Clozapine v. conventional antipsychotic drugs for treatment-resistant schizophrenia: A re-examination

2003 ◽  
Vol 183 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Moncrieff

BackgroundAlthough there is a consensus that clozapine is more effective than conventional antipsychotic drugs for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, there is great heterogeneity among results of relevant trials.AimsTo re-evaluate the evidence comparing clozapine with conventional antipsychotics and to investigate sources of heterogeneity.MethodIndividual studies were inspected with assessment of clinical relevance of results. Meta-regression analysis was performed to investigate sources of heterogeneity.ResultsTen trials were examined. Recent large-scale studies have not found a substantial advantage for clozapine, especially in terms of a clinically relevant effect. Meta-regression showed that shorter study duration, financial support from a drug company and higher baseline symptom score consistently predicted greater advantage of clozapine.ConclusionsIt may be inappropriate to combine studies in meta-analysis, given the degree of heterogeneity between their findings. The benefits of clozapine compared with conventional treatment may not be substantial.

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-283
Author(s):  
Woo Sup Cho ◽  
Sun Gun Chung ◽  
Won Kim ◽  
Chris H. Jo ◽  
Shi-Uk Lee ◽  
...  

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy in patients with tendon disorders enrolled in prospective clinical studies.Methods We systematically searched prospective clinical studies that investigated the effects of MSC administration on human tendon disorders with at least a 6-month follow-up period in the PubMed-MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. The primary outcome of interest was the change in pain on motion related to tendon disorders. Meta-regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between MSC dose and pooled effect sizes in each cell dose.Results Four prospective clinical trials that investigated the effect of MSCs on tendon disorders were retrieved. MSCs showed a significant pooled effect size (overall Hedges’ g pooled standardized mean difference=1.868; 95% confidence interval, 1.274–2.462; p<0.001). The treatment with MSCs improved all the aspects analyzed, namely pain, functional scores, radiological parameters (magnetic resonance image or ultrasonography), and arthroscopic findings. In the meta-regression analysis, a significant cell dose-dependent response in pain relief (Q=9.06, p=0.029) was observed.Conclusion Our meta-analysis revealed that MSC therapy may improve pain, function, radiological, and arthroscopic parameters in patients with tendon disorders. A strong need for large-scale randomized controlled trials has emerged to confirm the long-term functional improvement and adverse effects of MSC therapies in tendon disorders.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135581962110089
Author(s):  
Roberto Grilli ◽  
Federica Violi ◽  
Maria Chiara Bassi ◽  
Massimiliano Marino

Objectives To review the evidence of the effects of centralization of cancer surgery on postoperative mortality. Methods We searched Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Cochrane and Scopus (up to November 2019) for studies that (i) assessed the effects of centralization of cancer surgery policies on in-hospital or 30-day mortality, or (ii) described changes in both postoperative mortality for a surgical intervention and degree of centralization using reduction in the number of hospitals or increases in the proportion of patients undergoing cancer surgery at high volume hospitals as proxy. PRISMA guidelines were followed. We estimated pooled odds ratios (OR) and conducted meta-regression to assess the relationship between degree of centralization and mortality. Results A total of 41 studies met our inclusion criteria of which 15 evaluated the effect of centralization policies on postoperative mortality after cancer surgery and 26 described concurrent changes in the degree of centralization and postoperative mortality. Policy evaluation studies mainly used before-after designs (n = 13) or interrupted time series analysis (n = 2), mainly focusing on pancreatic, oesophageal and gastric cancer. All but one showed some degree of reduction in postoperative mortality, with statistically significant effects demonstrated by six studies. The pooled odds ratio for centralization policy effect was 0.68 (95% Confidence interval: 0.54–0.85; I2 = 80%). Meta-regression analysis of the 26 descriptive studies found that an increase of the proportion of patients treated at high volume hospitals was associated with greater reduction in postoperative mortality. Conclusions Centralization of cancer surgery is associated with reduced postoperative mortality. However, existing evidence tends to be of low quality and estimates of the effect size are likely inflated. There is a need for prospective studies using more robust approaches, and for centralization efforts to be accompanied by well-designed evaluations of their effectiveness.


2021 ◽  
pp. 089033442110292
Author(s):  
Mega Hasanul Huda ◽  
Roselyn Chipojola ◽  
Yen Miao Lin ◽  
Gabrielle T. Lee ◽  
Meei-Ling Shyu ◽  
...  

Background Breast engorgement and breast pain are the most common reasons for the early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding by mothers. Research Aims (1) To examine the influence of breastfeeding educational interventions on breast engorgement, breast pain, and exclusive breastfeeding; and (2) to identify effective components for implementing breastfeeding programs. Methods Randomized controlled trials of breastfeeding educational interventions were searched using five English and five Chinese databases. Eligible studies were independently evaluated for methodological quality, and data were extracted by two investigators. In total, 22 trials were identified, and 3,681 participants were included. A random-effects model was used to pool the results, and a subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis were conducted. Results Breastfeeding education had a significant influence on reducing breast engorgement at postpartum 3 days (odds ratio [OR]: 0.27, 95% CI [0.15, 0.48] p < .001), 4 days (OR: 0.16, 95% CI [0.11, 0.22], p < .001), and 5–7 days (OR: 0.24, 95% CI [0.08, 0.74], p = .013) and breast pain (standardized mean difference: −1.33, 95% CI [−2.26, −0.40]) at postpartum 4–14 days. Participants who received interventions had higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding educational interventions provided through lecture combined with skills practical effectively reduced breast engorgement (OR: 0.21; 95% CI [0.15, 0.28]; p = .001) and improved exclusive breastfeeding at postpartum 1–6 weeks (OR: 2.16; 95% CI [1.65, 2.83]; p = .001). Conclusions Breastfeeding educational interventions have been effective in reducing breast engorgement, breast pain, and improved exclusive breastfeeding. A combination of knowledge and skill-based education has been beneficial for sustaining exclusive breastfeeding by mothers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1956-1963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Rausa ◽  
Luigi Bonavina ◽  
Emanuele Asti ◽  
Maddalena Gaeta ◽  
Cristian Ricci

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 110160
Author(s):  
Karen S. Braghiroli ◽  
Sharon Einav ◽  
Michael A. Heesen ◽  
Paulo J.F. Villas Boas ◽  
Jose R.C. Braz ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Jung Huang ◽  
Chern-En Chiang ◽  
Bryan Williams ◽  
Kazuomi Kario ◽  
Shih-Hsien Sung ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND The influence of age on balance of benefit vs. potential harm of blood pressure (BP)-lowering therapy for elderly hypertensives is unclear. We evaluated the modifying effects of age on BP lowering for various adverse outcomes in hypertensive patients older than 60 years without specified comorbidities. METHODS All relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were systematically identified. Coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure (HF), cardiovascular death, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), renal failure (RF), and all-cause death were assessed. Meta-regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between achieved systolic BP (SBP) and the risk of adverse events. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool the estimates. RESULTS Our study included 18 RCTs (n = 53,993). Meta-regression analysis showed a lower achieved SBP related with a lower risk of stroke and cardiovascular death, but an increased risk of RF. The regression slopes were comparable between populations stratifying by age 75 years. In subgroup analysis, the relative risks of a more aggressive BP lowering strategy were similar between patients aged older or less than 75 years for all outcomes except for RF (P for interaction = 0.02). Compared to treatment with final achieved SBP 140–150 mm Hg, a lower achieved SBP (&lt;140 mm Hg) was significantly associated with decreased risk of stroke (relative risk = 0.68; 95% confidence interval = 0.55–0.85), HF (0.77; 0.60–0.99), cardiovascular death (0.68; 0.52–0.89), and MACE (0.83; 0.69–0.99). CONCLUSIONS To treat hypertension in the elderly, age had trivial effect modification on most outcomes, except for renal failure. Close monitoring of renal function may be warranted in the management of elderly hypertension.


Critical Care ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haijun Huang ◽  
Chenxia Wu ◽  
Qinkang Shen ◽  
Yixin Fang ◽  
Hua Xu

Abstract Background The ability of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ΔEtCO2) for predicting fluid responsiveness has been extensively studied with conflicting results. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the value of ΔEtCO2 for predicting fluid responsiveness during the passive leg raising (PLR) test in patients with mechanical ventilation. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to November 2021. The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve was estimated, and the area under the curve (AUROC) was calculated. Q test and I2 statistics were used for study heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed by Deeks’ funnel plot asymmetry test. We performed meta-regression analysis for heterogeneity exploration and sensitivity analysis for the publication bias. Results Overall, six studies including 298 patients were included in this review, of whom 149 (50%) were fluid responsive. The cutoff values of ΔEtCO2 in four studies was 5%, one was 5.8% and the other one was an absolute increase 2 mmHg. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed with an overall Q = 4.098, I2 = 51%, and P = 0.064. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for the overall population were 0.79 (95% CI 0.72–0.85) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.77–0.96), respectively. The DOR was 35 (95% CI 12–107). The pooled AUROC was 0.81 (95% CI 0.77–0.84). On meta-regression analysis, the number of patients was sources of heterogeneity. The sensitivity analysis showed that the pooled DOR ranged from 21 to 140 and the pooled AUC ranged from 0.92 to 0.96 when one study was omitted. Conclusions Though the limited number of studies included and study heterogeneity, our meta-analysis confirmed that the ΔEtCO2 performed moderately in predicting fluid responsiveness during the PLR test in patients with mechanical ventilation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel De-la-Rosa-Martínez ◽  
Marco Antonio Delaye-Martínez ◽  
Omar Yaxmehen Bello-Chavolla ◽  
Alejandro Sicilia-Andrade ◽  
Isaac David Juárez-Cruz ◽  
...  

Background: Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) is a multi-system disease comprising persistent symptomatology after the acute phase of infection. Long-term PACS effects significantly impact patient outcomes, but their incidence remains uncharacterized due to high heterogeneity between studies. Therefore, we aimed to summarize published data on PACS, characterizing the clinical presentation, prevalence, and modifiers of prevalence estimates. Method: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we research MEDLINE for original studies published from January 1st, 2020, to January 31st, 2021, that reported proportions of PACS manifestations. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included patients aged ≥18 years with confirmed COVID-19 by RT-PCR or antigen testing and a minimum follow-up of 21 days. The prevalence of individual manifestations across studies was pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. For evaluating determinants of heterogeneity, meta-regression analysis was performed. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019125025). Results: After screening 1,235 studies, we included 29 reports for analysis. Twenty-seven meta-analyses were performed, and 61 long-term manifestations were described. The pooled prevalence of PACS was 56% (95%CI 45-66%), with the most common manifestations being diminished health status, fatigue, asthenia, dyspnea, myalgias, hyposmia and dysgeusia. Most of the included studies presented high heterogeneity. After conducting the meta-regression analysis, we identified that age, gender, number of comorbidities, and reported symptoms significantly modify the prevalence estimation of PACS long-term manifestations. Conclusion: PACS is inconsistently reported between studies, and population characteristics influence the prevalence estimates due to high heterogeneity. A systematized approach for the study of PACS is needed to characterize its impact adequately.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haijun Huang ◽  
Chenxia Wu ◽  
Qinkang Shen ◽  
Yixin Fang ◽  
Hua Xu

Abstract Background: The variation of end-tidal carbon dioxide(ΔEtCO2) has have been extensively studied with respect to its value in predicting fluid responsiveness, but the results are conflicting. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the value of ΔEtCO2 for predicting fluid responsiveness during the passive leg raising(PLR) test in patients with mechanical ventilation. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to November 2021. The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. The summary receiver operating characteristic curve was estimated, and the area under the curve (AUROC) was calculated. We performed meta-regression analysis for heterogeneity exploration and sensitivity analysis for the publication bias.Results: Overall, 298 patients were included in this review, of whom 149 (50%) were fluid responsive. The cutoff values of ΔEtCO2 varied across studies, ranging from 5% to 5.8% or absolute increase 2mmHg. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed with an overall Q = 4.098, I2 = 51%, and P = 0.064. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for the overall population were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72–0.85) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.77–0.96), respectively. The DOR was 35 (95% CI: 12–107) (Fig. 4). The pooled AUROC was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77–0.84). On meta-regression analysis, the number of patients was sources of heterogeneity. The sensitivity analysis showed that the pooled DOR ranged from 21 to 140 and the pooled AUC ranged from 0.92 to 0.96 when one study was omitted.Conclusions: This study was the first meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ΔEtCO2 in predicting fluid responsiveness during PLR test in patients with mechanical ventilation. This study confirmed that the ΔEtCO2 performed well in predicting fluid responsiveness in patients with mechanical ventilation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document