Interventions to reduce low-value imaging – a systematic review of interventions and outcomes

Abstract Background It is estimated that 20–50% of all radiological examinations are of low value. Many attempts have been made to reduce the use of low-value imaging. However, the comparative effectiveness of interventions to reduce low-value imaging is unclear. Thus, the objective of this systematic review was to provide an overview and evaluate the outcomes of interventions aimed at reducing low-value imaging. Methods An electronic database search was completed in Medline – Ovid, Embase-Ovid, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for citations between 2010 and 2020. The search was built from medical subject headings for Diagnostic imaging/Radiology, Health service misuse or medical overuse, and Health planning. Keywords were used for the concept of reduction and avoidance. Reference lists of included articles were also hand-searched for relevant citations. Only articles written in English, German, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, and Swedish were included. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to appraise the quality of the included articles. A narrative synthesis of the final included articles was completed. Results The search identified 15,659 records. After abstract and full-text screening, 95 studies of varying quality were included in the final analysis, containing 45 studies found through hand-searching techniques. Both controlled and uncontrolled before-and-after studies, time series, chart reviews, and cohort studies were included. Most interventions were aimed at referring physicians. Clinical practice guidelines (n = 28) and education (n = 28) were most commonly evaluated interventions, either alone or in combination with other components. Multi-component interventions were often more effective than single-component interventions showing a reduction in the use of low-value imaging in 94 and 74% of the studies, respectively. The most addressed types of imaging were musculoskeletal (n = 26), neurological (n = 23) and vascular (n = 16) imaging. Seventy-seven studies reported reduced low-value imaging, while 3 studies reported an increase. Conclusions Multi-component interventions that include education were often more effective than single-component interventions. The contextual and cultural factors in the health care systems seem to be vital for successful reduction of low-value imaging. Further research should focus on assessing the impact of the context in interventions reducing low-value imaging and how interventions can be adapted to different contexts.

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Meningoencephalitis associated with COVID-19: A systematic review

10.1101/2020.06.25.20140145 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ritwick Mondal ◽

Upasana Ganguly ◽

Shramana Deb ◽

Gourav Shome ◽

Subhasish Pramanik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

English Language ◽

Final Analysis ◽

Systemic Review ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Neurological Involvement ◽

P Value ◽

Neurological Manifestations ◽

Medical Subject Headings ◽

Laboratory Findings

AbstractBackground and aimsWith the growing number of COVID-19 cases in recent times, the varied range of presentations is progressively becoming an addressing issue among clinicians. A significant set of patients with extra pulmonary symptoms has been reported worldwide. Neurological involvement in the form of altered mental status, loss of consciousness in considerable amounts has drawn attention of physicians all across the globe. Here we venture out to summarise the clinical profile, investigations and radiological findings among patients with SARS-CoV-2 associated meningoencephalitis in the form of a systematic review, which may aid clinicians in early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of the disease.MethodologyThis review was carried out based on the existing PRISMA (Preferred Report for Systemic Review and Meta analyses) consensus statement. The data for this review was collected from four databases: Pubmed/Medline, NIH Litcovid, Embase and Cochrane library and Preprint servers up till 10th June, 2020. Search strategy comprised of a range of keywords from relevant medical subject headings which includes “SARS-COV-2”, “COVID-19”, “meningoencephalitis” etc. All peer reviewed, case control, case report, pre print articles satisfying our inclusion criteria were involved in the study. The inclusion prerequisites comprised of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases with neurological manifestations, previous cases of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV with neurological involvement provided all the studies were published in English language. Quantitative data was expressed in mean+/-SD, while the qualitative date in percentages. Paired t test was used for analysing the data based on differences between mean and respective values with a p value of <0.05 considered to be statistically significant.ResultsA total of 43 cases were involved from 24 studies after screening from databases and preprint servers, out of which 29 of them had completed investigation profile and were included in the final analysis. Clincial and Laboratory findings as well as neuroimaging findings (CT, MRI and MRS) revealed consistent presentations towards association of COVID-19 with meningoencephalitis. Epileptogenic pictures were also evident on EEG (electroencephalogram) findings.ConclusionSARS-CoV-2 has been isolated from CSF as well as cerebrum of cases with meningoencephalitis depicting the natural tendency of the virus to invade the central nervous system. Speculations about retrograde olfactory transport or alternative haematogenous spread seem to be correlating with above findings. This review may raise the index of suspicion about COVID-19 among clinicians while attending patients with neurological manifestations.

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The impact of exogenous nitric oxide during cardiopulmonary bypass for cardiac surgery

Perfusion ◽

10.1177/02676591211014821 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026765912110148

Author(s):

Joseph Mc Loughlin ◽

Lorraine Browne ◽

John Hinchion

Keyword(s):

Nitric Oxide ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiac Surgery ◽

Cardiopulmonary Bypass ◽

Troponin I ◽

Length Of Hospital Stay ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

High Quality Research ◽

Low Cardiac Output Syndrome ◽

The Impact

Objectives: Cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass frequently provokes a systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This can lead to the development of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS). Both of these can affect morbidity and mortality. This study is a systematic review of the impact of gaseous nitric oxide (gNO), delivered via the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit during cardiac surgery, on post-operative outcomes. It aims to summarise the evidence available, to assess the effectiveness of gNO via the CPB circuit on outcomes, and highlight areas of further research needed to develop this hypothesis. Methods: A comprehensive search of Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library was performed in May 2020. Only randomised control trials (RCTs) were considered. Results: Three studies were identified with a total of 274 patients. There was variation in the outcomes measures used across the studies. These studies demonstrate there is evidence that this intervention may contribute towards cardioprotection. Significant reductions in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels and lower vasoactive inotrope scores were seen in intervention groups. A high degree of heterogeneity between the studies exists. Meta-analysis of the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay and length of hospital stay showed no significant differences. Conclusion: This systematic review explored the findings of three pilot RCTs. Overall the hypothesis that NO delivered via the CPB circuit can provide cardioprotection has been supported by this study. There remains a significant gap in the evidence, further high-quality research is required in both the adult and paediatric populations.

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The Impact and Implications of The COVID-19 Pandemic on Organ Procurement Outside of an Epicenter

Progress in Transplantation ◽

10.1177/15269248211002808 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 152692482110028

Author(s):

Janice Jene Hudgins ◽

Allison Jo Boyer ◽

Kristen Danielle Orr ◽

Clint Allen Hostetler ◽

Jeffrey Paul Orlowski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Initial Phase ◽

Organ Procurement ◽

Health Care Systems ◽

Health Data ◽

Organ Procurement Organization ◽

Care Systems ◽

The Impact ◽

Variable Impact ◽

Single Organ

The COVID-19 pandemic has been well-documented to have a variable impact on individual communities and health care systems. We describe the experience of a single organ procurement organization (OPO), located in an area without a large cluster of cases during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of community health data describing the impact of COVID-19 nationally and in Oklahoma was conducted. Additionally, a retrospective review of available OPO data from March 2019-May 2020 was performed. While the amount of donor referrals received and organs recovered by the OPO remained stable in the initial months of the pandemic, the observed organs transplanted vs. expected organs transplanted (O:E) decreased to the lowest number in the 15-month period and organs transplanted decreased as well. Fewer organs from Oklahoma donors were accepted for transplant despite staff spending more time allocating organs.

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Is the use of contraceptives associated with periodontal diseases? A systematic review and meta-analyses

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-021-01180-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Micaele Maria Lopes Castro ◽

Maria Karolina Martins Ferreira ◽

Iasmin Encaua Essashika Prazeres ◽

Paula Beatriz de Oliveira Nunes ◽

Marcela Baraúna Magno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Periodontal Diseases ◽

Hormonal Contraceptive ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Hormonal Contraceptives ◽

Clinical Parameters ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Previous studies indicated an impact of hormonal contraceptive use on oral health. This systematic review aimed to investigate the evidence supporting the impact of the use of hormonal contraceptives and periodontal diseases. Methods This study is based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and based on the PECO acrostic. Inclusion criteria comprised observational studies including women (P), which evaluated hormonal contraceptive users (E) and hormonal contraceptive non-users (C), to verify the association between this hormonal therapy and the periodontal diseases (O). Searches were performed on 5 databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, LILACS and grey literature (OpenGrey and Google Scholar). After the selection process, the included studies were evaluated qualitatively. Moreover, quantitative data were analyzed in two meta-analyses for clinical attachment loss (CAL) and probing depth (PD). Finally, the level of certainty was measured with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) tool between periodontal clinical parameters. Results 18 articles were eligible for the qualitative synthesis and 7 of them were selected for quantitative analysis. Hence, 15 of the eligible articles reported an association between the use of hormonal contraceptives and severity of periodontal disease. However, 6 articles demonstrated high risk of bias and were excluded from quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis showed a statistically significant difference for CAL (MD 0.24 [0.09, 0.40]; p = 0.002), but in PD (MD 0.05 [− 0.05, 0.15]; p = 0.33) such difference was not identified. A very low level of evidence was found between the clinical parameters. Conclusions The use of hormonal contraceptives may be associated to severity of periodontal diseases. However, the quantitative analysis points to an inconclusive outcome due to the high level of heterogeneity. The association is biologically plausible, however additional studies are warranted to better elucidate the clinical significance of this possible association.

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SARS-CoV-2 and Cytomegalovirus Co-Infections—A Case Series of Critically Ill Patients

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10132792 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (13) ◽

pp. 2792

Author(s):

Patrícia Moniz ◽

Sérgio Brito ◽

Pedro Póvoa

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Immune Suppression ◽

Clinical Course ◽

Health Care Systems ◽

Case Series ◽

Confounding Factors ◽

Care Systems ◽

The Impact ◽

Cmv Reactivation

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has placed great strain on the most developed of health care systems, especially in the context of critical care. Although co-infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV) are frequent in the critically ill due to underlying immune suppression of multiple causes, the impact on COVID-19 patients remains unclear. Furthermore, severe COVID-19 has recently been associated with significant immune suppression, and this may in turn impact CMV reactivation, possibly contributing to clinical course. Nevertheless, multiple confounding factors in these patients will certainly challenge upcoming research. The authors present a case series of five patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in the context of respiratory failure due to severe COVID-19. All patients evolved with CMV reactivation during ICU stay.

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Impact of Treatment for Nasal Cavity Disorders on Sleep Quality: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1177/01945998211029527 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 019459982110295

Author(s):

Jacob Fried ◽

Erick Yuen ◽

Kathy Zhang ◽

Andraia Li ◽

Nicholas R. Rowan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Nasal Obstruction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Mean Difference ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Subjective Sleep Quality ◽

Subjective Sleep ◽

The Impact

Objective To determine the impact of treatment for patients with nasal obstruction secondary to allergic rhinitis (AR) and nasal septal deviation (NSD) on sleep quality. Data Sources Primary studies were identified though PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. Review Methods A systematic review was performed by querying databases for articles published through August 2020. Studies were included that reported on objective sleep parameters (apnea-hypopnea index) and sinonasal and sleep-specific patient-reported outcome measures: Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (EpSS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results The database search yielded 1414 unique articles, of which 28 AR and 7 NSD studies were utilized for meta-analysis. A total of 9037 patients (8515 with AR, 522 with NSD) were identified with a mean age of 35.0 years (35.3 for AR, 34.0 for NSD). Treatment for AR and NSD significantly improved subjective sleep quality. For AR, the EpSS mean difference was −1.5 (95% CI, –2.4 to –0.5; P = .002) and for the PSQI, –1.7 (95% CI, –2.1 to –1.2; P < .00001). For NSD, the EpSS mean difference was −3.2 (95% CI, –4.2 to –2.2; P < .00001) and for the PSQI, –3.4 (95% CI, –6.1 to –0.6; P = .02). Conclusion Subjective sleep quality significantly improved following treatment for AR and NSD. There were insufficient data to demonstrate that objective metrics of sleep quality similarly improved.

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Efficacy of hydrofibre dressing following total joint arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Hip International ◽

10.1177/11207000211012669 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 112070002110126

Author(s):

Raman Mundi ◽

Harman Chaudhry ◽

Seper Ekhtiari ◽

Prabjit Ajrawat ◽

Daniel M Tushinski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Total Joint Arthroplasty ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Joint Infection ◽

The United States ◽

Joint Arthroplasty ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Observable Effect ◽

The Impact

Introduction: In the United States, over 1,000,000 total joint arthroplasty (TJA) surgeries are performed annually and has been forecasted that this number will exceed 4,000,000 by the year 2030. Many different types of dressing exist for use in TJA surgery, and it is unclear if any of the newer, hydrofibre dressings are superior to traditional dressings at reducing rates of infections or improving wound healing. Thus, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the impact of hydrofiber dressings on reducing complications. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the online databases MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing hydrofibre dressings to a standard dressing were included. Summary measures are reported as odds ratios (ORs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Our primary outcome was prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Secondary outcomes included blisters, dressing changes and wound irritation. Results: 5 RCTs were included. Hydrofibre dressing had no observable effect on PJI or wound irritation (OR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.14–1.98; p = 0.35). Hydrofibre dressings reduced the rate of blisters (OR 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14–0.90; p = 0.03) and number of dressing changes (MD -1.89; 95% CI, -2.68 to -1.11). Conclusions: In conclusion, evidence suggests hydrofibre dressings have no observable effect on PJI and wound irritation. Evidence for reduction in blisters and number of dressings is modest given wide CIs and biased trial methodologies. Use of hydrofibre dressings should be considered inconclusive for mitigating major complications in light of current best evidence.

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The Use of Seton as a Bridge to Definitive Ligation of the Intersphincteric Fistula Tract Procedure for Fistula-in-ano: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Journal of Coloproctology ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1730039 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Carlos Placer-Galán ◽

Jose Mª Enriquez-Navascués ◽

Tania Pastor-Bonel ◽

Ignacio Aguirre-Allende ◽

Yolanda Saralegui-Ansorena

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Anal Fistula ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Fistula Tract ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Fistula In Ano ◽

Intersphincteric Fistula ◽

The Impact ◽

Seton Placement ◽

Primary Healing

Abstract Background There is still controversy over the usefulness of seton placement prior to the ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) surgery in the management of anal fistula. Objective To evaluate the impact of preoperative seton placement on the outcomes of LIFT surgery for the management of fistula-in-ano. Design systematic review and meta-analysis. Data Sources A search was performed on the MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases. Study Selection Original studies without language restriction reporting the primary healing rates with and without seton placement as a bridge to definitive LIFT surgery were included. Intervention The intervention assessed was the LIFT with and without prior seton placement. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome was defined as the primary healing rate with and without the use of seton as a bridge to definitive LIFT surgery. Results Ten studies met the criteria for systematic review, all retrospective, with a pooled study population of 772 patients. There were no significant differences in the percentages of recurrence between patients with and without seton placement (odds ratio [OR] 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73–1.43: p = 0.35). The I2 value was 9%, which shows the homogeneity of the results among the analyzed studies. The 10 included studies demonstrated a weighted average overall recurrence of 38% (interquartile range [IQR] 27–42.7%), recurrence with the use of seton was 40% (IQR 26.6–51.2%), and without its use, the recurrence rate was 51.3% (IQR 31.3–51.3%) Limitations The levels of evidence found in the available literature were relatively fair, as indicated after qualitative evaluation using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and the Attitude Heading Reference System (AHRS) evidence levels. Conclusions Our meta-analysis suggests that the placement of seton as a bridge treatment prior to LIFT surgery does not significantly improve long-term anal fistula healing outcomes. Ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract surgery can be performed safely and effectively with no previous seton placement.International prospective register of systematic reviews—PROSPERO registration number: CDR42020149173.

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Risk of nodal disease in patients with MRI-detected extramural vascular invasion in rectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Tumori Journal ◽

10.1177/0300891620975867 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 030089162097586

Author(s):

Pratik Tripathi ◽

Zhen Li ◽

Yaqi Shen ◽

Xuemei Hu ◽

Daoyu Hu

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Rectal Cancer ◽

Lymph Node ◽

Vascular Invasion ◽

Literature Search ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Nodal Disease ◽

The Impact

Background: The impact of magnetic resonance imaging–detected extramural vascular invasion (mrEMVI) in distant metastasis is well known but its correlation with prevalence of lymph node metastasis is less studied. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the prevalence of nodal disease in mrEMVI–positive and negative cases in rectal cancer. Methods: Following guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, a systematic literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBase was carried out to identify relevant studies published up to May 2019. Results: Our literature search generated 10 studies (863 and 1212 mrEMVI–positive and negative patients, respectively). The two groups (mrEMVI–positive and negative) were significantly different in terms of nodal disease status (odds ratio [OR] 3.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.12–4.67; p < 0.001). The prevalence of nodal disease was 75.90% vs 52.56% in the positive mrEMVI vs negative mrEMVI group, respectively ( p < 0.001). The prevalence of positive lymph node in positive mrEMVI patients treated with neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT/CRT) (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.65–3.69; p < 0.001) was less compared with the patients who underwent surgery alone (OR 6.25; 95% CI 3.74–10.44; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The probability of positive lymph nodes in cases of positive mrEMVI is distinctly greater compared with negative cases in rectal cancer. Positive mrEMVI indicates risk of nodal disease prevalence increased by threefold in rectal cancer.

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Sustainability of Biosimilars in Europe: A Delphi Panel Consensus with Systematic Literature Review

Pharmaceuticals ◽

10.3390/ph13110400 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 400

Author(s):

Arnold G. Vulto ◽

Jackie Vanderpuye-Orgle ◽

Martin van der Graaff ◽

Steven R. A. Simoens ◽

Lorenzo Dagna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Literature Review ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Health Care Systems ◽

Delphi Panel ◽

The European Union ◽

Modified Delphi ◽

Care Systems ◽

Supply Risks ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Biosimilars have the potential to enhance the sustainability of evolving health care systems. A sustainable biosimilars market requires all stakeholders to balance competition and supply chain security. However, there is significant variation in the policies for pricing, procurement, and use of biosimilars in the European Union. A modified Delphi process was conducted to achieve expert consensus on biosimilar market sustainability in Europe. Methods: The priorities of 11 stakeholders were explored in three stages: a brainstorming stage supported by a systematic literature review (SLR) and key materials identified by the participants; development and review of statements derived during brainstorming; and a facilitated roundtable discussion. Results: Participants argued that a sustainable biosimilar market must deliver tangible and transparent benefits to the health care system, while meeting the needs of all stakeholders. Key drivers of biosimilar market sustainability included: (i) competition is more effective than regulation; (ii) there should be incentives to ensure industry investment in biosimilar development and innovation; (iii) procurement processes must avoid monopolies and minimize market disruption; and (iv) principles for procurement should be defined by all stakeholders. However, findings from the SLR were limited, with significant gaps on the impact of different tender models on supply risks, savings, and sustainability. Conclusions: A sustainable biosimilar market means that all stakeholders benefit from appropriate and reliable access to biological therapies. Failure to care for biosimilar market sustainability may impoverish biosimilar development and offerings, eventually leading to increased cost for health care systems and patients, with fewer resources for innovation.

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