Factors Associated for Mortality of Older People With COVID 19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background Whilst people of all ages are affected in some way by COVID-19 virus, older people are at a high mortality risk. This study aimed to systematically review the numerous factors associated with mortality among COVID-19 infected older people. Method PubMed and Science Direct were searched from inception to the April 15, 2021. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement and Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Results Of the 4957 studies identified, 20 were included in the qualitative analysis, while 10 were included in the quantitative analysis. Male sex (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.23–3.99), age (over 75 years old) (OR = 3.36, 95% CI = 2.30–4.90), Dementia (OR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.99–6.83) and Dyspnoea (OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 2.61–3.82), were found to be significantly associated with mortality. There is no significant association between Diabetes, or Hypertension. Conclusion Older age, male gender, dyspnoea and dementia were associated with a greater risk of death of older people from COVID-19 infection. These findings may help health care professionals to identify high-risk groups, facilitate appropriate remedial measures, and control mortality among older people.

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Combination therapy of Tocilizumab and steroid for COVID-19 patients: A meta-analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-553068/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mahmood moosazadeh ◽

Tahoora Mousavi

Keyword(s):

Combination Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Control Group ◽

Mechanical Ventilators ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact ◽

Pro Inflammatory Cytokines

Abstract BackgroundThe coagulation markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-2R, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-a) and Lymphopenia are associated with the severity of COVID-19 disease. The use of anti-inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids (CS) or Tosilizumab (TCZ) has been suggested for the treatment of advanced stage of COVID-19 and reduction of mechanical ventilators and mortality. The aim of this meta-analysis is to determine the role of combination therapy with Tocilizumab and steroid in COVID-19 patient. Material and methodsRelevant studies were found using online international databases and suitable studies were selected and assessed by two independent researchers. The quality of all papers were determined by a checklist. Heterogeneity assay among the primary studies was evaluated by Cochran's Q test and I2 index. The statistical analyses were done using Stata ver. 14 package (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) software. Publication bias was estimated through the Egger's test and the impact of each study on the overall estimate was assessed by sensitivity analysis.Result 6 studies were entered into this meta-analysis. The results of these studies showed that the risk of death for COVID-19 patients treated with the combination of corticosteroids and Tocilizumab compared to Tocilizumab or [C1] control group was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.36-1.50) and 0.48(95% CI: 0.31-0.74) respectively. ConclusionThis meta-analysis showed that the risk of death in COVID-19 patients who treated with Corticosteroids and Tocilizumab was lower than Tocilizumab and control group (26% and 52% respectively).

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The Effectiveness of Personalisation on Health Outcomes of Older People: A Systematic Review

Research on Social Work Practice ◽

10.1177/10497315211051629 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104973152110516

Author(s):

Clara T. Fatoye ◽

Tadesse Gebrye ◽

Francis Fatoye

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older People ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Long Term Conditions ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

And Control

Purpose As people get older, they tend to have long-term conditions requiring health and social care intervention such as personalisation. Personalisation is person centred ensuring independence and control. To date, no systematic review has examined the effectiveness of personalisation. This review examined the effectiveness of personalisation in older people. Methods A systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was undertaken. Databases searched included: Science Direct and Medline (PubMed) NHSEED and CINAHL. Inclusion criteria were older people living in their own homes receiving personalisation. Excluded were studies carried out in nursing homes. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality of assessment. Results Search yielded 151 published studies with titles and abstracts; 143 studies were excluded and eight included. Studies included showed health outcomes of older people receiving personalisation improved significantly. Conclusions Review found evidence of improvement in quality of life and mobility in older people.

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Differentiating PSP from MSA using MR planimetric measurements: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Neural Transmission ◽

10.1007/s00702-021-02362-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Beatrice Heim ◽

Florian Krismer ◽

Klaus Seppi

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Index Test ◽

Study Quality ◽

Parkinsonian Syndromes ◽

Quantitative Mr ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Planimetric Measurements

AbstractDifferential diagnosis of parkinsonian syndromes is considered one of the most challenging in neurology. Quantitative MR planimetric measurements were reported to discriminate between progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and non-PSP-parkinsonism. Several studies have used midbrain to pons ratio (M/P) and the Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index (MRPI) in distinguishing PSP patients from those with Parkinson's disease. The current meta-analysis aimed to compare the performance of these measures in discriminating PSP from multiple system atrophy (MSA). A systematic MEDLINE review identified 59 out of 2984 studies allowing a calculation of sensitivity and specificity using the MRPI or M/P. Meta-analyses of results were carried out using random effects modelling. To assess study quality and risk of bias, the QUADAS-2 tool was used. Eight studies were suitable for analysis. The meta‐analysis showed a pooled sensitivity and specificity for the MRPI of PSP versus MSA of 79.2% (95% CI 72.7–84.4%) and 91.2% (95% CI 79.5–96.5%), and 84.1% (95% CI 77.2–89.2%) and 89.2% (95% CI 81.8–93.8%), respectively, for the M/P. The QUADAS-2 toolbox revealed a high risk of bias regarding the methodological quality of patient selection and index test, as all patients were seen in a specialized outpatient department without avoiding case control design and no predefined threshold was given regarding MRPI or M/P cut-offs. Planimetric brainstem measurements, in special the MRPI and M/P, yield high diagnostic accuracy for the discrimination of PSP from MSA. However, there is an urgent need for well-designed, prospective validation studies to ameliorate the concerns regarding the risk of bias.

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10 Years of Pulsed-Xenon Ultraviolet Disinfection

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2020.1104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s438-s438

Author(s):

Mark Stibich ◽

Sarah Simmons ◽

Deborah Passey

Keyword(s):

Relative Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Outcome Studies ◽

Uv Disinfection ◽

Clostridioides Difficile ◽

Environmental Effectiveness ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Hospital Acquired ◽

And Control ◽

Effectiveness Studies

Background: Ultraviolet light (UV) disinfection using low-pressure mercury lamps has been around since the 1940s. The advent of pulsed-xenon UV for hospital use in 2010 has provided a nontoxic and novel technology for hospital disinfection with the first data presented at the 2010 SHEA Decennial. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the current body of evidence for pulsed xenon UV disinfection. Methods: The literature search criteria included the following: research conducted in domestic and international settings using pulsed-xenon for surface disinfection, published between 2000 and 2019, and reporting on environmental effectiveness or hospital-acquired reductions (HAIs). We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The meta-analysis included 24 studies: 12 HAI outcome studies and 12 environmental effectiveness studies. Meta-analyses were conducted by calculating the percentage reductions for environmental effectiveness, and for the HAI outcome studies, we used a random-effects model to pool the relative risk of HAI. The outcome studies used 272 and 299 months of data for the experimental and control groups, respectively. Results: There was an overall benefit of using pulsed-xenon UV. The overall relative risk of infection decreased compared to the control arm (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.54–0.76). The percentage reductions in environmental studies were as follows: Clostridioides difficile (94.8%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (91.5%), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (99.2%), and aerobic bacteria (94.2%). Conclusions: Overall, pulsed-xenon UV was effective for reducing environmental contamination and had the ability to significantly reduce HAIs.Funding: Xenex, Inc., funded this study.Disclosures: Mark Stibich receives a salary from Xenex and is a shareholder of Xenex. Deborah Passey receives a salary from Xenex Disinfection Services.

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The Prevalence of TET2 Gene Mutations in Patients with BCR-ABL-Negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13123078 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 3078

Author(s):

Yuh Cai Chia ◽

Md Asiful Islam ◽

Phil Hider ◽

Peng Yeong Woon ◽

Muhammad Farid Johan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Regional Differences ◽

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Gene Mutations ◽

Screening Methods ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Pooled Prevalence ◽

Critical Appraisal Tool ◽

Appraisal Tool

Multiple recurrent somatic mutations have recently been identified in association with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). This meta-analysis aims to assess the pooled prevalence of TET2 gene mutations among patients with MPN. Six databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Embase) were searched for relevant studies from inception till September 2020, without language restrictions. The eligibility criteria included BCR-ABL-negative MPN adults with TET2 gene mutations. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses explored results among different continents and countries, WHO diagnostic criteria, screening methods and types of MF. Quality assessment was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020212223). Thirty-five studies were included (n = 5121, 47.1% female). Overall, the pooled prevalence of TET2 gene mutations in MPN patients was 15.5% (95% CI: 12.1–19.0%, I2 = 94%). Regional differences explained a substantial amount of heterogeneity. The prevalence of TET2 gene mutations among the three subtypes PV, ET and MF were 16.8%, 9.8% and 15.7%, respectively. The quality of the included studies was determined to be moderate–high among 83% of the included studies. Among patients with BCR-ABL-negative MPN, the overall prevalence of TET2 gene mutations was 15.5%.

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Predictability of rotational tooth movement with orthodontic aligners comparing software-based and achieved data: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Journal of Orthodontics ◽

10.1177/14653125211027266 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146531252110272

Author(s):

Despina Koletsi ◽

Anna Iliadi ◽

Theodore Eliades

Keyword(s):

Effect Size ◽

Tooth Movement ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Patient Treatment ◽

Qualitative Synthesis ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Enamel Reduction

Objective: To evaluate all available evidence on the prediction of rotational tooth movements with aligners. Data sources: Seven databases of published and unpublished literature were searched up to 4 August 2020 for eligible studies. Data selection: Studies were deemed eligible if they included evaluation of rotational tooth movement with any type of aligner, through the comparison of software-based and actually achieved data after patient treatment. Data extraction and data synthesis: Data extraction was done independently and in duplicate and risk of bias assessment was performed with the use of the QUADAS-2 tool. Random effects meta-analyses with effect sizes and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed and the quality of the evidence was assessed through GRADE. Results: Seven articles were included in the qualitative synthesis, of which three contributed to meta-analyses. Overall results revealed a non-accurate prediction of the outcome for the software-based data, irrespective of the use of attachments or interproximal enamel reduction (IPR). Maxillary canines demonstrated the lowest percentage accuracy for rotational tooth movement (three studies: effect size = 47.9%; 95% CI = 27.2–69.5; P < 0.001), although high levels of heterogeneity were identified (I2: 86.9%; P < 0.001). Contrary, mandibular incisors presented the highest percentage accuracy for predicted rotational movement (two studies: effect size = 70.7%; 95% CI = 58.9–82.5; P < 0.001; I2: 0.0%; P = 0.48). Risk of bias was unclear to low overall, while quality of the evidence ranged from low to moderate. Conclusion: Allowing for all identified caveats, prediction of rotational tooth movements with aligner treatment does not appear accurate, especially for canines. Careful selection of patients and malocclusions for aligner treatment decisions remain challenging.

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Association of dyslipidemia with the severity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a meta-analysis

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01604-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yanli Liu ◽

Yilong Pan ◽

Yuyao Yin ◽

Wenhao Chen ◽

Xiaodong Li

Keyword(s):

Fixed Effects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Potential Association ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Language Restriction ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale

Abstract Background The numbers of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 related deaths are still increasing, so it is very important to determine the risk factors of COVID-19. Dyslipidemia is a common complication in patients with COVID-19, but the association of dyslipidemia with the severity and mortality of COVID-19 is still unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze the potential association of dyslipidemia with the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Methods We searched the PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases for all relevant studies up to August 24, 2020. All the articles published were retrieved without language restriction. All analysis was performed using Stata 13.1 software and Mantel–Haenszel formula with fixed effects models was used to compare the differences between studies. The Newcastle Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results Twenty-eight studies involving 12,995 COVID-19 patients were included in the meta-analysis, which was consisted of 26 cohort studies and 2 case–control studies. Dyslipidemia was associated with the severity of COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.44, P = 0.038, I2 = 39.8%). Further, patients with dyslipidemia had a 2.13-fold increased risk of death compared to patients without dyslipidemia (95% CI 1.84–2.47, P = 0.001, I2 = 66.4%). Conclusions The results proved that dyslipidemia is associated with increased severity and mortality of COVID-19. Therefore, we should monitor blood lipids and administer active treatments in COVID-19 patients with dyslipidemia to reduce the severity and mortality.

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FibroTest for Evaluating Fibrosis in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10112415 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2415

Author(s):

Yasaman Vali ◽

Jenny Lee ◽

Jérôme Boursier ◽

René Spijker ◽

Joanne Verheij ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Disease ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Fatty Liver Disease ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Advanced Fibrosis ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Multiple Thresholds ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

(1) Background: FibroTest™ is a multi-marker panel, suggested by guidelines as one of the surrogate markers with acceptable performance for detecting fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A number of studies evaluating this test have been published after publication of the guidelines. This study aims to produce summary estimates of FibroTest™ diagnostic accuracy. (2) Methods: Five databases were searched for studies that evaluated FibroTest™ against liver biopsy as the reference standard in NAFLD patients. Two authors independently screened the references, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. Meta-analyses of the accuracy in detecting different levels of fibrosis were performed using the bivariate random-effects model and the linear mixed-effects multiple thresholds model. (3) Results: From ten included studies, seven were eligible for inclusion in our meta-analysis. Five studies were included in the meta-analysis of FibroTest™ in detecting advanced fibrosis and five in significant fibrosis, resulting in an AUC of 0.77 for both target conditions. The meta-analysis of three studies resulted in an AUC of 0.69 in detecting any fibrosis, while analysis of three other studies showed higher accuracy in cirrhosis (AUC: 0.92). (4) Conclusions: Our meta-analysis showed acceptable performance (AUC > 0.80) of FibroTest™ only in detecting cirrhosis. We observed more limited performance of the test in detecting significant and advanced fibrosis in NAFLD patients. Further primary studies with high methodological quality are required to validate the reliability of the test for detecting different fibrosis levels and to compare the performance of the test in different settings.

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Effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1226 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

M Oberndorfer ◽

I Grabovac ◽

S Haider ◽

T E Dorner

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Different Populations ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Background Reports of the effectiveness of e-cigarettes (ECs) for smoking cessation vary across different studies making implementation recommendations hard to attain. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesise the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of ECs for smoking cessation. Methods PubMed, PsycInfo and Embase databases were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing nicotine ECs with non-nicotine ECs or with established smoking cessation interventions (nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and or counselling) published between 01/01/2014 and 01/05/2019. Data from eligible studies were extracted and used for random-effects meta-analyses. Results Our literature review yielded 13190 publications with 10 studies being identified as eligible for systematic review, covering 8362 participants, and 8 for meta-analyses (n = 30 - 6006). Using the last follow-up of eligible studies, the proportion of smokers achieving abstinence was 1.67 [95CI:0.99 - 2.81] times higher in nicotine EC users compared to non-nicotine EC users. The proportion of abstinent smokers was 1.69 [95CI:1.25 - 2.27] times higher in EC users compared to participants receiving NRT. EC users showed a 2.70 [95CI:1.15 - 6.30] times higher proportion of abstinent smokers in comparison to participants solely receiving counselling. Conclusions Our analysis showed modest effects of nicotine-ECs compared to non-nicotine ECs. When compared to NRT or counselling, results suggest that nicotine EC may be more effective for smoking cessation. As ECs also help maintaining routinized behaviour and social aspects of smoking, we hypothesise that this may explain their advantage as a tool for smoking cessation. However, given the small number of included studies, different populations, heterogeneous designs, and the overall moderate to low quality of evidence, it is not possible to offer clear recommendations. More comparable data is needed to strengthen confidence in the quality of evidence. Key messages The number of previous studies assessing the effectiveness of ECs for smoking cessation is limited. Further, comparability of these studies is restricted, weakening the quality of evidence. Although current evidence on the effectiveness of ECs for smoking cessation is inconclusive, our meta-analyses suggest that ECs could be a promising alternative tool in attempts to achieve abstinence.

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Acupuncture for post-stroke depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies ◽

10.1186/s12906-021-03277-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ran Liu ◽

Kun Zhang ◽

Qiu-yu Tong ◽

Guang-wei Cui ◽

Wen Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Events ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Post Stroke ◽

Assessment Development ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Post Stroke Depression ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Background Acupuncture for post-stroke depression (PSD) has been evolving, but uncertainty remains. To assess the existing evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for PSD, we sought to draw conclusions by synthesizing RCTs. Methods An exhaustive literature search was conducted in seven electronic databases from their inception dates to April 19, 2020, to identify systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) on this topic. The primary RCTs included in the SRs/MAs were identified. We also conducted a supplementary search for RCTs published from January 1, 2015, to May 12, 2020. Two reviewers extracted data separately and pooled data using RevMan 5.3 software. The quality of evidence was critically appraised with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results A total of 17 RCTs involving 1402 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that participants who received a combination of acupuncture and conventional treatments exhibited significantly lower scores on the HAM-D17, HAM-D24 and HAM-D (MD, − 5.08 [95% CI, − 6.48 to − 3.67], I2 = 0%), (MD, − 9.72 [95% CI, − 14.54 to − 4.91], I2 = 65%) and (MD, − 2.72 [95% CI, − 3.61 to − 1.82], respectively) than those who received conventional treatment. However, there was no significant difference in acupuncture versus antidepressants in terms of the 17-item, 24-item and HAM-D scales (MD, − 0.43 [95% CI, − 1.61 to 0.75], I2 = 51%), (MD, − 3.09 [95% CI, − 10.81 to 4.63], I2 = 90%) and (MD, − 1.55 [95% CI, − 4.36 to 1.26], I2 = 95%, respectively). For adverse events, acupuncture was associated with fewer adverse events than antidepressants (RR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.39], I2 = 35%), but there was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the combination of acupuncture and conventional treatments versus conventional treatments (RR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.21 to 1.83], I2 = 38%). The quality of evidence was low to very low due to the substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. Conclusions The current review indicates that acupuncture has greater effect on PSD and better safety profile than antidepressants, but high-quality evidence evaluating acupuncture for PSD is still needed.

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