Why physiology will continue to guide the choice between balanced crystalloids and normal saline: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Crystalloids are the most frequently prescribed drugs in intensive care medicine and emergency medicine. Thus, even small differences in outcome may have major implications, and therefore, the choice between balanced crystalloids versus normal saline continues to be debated. We examined to what extent the currently accrued information size from completed and ongoing trials on the subject allow intensivists and emergency physicians to choose the right fluid for their patients. Methods Systematic review and meta-analysis with random effects inverse variance model. Published randomized controlled trials enrolling adult patients to compare balanced crystalloids versus normal saline in the setting of intensive care medicine or emergency medicine were included. The main outcome was mortality at the longest follow-up, and secondary outcomes were moderate to severe acute kidney injury (AKI) and initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Trial sequential analyses (TSA) were performed, and risk of bias and overall quality of evidence were assessed. Additionally, previously published meta-analyses, trial sequential analyses and ongoing large trials were analysed for included studies, required information size calculations and the assumptions underlying those calculations. Results Nine studies (n = 32,777) were included. Of those, eight had data available on mortality, seven on AKI and six on RRT. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences between balanced crystalloids versus normal saline for mortality (P = 0.33), the incidence of moderate to severe AKI (P = 0.37) or initiation of RRT (P = 0.29). Quality of evidence was low to very low. Analysis of previous meta-analyses and ongoing trials showed large differences in calculated required versus accrued information sizes and assumptions underlying those. TSA revealed the need for extremely large trials based on our realistic and clinically relevant assumptions on relative risk reduction and baseline mortality. Conclusions Our meta-analysis could not find significant differences between balanced crystalloids and normal saline on mortality at the longest follow-up, moderate to severe AKI or new RRT. Currently accrued information size is smaller, and the required information size is larger than previously anticipated. Therefore, completed and ongoing trials on the topic may fail to provide adequate guidance for choosing the right crystalloid. Thus, physiology will continue to play an important role for individualizing this choice.

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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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The effectiveness of serious games in improving memory among elderly people with cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.35202 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alaa Abd-alrazaq ◽

Dari Alhuwail ◽

Eiman Al-Jafar ◽

Arfan Ahmed ◽

Shuja Mohd Reagu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Serious Games ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

The Elderly ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Meta Analyses

BACKGROUND Memory, one of the main cognitive functions, is known to decline by age. Serious games have been used for improving memory among the elderly. The effectiveness of serious games in improving memory has been investigated by several systematic reviews; however, they are limited by design and methodological weaknesses. OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the effectiveness of serious games in improving memory among the elderly with cognitive impairment. METHODS A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was carried out. The search sources included searching 8 databases, screening reference lists of the included studies and relevant reviews, and checking studies that cited the included studies. Two reviewers independently carried out the study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and quality of evidence appraisal. Extracted data were synthesized using a narrative approach and a statistical approach (i.e., meta-analysis), as appropriate. RESULTS Out of 466 citations retrieved, 18 studies met the eligibility criteria of this review. Of those, 15 RCTs were eventually included in 10 meta-analyses. We found that serious games are more effective than no or passive interventions in improving non-verbal memory (P=0.002) and working memory (P=0.02), but not verbal memory (P=0.13). The review also showed that serious games are more effective than conventional exercises in improving verbal memory (P=0.004), but not for non-verbal memory (P=0.12) and working memory (P=0.49). Serious games were as effective as conventional cognitive activities in improving verbal memory (P=0.07), non-verbal memory (P=0.94), and working memory (P=0.08) among the elderly with cognitive impairment. Lastly, the effect of adaptive serious games on working memory was comparable to non-adaptive serious games (P=0.08). CONCLUSIONS Serious games have the potential to improve verbal, non-verbal, and working memory among elderly people with cognitive impairment. However, our findings should be interpreted cautiously given that most meta-analyses were based on a few studies (≤3) and judged to have a low quality of evidence. Therefore, serious games should be offered as supplemental to existing proven and safe interventions, rather than a complete substitute until further, more robust evidence is available. Future studies should investigate the short and long-term effects of serious games on memory and other cognitive abilities among people from different age groups with or without cognitive impairment.

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Effectiveness of Electronic Cigarettes in Smoking Cessation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/ntaa181 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Igor Grabovac ◽

Moritz Oberndorfer ◽

Jismy Fischer ◽

Winfried Wiesinger ◽

Sandra Haider ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Random Effects ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Registration Number ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Introduction 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 assess the current evidence regarding 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 counseling) published between 1 January 2014 and 27 June 2020. Data from eligible studies were extracted and used for random-effects meta-analyses (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019141414). Results The search yielded 13 950 publications with 12 studies being identified as eligible for systematic review (N = 8362) and 9 studies for random-effects meta-analyses (range: 30–6006 participants). The proportion of smokers achieving abstinence was 1.71 (95 CI: 1.02–2.84) times higher in nicotine EC users compared with non-nicotine EC users. The proportion of abstinent smokers was 1.69 (95 CI: 1.25–2.27) times higher in EC users compared with participants receiving NRT. EC users showed a 2.04 (95 CI: 0.90–4.64) times higher proportion of abstinent smokers in comparison with participants solely receiving counseling. Conclusions Our results suggest that nicotine ECs may be more effective in smoking cessation when compared with placebo ECs or NRT. When compared with counseling alone, nicotine ECs are more effective short term, but its effectiveness appears to diminish with later follow-ups. Given the small number of studies, heterogeneous design, and the overall moderate to low quality of evidence, it is not possible to offer clear recommendations. Implications The results of this study do not allow for a conclusive argument. However, pooling current evidence points toward a potential for ECs as a smoking cessation tool. Though, given the overall quality of evidence, future studies should aim for more clarity in terms of interventions and larger study populations.

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Epidural steroid compared to placebo injection in sciatica: a systematic review and meta-analysis

European Spine Journal ◽

10.1007/s00586-021-06854-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

E. J. A. Verheijen ◽

C. A. Bonke ◽

E. M. J. Amorij ◽

C. L. A. Vleggeert-Lankamp

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Treatment Success ◽

Leg Pain ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Complication Rates ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Epidural Steroid

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether epidural steroid injections (ESI) are superior to epidural or non-epidural placebo injections in sciatica patients. Methods The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of science databases were searched for trials comparing ESI to epidural or non-epidural placebo. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. The primary outcome measures were pooled using a random-effects model for 6-week, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were described qualitatively. Quality of evidence was graded using GRADE classification. Results Seventeen out of 732 articles were included. ESI was superior compared to epidural placebo at 6 weeks (− 8.6 [− 13.4; − 3.9]) and 3 months (− 5.2 [− 10.1; − 0.2]) for leg pain and at 6 weeks for functional status (− 4.1 [− 6.5; − 1.6]), though the minimally clinical important difference (MCID) was not met. There was no difference in ESI and placebo for back pain, except for non-epidural placebo at 3 months (6.9 [1.3; 12.5]). Proportions of treatment success were not different. ESI reduced analgesic intake in some studies and complication rates are low. Conclusion The literature indicates that ESI induces larger improvements in pain and disability on the short term compared to epidural placebo, though evidence is of low to moderate quality and MCID is not met. Strong conclusions for longer follow-up or for comparisons with non-epidural placebo cannot be drawn due to general low quality of evidence and limited number of studies. Epidural injections can be considered a safe therapy.

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Abstract 15323: How Often Should Chest Compressions be Paused to Assess the Cardiac Rhythm? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.132.suppl_3.15323 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Joshua C Reynolds ◽

Violetta Raffay ◽

Eddy Lang ◽

Peter T Morley ◽

Kevin Nation

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Cardiac Rhythm ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Chest Compressions ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Rhythm Analysis ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Quality Evidence

Objectives: Most guidelines recommend pausing chest compressions at 2-min intervals to analyze the cardiac rhythm. We assessed the literature on the optimal interval at which to pause chest compressions in adults for cardiac rhythm analysis in any setting. Methods: To conduct this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases through January 2, 2015, including human studies addressing any two different intervals of rhythm analysis. We excluded animal studies, manikin studies, case reports, editorials, and studies published only in abstract form. We assessed for bias per the Cochrane Handbook criteria for randomized controlled trials (RCT) and observational studies, then used GRADE methodology to evaluate the quality of evidence for functional outcome, survival, and return of spontaneous circulation. Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts, and resolved disagreement by consensus. We summarized study results using RR for RCTs and OR for observational studies. Meta-analyses were performed with Mantel-Haenszel random effects model. Results: Of 1,135 papers identified, 8 were included (3 RCT and 5 observational studies) encompassing 15,242 subjects. Quality of evidence was very low or low (downgraded for risk of bias and indirectness). RCT comparing specific time intervals (3-minutes vs. immediate analysis; 1-minute vs. 2-minutes; 3-minutes vs. 1-minute) demonstrated no benefit in either arm. Meta-analyses of 5 observational studies demonstrated moderate pooled benefit of a bundled ‘minimally interrupted chest compression’ protocol dictating 200-compression intervals over historical controls treated with 1- or 3-minute intervals per the 2000 guidelines (ROSC: OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3, 2.7; survival to discharge: OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.1, 3.8; good functional outcome: OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.6, 5.4). No pooled estimate had significant heterogeneity. Conclusion: We found no quality evidence to support pausing chest compressions at any singular interval to assess the cardiac rhythm in adults in cardiac arrest in any setting. Very low quality evidence suggests improved outcomes in patients receiving a bundled 200-compression interval protocol compared to 1- or 3-minute intervals.

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Pre-emptive epidural analgesia for acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine ◽

10.1136/rapm-2020-101708 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (12) ◽

pp. 1006-1016

Author(s):

Sun-Kyung Park ◽

Susie Yoon ◽

Bo Rim Kim ◽

Suk Hyung Choe ◽

Jae-Hyon Bahk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Epidural Analgesia ◽

Pain Intensity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Control Group ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Grade Method ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Thoracotomy Incision

Background and objectivesEpidural analgesia is the gold standard for post-thoracotomy pain management and can be started before or after surgical incision. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated whether pre-emptive epidural analgesia before thoracotomy incision reduces acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain in adults compared with epidural analgesia after incision.MethodsWe searched databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials comparing epidural analgesia initiated before (pre-emptive group) and after (control group) thoracotomy incision in adults. The primary outcomes were the pain intensity during rest and coughing within 72 hours after surgery and the incidence of pain 1 to 6 months after surgery. Data were combined with random-effects meta-analyses. We rated the quality of evidence as high, moderate, low, and very low using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method.ResultsWe included 19 trials with 1062 participants involving 529 in the pre-emptive group and 533 in the control group. The pain intensity was significantly lower at rest within 72 hours after surgery (19 studies, n=1062) and during coughing within 48 hours after surgery (11 studies, n=638), and the incidence of pain was significantly lower 1 to 6 months after surgery (6 studies, n=276) in the pre-emptive group than in the control group. The quality of evidence was moderate or low in the primary outcomes.ConclusionsOur review provides low-quality evidence that pre-emptive epidural analgesia reduces the intensity of acute pain and the incidence of chronic pain after thoracotomy in adults.Protocol registration numberCRD42019131620.

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Effectiveness of digital technology interventions to reduce loneliness in adults: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032455 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. e032455 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Syed Ghulam Sarwar Shah ◽

David Nogueras ◽

Hugo van Woerden ◽

Vasiliki Kiparoglou

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Digital Technology ◽

English Language ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Randomised Control Trials

IntroductionLoneliness is an emerging public health problem that is associated with social, emotional, mental and physical health issues. The application of digital technology (DT) interventions to reduce loneliness has significantly increased in the recent years. The effectiveness of DT interventions needs to be assessed systematically.Methods and analysisAim: To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of DT interventions to reduce loneliness among adults.Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Data sources: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and Web of Science.Publication period: 1 January 2010 to 31 July 2019.Inclusion criteria: Primary studies involving the application of DT interventions to reduce loneliness, involving adult participants (aged ≥18 years), follow-up period ≥3 months and published in the English language.Synthesis and meta-analysis: A narrative summary of the characteristics of included studies, findings by the type of DT intervention, and the age, gender and ethnicity of participants. A meta-analysis by the study design and duration of follow-up and determination of random effects size using the RevMan V.5 software.Quality of evidence and bias: Quality of evidence assessed the RoB V.2.0 (revised tool for Risk of Bias in randomized trials) and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias in Non-randomized Studies—of Interventions) tools for randomised control trials and non-randomised studies, respectively. Heterogeneity between studies will be determined by the I2and Cochran’s Q statistics and publication bias checked with funnel plots and the Egger’s test.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was not required for this protocol. The findings will be disseminated through journal articles and conference presentations.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019131524

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The therapeutic effect of intra-articular facet joint injection with normal saline as a comparator for chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

10.1101/2021.01.27.21250595 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tanawin Nopsopon ◽

Krit Pongpirul ◽

Thanitsara Rittiphairoj ◽

Irin Lertparinyaphorn ◽

Areerat Suputtitada

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Normal Saline ◽

Facet Joint ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Low Back ◽

Joint Injection ◽

Facet Joint Injection ◽

Active Substances

ABSTRACTBackgroundIntra-articular facet joint injection (FJI) has been increasingly used as a treatment for chronic low back pain (LBP). Choice of the substance has been based on clinical experience with unclear evidence on marginal effectiveness of active substance over normal saline as a placebo control. This systematic review investigates the comparative effectiveness between normal saline and active substances on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).MethodsSystematic search was conducted in five databases: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials and observational studies of evaluating the PROs of FJI comparing active injected substances with normal saline as placebo in chronic LBP patients in the English language without publication date restriction. Quality assessment was performed using ROB2 and ROBINS-I. The meta-analysis was done using a random-effects model. Mean difference with 95% CIs of efficacy outcomes including pain, numbness, disability, quality of life were measured.ResultsOf 2,467 potential studies, three were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis (247 patients). Compared to other active substances, normal saline provided similar therapeutic effects on pain outcome within one hour (MD 2.43, 95% CI –11.61 to 16.50), at 1–1.5 months follow up (MD –0.63, 95% CI –7.97 to 6.72), and at 3 to 6 months (MD 1.90, 95% CI –16.03 to 19.83) as well as the quality of life at one and six months follow-up.ConclusionsThe short-term and long-term clinical improvements of intra-articular FJI using normal saline are comparable to the other active substances in LBP patients.PROSPEROregistration number CRD42020216426

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Ondansetron reduces the incidence of hypotension after spinal anaesthesia in non-caesarean delivery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Perioperative Practice ◽

10.1177/1750458920964157 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 175045892096415

Author(s):

Tito D Tubog ◽

Richard S Bramble

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Arterial Pressure ◽

Spinal Anaesthesia ◽

Caesarean Delivery ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Systolic Arterial Pressure ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Induced Hypotension ◽

Quality Of Evidence

The incidence rates of spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension vary depending on the surgical procedures. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy of prophylactic ondansetron in reducing the incidence of spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension in non-caesarean delivery. Thirteen trials consisting of 1166 patients were included for analysis. Compared to placebo, there is a low quality of evidence that ondansetron was effective in reducing the incidence of spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.87; p = 0.005) and bradycardia (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.90; p = 0.02). We also found a moderate quality of evidence that ondansetron lowered the number of rescue ephedrine (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.87; p = 0.007). Patients treated with ondansetron have higher mean arterial pressure 15 to 20 minutes after spinal anaesthesia induction and higher systolic arterial pressure 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after spinal anaesthesia. The evidence suggests that prophylactic administration of ondansetron results in the reduction of the incidence of spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension, bradycardia and rescue ephedrine in patients undergoing non-caesarean delivery under spinal anaesthesia.

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Lumbar Roll Usage While Sitting Reduces the Forward Head Posture in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105171 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5171

Author(s):

Yusuke Handa ◽

Kenya Okada ◽

Hiroshi Takasaki

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Grade System ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Forward Head Posture ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Head Posture ◽

Head Extension ◽

The Cochrane Library

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

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