Prevalence and Incidence Studies of Schizophrenic Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Objective: To present the results of a systematic review of the literature published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2000, that reports findings on the prevalence and incidence of schizophrenia and related disorders. Method: We conducted a literature search of schizophrenia-related epidemiological studies, using Medline and HealthSTAR databases and canvassing English-language publications. We used a set of predetermined inclusion-exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. Eligible publications were restricted to age ranges of 18 years and over for prevalence studies and 15 years and over for incidence studies. Prevalence and incidence data were extracted and analyzed for heterogeneity. Results: A total of 18 prevalence and 8 incidence studies met eligibility criteria for the review. Heterogeneity analysis revealed significant differences across 1-year and lifetime prevalence and 1-year incidence of schizophrenia. The corresponding pooled rates were: 0.34 per 100, 0.55 per 100, and 11.1 per 100 000, respectively; the variation in rates between studies was generally between 2- and 5-fold. Conclusions: Although we restricted this review to studies using rigorous and relatively homogeneous methods, there remains significant heterogeneity of prevalence and incidence rates. This strengthens support for the hypothesis that there is real variation in the distribution of schizophrenia around the world. Health planners need to have local data on schizophrenia rates to improve the accuracy of their interventions, while clinicians and researchers need to continue to investigate the etiology of this variation.

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Chasing the Anchor: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Perceptual Anchoring Deficits in Developmental Dyslexia

10.31234/osf.io/amzpj ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kurt D Shulver ◽

Nicholas A Badcock

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Reading Ability ◽

English Language ◽

Prediction Interval ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Visual Assessment ◽

Individual Performance ◽

Future Research ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Eligibility Criteria

We report the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the relationship between perceptual anchoring and dyslexia. Our goal was to assess the direction and degree of effect between perceptual anchoring and reading ability in typical and atypical (dyslexic) readers. We performed a literature search of experiments explicitly assessing perceptual anchoring and reading ability using PsycInfo (Ovid, 1860 to 2020), MEDLINE (Ovid, 1860 to 2019), EMBASE (Ovid, 1883 to 2019), and PubMed for all available years up to June (2020). Our eligibility criteria consisted of English-language articles and, at minimum, one experimental group identified as dyslexic - either by reading assessment at the time, or by previous diagnosis. We assessed for risk of bias using an adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Six studies were included in this review, but only five (n = 280 participants) were included in the meta-analysis (we were unable to access the necessary data for one study).The overall effect was negative, large and statistically significant; g = -0.87, 95% CI [-1.47, 0.27]: a negative effect size indicating less perceptual anchoring in dyslexic versus non-dyslexic groups. Visual assessment of funnel plot and Egger’s test suggest minimal bias but with significant heterogeneity; Q (4) = 9.70, PI (prediction interval) [-2.32, -0.58]. The primary limitation of the current review is the small number of included studies. We discuss methodological limitations, such as limited power, and how future research may redress these concerns. The variability of effect sizes appears consistent with the inherent variability within subtypes of dyslexia. This level of dispersion seems indicative of the how we define cut-off thresholds between typical reading and dyslexia populations, but also the methodological tools we use to investigate individual performance.

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Chasing the Anchor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Perceptual Anchoring Deficits in Developmental Dyslexia

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00533 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Kurt D. Shulver ◽

Nicholas A. Badcock

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Reading Ability ◽

English Language ◽

Prediction Interval ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Visual Assessment ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Minimal Bias

Purpose We report the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the relationship between perceptual anchoring and dyslexia. Our goal was to assess the direction and degree of the effect between perceptual anchoring and reading ability in typical and atypical (i.e., dyslexic) readers. Method We performed a literature search of experiments explicitly assessing perceptual anchoring and reading ability using PsycInfo (Ovid, 1860–2020), MEDLINE (Ovid, 1860–2019), EMBASE (Ovid, 1883–2019), and PubMed for all available years up to June (2020). Our eligibility criteria consisted of English language articles, and, at minimum, one experimental group identified as dyslexic—either by reading assessment at the time or by previous diagnosis. We assessed for risk of bias using an adapted version of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Eight studies were included in this review and meta-analysis ( n = 422 participants). Results The overall effect was negative, moderate, and statistically significant; g = −0.70, 95% confidence interval [−1.10, −0.29]: a negative effect size indicating less perceptual anchoring in dyslexic versus nondyslexic groups. Visual assessment of funnel plot and Egger's test suggest minimal bias but with significant heterogeneity; Q (7) = 17.03, prediction interval [−1.79, 0.40]. Conclusions Of the included studies, we find evidence for a moderate perceptual anchoring deficit in individuals with dyslexia. The primary limitation of the current review is the small number of included studies. The variability of effect sizes appears consistent with the inherent variability within subtypes of dyslexia.

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Specific Therapy for Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Systematic Literature Review and Evidence‐Based Recommendations

Journal of the American Heart Association ◽

10.1161/jaha.120.016614 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (19) ◽

Author(s):

Nuno Marques ◽

Olga Azevedo ◽

Ana Rita Almeida ◽

Dina Bento ◽

Inês Cruz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Kansas City ◽

Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽

English Language ◽

Summary Score ◽

Cardiac Biomarkers ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Wild Type ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Tea Extract

Background The emergence of specific therapies for transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (CA) warrants the need for a systematic review of the literature. Methods and Results A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search was performed on MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase databases on November 29, 2019. Studies were selected based on the following predefined eligibility criteria: English‐language randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non‐RCTs, or observational studies, which included adult patients with variant/wild‐type transthyretin‐CA, assessed specific therapies for transthyretin‐CA, and reported cardiovascular outcomes. Relevant data were extracted to a predefined template. Quality assessment was based on National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommendations (RCTs) or a checklist by Downs and Black (non‐RCTs). From 1203 records, 24 publications were selected, describing 4 RCTs (6 publications) and 16 non‐RCTs (18 publications). Tafamidis was shown to significantly improve all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular hospitalizations and reduce worsening in 6‐minute walk test, Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire—Overall Summary score, and NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) in variant/wild‐type transthyretin‐CA. Patisiran showed promising results in a subgroup analysis of patients with variant transthyretin‐CA, which have to be confirmed in RCTs. Inotersen showed conflicting results on cardiac imaging parameters. The one study on AG10 had only a 1‐month duration and cardiovascular end points were exploratory and limited to cardiac biomarkers. Limited evidence from noncomparative single‐arm small non‐RCTs existed for diflunisal, epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (green tea extract), and doxycycline+tauroursodeoxycholic acid/ursodeoxycholic acid. Conclusions This systematic review of the literature supports the use of tafamidis in wild‐type and variant transthyretin‐CA. Novel therapeutic targets including transthyretin gene silencers are currently under investigation.

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Medical Informatics Applications in COVID-19 Crisis Control: Protocol for Systematic Literature Review

Frontiers in Health Informatics ◽

10.30699/fhi.v10i1.272 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 56

Author(s):

Saeed Eslami HassanAbady ◽

Raheleh Ganjali

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Medical Informatics ◽

English Language ◽

World Health ◽

Medical Informatics Applications ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Screening Process ◽

Services Delivery ◽

Health Organization

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 has disseminated globally, and COVID-19 has been labeled as a public health emergency of global concern by the World Health Organization. Since 2019-nCoV (2019 new coronavirus) has a long incubation period and high infectivity, e-Health and its subsets in medical informatics (MI) have evolved as a suitable solution to enable the continuity of health services delivery. Also, new health care models are required during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed systematic review aims to examine and summarize evidence related to medical informatics applications in COVID-19 crisis, as evidence-based approaches. Methods and Analysis: A research team consisting of experts in the fields of medical informatics and systematic review methods were guided this review according to the Cochrane Handbook and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting guidelines. PubMed and Scopus databases were searched. Eligibility criteria for including studies reviewed was randomized and non-randomized controlled trials published in English language. Articles performed on medical informatics applications in COVID-19 pandemic during 2019-2020 were identified. Two independent reviewers will assess articles eligibility and extract data into a spreadsheet using a structured pilot-tested form. Collected data and evidence will be synthesized using a thematic synthesis approach. The risk of bias will be assessed in all included studies using appropriate tools. Results: The literature search led to the identification of a total of 1882 and 854 articles retrieved from the PubMed and Scopus databases, respectively. After removing duplicates, 2716 articles remained and underwent title and abstract screening process. Conclusion: This systematic review aims to identify the applications of medical informatics in COVID-19 pandemic. To the best of our knowledge, this review is the first attempt undertaken to develop an evidence-based method using a systematic review approach.

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Rofecoxib Does Not Appear to Increase the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: A Systematic Review of the Literature,

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v118.21.3334.3334 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 118 (21) ◽

pp. 3334-3334

Author(s):

Jennifer K Goy ◽

Jeremy Paikin ◽

Mark A. Crowther

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

English Language ◽

Search Strategy ◽

Quality Criteria ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Risk Difference ◽

Coagulation System ◽

Review Of The Literature

Abstract Abstract 3334 Rofecoxib, a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, has been associated with increased arterial thrombosis. It is unknown whether it is associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). We investigated, using a systematic review of the literature, the association between rofecoxib and venous thrombosis. A search strategy was developed with the assistance of a research librarian and was implemented in 2 electronic databases. We identified all English language studies in which rofecoxib was compared with placebo, irrespective of the primary outcome of the study. Only placebo controlled trials were included in the review as NSAIDs (the comparator in many rofecoxib studies) may have anti-thrombotic effects. We also limited studies to those with 3 or months of follow-up since we presume that the effects of rofecoxib on the coagulation system would take time to develop. Two reviewers assessed study eligibility, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Data was extracted from each of study in a standardized manner using RefMan software. Quality of the studies was assessed according to pre-established criteria: (1) randomization process (2) blinding, and (3) documentation of losses to follow up. Pooled incidence rates were calculated from the reported number of VTEs and total person years at risk. Confidence intervals and risk difference were calculated using a Poisson distribution. The search strategy identified 1339 papers. After review, a total of 15 studies in 14 populations met inclusion criteria. The majority of trials were short in duration (∼12 weeks). All studies met at least two of the three quality criteria. In 15160 (9217 person years follow up) patients allocated to rofecoxib there were 8 VTEs reported, compared with 9 VTEs in 13147 (9092 person years) patients allocated to placebo (relative risk 0.87, 95% CI 0.29–2.56, p = NS). The estimated incidence of VTE was 86.8 per 100,000 (95% CI 37.5 –171.2) person years with rofecoxib, and 99.1 per 100,000 person years with placebo (95%CI 45.3 – 188). This difference is statistically insignificant (p=0.78). Our findings are limited by the relatively small number of events, although the contributing sample size 28307 subjects (18309 person years) is reasonable. We are also unsure that all venous events were captured, although the fact that many of the contributing studies were performed in support of regulatory filings of rofecoxib suggests that events were unlikely to be missed. All included trials had processes for adjudication of VTE. Keeping these limitations in mind, our findings do suggest that there is no increase in the risk of VTE with rofecoxib use. Disclosures: Crowther: Various: Consultancy.

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Covid-19 and Autoimmune Diseases: A Systematic Review of Reported Cases

Current Rheumatology Reviews ◽

10.2174/1573397116666201029155856 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

Author(s):

Mariam Ahmed Saad ◽

Mostafa Alfishawy ◽

Mahmoud Nassar ◽

Mahmoud Mohamed ◽

Ignatius N Esene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Autoimmune Disease ◽

Kawasaki Disease ◽

Autoimmune Diseases ◽

English Language ◽

Clinical Evidence ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Thrombocytopenic Purpura ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

Viral Illness

Introduction: Over 4.9 million cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been confirmed since the worldwide pandemic began. Since the emergence of COVID-19, a number of confirmed cases reported autoimmune manifestations. Herein, we reviewed the reported COVID-19 cases with associated autoimmune manifestations. Methods: We searched PubMed database using all available keyword for COVID-19. All related studies between January 1st, 2020 to May 22nd, 2020 were reviewed. Only studies published in English language were considered. Articles were screened based on titles and abstract. All reports of confirmed COVID-19 patients who have associated clinical evidence of autoimmune disease were selected. Results: Among 10006 articles, searches yielded, Thirty-two relevant articles for full-text assessment. Twenty studies meet the eligibility criteria. The twenty eligible articles reported 33 cases of confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who developed an autoimmune disease after the onset of covid-19 symptoms. Ages of patients varied from a 6 months old infant to 89 years old female (Mean=53.9 years of 28 cases); five cases had no information regarding their age. The time between symptoms of viral illness and onset of autoimmune symptoms ranged from 2 days to 33 days (Mean of the 33 cases=9.8 days). Autoimmune diseases were one case of subacute thyroiditis (3%), two cases of Kawasaki Disease (6.1%), three cases of coagulopathy and antiphospholipid syndrome (9.1%), three cases of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (9.1%), eight cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (24.2%), and sixteen cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome (48.5%). Conclusions: COVID-19 has been implicated in the development in a range of autoimmune diseases which may shed a light on the association between autoimmune diseases and infections.

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Occupational Asbestos Exposure and Kidney Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies

Annals of Work Exposures and Health ◽

10.1093/annweh/wxaa114 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chris C Y Pang ◽

Kevin Phan ◽

Md Nazmul Karim ◽

Afsana Afroz ◽

Matthew Winter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cohort Studies ◽

Kidney Cancer ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

International Agency ◽

Standardized Mortality Ratio ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Incidence Studies ◽

Incident Cases

Abstract Objectives An estimated 125 million workers are exposed to asbestos worldwide. Asbestos is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 1 carcinogen. The association between occupational asbestos exposure and kidney cancer is not well established however. This study aimed to determine the mortality and incidence of kidney cancer in workers who have been exposed to asbestos. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between occupational asbestos exposure and kidney cancer. Methods Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for articles on occupational asbestos exposure and kidney cancer. The studies reported the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) or standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of kidney cancer in workers exposed to asbestos. SMRs or SIRs with its 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled using a fixed-effect model. Results Forty-nine cohort studies involving 335 492 workers were selected for analysis. These studies included 468 kidney cancer deaths and 160 incident cases. The overall pooled-SMR of kidney cancer was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.86–1.05), with no significant heterogeneity (PQ = 0.09, I2 = 24.87%). The overall pooled-SIR of kidney cancer was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.79–1.11), with no significant heterogeneity (PQ = 0.68, I2 = 0.00%). Subgroup analysis did not find any increased association with occupational asbestos exposure. There was no evidence of publication bias with Egger’s test P values of 0.08 for mortality studies and 0.99 for incidence studies. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis did not show evidence of association between occupational asbestos exposure and kidney cancer mortality or incidence.

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Ionizing Radiation Protein Biomarkers in Normal Tissue and Their Correlation to Radiosensitivity: A Systematic Review

Journal of Personalized Medicine ◽

10.3390/jpm11020140 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 140

Author(s):

Prabal Subedi ◽

Maria Gomolka ◽

Simone Moertl ◽

Anne Dietz

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Ionizing Radiation ◽

Normal Tissue ◽

English Language ◽

Kinase Inhibitor ◽

Personalised Medicine ◽

Model Systems ◽

Second Phase ◽

Limited Information ◽

Eligibility Criteria

Background and objectives: Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) has increased immensely over the past years, owing to diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. However, certain radiosensitive individuals show toxic enhanced reaction to IR, and it is necessary to specifically protect them from unwanted exposure. Although predicting radiosensitivity is the way forward in the field of personalised medicine, there is limited information on the potential biomarkers. The aim of this systematic review is to identify evidence from a range of literature in order to present the status quo of our knowledge of IR-induced changes in protein expression in normal tissues, which can be correlated to radiosensitivity. Methods: Studies were searched in NCBI Pubmed and in ISI Web of Science databases and field experts were consulted for relevant studies. Primary peer-reviewed studies in English language within the time-frame of 2011 to 2020 were considered. Human non-tumour tissues and human-derived non-tumour model systems that have been exposed to IR were considered if they reported changes in protein levels, which could be correlated to radiosensitivity. At least two reviewers screened the titles, keywords, and abstracts of the studies against the eligibility criteria at the first phase and full texts of potential studies at the second phase. Similarly, at least two reviewers manually extracted the data and accessed the risk of bias (National Toxicology Program/Office for Health Assessment and Translation—NTP/OHAT) for the included studies. Finally, the data were synthesised narratively in accordance to synthesis without meta analyses (SWiM) method. Results: In total, 28 studies were included in this review. Most of the records (16) demonstrated increased residual DNA damage in radiosensitive individuals compared to normo-sensitive individuals based on γH2AX and TP53BP1. Overall, 15 studies included proteins other than DNA repair foci, of which five proteins were selected, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Caspase 3, p16INK4A (Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A, CDKN2A), Interleukin-6, and Interleukin-1β, that were connected to radiosensitivity in normal tissue and were reported at least in two independent studies. Conclusions and implication of key findings: A majority of studies used repair foci as a tool to predict radiosensitivity. However, its correlation to outcome parameters such as repair deficient cell lines and patients, as well as an association to moderate and severe clinical radiation reactions, still remain contradictory. When IR-induced proteins reported in at least two studies were considered, a protein network was discovered, which provides a direction for further studies to elucidate the mechanisms of radiosensitivity. Although the identification of only a few of the commonly reported proteins might raise a concern, this could be because (i) our eligibility criteria were strict and (ii) radiosensitivity is influenced by multiple factors. Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42020220064).

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Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy and Dental Plaque: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1155/2014/824538 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

G. C. Santin ◽

D. S. B. Oliveira ◽

R. Galo ◽

M. C. Borsatto ◽

S. A. M. Corona

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Photodynamic Therapy ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Dental Biofilm ◽

Quality Assessments

Background. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature on the efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDTa) on cariogenic dental biofilm.Types of Studies Reviewed. Studiesin vivo,in vitro, andin situwere included. Articles that did not address PDTa, those that did not involve cariogenic biofilm, those that used microorganisms in the plankton phase, and reviews were excluded. Data extraction and quality assessments were performed independently by two raters using a scale.Results. Two hundred forty articles were retrieved; only seventeen of them met the eligibility criteria and were analyzed in the present review. Considerable variability was found regarding the methodologies and application protocols for antimicrobial PDTa. Two articles reported unfavorable results.Practical Implications. The present systematic review does not allow drawing any concrete conclusions regarding the efficacy of antimicrobial PDTa, although this method seems to be a promising option.

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Microvascular decompression for tinnitus: systematic review

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/2016.2.jns152913 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 126 (4) ◽

pp. 1148-1157 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Brenton Nash ◽

Matthew L. Carlson ◽

Jamie J. Van Gompel

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Microvascular Decompression ◽

English Language ◽

Positive Outcome ◽

Future Research ◽

Symptom Duration ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Preoperative Symptom ◽

Operative Outcomes ◽

Review Reports

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine operative outcomes in cases of microvascular decompression (MVD) of cranial nerve (CN) VIII for tinnitus through a critical review of the literature. METHODS Forty-three English-language articles were gathered from PubMed and analyzed. In this review, two different case types were distinguished: 1) tinnitus-only symptomatology, which was defined as a patient with tinnitus with or without sensorineural hearing loss; and 2) mixed symptomatology, which was defined as tinnitus with symptoms of other CN dysfunction. This review reports outcomes of those with tinnitus-only symptoms. RESULTS Forty-three tinnitus-only cases were found in the literature with a 60% positive outcome rate following MVD. Analysis revealed a 5-year cutoff of preoperative symptom duration before which a good outcome can be predicted with 78.6% sensitivity, and after which a poor outcome can be predicted with 80% specificity. CONCLUSIONS As the 60% success rate is more promising than several other therapeutic options open to the chronic tinnitus sufferer, future research into this field is warranted.

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