scholarly journals Acupoint Injection for Alleviating Side Effects of Chemotherapy in People with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Yulan Yang ◽  
Hairong Su ◽  
Jian Wen ◽  
Jianyun Hong

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of acupoint injection for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy in people with cancer. Methods. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library databases, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Date, and CBM were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception through December 28, 2020. This meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3. Results. A total of 8 RCTs including 557 participants were eligible and included in the meta-analysis. The selected RCTs studied acupoint injection for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy in people with cancer. Statistically significant improvements were observed for the incidence of nausea and vomiting (RR = 0.39; 95% CI 0.26, 0.58; P  < 0.00001), the number of leukocyte (MD = 1.89; 95%CI 0.74, 3.03; P  = 0.001), and the number of platelet (MD = 28.82; 95%CI 19.33, 38.30; P  < 0.00001). Two of these studies suggested that acupoint injection can also reduce some other adverse reactions, which showed a statistical difference (RR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.11, 0.75; P  = 0.01). Conclusion. The analysis indicated that acupoint injection can alleviate side effects of chemotherapy in people with cancer. However, due to the high risk of bias and small sample size in the included studies, the results need to be further confirmed by further large, rigorously designed trials.

Surgeries ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-346
Author(s):  
Kengo Mukuda ◽  
Jun Watanabe

Punch incision is an alternative to elliptical excision for treating epidermal inclusion cysts, but its efficacy has not been systematically reviewed. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of punch incision versus elliptical excision for epidermal inclusion cysts. Randomized controlled trials published through January 2021 that evaluated the performance of punch incision versus elliptical excision on epidermal inclusion cysts were identified through electronic databases and clinical registries. Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials tool was used. Review Manager software was used for the meta-analysis. Two trials (100 participants) were identified. The primary outcomes were recurrence rate (risk ratio, 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37–15.60 [favoring elliptical excision]), mean operative time (mean difference [MD], −5.28; 95% CI, −12.72 to 2.16 [favoring punch incision]), and mean postoperative wound length (MD, −11.67; 95% CI, −20.59 to −2.76 [favoring punch incision]). The evidence was low to moderate due to the small sample size and its considerable heterogeneity. The use of punch incision shortened the mean postoperative wound length and had comparable safety to that of elliptical excision.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiyan Xie

Abstract Background: Baduanjin is a fitness routine that has been developed in accordance with the appeal of the General Administration of Sport of China and promoted both in China and abroad. This paper aims to systematically evaluate the effect of Baduanjin on the rehabilitation of stroke patients.Methods: We searched the Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wanfang Database, Pubmed, Embase, CNKI, and VIP Chinese Journal Database for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the rehabilitation effect of Baduanjin exercise on stroke patients. All manuscripts published before October 30, 2021 were considered. Results: A total of 1332 stroke patients were included in the 14 selected RCTs. Results of the meta-analysis showed that Baduanjin effectively improved the lower extremity balance function [MD = 9.74, 95% CI (5.32, 14.15), P < 0.0001], sensory-motor function [MD = 5.37, 95% CI (1.59, 9.16), P = 0.005], neurological function [MD = -2.41, 95% CI (-3.07, -1.75), P < 0.00001], the ability to perform daily activities [MD = 14.00, 95% CI (6.17, 21.83), P = 0.0005], sleep quality [MD = -3.08, 95% CI (-3.90, -2.25), P < 0.00001], and quality of life [MD = 31.71, 95% CI (13.68, 49.73), P = 0.06]. Compared to conventional treatment, the rehabilitation effect was greater with Baduanjin combined with conventional treatment. Conclusions: Baduanjin is an effective method to treat stroke patients and improve their functional performance. However, due to the small sample size and low data quality, further multicenter RCTs with large sample sizes are required to verify the results.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2984
Author(s):  
Stepan M. Esagian ◽  
Christos D. Kakos ◽  
Emmanouil Giorgakis ◽  
Lyle Burdine ◽  
J. Camilo Barreto ◽  
...  

The role of adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing hepatectomy is currently unclear. We performed a systematic review of the literature using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Random-effects meta-analysis was carried out to compare the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients with resectable HCC undergoing hepatectomy followed by adjuvant TACE vs. hepatectomy alone in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore the effect of hepatitis B viral status, microvascular invasion, type of resection (anatomic vs. parenchymal-sparing), and tumor size on the outcomes. Ten eligible RCTs, reporting on 1216 patients in total, were identified. The combination of hepatectomy and adjuvant TACE was associated with superior OS (hazard ratio (HR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52 to 0.85; p < 0.001) and RFS (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.88; p < 0.001) compared to hepatectomy alone. There were significant concerns regarding the risk of bias in most of the included studies. Overall, adjuvant TACE may be associated with an oncologic benefit in select HCC patients. However, the applicability of these findings may be limited to Eastern Asian populations, due to the geographically restricted sample. High-quality multinational RCTs, as well as predictive tools to optimize patient selection, are necessary before adjuvant TACE can be routinely implemented into standard practice. PROSPERO Registration ID: CRD42021245758.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 904-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhu ◽  
Chengmao Zhou ◽  
Bing Huang ◽  
Lin Ruan ◽  
Rui Liang

Objective This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of granisetron plus dexamethasone for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Methods We searched the literature in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and CNKI. Results In total, 11 randomized controlled trials were enrolled in this analysis. The meta-analysis showed that granisetron in combination with dexamethasone was significantly more effective than granisetron alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopy surgery. No significant differences in adverse reactions (dizziness and headache) were found in association with dexamethasone. Conclusion Granisetron in combination with dexamethasone was significantly more effective than granisetron alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, with no difference in adverse reactions between the two groups. Granisetron alone or granisetron plus dexamethasone can be used to prevent PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.


Author(s):  
Valerie Wing Yu Wong ◽  
Ying Huang ◽  
Wan In Wei ◽  
Samuel Yeung Shan Wong ◽  
Kin On Kwok

Abstract Background Despite clear evidence of benefits in acute-care hospitals, controversy over the effectiveness of IPC measures for MDROs is perceptible and evidence-based practice has not been established. Objective To investigate the effects of IPC interventions on MDRO colonization and infections in LTCFs. Data sources Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL from inception to September 2020. Eligibility criteria Original and peer-reviewed articles examining the post-intervention effects on MDRO colonization and infections in LTCFs. Interventions (i) Horizontal interventions: administrative engagement, barrier precautions, education, environmental cleaning, hand hygiene, performance improvement, and source control; and (ii) vertical intervention: active surveillance plus decolonization. Study appraisal and synthesis We employed a random-effects meta-analysis to estimate the pooled risk ratios (pRRs) for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization by intervention duration; and conducted subgroup analyses on different intervention components. Study quality was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tools. Results Of 3877 studies identified, 19 were eligible for inclusion (eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs)). Studies reported outcomes associated with MRSA (15 studies), vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) (four studies), Clostridium difficile (two studies), and Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) (two studies). Eleven studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pRRs were close to unity regardless of intervention duration (long: RR 0.81 [95% CI 0.60–1.10]; medium: RR 0.81 [95% CI 0.25–2.68]; short: RR 0.95 [95% CI 0.53–1.69]). Vertical interventions in studies with a small sample size showed significant reductions in MRSA colonization while horizontal interventions did not. All studies involving active administrative engagement reported reductions. The risk of bias was high in all but two studies. Conclusions Our meta-analysis did not show any beneficial effects from IPC interventions on MRSA reductions in LTCFs. Our findings highlight that the effectiveness of interventions in these facilities is likely conditional on resource availability—particularly decolonization and barrier precautions, due to their potential adverse events and uncertain effectiveness. Hence, administrative engagement is crucial for all effective IPC programmes. LTCFs should consider a pragmatic approach to reinforce standard precautions as routine practice and implement barrier precautions and decolonization to outbreak responses only.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 1759720X2092569
Author(s):  
Yu Heng Kwan ◽  
Ka Keat Lim ◽  
Warren Fong ◽  
Hendra Goh ◽  
Linkai Ng ◽  
...  

Background: The aim of our study was to synthesize evidence on the occurrence of malignancy in spondyloarthritis (SpA), from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing biologics with non-biologics and biologics to each other. Methods: We systematically searched Medline, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Scopus and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception until 31 October 2018. RCTs with ⩾24-week follow-up were included. We extracted data using standardized forms and assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. We performed pair-wise meta-analyses and network meta-analyses to compare the risk of malignancy for each biologics class and SpA type. We reported the Peto odds ratio (OR) of any malignancy along with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Bayesian posterior probabilities comparing risk of malignancy of each biologic class with non-biologics were computed as supplementary measures. Results: Fifty-four trials were included; most (44/54) had follow-up <1 year. Among 14,245 patients, 63 developed a malignancy. While most Peto ORs were >1, they had wide 95% CI and p >0.05. The overall Peto OR comparing biologics with non-biologics was 1.42 (95% CI 0.80–2.53). Only interleukin-17 inhibitors in peripheral SpA had p <0.05 (Peto OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.07–7.13); the posterior probability that the risk was higher than non-biologics was 98%. Stratified analyses revealed no consistent trend by prior exposure to biologics, duration of follow-up, study quality, study-arm crossover, analytical approaches and type of malignancy. Conclusions: Our findings indicate no overall elevated risk of malignancy with biologics in SpA. As our meta-analyses are unable to conclude on the long-term risk, long-term pharmacovigilance of biologics in SpA may still be warranted.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 947-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norma Patricia Rodriguez Rocha ◽  
Hyekyeong Kim

Background. An adequate intake of fruits and vegetables (FVI) has shown benefits for reduced risk of manifesting chronic diseases. Thus, development of effective interventions to promote FVI is paramount. Aim. To assess the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for FVI targeted to healthy population, in comparison with control groups, and identify the moderators contributing to their effectiveness. Method. A database search was conducted in April 2016 and July 2018 using MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Google Scholar, SciELO, and RISS, yielding 19 eligible studies. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane’s Risk of Bias Tool. Random-effects model was used to calculate effect sizes (ES) by weighted standardized mean differences. Results. This meta-analysis includes 19 studies and 6,894 participants. The most common eHealth tool used was Internet-based interventions ( n = 10). Most of studies were conducted in adults ( n = 11), followed by children ( n = 4), and adolescents ( n = 4). The minimum number of behavior change techniques (BCTs) used was one, and the maximum seven. The overall ES was small (0.26, p < .001), favoring eHealth interventions. The between-studies heterogeneity was large ( I2 = 62.77%, p < .001). Subgroup analyses showed that the components with larger ES were tailored interventions (0.27, p < .001), computer-based interventions (0.44, p < .001), and use of ≥7 BCTs (0.42, p < .001). Discussion. All studies showed a positive ES favoring interventions. Large heterogeneity could be explained in part by the number of BCTs and type of eHealth tool used. Nonetheless, more concrete evidence regarding other intervention components effectiveness was limited by small sample size. Conclusion. The use of eHealth tools for the improvement of FVI showed to be more effective compared with nonintervention and interventions not using these technologies. Nonetheless, more research is needed to determine the specific combination of intervention components that could translate into larger effectiveness.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengmao Zhou ◽  
Yu Zhu ◽  
Zhen Liu ◽  
Lin Ruan

Objective To investigate the effect of pretreatment with midazolam on myoclonus induced by etomidate injection. Methods A meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager software, version 5.2. Two researchers independently searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase® databases for randomized controlled trials involving patients who underwent etomidate induced general anaesthesia with or without midazolam pretreatment, published between 1990 and 2016. Outcome measures comprised overall myoclonus incidence rate and incidence rate classified by degree of myoclonus following etomidate injection. Data were assessed using a fixed effects model. Results Five studies, comprising 302 patients, were included for analysis. Overall incidence rate of etomidate injection-induced myoclonus was significantly lower in the pooled midazolam group versus controls (relative risk [RR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26, 0.44); Results subgrouped by degree of myoclonus showed significantly lower incidence in midazolam groups versus control groups for mild myoclonus (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.39, 0.80); moderate myoclonus (RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.10, 0.41); and severe myoclonus (RR 0.12, 95% CI 0.04, 0.39). Conclusion Midazolam can effectively prevent etomidate-induced myoclonus, and alleviate the degree of etomidate-induced myoclonus.


Author(s):  
Sumanta Saha ◽  
Sujata Saha

Background and Purpose: The dapagliflozin’s safety profile in insulin-treated adult type-1 diabetes mellites (T1DM) patients remains poorly explored. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis compared the risk of all-cause side effects, study discontinuation of participants due to side effects, urinary tract infection (UTI), diabetic ketoacidosis, and hypoglycemia between dapagliflozin 10 mg and dapagliflozin 5 mg, dapagliflozin 10 mg and placebo, and dapagliflozin 5 mg and placebo.Materials and Methods: Parallel-arm randomized controlled trials juxtaposing the above outcomes between the afore-mentioned interventions were eligible for inclusion in this study and were searched in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. Utilizing the Cochrane tool, the risk of bias was assessed in the recruited trials. Finally, by random-effect meta-analysis, each outcome was compared among the above interventions, and the risk ratio was estimated.Results: Four trials of varying length (1-52 weeks) sourcing data from almost 1760 participants from about 32 nations were reviewed. Overall, the trials had a low or unclear risk of bias, and only one was at a high risk of bias.  Compared to the placebo, the risk of side effects was higher in those treated with dapagliflozin 5 mg (RR=1.10; 95% CI=1.02-1.18; p=0.014; I2=0%). UTI risk was less with the 10mg dapagliflozin than its lower dose (RR=0.50; 95% CI=0.32-0.79; p-value=0.003; I2=0%). All the remaining comparisons were statistically not significantly different between the juxtaposed intervention pairs.Conclusion: In contrast to placebo, dapagliflozin 5mg increased the risk of overall adversities in insulin-treated type-1 diabetes, and dapagliflozin 10 mg had a reduced risk of UTI than its 5mg preparation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixian Lin ◽  
Jiangfeng Chen ◽  
Sunya Han

Objective: Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (CIOM) is an extremely serious complication of cancer. In China, the heat-clearing (Qingre) and detoxifying (Jiedu) traditional Chinese medicine QRJD-TCM gargle has been widely used to treat CIOM. To date, no systematic evaluation has been conducted on the clinical efficacy of QRJD-TCM gargle in treating CIOM. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of QRJD-TCM gargle in the treatment of CIOM.Methods: Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing QRJD-TCM gargle with conventional Western medicine mouthwash (CWMM) for CIOM were confirmed by systematically searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and Sinomed until October 20, 2020. Two researchers independently assessed the risk of bias according to the Cochrane risk-of-bias criteria. Excel 2010 was used in setting up a database of extracted information, and RevMan 5.3.0 was used in analyzing included trial data. The composition of the QRJD-TCM gargle was evaluated.Results: A total of 25 articles were included in this meta-analysis. Results showed that compared with CWMM, QRJD-TCM gargle can reduce the incidence of CIOM (OR = 0.23, 95% CI [0.18, 0.29], p &lt; 0.00001) and severity of CIOM (grade I–II: OR = 0.36, 95%CI [0.28, 0.46], p &lt; 0.00001; grade III–IV: OR = 0.15, 95%CI [0.09, 0.28], p &lt; 0.00001). In addition, QRJD-TCM gargle improved the effective rate of CIOM (OR = 15.91, 95% CI [7.93, 31.89], p &lt; 0.00001).Conclusion: QRJD-TCM gargle is effective in preventing and treating CIOM. However, more standard, double-blind, and multicenter randomized controlled studies are needed to further confirm the efficacy of QRJD-TCM gargle in the prevention and treatment of CIOM.


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