyko method for people with asthma: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049213 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. e049213

Author(s):

Karla Morganna Pereira Pinto de Mendonça ◽

Sean Collins ◽

Tácito ZM Santos ◽

Gabriela Chaves ◽

Sarah Leite ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Plain Language ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

Meta Analyses

IntroductionButeyko method is recommended as a non-pharmacological treatment for people with asthma. Although the worldwide interest in the Buteyko method, there is a paucity of studies gathering evidence to support its use. Therefore, we aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of the Buteyko method in children and adults with asthma.Methods and analysisWe will search on Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for studies focusing on the Buteyko method for children and adults with asthma. The searches will be carried out in September 2021 from database’s inception to the present. We will include randomised controlled trials comparing Buteyko method alone with asthma education or inactive control intervention. There will be no restriction on language. Primary outcomes include quality of life, asthma symptoms and adverse events/side effects. Two review authors will independently screen the studies for inclusion and extract data. We will assess the quality of the included studies using the ‘Risk of Bias’ tool. The certainty of the evidence will be assessed using the GRADE approach. Data synthesis will be conducted using Review Manager software. Reporting of the review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidance and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.Ethics and disseminationThis study will assess and provide evidence for the use of the Buteyko method in people with asthma. We will analyse secondary data and this does not require ethics approval. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant conferences and will be shared in plain language in social media. Moreover, the findings of this review could guide the direction of healthcare practice and research.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020193132.

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A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Local Administration of 1 Percent Metformin as an Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planning on Periodontal Intrabony Defects

Journal of Dentistry and Oral Sciences ◽

10.37191/mapsci-2582-3736-2(4)-053 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hussam M. Alqahtani

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Local Administration ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Scaling And Root Planing ◽

Intrabony Defects ◽

Intrabony Defect ◽

Root Planing ◽

Meta Analyses

The Purpose: This systematic review conducted to assess the effectiveness of local administration of 1 % Metformin as an adjunct to scaling and root planing on periodontal intrabony defects. Methods: Two independents reviewers searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and ClinicalTrials.gov.We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of local administration of 1% metformin interventions in patients with periodontal intrabony defect undergoing scaling and root planing as compared to local administration of placebo gel where periodontal parameters were evaluated. The Cochrane RoB tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. Meta-analyses for the quantitative data were performed. We assessed the level of certainty for our outcomes using (GRADE) tool. Results: Among the 1666 studies screened, two RCTs were included in the meta-analyses. The meta-analysis showed a statistically significant difference for all outcomes except the plaque index.Quantitative analyses showed a weighted mean difference (WMD) of1.17 mm (95% CI=1.01 to 1.34 mm, P<0.00001) for depth of periodontal intrabony defect; a WMD of 2.54 mm (95% CI=2.20 to 2.88 mm, P<0.00001) for clinical attachment level;a WMD of 2.01 mm (95%CI=1.68 to 2.33 mm, P<0.00001) for probing depth (PD);a WMD of 0.38 (95% CI=0.14 to 0.62, P = 0.002) for bleeding on probing (BOP); and a WMD of 0.00 mm (95% CI=−0.04 to 0.04 mm, P=0.95) for plaque index. There is moderate certainty of the evidence for all outcomes. Conclusions: Local application of 1% metformin in patients with periodontal intrabony defect may improve the clinical and radiographic periodontal parameters. Future clinical trials are required to confirm the clinical benefits of a 1% metformin application as adjunctive to scaling and root planing in patients with periodontal intrabony defect. Trial Registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD167223.

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Effectiveness of remineralising agents in prevention and treatment of orthodontically induced white spot lesions: a protocol for a systematic review incorporating network meta-analysis

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-019-1253-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Huimin Hu ◽

Chong Feng ◽

Zhaowei Jiang ◽

Lufei Wang ◽

Sonu Shrestha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

White Spot ◽

Orthodontic Appliances ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

White Spot Lesions ◽

Prevention And Treatment ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Background White spot lesions (WSLs) are common adverse effects in fixed orthodontic treatment. Remineralising agents are widely used to prevent WSLs formation and are the first-line treatment for existing WSLs. Previous systematic reviews have evaluated the effectiveness of remineralisation agents in the management of WSLs. However, their conclusions were contradictory. The objective of this study will be to compare the effectiveness and safety of current remineralising agents used in the management of WSLs in patients treated with fixed orthodontic appliances in any orthodontic setting. Methods Literature searches will be conducted in several electronic databases (from inception onwards): MEDLINE (via Ovid), Scopus, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), among others. Grey literature will be identified through searching clinical trials registries. Randomised controlled trials that compared the effectiveness of different remineralisation agents in the prevention and treatment of WSLs will be included. Two researchers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The study risk bias will be appraised using an appropriate tool. The primary outcomes will be WSLs incidence and severity of WSLs. Secondary outcomes will be subjective measures of WSLs and adverse effects. The mean difference (MD) and relative risk (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be chosen as effect measures for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively. If feasible, fixed and random-effects pairwise meta-analyses and frequentist network meta-analyses will be conducted where appropriate. Discussion This network meta-analysis will compare the effectiveness of remineralising agents in the prevention and treatment of orthodontically induced WSLs. By integrating the evidence from direct and indirect comparisons and ranking all evaluated interventions, our findings have the potential to help clinicians make more accurate treatment decisions. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019116852, registered on March 15, 2019

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Efficacy of Mhealth Interventions to Improve Nasal Corticosteroid Adherence in Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-277478/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mats Baxter ◽

Jurgen Schwarze ◽

Andrew Bush ◽

Aziz Sheikh

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Allergic Rhinitis ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Systematic Review Protocol ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract IntroductionMobile health (mHealth) is a potential tool to improve nasal corticosteroid (NCS) adherence in allergic rhinitis (AR), which remains largely poor and inconsistent for many. We plan to undertake a systematic review to synthesise the evidence on the efficacy of mHealth interventions to improve NCS adherence in AR. Methods and analysisA systematic search will be conducted in the electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), filtered for publication dates between January 2010 and August 2020. The search is scheduled to commence in August 2020. We will scan reference lists of included studies for additional eligible papers. Relevant unpublished or in-progress trials will be searched for through trial registries. Randomised controlled trials that examine the efficacy of mHealth interventions to improve NCS adherence in AR are to be included. Two reviewers will independently screen and extract relevant data from the included studies and perform a risk-of-bias assessment using the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2.0. We will perform a narrative synthesis with relevant data tables and, if deemed clinically relevant and statistically adequate, meta-analyses using random-effects modelling. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement will be used to help guide the reporting of this review. Ethics and disseminationSince this systematic review will be exclusively based on published and retrievable literature, no ethics approval will be sought. The findings of this systematic review will be disseminated at appropriate conferences/webinars while being published in an open access peer-reviewed journal.Registration: In accordance with the guidelines, our systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 27th August 2020. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020198879.

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eHealth interventions for reducing cardiovascular disease risk in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis

European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing ◽

10.1093/eurjcn/zvab060.059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

J Mcmahon ◽

DR Thompson ◽

MC Pascoe ◽

K Brazil ◽

CF Ski

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Behavior Change ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Database Search ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Department for the Economy (DfE) studentships Background. Men remain at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women and behavioral risk factor modification is an important preventive measure. However, engaging men in behavior change interventions is challenging. eHealth interventions have the potential to address this gap, though their effectiveness for reducing CVD risk in men is unclear. Purpose. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing CVD risk in men. Methods. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and principles laid out by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. A search of published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with no date restrictions up to July 2020 was conducted across five electronic databases: Cochrane Central register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO and SCOPUS. Reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses were manually searched for additional trials not identified during the database search. Eligible studies were RCTs that focused on the use of eHealth to improve a minimum of two major CVD related risk factors in males aged 18 years or older. Results. A total of 3168 records were retrieved from the online database search, with nine trials meeting the inclusion criteria following screening and full-text assessment. Study quality ranged from low to unclear, with one trial at a high risk of bias. Compared to those in a control group or receiving printed materials, participants randomised to an eHealth intervention had statistically significant improvements in BMI (Z=-2.75, p = 0.01), body weight (Z=-3.25, p = 0.01), waist circumference (Z=-2.30, p = 0.02) and systolic (Z=-3.57, p = 0.01) and diastolic (Z=-3.56, p = 0.01) blood pressure. Though less evident, there were also improvements in physical activity and diet in favour of the intervention group. Conclusion. This was the first systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing CVD risk in men. This review suggests that eHealth interventions can reduce CVD risk in adult men through behavior change. However, we were unable to determine the association between intervention characteristics and outcomes. Also, overall, participant adherence to the intervention was poor. Both of these issues should be considered in future studies.

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Resilience Programs for Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754115 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Tatiana Matheus Pinto ◽

Paulo Guirro Laurence ◽

Cristiane Rufino Macedo ◽

Elizeu Coutinho Macedo

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Program Effectiveness ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Clinical Trial Registration ◽

Treatment As Usual ◽

Meta Analyses

Resilience may be defined as the ability to recover and adapt to adverse situations. Given that resilience involves cognitive and behavioral aspects, it could be promoted based on strategies that favor them, especially during childhood and adolescence. As a result, several resilience-focused programs have been developed and studied. This systematic review of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) aimed to assess resilience-focused programs for children (<12 years old) and adolescents (12–22 years old) compared to active (treatment as usual, other program modalities, and educational curriculum at school) or inactive (waiting list, no treatment) control groups. We performed a systematic review of meta-analyses of RCTs. The following databases were searched: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO. Two authors independently selected the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the studies’ risk of bias. Meta-analyses of random effects were conducted to calculate the standard mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of program effectiveness. Of the 17 RCTs that met the inclusion criteria, 13 provided sufficient data to assess the effectiveness of the programs after their implementation. Meta-analyses indicated overall effectiveness of the programs in promoting resilience (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI [0.15, 0.81], p = 0.0077). The subgroup analysis indicated effectiveness only among adolescents’ resilience (SMD = 0.48, 95% CI [0.08, 0.88], p = 0.02). The follow-up analysis also indicated evidence of continuation of results within a period of up to 6 months up (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI [−0.44, 0.69], p = 0.02). These results indicated the effectiveness of promoting resilience, especially in adolescents, and its continuation in follow-up analyses. These findings are promising in the field of resilience programs; however, further studies are necessary to analyze the different possible characteristics of programs and their results.Clinical Trial Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020179874], [CRD42020179874].

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Enhanced Recovery After Colo-Rectal Surgeries (ERAS) V.S Conventional Care A systematic review and meta-analysis

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcab097.055 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Hanna Habib Hanna ◽

Sherif Abdelhalim ◽

Aboelatta Khairy ◽

Rihaj Mohammed Abdulfattah Al-Abbasi

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Enhanced Recovery ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Conventional Care ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Central Register ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Background ERAS programs are not only used in abdominal surgeries, they are also used in cardiothoracic, gynecology, urology, orthopedic, and neurosurgery. Many authors and surgeons worldwide have been adapting this program, also trying to modify it due to its promising outcomes and it’s low damage toit’s continence. Objective To present an updated assessment of perioperative care in colorectal surgery from the available evidence and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) group recommendations. Patients and Methods We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) statement. PRISMA and MOOSE are reporting checklists for Authors, Editors, and Reviewers of Meta-analyses of interventional and observational studies. According to International committee of medical journal association (ICJME), reviewers must report their findings according to each of the items listed in those checklists. An electronic search was conducted from the inception till March 2019 in the following bibliographic databases: Medline via PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant articles. We used different combinations of the following queries: ("Colorectal Surgery"[Mesh]) AND ("Enhanced recovery" OR "conventional care"). The search have been done with no limit regarding the year publication or language. Results In the present study, we searched Medline via PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Google Scholar from their inception till March 2019. The search retrieved 2861 unique records. We then retained 41 potentially eligible records for full-texts screening. Finally, 28 reports of 25 RCTs were included in the present systematic review and meta-analysis Conclusion ERAS was proven to be feasible, minimally invasive, cheap, relatively easy, which is safe and effective at the same time. This program can be ideal for patients undergoing elective colo-rectal surgery, yet more studies should be conducted in Egypt to compare results regarding different approaches of this program with longer follow up and randomization of patients.

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Pre-Procedural Lumbar Neuraxial Ultrasound—A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Meta-Analysis

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9040479 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 479

Author(s):

Tatiana Sidiropoulou ◽

Kalliopi Christodoulaki ◽

Charalampos Siristatidis

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Lumbar Spine ◽

Randomized Controlled Trials ◽

Success Rate ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Technical Failure ◽

Obese Patients ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Meta Analyses

A pre-procedural ultrasound of the lumbar spine is frequently used to facilitate neuraxial procedures. The aim of this review is to examine the evidence sustaining the utilization of pre-procedural neuraxial ultrasound compared to conventional methods. We perform a systematic review of randomized controlled trials with meta-analyses. We search the electronic databases Medline, Cochrane Central, Science Direct and Scopus up to 1 June 2019. We include trials comparing a pre-procedural lumbar spine ultrasound to a non-ultrasound-assisted method. The primary endpoints are technical failure rate, first-attempt success rate, number of needle redirections and procedure time. We retrieve 32 trials (3439 patients) comparing pre-procedural lumbar ultrasounds to palpations for neuraxial procedures in various clinical settings. Pre-procedural ultrasounds decrease the overall risk of technical failure (Risk Ratio (RR) 0.69 (99% CI, 0.43 to 1.10), p = 0.04) but not in obese and difficult spinal patients (RR 0.53, p = 0.06) and increase the first-attempt success rate (RR 1.5 (99% CI, 1.22 to 1.86), p < 0.0001, NNT = 5). In difficult spines and obese patients, the RR is 1.84 (99% CI, 1.44 to 2.3; p < 0.0001, NNT = 3). The number of needle redirections is lower with pre-procedural ultrasounds (SMD = −0.55 (99% CI, −0.81 to −0.29), p < 0.0001), as is the case in difficult spines and obese patients (SMD = −0.85 (99% CI, −1.08 to −0.61), p < 0.0001). No differences are observed in procedural times. Ιn conclusion, a pre-procedural ultrasound provides significant benefit in terms of technical failure, number of needle redirections and first attempt-success rate. Τhe effect of pre-procedural ultrasound scanning of the lumbar spine is more significant in a subgroup analysis of difficult spines and obese patients.

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Comparative efficacy and safety of interventions for treating head lice: a protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

BMJ Paediatrics Open ◽

10.1136/bmjpo-2021-001129 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. e001129

Author(s):

Bill Stevenson ◽

Wubshet Tesfaye ◽

Julia Christenson ◽

Cynthia Mathew ◽

Solomon Abrha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Randomised Controlled Trials ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Head Lice ◽

Efficacy And Safety ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

Meta Analyses

BackgroundHead lice infestation is a major public health problem around the globe. Its treatment is challenging due to product failures resulting from rapidly emerging resistance to existing treatments, incorrect treatment applications and misdiagnosis. Various head lice treatments with different mechanism of action have been developed and explored over the years, with limited report on systematic assessments of their efficacy and safety. This work aims to present a robust evidence summarising the interventions used in head lice.MethodThis is a systematic review and network meta-analysis which will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement for network meta-analyses. Selected databases, including PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials will be systematically searched for randomised controlled trials exploring head lice treatments. Searches will be limited to trials published in English from database inception till 2021. Grey literature will be identified through Open Grey, AHRQ, Grey Literature Report, Grey Matters, ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry and International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number registry. Additional studies will be sought from reference lists of included studies. Study screening, selection, data extraction and assessment of methodological quality will be undertaken by two independent reviewers, with disagreements resolved via a third reviewer. The primary outcome measure is the relative risk of cure at 7 and 14 days postinitial treatment. Secondary outcome measures may include adverse drug events, ovicidal activity, treatment compliance and acceptability, and reinfestation. Information from direct and indirect evidence will be used to generate the effect sizes (relative risk) to compare the efficacy and safety of individual head lice treatments against a common comparator (placebo and/or permethrin). Risk of bias assessment will be undertaken by two independent reviewers using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the certainty of evidence assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations guideline for network meta-analysis. All quantitative analyses will be conducted using STATA V.16.DiscussionThe evidence generated from this systematic review and meta-analysis is intended for use in evidence-driven treatment of head lice infestations and will be instrumental in informing health professionals, public health practitioners and policy-makers.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017073375.

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