scholarly journals Meta-analysis of interventions to reduce door to needle times in acute ischaemic stroke patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e000915
Author(s):  
Michael Siarkowski ◽  
Katie Lin ◽  
Shari S Li ◽  
Abdulaziz Al Sultan ◽  
Heather Ganshorn ◽  
...  

BackgroundDoor-to-needle time (DTN) has an important impact on thrombolysis and reperfusion outcomes in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke. This systematic review is a critical synthesis of studies evaluating DTN reduction strategies.MethodOvid MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, ProQuest dissertations and LILACS were used as bibliographic databases for primary literature. CIHI, Health Quality Council of Alberta, Health Quality Ontario and websites of heart and stroke associations in Canada, USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand were used as sources of grey literature. Searched reports were screened by title and abstract, and full texts were located for review. Articles quality was evaluated using National Institute of Health’s Study Quality Assessment tools. Methods for improving DTN were categorised under 13 DTN reduction strategies, primarily adapted from the Target: Stroke Phase II recommendations, and including two additional categories: Strategies not encompassed by any Target: Stroke recommendation, and Combinations of Interventions.Results96 studies (4 randomised control trials, 1 review, 91 observational pre/post studies) were included in the review. All strategies and interventions resulted in a reduction of DTN. Approaches using combinations of interventions were the most effective at reducing DTN (33.77% DTN reduction, standard mean difference=1.857, 95% CI=1.510–2.205), and were more effective than approaches using only a single strategy (p=0.040). DTN reduction was associated with the duration of the DTN reduction programme at each facility (p=0.006).InterpretationThe greatest reductions in DTN were observed when implementing combinations of DTN reduction strategies, although there was no significant advantage to implementing more than two strategies simultaneously.PROSPERO registration number42016036215.

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e044917
Author(s):  
Tao Xu ◽  
You Wang ◽  
Jinxian Yuan ◽  
Yangmei Chen ◽  
Haiyan Luo

ObjectiveContrast extravasation (CE) after endovascular therapy (EVT) is commonly present in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients. Substantial uncertainties remain about the relationship between CE and the outcomes of EVT in patients with AIS. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate this association.DesignA systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies were performed.Data sourceWe systematically searched the Medline and Embase databases for relevant clinical studies. The last literature search in databases was performed in June 2020.Eligibility criteria for study selectionWe included studies exploring the associations between CE and the outcomes of EVT in patients with AIS undergoing EVT.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers extracted relevant information and data from each article independently. We pooled ORs with CIs using a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the associations between CE and outcomes of EVT. The magnitude of heterogeneity between estimates was quantified with the I2 statistic with 95% CIs.ResultsFifteen observational studies that enrolled 1897 patients were included. Patients with CE had higher risks of poor functional outcome at discharge (2.38, 95% CI 1.45 to 3.89 p=0.001; n=545) and poor functional outcome at 90 days (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.90; n=1194). We found no association between CE and in-hospital mortality (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.30; n=376) or 90-day mortality (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.81 to 2.36; n=697) after EVT. Moreover, CE was associated with higher risks of post-EVT intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) (OR 6.68, 95% CI 3.51 to 12.70; n=1721) and symptomatic ICH (OR 3.26, 95% CI 1.97 to 5.40; n=1092).ConclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that in patients with AIS undergoing EVT, CE is associated with higher risks of unfavourable functional outcomes and ICH. Thus, we should pay more attention to CE in patients with AIS undergoing EVT.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e043665
Author(s):  
Srinivasa Rao Kundeti ◽  
Manikanda Krishnan Vaidyanathan ◽  
Bharath Shivashankar ◽  
Sankar Prasad Gorthi

IntroductionThe use of artificial intelligence (AI) to support the diagnosis of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) could improve patient outcomes and facilitate accurate tissue and vessel assessment. However, the evidence in published AI studies is inadequate and difficult to interpret which reduces the accountability of the diagnostic results in clinical settings. This study protocol describes a rigorous systematic review of the accuracy of AI in the diagnosis of AIS and detection of large-vessel occlusions (LVOs).Methods and analysisWe will perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of AI models for diagnosing AIS and detecting LVOs. We will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Protocols guidelines. Literature searches will be conducted in eight databases. For data screening and extraction, two reviewers will use a modified Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies checklist. We will assess the included studies using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies guidelines. We will conduct a meta-analysis if sufficient data are available. We will use hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves to estimate the summary operating points, including the pooled sensitivity and specificity, with 95% CIs, if pooling is appropriate. Furthermore, if sufficient data are available, we will use Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations profiler software to summarise the main findings of the systematic review, as a summary of results.Ethics and disseminationThere are no ethical considerations associated with this study protocol, as the systematic review focuses on the examination of secondary data. The systematic review results will be used to report on the accuracy, completeness and standard procedures of the included studies. We will disseminate our findings by publishing our analysis in a peer-reviewed journal and, if required, we will communicate with the stakeholders of the studies and bibliographic databases.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020179652.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
David I. Pickup ◽  
Robert M. Bernard ◽  
Eugene Borokhovski ◽  
Anne C. Wade ◽  
Rana M. Tamim

Introduction. This paper provides an overview of the information retrieval strategy employed for two meta-analyses, conducted by a systematic review team at Concordia University (Montreal, QC, Canada). Both papers draw on standards first articulated by H.M. Cooper and further developed by the Campbell Collaboration, which promote a comprehensive approach to systematically searching an extensive array of resources (bibliographic databases, print resources, citation indices, etc.) in order to locate both published and unpublished research. The goal is to verify if searching comprehensively through multiple resources retrieves studies that are unique, and hence, improve the overall representativeness of a diverse body of literature. We also analyze the sensitivity and specificity of the results by data source. Methods. In order to determine the source sensitivity, we consider percentage of results from each source retrieved for full-text review. In order to determine the source specificity, we derive a percentage from the total number of studies included in the final meta-analysis compared against the overall number of initial results found. Results. Results demonstrate the need to search beyond the subject-specific databases of a particular discipline as unique results can be found in many places. Databases for related disciplines provided 129 unique includes to each meta-analysis, and multidisciplinary databases provided 44 and 99 unique includes for the two meta-analyses in question respectively. Manual search techniques were much more sensitive and specific than electronic searches of databases and yield a higher percentage of final includes. Discussion. The results demonstrate the utility of a comprehensive information retrieval methodology like that proposed by the Campbell Collaboration, which goes beyond the main subject databases to locate the full range of information sources, including grey literature.


2019 ◽  
Vol 96 (1141) ◽  
pp. 680-685
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Yu Shen ◽  
Chengfang Huang ◽  
Yu Geng ◽  
Yunxian Yu

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alteplase in intravenous thrombolysis of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) regarding the different time windows of treatment (<3 hours, 3–4.5 hours, >4.5 hours).MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted from PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase. 12 clinical randomised controlled trials with 3402 patients with AIS met the inclusion criteria. The primary, secondary and tertiary outcomes were modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores 0–1, mortality at 90th day after treatment and symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage within 36 hours, respectively. Network meta-analysis and conventional meta-analysis were carried out for calculating odds ratio (OR), the surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) and the probabilities of being the best.ResultsFor mRS, alteplase regardless of time delay was significantly more effective than placebo (OR 1.33–2.17). However, alteplase used within 3 hours after AIS occurrence (SUCRA=98.3%) was significantly more effective (OR=1.64) than that at 3–4.5 hours (SUCRA=43%) and showed the trend of priority (OR=1.47) compared with that beyond 4.5 hours (SUCRA=58%). For the mortality, compared with placebo (SUCRA=64.7%), alteplase within 3 hours was similar to that of 3–4.5 hours whereas alteplase beyond 4.5 hours (SUCRA=7.3%) showed the trend of significantly increasing 85% mortality. For the tertiary outcome, alteplase within 3 hours (SUCRA=19.0%) was comparable with placebo (SUCRA=99.9%) whereas alteplase beyond 3 hours significantly increased (OR 5.89–6.67) the symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage.ConclusionsAlteplase within 3 hours should be recommended as the best treatment delay for its best efficacy among all the intervention and equivalent safety compared with placebo. Alteplase beyond 3 hours was less effective compared with that within 3 hours and increased the risk of mortality on 3 months as well as symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage at 36 hours. More head-to-head clinical trials are needed to confirm those findings.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e028109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Funbi Akinola ◽  
Rudzani Muloiwa ◽  
Gregory, D Hussey ◽  
Violette Dirix ◽  
Benjamin Kagina ◽  
...  

IntroductionGlobally, some studies show a resurgence of pertussis. The risks and benefits of using whole-cell pertussis (wP) or acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines in the control of the disease have been widely debated. Better control of pertussis will require improved understanding of the immune response to pertussis vaccines. Improved understanding and assessment of the immunity induced by pertussis vaccines is thus imperative. Several studies have documented different immunological outcomes to pertussis vaccination from an array of assays. We propose to conduct a systematic review of the different immunological assays and outcomes used in the assessment of the humoraland cell-mediated immune response following pertussis vaccination.Methods and analysisThe primary outcomes for consideration are quality and quantity of immune responses (humoral and cell-mediated) post-pertussis vaccination. Of interest as secondary outcomes are types of immunoassays used in assessing immune responses post-pertussis vaccination, types of biological samples used in assessing immune responses post-pertussis vaccination, as well as the types of antigens used to stimulate these samples during post-pertussis vaccination immune response assessments. Different electronic databases (including PubMed, Cochrane, EBSCO Host, Scopus and Web of Science) will be accessed for peer-reviewed published and grey literature evaluating immune responses to pertussis vaccines between 1990 and 2019. The quality of included articles will be assessed using standardised risk and quality assessment tools specific to the study design used in each article. Data extraction will be done using a data extraction form. The extracted data will be analysed using STATA V.14.0 and RevMan V.5.3 software. A subgroup analysis will be conducted based on the study population, type of vaccine (wP or aP) and type of immune response (cell-mediated or humoral). Guidelines for reporting systematic reviews in the revised 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement will be used in this study.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required for this study as it is a systematic review. We will only make use of data already available in the public space. Findings will be reported via publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at scientific meetings and workshops.Trial registration numberCRD42018102455.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Lafrance ◽  
Patrick Doiron-Cadrin ◽  
Marie Saulnier ◽  
Martin Lamontagne ◽  
Nathalie J Bureau ◽  
...  

BackgroundRotator cuff calcific tendinopathy is characterised by the deposition of hydroxyapatite crystals in one of the rotator cuff tendons and can be managed by ultrasound-guided lavage. However, evidence regarding the efficacy of ultrasound-guided lavage for rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy remains inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to update the available evidence on the efficacy of ultrasound-guided lavage in adults with rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy.MethodsA literature search was conducted up to April 2018 in four bibliographic databases to identify randomised control trials that compared ultrasound-guided lavage alone with other interventions to treat rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy. Randomised control trials were assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analyses and/or qualitative synthesis of the evidence were performed.ResultsThree randomised control trials were included. Pooled results for pain (n=226) indicated that ultrasound-guided lavage may significantly decrease pain when compared with shockwave therapy, with a mean difference of −1.98 out of 10 points (95% CI −2.52 to −1.45) in the short term and of −1.84 (95% CI −2.63 to −1.04) in the long term. Based on one trial (n=25), ultrasound-guided lavage significantly improved function when compared with shockwave therapy (p<0.05). Based on another trial (n=48), the addition of ultrasound-guided lavage to a corticosteroid injection significantly improves function in the long term (p<0.05).ConclusionFor individuals with rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy, low-quality evidence suggests that ultrasound-guided lavage is more effective than shockwave therapy or a corticosteroid injection alone. Future trials could modify the present conclusions.Trial registration numberCRD42018095858.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e028985
Author(s):  
Joseph D Nguemo ◽  
Ngozi Iroanyah ◽  
Winston Husbands ◽  
LaRon E Nelson ◽  
Geoffrey Maina ◽  
...  

IntroductionPrevious research demonstrated that substance use continues to be one of the most complex and prevalent problems among African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) people. A number of studies were conducted to characterise substance use patterns in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first known review in Canada characterising substance use disorders on ACB people.This scoping review seeks to answer the following research questions: What characterises substance use disorders among ACB people in Canada? What are the different types and prevalence of substance use among ACB people in Canada? Do ACB people in Canada use more than one substance? What factors are associated with substance use among ACB people in Canada? What are the health and social impacts of substance use in ACB people in Canada?Methods and analysesThis study will use the methodological framework for scoping reviews developed by Arksey and O’Malley. We will search electronic bibliographic databases including Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO and CINAHL. We will limit our search to English articles published between 2000and2019. In addition, we will conduct a grey literature search. Two investigators will independently screen citations and full-text articles. Our findings will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for scoping reviews guidelines. We will provide a descriptive summary of the studies and summarise the findings with respect to the outcomes and report any gaps that might require further investigation.Ethics and disseminationOur proposed study does not involve human participants; therefore, research ethics approval is not required. This study will provide evidence that will inform the development of strategies for appropriate interventions, as well as policy and further research. The results will be disseminated through publications in open access peer-reviewed journals, presentations at scientific meetings and to the lay public.


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