Meniscal Extrusion: A Narrative Review

Background: Meniscal extrusion, referred to as an external displacement of the meniscus, is a commonly encountered but often overlooked magnetic resonance imaging finding in the knee joint. Meniscal extrusion alters the biomechanical properties of the meniscus, leading to accelerated cartilage degeneration and early osteoarthritic changes. The literature contains discrepancies about meniscal extrusion on topics ranging from definition to diagnosis. This narrative review outlines the pathogenesis, natural history, diagnosis, and treatment of meniscal extrusion. Purpose: To review the current literature on meniscal extrusion, from pathogenesis to treatment, and to provide recommendations for future research. Study Design: Narrative review. Methods: A computer-based search of the PubMed, Ovid Medline, and Cochrane Library databases was used to perform a comprehensive literature review on meniscal extrusion. A total of 81 studies was ultimately included in the review. Results: The literature review highlighted the current ambiguity in definition, difficulty in clinical diagnosis, and low level of awareness of this condition. This review covers all aspects related to meniscal extrusion and identifies many of its lesser known aspects. Conclusion: In the current literature, meniscal extrusion remains a lesser known albeit common condition because of its relatively silent nature along with lack of knowledge among orthopaedic surgeons. Further studies are warranted to provide better understanding and management of this condition.

Download Full-text

Reconceptualizing and Redirecting Research on Guanxi: ‘Guan-Xi’ Interaction to Form a Multicolored Chinese Knot

Management and Organization Review ◽

10.1017/mor.2019.36 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (03) ◽

pp. 643-677 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Peter Ping Li ◽

Steven Shijin Zhou ◽

Abby Jingzi Zhou ◽

Zhangbo Yang

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Literature Review ◽

Current Literature ◽

Social Ties ◽

Dynamic Interaction ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Future Research ◽

Western Scholarship

ABSTRACTGuanxiis one of the most popular topics in Chinese and Western scholarship concerning social ties in China. However, several problems in research onguanxipersist, and multiple debates are still ongoing without much consensus in sight. This study has two goals. First, we offer a systematic review of the current literature onguanxi, especially by differentiatingguandyads fromxinetworks. This reconceptualization ofguanxienables us to clarify the concept ofguanxiby differentiating its two dimensions. Second, based on this literature review, we propose a redirection of future research onguanxisuch thatguandyads andxinetworks are not examined in isolation; rather, their holistic and dynamic interaction is the most fruitful avenue for future research, especially the four mechanisms of their interaction. The proposed reconceptualization and redirection are our two contributions to the literature.

Download Full-text

Perinatal psychological interventions to promote breastfeeding: a narrative review

International Breastfeeding Journal ◽

10.1186/s13006-020-00348-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lidia Gómez ◽

Sergio Verd ◽

Gloria de-la-Banda ◽

Esther Cardo ◽

Mateu Servera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional Distress ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Psychological Interventions ◽

Breastfeeding Initiation ◽

Breastfeeding Support ◽

Community Based ◽

Important Health ◽

Quasi Experimental

Abstract Background Emotional distress in mothers inhibits the let-down reflex, thus affecting breastfeeding self-efficacy. A breastfeeding mother may have to cope with both physical discomfort and psychological distress. However, literature on initiatives to improve breastfeeding rates has focused mainly on providing community-based peer support, or social policies. The aim of this review is to assess evidence on the effectiveness of a broad range of psychological interventions to facilitate breastfeeding for mothers facing difficulties around the time of delivery. Methods The review of the literature is derived from a search on Cochrane Library, PubMed, EBSCOhost, and PsycINFO for papers published since 1980. The approach was to explore quantitative and qualitative parameters. Quantitative parameters included breastfeeding initiation, duration, and composition. Qualitative parameters recorded the evaluation of maternal perceptions on breastfeeding success. The high heterogeneity of the studies led to a narrative review; 20 selected papers that report on breastfeeding outcomes and psychological programs met the inclusion criteria. Results The evidence on breastfeeding support through psychotherapy is heterogeneous and scant. Out of the included studies, 11 were randomized controlled trials, two were non-randomised trials, and two used a quasi-experimental design. None of the studies reported an increase in adverse breastfeeding outcomes. Three studies failed to report an association between psychological procedures and improved breastfeeding outcomes. A literature review showed that 17 (85%) analyses support stress-releasing techniques to facilitate breastfeeding. Conclusions This review suggests that relaxation interventions carefully tailored to address perinatal emotional distress may lead to important health benefits, including improvement in breastfeeding outcomes. There is also some indication that psychotherapy support while breastfeeding may have more impact than routine counselling. Conversely, this review did not find an association between self-hypnosis and breastfeeding outcomes. Data from this study can be used in designing prevention programs and future research with appropriate theoretical underpinning.

Download Full-text

D-DIMER AS A POTENTIAL BIOMARKER OF COVID-19 DISEASE SEVERITY

Farmaciâ Kazahstana ◽

10.53511/pharmkaz.2021.13.34.004 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 17-21

Author(s):

Аксулу Даулеткельдиновна МУКАНОВА ◽

Акбота Даулеткельдиновна МУКАНОВА ◽

А.А. ЕРЕКЕШ ◽

Б.Т. ДАУЫТ ◽

Э.С. ХАН ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Resource Allocation ◽

Literature Review ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Inhospital Mortality ◽

Coagulation Function ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

New Treatments ◽

The Relationship ◽

D Dimer

Было продемонстрировано, что аномальная функция коагуляции участвует в прогрессировании COVID-19. Однако связь между уровнем D-димера и тяжестью COVID-19 не ясна. Исследование было направлено на изучение связи между уровнями D-димера и тяжестью COVID-19 на основе литературного обзора. Мы провели поиск в базах данных PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library и Scopus до октября 2021 года. Изменения в уровнях D-димера и тенденции после антикоагуляции являются высокопрогнозирующими факторами внутрибольничной смертности и могут помочь в распределении ресурсов и будущих исследованиях новых методов лечения тяжелой формы COVID-19. It has been demonstrated that abnormal coagulation function is involved in the progression of COVID-19. However, the relationship between D-dimer levels and the severity of COVID-19 is not clear. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between D-dimer levels and the severity of COVID-19 based on a literature review. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus until October 2021. Changes in D-dimer levels and trends after anticoagulation are highly predictive factors for inhospital mortality and may aid resource allocation and future research into new treatments for severe COVID-19.

Download Full-text

Medication Adherence in Older Patients With Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review

Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1177/0897190017710524 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 322-334 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Najwan El-Saifi ◽

Wendy Moyle ◽

Cindy Jones ◽

Haitham Tuffaha

Keyword(s):

Medication Adherence ◽

Literature Review ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Older Patients ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Improve Medication Adherence ◽

Related Factors ◽

Medication Discontinuation ◽

Increased Risk

Background: Older patients with dementia are often unable to take their medications as prescribed due to cognitive and physical impairment. Objectives: To review the evidence on medication adherence in older patients with dementia in terms of the level of adherence, outcomes, contributing factors, and available interventions. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Searched databases included CINAHL, Cochrane Library, DARE, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Results: Eighteen studies reported levels of medication adherence or discontinuation and related factors. Medication adherence ranged from 17% to 42%, and medication discontinuation before the end of treatment ranged from 37% to 80%. Nonadherence was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization or death, while increasing age, choice of medication, use of concomitant medications, and medicines’ costs were reported to decrease medication adherence. Telehealth home monitoring and treatment modification were the only interventions reported in the literature to improve medication adherence in this population. Conclusion: Older patients with dementia have a low level of medication adherence. Future research should focus on the development and implementation of interventions to help older patients with dementia and their caregivers make better use of medications.

Download Full-text

Researching and Conceptualizing an Effective Literature Review

10.4018/978-1-7998-8283-1.ch012 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 222-239

Author(s):

Stephanie Welch ◽

Emily Lahr ◽

Jessica Webb

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Current Literature ◽

Systematic Approach ◽

Future Research ◽

Field Of Study ◽

Body Of Knowledge ◽

Literature Reviews ◽

The World ◽

Conducting Research

Literature reviews are an integral part of the world of academia. They provide an avenue for the existing body of knowledge to be modified, summarized, outlined, and evaluated for the development of future research. While there are an overwhelming number of resources and scholarship on most topics, literature reviews prove to be difficult to construct. Literature reviews should provide new perspectives on existing bodies of knowledge, and they should also critically analyze the current literature in the field of study or bring to light conflicting perspectives or gaps in the literature. This chapter seeks to provide a systematic approach to understanding, conducting, and structuring literature reviews. Topics will include the purpose of literature reviews and key misconceptions, conducting research while evaluating quality and purpose of sources, writing the review with attention to purpose, method, audience, and rhetoric, and most common classifications of reviews and the methodology behind each.

Download Full-text

Pharmacy Students and Pharmacy Technicians in Medication Reconciliation: A Review of the Current Literature

Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1177/0897190017738916 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 207-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Heather M. Champion ◽

Julia A. Loosen ◽

Korey A. Kennelty

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Literature Review ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Medication Reconciliation ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Pharmacy Technicians ◽

Reconciliation Process

Objective: A literature review was conducted to examine how pharmacy students and technicians have been utilized in medication reconciliation processes in an effort to evaluate expanded roles for pharmacy students and technicians. Data were summarized on accuracy of obtaining medication histories, time requirements, discrepancy identification, and cost savings. Limitations and areas for future research also were identified. Data Sources: A search of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and PsycINFO and a manual searching of bibliographies were performed. Study Selection: Articles were included in this literature review if they focused on medication reconciliation with pharmacy student or technician outcomes independent of pharmacist involvement, they are available in English from any country, and the outcomes were empirical. Data Synthesis: Of 2112 identified studies, 32 met the inclusion criteria. The literature review revealed pharmacy technicians or students were involved in several medication reconciliation activities. Trained pharmacy students and technicians were able to obtain thorough medication histories as well as identify medication history discrepancies and take appropriate action to correct these discrepancies. Through the use of pharmacy students and technicians in the medication reconciliation process, hospitals experienced cost savings and other health-care professionals had more time for other patient care activities as well as an increased trust in the accuracy of medication histories. Conclusion: These findings suggest that pharmacy students and technicians are accurate, time efficient, decrease costs, and provide support to other health-care professionals when they are included in the medication reconciliation process.

Download Full-text

401 - The Costs of Agitation: A Literature Review

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610220002549 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (S1) ◽

pp. 117-117

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Literature Review ◽

Service Use ◽

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

The Cost ◽

The Impact

PRESENTING AUTHOR:Mary Michael, Vice President, Patient Advocacy and Stakeholder Management, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the extent to which the cost of both treated and untreated agitation in Alzheimer’s disease has been studied in order to inform future research and development of predictive models of the cost of untreated agitation in Alzheimer’s disease.BACKGROUND:There is inadequate understanding of the costs of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease in the scientific and academic literature. Agitation in Alzheimer’s disease contributes to negative social and financial outcomes for people with the condition, their care partners, and health systems. When left untreated, the impact of these outcomes is exacerbated, yet the scale of this impact is unknown. This gap in the literature both reflects and perpetuates the broader under-recognition of agitation as a serious unmet need in the Alzheimer’s community. Conversely, a better understanding of the costs can help elevate agitation within the global Alzheimer’s dialogue.METHODS:We used MEDLINE, PubMed, PsychINFO the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant articles published between 2000 until May 2020. We also reviewed reliable literature published outside of these databases. Keywords utilized in the search include agitation in Alzheimer’s, neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer’s, cost of informal and formal care, Medicare and Medicaid costs, economic costs associated to delirium, among others. Only articles in English were included. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined by study design, data source and population studied, number of cases included in analysis, source of health service use or cost data, statistical methods and agitation in Alzheimer’s attributable and/or incremental costs.RESULTS:Results will describe the breadth and depth to which costs of treated and untreated agitation in Alzheimer’s have been examined, indicating data and statistical methodology used.CONCLUSIONS:This literature review serves as the basis for understanding global costs of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease. From our analysis, we recommend that further cost modeling activities be conducted. We also urge the greater community to use these findings to elevate agitation to the top of the Alzheimer’s agenda.

Download Full-text

Costs and effects of interventions targeting frequent presenters to the emergency department: a systematic and narrative review

BMC Emergency Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12873-019-0296-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Viola Korczak ◽

Janani Shanthosh ◽

Stephen Jan ◽

Michael Dinh ◽

Thomas Lung

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Literature Review ◽

Case Management ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Future Research ◽

Management Approach ◽

Exclusion Criteria ◽

The Cost ◽

Effectiveness Studies

Abstract Background Previous systematic reviews have examined the effectiveness of interventions for frequent presenters to the Emergency Department (ED) but not the costs and cost-effectiveness of such interventions. Method A systematic literature review was conducted which screened the following databases: Pubmed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane and Econlit. An inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed following PRISMA guidelines. A narrative review methodology was adopted due to the heterogeneity of the reporting of the costs across the studies. Results One thousand three hundred eighty-nine papers were found and 16 were included in the review. All of the interventions were variations of a case management approach. Apart from one study which had mixed results, all of the papers reported a decrease in ED use and costs. There were no cost effectiveness studies. Conclusion The majority of interventions for frequent presenters to the ED were found to decrease ED use and cost. Future research should be undertaken to examine the cost effectiveness of these interventions.

Download Full-text

From output to outcome measures in the public sector: a structured literature review

International Journal of Organizational Analysis ◽

10.1108/ijoa-09-2018-1523 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Francesca Dal Mas ◽

Maurizio Massaro ◽

Rosa Lombardi ◽

Andrea Garlatti

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Literature Review ◽

Research Methods ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Current Literature ◽

Business Schools ◽

Future Research ◽

Content Type ◽

The Public ◽

Structured Literature Review

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to perform an analysis of the current literature providing a deep contribution to understanding the paradigm shift from output to outcome measures in the public sector. Thus, the main aim is to provide relevant insights of both theoretical and empirical studies, offering a critique of the schemes and the research methods used and underlining future research opportunities for the compelling (or underestimated) contents and new emerging trends. Design/methodology/approach Articles published in main public management and administration journals, as internationally recognized, are analyzed using a structured literature review methodology. The paper investigates selected contributions published in Association of Business Schools (ABS) (Chartered Association of Business Schools – UK] Grade 4, 3 and 2 journals specializing in the field of “Public Sector Management,” dealing with the topic of performance measurement, from output to outcome. Findings Findings are described defying a framework that deepens emerging elements of current literature such as main countries analyzed, main research topics highlighted, research methods applied (qualitative versus quantitative; case studies, interviews, comparative studies etc.), different definitions of “output” and “outcome,” top keywords and their connections. Originality/value The paper’s findings aim to offer insights and a current “shared vision” into the state of the art and possible future research avenues on the topic of output and outcome measures in the public sector fostering the development of further studies especially in the direction of sustainability.

Download Full-text

A Comparison of Antifungal Drugs and Traditional Antiseptic Medication for Otomycosis Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frontiers in Surgery ◽

10.3389/fsurg.2021.739360 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Shunyu Wu ◽

Yin Cheng ◽

Shunzhang Lin ◽

Huanhai Liu

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Literature Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Case Series ◽

Antifungal Drugs ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Research Subjects ◽

Full Text Review ◽

Meta Analyses

Objectives/Hypothesis: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of and complications associated with antifungal drugs and traditional antiseptic medication for the treatment of otomycosis.Data Sources: The PubMed, EMBASE, GeenMedical, Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and other databases were searched from January 1991 to January 2021.Methods: The systematic literature review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies (case-control, cohort, and case series) were included to assess the topical use of antifungal drugs and traditional antiseptic medication in patients with otomycosis. The research subjects were patients who were clinically diagnosed with otomycosis and whose external auditory canal secretions were positive for fungi. Funnel plots were used to detect bias, and the Q test was used to assess heterogeneity. The random-effects model was used for meta-analysis. The t-test was used to assess significance.Results: Of the 324 non-duplicate studies screened, 16 studies met the criteria for full-text review, and 7 were included in the meta-analysis. Four studies reported recovery conditions (P = 0.01). Six common complications after medication use were compared, and there were no significant differences. The authors further conducted subgroup analysis according to complications. The differences in the rates of ear distension (P = 0.007), earache (P = 0.03) and tinnitus (P = 0.003) were statistically significant.Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis and literature review showed that antifungal drugs and traditional antiseptic medication were effective in relieving symptoms in patients with otomycosis, and the two treatments were associated with different complications. Otolaryngologists have the option to use one medication or a combination of two drugs on the basis of the condition. Future research in this area should include RCTs with long-term follow-up to guide the development of otomycosis guidelines to overcome some of the weaknesses found in the literature.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero.

Download Full-text