Efficacy and Acceptability of Orthokeratology for Slowing Myopic Progression in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. To evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of orthokeratology for slowing myopic progression in children with a well conducted evidence-based analysis.Design. Meta-analysis.Participants. Children from previously reported comparative studies were treated by orthokeratology versus control.Methods. A systematic literature retrieval was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The included studies were subjected to meta-analysis using Stata version 10.1.Main Outcome Measures. Axial length change (efficacy) and dropout rates (acceptability) during 2-year follow-up.Results. Eight studies involving 769 subjects were included. At 2-year follow-up, a statistically significant difference was observed in axial length change between the orthokeratology and control groups, with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of −0.25 mm (95% CI, −0.30 to −0.21). The pooled myopic control rate declined with time, with 55, 51, 51, and 41% obtained after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of treatment, respectively. No statistically significant difference was obtained for dropout rates between the orthokeratology and control groups at 2-year follow-up (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.52 to 1.22).Conclusions. Orthokeratology is effective and acceptable for slowing myopic progression in children with careful education and monitoring.

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Efficacy of preoperative testosterone therapy in hypospadias: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Annals of Pediatric Surgery ◽

10.1186/s43159-021-00117-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gozali Sembiring ◽

Yacobda Sigumonrong

Keyword(s):

Meta Analysis ◽

Reoperation Rate ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Control Groups ◽

Testosterone Treatment ◽

Meatal Stenosis ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Bleeding, hematoma, edema, wound infection, and scar formation are the common problems linked with hypospadias reconstruction. Hormone treatment is recommended before surgical treatment to improve intraoperative circumstances. However, no meta-analysis has explored the effectiveness and side effects of testosterone treatment before surgery in hypospadias. Main body of the abstract The purpose of this paperwork is to evaluate the impact of preoperative testosterone treatment in hypospadias based on clinical data from published trials. This study searched MEDLINE, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library without regard to year. However, only English journals were included, with a manual search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology Guidelines supplementing the search. In this meta-analysis, five papers were considered. Two of these investigations were multicenter randomized clinical trials. Two of the studies were prospective, with a median follow-up of varying lengths. A retrospective investigation was conducted. There were 585 patients in all that took part in this trial. After surgery, the complication rate was measured in both the intervention and control groups, including meatal stenosis, fistula, glans dehiscence, scarring, reoperation rate, urethral diverticulum, fine pubic hair, and sexual precocity. The only significant difference between the intervention and control groups was that the intervention group had a decreased frequency of glans dehiscence following surgery (OR 0.40 with the 95% CI of 0.17 until 0.97). Conclusions This study discovered that a patient who got testosterone before surgery had a considerably decreased complication risk for glandular dehiscence. Reoperation rate, urethral-cutaneous fistula, meatal stenosis, and penile scarring in children with hypospadias, on the other hand, revealed no significant difference in the testosterone-treated group against the control group.

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The effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen in reduce the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? A meta-analysis

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-71813-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Min Cheol Chang ◽

Sang Gyu Kwak ◽

Jin-Sung Park ◽

Donghwi Park

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Convincing Evidence ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Control Groups ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control

Abstract To test the hypothesis that aspirin, non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-infammatory drugs (NA-NSAIDs), or acetaminophen can reduce the risk of ALS, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of related previous studies. A comprehensive search was conducted on the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and SCOPUS databases. It included studies published up to 29 February 2020 that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Aspirin, acetaminophen and NA-NSAIDs use information, between the ALS and control groups, was collected for the meta-analysis. Rates of aspirin, NA-NSAID, and acetaminophen use in ALS group, compared with control group were investigated. In the results, only three studies that relate the risk of ALS to aspirin, NA-NSAIDs and acetaminophen use satisfied the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Regarding aspirin, the studies did not show any statistically significant difference in aspirin use between the ALS and control groups (Odds ratio, 1.04 [95% confidence interval, 0.90–1.21]). NA-NSAIDs and acetaminophen use, however, did show up statistically significant differences in between the ALS and control groups. (Odds ratio, 0.82 [95% confidence interval, 0.73–0.91]) and (Odds ratio, 0.80 [95% confidence interval, 0.69–0.93]). However, our study has some limitations. Firstly, we only included a small number of studies. Secondly, the included studies did not control for past medical history, which may have confounded their results, and in turn, could have caused bias in our study. Thirdly, in this meta-analysis, the ALS patients were not subdivided into sporadic or familial type. Lastly, the studies also did not consider the types of NSAIDs and dosages used of each drug. For more convincing evidence regarding the effectiveness of aspirin, NA-NSAIDs and acetaminophen to reduce the risk of ALS occurrence, more qualified prospective studies are required. In conclusion, the use of NA-NSAIDs and acetaminophen is associated with a decreased risk for the development of ALS. In contrast, aspirin did not have any effect on the reduction of the risk of ALS occurrence.

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Indicated preventive interventions for anxiety in children and adolescents: a review and meta-analysis of school based programs

10.31234/osf.io/jadxq ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Siobhan Hugh-Jones ◽

Sophie Beckett ◽

Pavan Mallikarjun

Keyword(s):

Meta Analysis ◽

Child And Adolescent ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Groups ◽

Adolescent Anxiety ◽

School Based ◽

Intervention Intensity ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

And Control

Schools are promising sites for the delivery of prevention and early intervention programs to reduce child and adolescent anxiety. It is unclear whether universal or targeted approaches are most effective. This review and meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of school-based indicated interventions and was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42018087628].MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomised controlled trials comparing indicated school programs for child and adolescent anxiety to active or inactive control groups. Twenty original studies, with 2076 participants, met the inclusion criteria and 18 were suitable for meta-analysis. Sub-group and sensitivity analyses explored intervention intensity, delivery agent and control type. A small beneficial effect was found for indicated programs compared to controls on self-reported anxiety symptoms at post-test (g = -0.28, CI = -0.50, -0.05, k= 18). The small effect was maintained at 6 (g = -0.35, CI= -0.58, -0.13, k = 9) and 12 months (g = -0.24, CI = -0.48, 0.00, k = 4). Based on two studies, >12 month effects were very small (g = -0.01, CI= -0.38, 0.36). No differences were found based on intervention intensity, delivery agent and control type. There was evidence of publication bias and a relatively high risk of contamination in studies. Findings support the value of school based indicated programs for child and adolescent anxiety. Effects at 12 months outperform many universal programs. High quality, randomised controlled and pragmatic trials are needed, with attention control groups and beyond 12 month diagnostic assessments are needed.

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A randomized trial of levamisole versus placebo as adjuvant therapy in malignant melanoma.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.1991.9.5.736 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 736-740 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

L E Spitler

Keyword(s):

Malignant Melanoma ◽

Adjuvant Therapy ◽

Randomized Trial ◽

Control Groups ◽

Disease Free Interval ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Long Term Follow Up ◽

And Control

We conducted a long-term follow-up (median, 10.5 years) of patients included in a randomized trial of levamisole versus placebo as surgical adjuvant therapy in 203 patients with malignant melanoma. Of the patients randomized, 104 received levamisole, and 99 received placebo. The results show that there is no difference between the treatment and control groups with regard to any of the three end points analyzed. These included disease-free interval, time to appearance of visceral metastasis, and survival. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups after adjusting for age, sex, or stage of disease.

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Physiotherapy and Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises for the Prevention and Treatment of Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

International Journal of Women s Health and Reproduction Sciences ◽

10.15296/ijwhr.2020.20 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 125-132

Author(s):

Fahime Khorasani ◽

Fariba Ghaderi ◽

Parvin Sarbakhsh ◽

Parisa Ahadi ◽

Elahe Khorasani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Pelvic Floor ◽

Pelvic Floor Muscle ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Groups ◽

Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Prevention And Treatment ◽

Pfm Strength

Objectives: The present systematic review focused on the prevention or treatment of three main types of pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFDs) specifically pelvic organ prolapse (POP), urinary incontinence (UI), and fecal incontinence (FI) using physiotherapy and pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFMEs). With regard to the breadth of the problem, there is not much evidence grounded on the best management. The main purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of physiotherapy and PFMEs on the prevention and treatment of pregnancy-related PFDs; namely, POP, FI, and UI. Therefore, this review incorporated studies comparing the use of physiotherapy and PFMEs with every other existing interventions. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on randomized-controlled-trial (RCT) articles and quasi-RCT designs through a search in the studies published with no time limits until December 2017 in the databases of PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest. The meta-analysis was also applied for data synthesis. Moreover, heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q test and I2 index. Results: A total number of 26 RCTs were examined in this review in which the outcome variables were related to POP, UI, and FI prevalence; POP, UI, and FI severity, as well as pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength and endurance. In most articles, UI prevalence or severity in intervention groups had significantly improved compared with those in controls. The number of studies examining POP and FI was also relatively low. In two studies, FI severity or prevalence in intervention groups had significantly enhanced in comparison with those in control groups; however, FI prevalence in two articles had been reported lower in intervention groups than that in control groups although no significant difference had been observed. There was also no significant improvement in intervention groups in two other studies in this respect. Besides, three articles had not reported traces of improvement in POP, as well as a significant difference between intervention and control groups. Nevertheless, two studies had found a significant improvement in POP in this regard. Based on meta-analysis results for the variable of PFM strength, Cochran’s Q test (P<0.001) and I2 index (90.02) indicated heterogeneity between studies; so, a random-effect meta-analysis was applied to estimate overall effect sizes. The overall mean differences following intervention between the study groups were also equal to 6.94, with a 95% CI (1.36 to 12.52). Conclusions: It was concluded that physiotherapy and PFMEs might have effects on pregnancy-related UI, but they had not consistently reduced FI severity or prevalence and failed to constantly improve POP.

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Assessment of Prophylactic Carbapenem Antibiotics Administration for Severe Acute Pancreatitis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Digestion ◽

10.1159/000520892 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Daxin Guo ◽

Wei Dai ◽

Jingyi Shen ◽

Mengting Zhang ◽

Yetan Shi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Pancreatitis ◽

Organ Failure ◽

Severe Acute Pancreatitis ◽

Pancreatic Pseudocyst ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Fluid Collection ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Intensive Care Unit Treatment ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control

Background: The effectiveness of prophylactic antibiotics in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) remains a debatable issue. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the efficacy of prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics in SAP. Methods: This meta-analysis of prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics for SAP was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library up to February 2021. The related bibliographies were manually searched. The primary outcomes involved infected pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis, mortality, complications, infections, and organ failure. Results: Seven articles comprised 5 randomized controlled trials and 2 retrospective observational studies, including 3,864 SAP participants. Prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics in SAP were associated with a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of infections (odds ratio [OR]: 0.27; p = 0.03) and complications (OR: 0.48; p = 0.009). Nevertheless, no statistically significant difference was demonstrated in the incidence of infected pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis (OR: 0.74; p = 0.24), mortality (OR: 0.69; p = 0.17), extrapancreatic infection (OR: 0.64, p = 0.54), pulmonary infection (OR: 1.23; p = 0.69), blood infection (OR: 0.60; p = 0.35), urinary tract infection (OR: 0.97; p = 0.97), pancreatic pseudocyst (OR: 0.59; p = 0.28), fluid collection (OR: 0.91; p = 0.76), organ failure (OR: 0.63; p = 0.19), acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR: 0.80; p = 0.61), surgical intervention (OR: 0.97; p = 0.93), dialysis (OR: 2.34; p = 0.57), use of respirator or ventilator (OR: 1.90; p = 0.40), intensive care unit treatment (OR: 2.97; p = 0.18), and additional antibiotics (OR: 0.59; p = 0.28) between the experimental and control groups. Conclusions: It is not recommended to administer routine prophylactic carbapenem antibiotics in SAP.

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Effects of acupuncture on breast cancer-related lymphoedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Acupuncture in Medicine ◽

10.1136/acupmed-2018-011668 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 16-24

Author(s):

Xinyan Zhang ◽

Xiuli Wang ◽

Bingyan Zhang ◽

Sa Yang ◽

Dongling Liu

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Elbow Joint ◽

Randomised Controlled Trials ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Breast Cancer Treatment ◽

Control Groups ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Effectiveness Index ◽

Randomised Controlled ◽

And Control

Objective: Breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL) is a common complication after breast cancer treatment. We investigated whether acupuncture could be used to manage limb oedema in women after breast cancer surgery. Methods: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, and four Chinese databases were electronically searched for papers published through November 2017. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for BCRL were included. Results: In total, six RCTs with 318 patients were identified. The main analysis revealed a positive overall effect of acupuncture intervention on pre/post-treatment differences in the diameter of the elbow joint, reductions in upper limb lymphoedema and effectiveness index based on arm measurement data in patients with breast cancer. Two studies evaluating the outcome of acupuncture on the diameter of the elbow joint found a significant reduction in diameter between the acupuncture and control groups (weighted mean difference (WMD) 6 cm, 95% CI 5.11 to 6.89 cm; P<0.001). The same two studies investigated the effect of acupuncture on upper limb lymphoedema reduction and found a significant difference between the acupuncture and control groups (risk ratio 1.4, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.67; P<0.001). Two other studies used the effectiveness index to assess the arm and found a significant difference between the acupuncture and control groups (WMD 23.34, 95% CI 10.74 to 35.94; P<0.001). The fifth study used bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy to assess lymphoedema at several points on the arm before and after acupuncture; this study also reported a significant reduction in lymphoedema. The sixth study reported no significant difference in bioimpedance between the groups. Conclusions: The present meta-analysis and systematic review suggests that acupuncture is effective at reducing BCRL in patients after breast cancer treatment.

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Piano-accompanied solfège reading experiences of preservice music teachers

Research Studies in Music Education ◽

10.1177/1321103x19871078 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1321103X1987107

Author(s):

Elif Guven

Keyword(s):

Music Teachers ◽

Control Group ◽

Reading Practices ◽

Control Groups ◽

Plot Analysis ◽

Experimental Implementation ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control ◽

Experimental Group

This study examines how piano-accompanied solfège reading practices of preservice music teachers ( N = 28) affect their performance on their musical hearing, reading, and writing (MHRW) classes. A pretest–posttest design with control groups was employed. The data were analyzed by 2 × 2 split-plot analysis of variance (ANOVA) and one-way ANOVA. Consequently, a significant difference was not found between the MHRW performance scores of the experimental and control groups. An analysis of mean performance scores revealed that the scores received by the control group were higher than those of the experimental group after the practice. Follow-up interviews that were held with 14 students after the experimental implementation revealed that students believed piano-accompanied courses were more useful, and they felt more comfortable with piano accompaniment. Although MHRW performance scores indicated that piano-accompanied solfège reading practices did not have a significant effect on preservice music teachers’ MHRW performances, it helped them participate in courses more enthusiastically.

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Prophylactic Effect of Memantine in Docetaxel Induced Neuropathy in Patients With Breast Cancer

10.21203/rs.3.rs-692391/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pegah Mohammadzadeh ◽

Elnaz Shaseb ◽

Zohreh Sanaat ◽

Parvin Sarbakhsh ◽

Nasrin Gholami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Peripheral Neuropathy ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Metastatic Breast ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Control Groups ◽

Significant Difference ◽

And Control

Abstract Purpose Peripheral neuropathy is a complication of taxane that in severe cases can limit the optimal treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of memantine in prevention of docetaxel induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with breast cancer. Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 40 women between the ages of 18 and 64 years with non-metastatic breast cancer (stages I to III) were included (registry number: IRCT20160310026998N9 and registry date: 26 March 2019). All patients were treated with the AC-T regimen (with docetaxel). Patients in intervention group received memantine at a dose of 20 mg for 8 weeks at the beginning of the first cycle of docetaxel. Patients in control group did not take any medication for neuropathy prevention. To assess the neuropathy, DN4 and CTCAE questionnaires were used at baseline, one months, three months and six months after the intervention. Results The DN4 questionnaire score was remarkably less in memantine group in follow up one (p-value: 0.033) and three (p < 00.1). The CTCAE follow up score did not change during study. The Neuropathy duration and Neuropathy onset, were shown significant difference between the intervention and control groups, p = 0.050 and p = 0.001, respectively. From 40 patients, 8 (40%) in memantine group and 2 (10%) in control group, did not experience any kind of neuropathy. Conclusion Data showed that prophylactic administration of memantine 20 mg/day has been effective in prevention of severity and incidence of docetaxel induced neuropathy in patients with breast cancer.

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Adjunctive therapies for the nonsurgical treatment of peri-implant diseases: systemic review and meta-analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-15961/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

yuhan xiao ◽

Yichun Qin ◽

Haiyang Yu

Keyword(s):

Photodynamic Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Systemic Review ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Enamel Matrix Derivative ◽

Local Antibiotics ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Systemic Antibiotics

Abstract Background Peri-implant diseases are caused by biofilms around the implant and may lead to implant failure. Non-surgical mechanical debridement (MD) with different adjunctive therapies has been applied in the treatment of peri-implant diseases. This systematic review aimed to deduce the optimal adjunctive therapy.Methods Two independent authors screened the literature using MEDLINE and Cochrane Library. Only clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about adjunctive therapies for non-surgical treatment of peri-implant diseases were included in this review. Studies selected were published before February 2020. The clinical outcomes were compared in this meta-analysis.Results: A total of 31 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The following adjunctive interventions were compared in the included studies: modification of the prosthesis; air abrasive; Er:YAG laser; diode laser; photodynamic therapy; local antibiotics; system antibiotics; probiotics; and enamel matrix derivative. Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 1 year. A statistically significant difference was observed between MD with photodynamic therapy and MD alone at 3 months follow-up ( P < 0.01). However, such a difference was not detected between MD with chlorhexidine and MD alone at 3 months follow-up ( P = 0.61), between MD with probiotics and MD alone ( P = 0.47), and between systemic antibiotics and MD alone ( P = 0.96).Conclusion Currently, the optimal non-surgical intervention is not known. Also, among the interventions with similar efficiency, that with fewer side effects, easy to use, and cost-effective is yet to be identified. Thus, well-designed RCTs with prolonged follow-ups to assess the accurate effectiveness of therapies are imperative.

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