Which Is the Best Biologic for Nasal Polyps: Dupilumab, Omalizumab, or Mepolizumab? A Network Meta-Analysis

Author(s):  
Qingwu Wu ◽  
Yana Zhang ◽  
Weifeng Kong ◽  
Xinyue Wang ◽  
Lianxiong Yuan ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Compared with the placebo, biologics are beneficial in reducing nasal polyp mass and safe in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). However, there lacks a head-to-head randomized trial comparing biologics. We aimed to determine the best biologic for CRSwNP. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA), which was registered with PROSPERO (No. CRD42021226766). A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library on December 29, 2020. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing biologics in adult patients for CRSwNP were included. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Nine RCTs with 1,190 patients comparing 3 different biologics (dupilumab, omalizumab, and mepolizumab) and the placebo were included. Dupilumab had the best efficacy in terms of nasal polyp score (NPS), Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) score, University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) score, and nasal congestion score (NCS) for surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values of 0.900, 0.916, 1.000, and 0.807, respectively. Omalizumab ranked second in efficacy in terms of SNOT-22, UPSIT, and NCS for SUCRA values of 0.606, 0.500, and 0.693, respectively. Mepolizumab ranked second in efficacy in terms of NPS for SUCRA values of 0.563 and had the highest risk of adverse events (AEs) for SUCRA values of 0.746. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This is the first NMA that compared different biologics in patients with CRSwNP. Based on the efficacy (NPS) and safety (AEs), dupilumab is the best choice and omalizumab is the second best option for CRSwNP. Although mepolizumab ranked second in efficacy, it had the highest risk of AEs.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Zhang ◽  
Yuzhao Cheng ◽  
Fenglan Li ◽  
Qian Kang

Many storage mediums are available for the storage of avulsed teeth to preserve the viability of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells before replantation; however, it is unclear which medium is the optimal option. We performed this network meta-analysis to answer this question. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library to capture eligible studies investigating the comparative efficacy of Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS), aloe vera gel (AVG), oral rehydration solution (ORS), coconut water, egg white, green tea, propolis, saline, milk, and water. Statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager v5.3 and ADDIS v1.16.8. In total, 20 RCTs involving 31 reports were included finally. Direct meta-analysis suggested that HBSS was superior to ORS, milk, saline, and water, ORS was superior to milk but inferior to coconut water and propolis, egg white was superior to milk but inferior to AVG and propolis, propolis was superior to AVG, milk, and saline, and coconut water and water was inferior to saline and milk, respectively. Network meta-analysis suggested that AVG was inferior to the other nine mediums, and propolis was superior to HBSS (SMD, −5260.24; 95% CrI, −10447.39 to −70.37) and milk (SMD, −5461.11; 95% CrI, −10574.99 to −328.51). Moreover, ranking probabilities indicated the highest probability for propolis, followed by saline, ORS, HBSS, milk, egg white, water, green tea, and AVG successively. Propolis may be the optimal media for storing avulsed teeth before replantation. However, given the availability of propolis and HBSS and the hypotonic properties of saline, ORS or milk should also be preferentially selected.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Reem A. Ajaj ◽  
Nada J. Farsi ◽  
Lama Alzain ◽  
Nour Nuwaylati ◽  
Raneem Ghurab ◽  
...  

Dental Bulk-Fill Composites (BFCs) and Bulk-Fill Flowables (BFFs) were introduced in the market to facilitate efficient bulk filling of cavities up to 5 mm. The aim of this study was to synthesize the literature investigating their polymerization efficiency. A comprehensive search of PubMed and the Cochrane Library from 2010 to January 2019 was performed using the medical subject headings. Screening of the titles, abstracts and full text was performed. Data extraction for relevant information was done on the included studies. Clinically relevant parameters were selected to present the study estimates (meta-analysis) using a random effects model for polymerization efficiency (Degree of Conversion (DC) and Depth of Cure (DoC)). Twenty one studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis reporting seven BFCs and nine BFFs. Ten materials reported acceptable DC values of above 55% and ten materials reported adequate DoC values. Most of the stated materials reported adequate DC and DoC values in at least one investigation with BFFs showing higher and more acceptable values compared to packable BFCs. It is suggested that future studies be carried out using a standard methodology following the ISO 4049 standard and manufacturer’s instructions to compare results.


Pharmacology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Shan Deng ◽  
Yonghao Yu

Patients who undergo surgery of femur fracture suffer the excruciating pain. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a unique α2-adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative and analgesic properties, whose efficacy and safety are still unclear for surgery of femur fracture. Randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of addition of DEX to general or local anesthesia in surgery of femur fracture were searched from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library database. Patients who received DEX infusion had a significant longer time to rescue analgesia compared with those without DEX coadministration. DEX treatment seemed to reduce the visual analog score; however, the significance did not reach any statistical difference. DEX as an analgesic adjuvant did not reduce the onset of sensory block time, shorten the time to achieve maximum sensory block level, and provide a longer duration of sensory block. The difference in mean sedation scores between 2 groups was not statistically significant. As for adverse effects, DEX therapy significantly increased the rate of hypotension. In conclusion, dexmedetomidine as a local anesthetic adjuvant in femur fracture surgery had a longer duration of rescue analgesia. However, the incidence of hypotension was markedly increased in these patients. It was worth noting that the evidence was of low to moderate quality.


2021 ◽  
pp. 174749302110042
Author(s):  
Grace Mary Turner ◽  
Christel McMullan ◽  
Olalekan Lee Aiyegbusi ◽  
Danai Bem ◽  
Tom Marshall ◽  
...  

Aims To investigate the association between TBI and stroke risk. Summary of review We undertook a systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library from inception to 4th December 2020. We used random-effects meta-analysis to pool hazard ratios (HR) for studies which reported stroke risk post-TBI compared to controls. Searches identified 10,501 records; 58 full texts were assessed for eligibility and 18 met the inclusion criteria. The review included a large sample size of 2,606,379 participants from four countries. Six studies included a non-TBI control group, all found TBI patients had significantly increased risk of stroke compared to controls (pooled HR 1.86; 95% CI 1.46-2.37). Findings suggest stroke risk may be highest in the first four months post-TBI, but remains significant up to five years post-TBI. TBI appears to be associated with increased stroke risk regardless of severity or subtype of TBI. There was some evidence to suggest an association between reduced stroke risk post-TBI and Vitamin K antagonists and statins, but increased stroke risk with certain classes of antidepressants. Conclusion TBI is an independent risk factor for stroke, regardless of TBI severity or type. Post-TBI review and management of risk factors for stroke may be warranted.


Author(s):  
Jae Young Moon ◽  
Min Ro Lee ◽  
Gi Won Ha

Abstract Background Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) appears to have favorable surgical and pathological outcomes. However, the evidence on survival outcomes remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to compare long-term oncologic outcomes of TaTME with transabdominal TME for rectal cancer. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Data were pooled, and overall effect size was calculated using random-effects models. Outcome measures were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and local and distant recurrence. Results We included 11 nonrandomized studies that examined 2,143 patients for the meta-analysis. There were no significant differences between the two groups in OS, DFS, and local and distant recurrence with a RR of 0.65 (95% CI 0.39–1.09, I2 = 0%), 0.79 (95% CI 0.57–1.10, I2 = 0%), 1.14 (95% CI 0.44–2.91, I2 = 66%), and 0.75 (95% CI 0.40–1.41, I2 = 0%), respectively. Conclusion In terms of long-term oncologic outcomes, TaTME may be an alternative to transabdominal TME in patients with rectal cancer. Well-designed randomized trials are warranted to further verify these results.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482198903
Author(s):  
Mitsuru Ishizuka ◽  
Norisuke Shibuya ◽  
Kazutoshi Takagi ◽  
Hiroyuki Hachiya ◽  
Kazuma Tago ◽  
...  

Objective To explore the impact of appendectomy history on emergence of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Background Although there are several studies to investigate the relationship between appendectomy history and emergence of PD, the results are still controversial. Methods We performed a comprehensive electronic search of the literature (the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and the Web of Science) up to April 2020 to identify studies that had employed databases allowing comparison of emergence of PD between patients with and those without appendectomy history. To integrate the impact of appendectomy history on emergence of PD, a meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models to calculate the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the selected studies, and heterogeneity was analyzed using I2 statistics. Results Four studies involving a total of 6 080 710 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Among 1 470 613 patients with appendectomy history, 1845 (.13%) had emergences of PD during the observation period, whereas among 4 610 097 patients without appendectomy history, 6743 (.15%) had emergences of PD during the observation period. These results revealed that patients with appendectomy history and without appendectomy had almost the same emergence of PD (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, .87-1.20; P = .83; I2 = 87%). Conclusion This meta-analysis has demonstrated that there was no significant difference in emergence of PD between patients with and those without appendectomy history.


Author(s):  
Yusuke Handa ◽  
Kenya Okada ◽  
Hiroshi Takasaki

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated whether the use of a lumbar roll reduced forward head posture (FHP) while sitting among individuals with or without musculoskeletal disorders. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched from their inception to August 2020. The quality of evidence for variables used in the meta-analysis was determined using the GRADE system. Five studies satisfied the criteria for data analysis. All studies included individuals without any spinal symptoms. Data from five studies on neck angle showed a statistically significant (p = 0.02) overall effect (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.77), indicating a lesser neck flexion angle while sitting with a lumbar roll than without it. Data from two studies on head angle showed a statistically significant (p = 0.04) overall effect (SMD = 0.47), indicating a lesser head extension angle while sitting with a lumbar roll than without it. In each meta-analysis, the quality of evidence was very low in the GRADE system. The use of a lumbar roll while sitting reduced FHP among individuals without spinal symptoms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 030006052110023
Author(s):  
Qian Zou ◽  
Jiawei Si ◽  
Yatao Guo ◽  
Jiayu Yu ◽  
Huijuan Shi

Objective To determine the association between serum visfatin levels and psoriasis and to evaluate the correlation between serum visfatin levels and the severity of psoriasis. Methods The electronic databases PubMed®, Embase® and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles published from inception to 1 May 2020. Data were extracted and then standard mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for pooled estimates. Results A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included (448 patients diagnosed with psoriasis and 377 controls). This meta-analysis demonstrated that patients with psoriasis had significantly higher levels of visfatin than the controls (SMD = 0.90, 95% CI 0.52, 1.28). Subgroup analyses showed that differences in serum visfatin levels between the patient group and the control group were associated with ethnicity, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and body mass index. Additionally, a meta-analysis of correlations showed that visfatin levels in patients with psoriasis were positively correlated with PASI ( r = 0.51, 95% CI 0.14, 0.75). Conclusions This meta-analysis showed that serum visfatin levels in patients with psoriasis were significantly higher than those in the controls and a positive correlation between serum visfatin levels and psoriasis severity was observed.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenchao Zhang ◽  
Xiaolei Ren ◽  
Lin Qi ◽  
Chenghao Zhang ◽  
Chao Tu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In recent years, emerging studies have demonstrated critical functions and potential clinical applications of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in osteosarcoma. To further validate the prognostic value of multiple lncRNAs, we have conducted this updated meta-analysis. Methods Literature retrieval was conducted by searching PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library (last update by October 2, 2019). A meta-analysis was performed to explore association between lncRNAs expression and overall survival (OS) of osteosarcoma patients. Relationships between lncRNAs expression and other clinicopathological features were also analyzed respectively. Results Overall, 4351 patients from 62 studies were included in this meta-analysis and 25 lncRNAs were identified. Pooled analyses showed that high expression of 14 lncRNAs connoted worse OS, while two lncRNAs were associated with positive outcome. Further, analysis toward osteosarcoma clinicopathologic features demonstrated that overexpression of TUG1 and XIST indicated poor clinical parameters of patients. Conclusions This meta-analysis has elucidated the prognostic potential of 16 lncRNAs in human osteosarcoma. Evidently, desperate expression and functional targets of these lncRNAs offer new approaches for prognosis and therapy of osteosarcoma.


2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Wilks ◽  
R Mcleod ◽  
V Unadkat

Abstract Aim This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess this relationship and determine the most appropriate age for recommendation of surgery. Method According to the “Preferred Reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis” (PRISMA) statement, a literature search was performed across Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane library from 1946-2018. Articles examining a relationship between age and myringoplasty or type 1 tympanoplasty success rates were screened. Results 20 articles encompassing data from 2244 procedures were included. The overall results conveyed a clear correlation between increasing age and rising success rate. A t-test was conducted which demonstrated a significant (P = 0.05) transition at aged 10, whereby success rate below age 10 was 70.6% and above 10 was 86%. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis has uncovered a clear correlation between increasing age and increasing success rate for myringoplasty in the paediatric population. Furthermore, a significant transitional point has been demonstrated at the age of 10 and We hope that knowledge of increased success rates particularly after the age of 10 helps clinicians make more informed decisions about when to operate


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