The influence of orthodontic fixed appliances on the oral microbiota: A systematic review

Objective: To investigate whether there is scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that the presence of orthodontic fixed appliances influences the oral microbiota. Methods: The search for articles was conducted in PubMed; ISI Web of Knowledge and Ovid databases, including articles published in English until May 17th, 2012. They should report human observational studies presenting the following keywords: "fixed orthodontic appliance" AND "microbiological colonization"; OR "periodontal pathogens"; OR "Streptococcus"; OR "Lactobacillus"; OR "Candida"; OR "Tannerella forsythia"; OR "Treponema denticola"; OR "Fusobacterium nucleatum"; OR "Actimomyces actinomycetemcomitans"; OR "Prevotella intermedia", OR "Prevotella nigrescens"; OR "Porphyromonas gingivalis". Articles were previously selected by title and abstract. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed and classified as having low, moderate or high methodology quality. A new detailed checklist for quality assessment was developed based on the information required for applicable data extraction for reviews. The study design, sample, follow-up period, collection and microbial analysis methods, statistical treatment, results and discussion were assessed. Results: The initial search retrieved 305 articles of which 33 articles were selected by title and abstract. After full-text reading, 8 articles met the inclusion criteria, out of which 4 articles were classified as having low and 4 as moderate methodological quality. The moderate methodological quality studies were included in the systematic review. Conclusions: The literature revealed moderate evidence that the presence of fixed appliances influences the quantity and quality of oral microbiota.

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Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents with Hearing Impairments: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17124575 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 4575

Author(s):

Wenhong Xu ◽

Chunxiao Li ◽

Lijuan Wang

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Social Cognitive ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Single Subject ◽

Hearing Impairments ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Physically Active

Physical activity (PA) is important for the development of children and adolescents with hearing impairments (HI). This systematic review aims to summarise the existing literature pertaining to the PA of children and adolescents with HI. A systematic search was conducted on eight major electronic databases. Two reviewers independently screened and selected the returned articles, performed data extraction, assessed methodological quality and synthesised the data using an inductive approach. A total of 15 articles consisting of 14 survey studies and one single-subject intervention study met the inclusion criteria. These studies had good to excellent methodological quality. Participants with HI showed lower levels of participation in PA than participants without disabilities, but they were more physically active than those with other types of disabilities. Amongst the 12 PA correlates identified (i.e., gender, age, mother’s education and social cognitive constructs), only gender was a relatively consistent determinant, and boys are significantly more physically active than girls. Additional studies are needed to confirm the determinants of the PA in children and adolescents with HI to provide strong evidence for the development and implementation of PA interventions for this target group.

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Orthodontic Fixed Appliance and Periodontal Status: An Updated Systematic Review

The Open Dentistry Journal ◽

10.2174/1745017901814010614 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 614-622 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Silvia Cerroni ◽

Guido Pasquantonio ◽

Roberta Condò ◽

Loredana Cerroni

Keyword(s):

Oral Hygiene ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

English Language ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Periodontal Health ◽

Exclusion Criteria ◽

Fixed Appliance ◽

Orthodontic Therapy ◽

Fixed Appliances

Background: Periodontal implications of orthodontic therapy are frequent, gingival and periodontal conditions need to be evaluated for every appointment. Several studies have analyzed the effects of fixed appliance on periodontal health. Objective: To evaluate whether there is updated scientific evidence on the relationship between fixed orthodontic therapy and periodontal health. Methods: A literature search was performed using the Pubmed and Cochrane databases and manual search; the search was carried out using the keywords “orthodontic” and “periodontal”. Articles published only in the English language from January 1997 to April 2017 were included. The inclusion criteria were: RCTs, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and case-control studies only in English language; only studies on humans, with a minimum sample size of 20 patients and no restriction in terms of patient ages; orthodontic fixed appliances placed into the buccal tooth surface; standardization and training in oral hygiene; Periodontal Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), Bleeding on Probing (BOP), Pocket Probing Depth (PPD), at least at baseline (before appliance was placed) and after follow up (with a minimum period of 3 months). The exclusion criteria were as follows: absence of baseline data before fixed appliances was placed; patients with systemic diseases, periodontal disease or craniofacial anomalies; removable appliances or orthodontic appliance on the lingual dental surface; and no standardization or training in oral hygiene. Studies were selected by abstract and title; then, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria were evaluated and classified as having low, moderate or high methodology quality. Results: Fifty-five records were reviewed on the basis of title and abstract. After full-text reading, 47 full texts were excluded, and 3 articles were classified as having low methodological quality and 5 as having moderate methodological quality. Conclusions: The present systematic analysis suggests that there is moderate scientific evidence that a fixed appliance influences periodontal status; no article reported a high score.

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Racecadotril for acute diarrhoea in children: systematic review and meta-analyses

Archives of Disease in Childhood ◽

10.1136/archdischild-2015-309676 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 101 (3) ◽

pp. 234-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Morris Gordon ◽

Anthony Akobeng

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Acute Diarrhoea ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Duration Of Symptoms ◽

Duration Of Illness ◽

Significant Difference

ObjectiveRacecadotril is an antisecretory agent that can prevent fluid/electrolyte depletion from the bowel as a result of acute diarrhoea without affecting intestinal motility. An up-to-date systematic review is indicated to summarise the evidence on racecadotril for the treatment of acute diarrhoea in children.DesignA Cochrane format systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Data extraction and assessment of methodological quality were performed independently by two reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.PatientsChildren with acute diarrhoea, as defined by the primary studies.InterventionsRCTs comparing racecadotril with placebo or other interventions.Main outcome measursDuration of illness, stool output/volume and adverse events.ResultsSeven RCTs were included, five comparing racecadotril with placebo or no intervention, one with pectin/kaolin and one with loperamide. Moderate to high risk of bias was present in all studies. There was no significant difference in efficacy or adverse events between racecadotril and loperamide. A meta-analysis of three studies with 642 participants showed significantly shorter duration of symptoms with racecadotril compared with placebo (mean difference −53.48 h, 95% CI −65.64 to −41.33). A meta-analysis of five studies with 949 participants showed no significant difference in adverse events between racecadotril and placebo (risk ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.34).ConclusionsThere is some evidence that racecadotril is more effective than placebo or no intervention in reducing the duration of illness and stool output in children with acute diarrhoea. However, the overall quality of the evidence is limited due to sparse data, heterogeneity and risk of bias. Racecadotril appears to be safe and well tolerated.

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The use, quality and effectiveness of pelvic examination in primary care for the detection of gynaecological cancer: a systematic review

Family Practice ◽

10.1093/fampra/cmy092 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 378-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pauline Williams ◽

Peter Murchie ◽

Maggie E Cruickshank ◽

Christine M Bond ◽

Christopher D Burton

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Primary Care ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Diagnostic Delay ◽

Gynaecological Cancer ◽

Pelvic Examination ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Cancer Symptoms ◽

Presenting Symptoms ◽

Critical Appraisal Skills

Abstract Background Urgent suspected cancer referral guidelines recommend that women with gynaecological cancer symptoms should have a pelvic examination (PE) prior to referral. We do not know to what extent GPs comply, their competency at PE, or if PE shortens the diagnostic interval. Objectives We conducted a systematic review of the use, quality and effectiveness of PE in primary care for women with suspected gynaecological cancer. Method PRISMA guidelines were followed. Three databases were searched using four terms: PE, primary care, competency and gynaecological cancer. Citation lists of all identified papers were screened independently for eligibility by two reviewers. Data extraction was performed in duplicate and independently. Paper quality was assessed using the relevant Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. Emergent themes and contrasting issues were explored in a narrative ecological synthesis. Main Findings Twenty papers met the inclusion criteria. 52% or less of women with suspicious symptoms had a PE. No papers directly explored GPs’ competence at performing PE. Pre-referral PE was associated with reduced diagnostic delay and earlier stage diagnosis. Ecological synthesis demonstrated a complex interplay between patient and practitioner factors and the environment in which examination is performed. Presenting symptoms are commonly misattributed by patients and practitioners resulting in misdiagnosis and lack of PE. Conclusion We do not know if pre-referral PE leads to better outcomes for patients. PE is often not performed for women with gynaecological cancer symptoms, and evidence that it may result in earlier stage of diagnosis is weak. More research is needed.

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Experiences of living with long COVID and of accessing healthcare services: a qualitative systematic review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-050979 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. e050979

Author(s):

Karen Macpherson ◽

Kay Cooper ◽

Jenny Harbour ◽

Dawn Mahal ◽

Charis Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Support Groups ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Bibliographic Databases ◽

Discussion Forums ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Systematic Map ◽

Qualitative Systematic Review ◽

Review Team

ObjectiveTo explore the experiences of people living with long COVID and how they perceive the healthcare services available to them.DesignQualitative systematic review.Data sourcesElectronic literature searches of websites, bibliographic databases and discussion forums, including PubMed LitCovid, Proquest COVID, EPPI Centre living systematic map of evidence, medRxiv, bioRxiv, Medline, Psychinfo and Web of Science Core Collection were conducted to identify qualitative literature published in English up to 13 January 2021.Inclusion criteriaPapers reporting qualitative or mixed-methods studies that focused on the experiences of long COVID and/or perceptions of accessing healthcare by people with long COVID. Title/abstract and full-text screening were conducted by two reviewers independently, with conflicts resolved by discussion or a third reviewer.Quality appraisalTwo reviewers independently appraised included studies using the qualitative CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) checklist. Conflicts were resolved by discussion or a third reviewer.Data extraction and synthesisThematic synthesis, involving line-by-line reading, generation of concepts, descriptive and analytical themes, was conducted by the review team with regular discussion.ResultsFive studies published in 2020 met the inclusion criteria, two international surveys and three qualitative studies from the UK. Sample sizes varied from 24 (interview study) to 3762 (survey). Participants were predominantly young white females recruited from social media or online support groups. Three analytical themes were generated: (1) symptoms and self-directed management of long COVID; (2) emotional aspects of living with long COVID and (3) healthcare experiences associated with long COVID.ConclusionsPeople experience long COVID as a heterogeneous condition, with a variety of physical and emotional consequences. It appears that greater knowledge of long COVID is required by a number of stakeholders and that the design of emerging long COVID services or adaptation of existing services for long COVID patients should take account of patients’ experiences in their design.

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Acoustic Analysis of Voice in Singers: A Systematic Review

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2017_jslhr-s-17-0145 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 40-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Dhanshree R. Gunjawate ◽

Rohit Ravi ◽

Rajashekhar Bellur

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Acoustic Analysis ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Severity Index ◽

Sound Studies ◽

Singing Voice ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Acoustic Measures ◽

Great Heterogeneity ◽

Acoustic Evaluation

Purpose Singers are vocal athletes having specific demands from their voice and require special consideration during voice evaluation. Presently, there is a lack of standards for acoustic evaluation in them. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the available literature on the acoustic analysis of voice in singers. Method A systematic review of studies on acoustic analysis of voice in singers (PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, ProQuest, Cochrane, Ovid, Science Direct, and Shodhganga) was carried out. Key words based on PIO (population–investigation–outcome) were used to develop search strings. Titles and abstracts were screened independently, and appropriate studies were read in full for data extraction. Results Of the 895 studies, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. Great variability was noted in the instruments and task used. Different acoustic measures were employed, such as fundamental frequency, perturbation, cepstral, spectral, dysphonia severity index, singing power ratio, and so forth. Conclusion Overall, a great heterogeneity was noted regarding population, tasks, instruments, and parameters. There is a lack of standardized criteria for the evaluation of singing voice. In order to implement acoustic analysis as a part of comprehensive voice evaluation exclusively for singers, there is a certain need for methodical sound studies.

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Systematic review of the psychometric properties of patient-reported outcome measures for rheumatoid arthritis in the foot and ankle

Clinical Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/0269215519862328 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (11) ◽

pp. 1788-1799 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ana Belen Ortega-Avila ◽

Laura Ramos-Petersen ◽

Pablo Cervera-Garvi ◽

Christopher J Nester ◽

José Miguel Morales-Asencio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Measurement Properties ◽

Foot And Ankle ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Patient Reported

Objective: To identify self-reported outcome measures specific to the foot and ankle in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to investigate the methodological quality and psychometric properties of these measures. Method: A systematic review focusing on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Setting: The search was conducted in the PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, PEDro and Google Scholar databases, based on the following inclusion criteria: population (with rheumatoid arthritis) > 18 years; psychometric or clinimetric validation studies of patient-reported outcomes specific to the foot and ankle, in different languages, with no time limit. Two of the present authors independently assessed the quality of the studies located and extracted the relevant data. Terwee’s criteria and the COSMIN checklist were employed to ensure adequate methodological quality. Results: Of the initial 431 studies considered, 14 met the inclusion criteria, representing 7,793 patients (56.8 years). These instruments were grouped into three dimensions (pain, perceived health status and quality of life and disability). The time to complete any of the PROMs varies around 15 minutes. PROMs criterias with the worst scores by COSMIN, 92.85% and 85.71% were criterion validity, measurement error, internal consistency and responsiveness. 28.57% of PROMs were compared with the measurement properties. Conclusion: the Self-Reported Foot and Ankle Score achieved the highest number of positive criteria (according to Terwee and COSMIN), and is currently the most appropriate for patients with Rheumatoid arthritis.

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Chinese Herbal Formula Xiao Yao San for Treatment of Depression: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2012/931636 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Yuqing Zhang ◽

Mei Han ◽

Zhijun Liu ◽

Jie Wang ◽

Qingyong He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Effects ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Data Extraction ◽

International Standards ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Chinese Herbal ◽

Study Selection ◽

Treatment Of Depression

Objectives.To assess the beneficial and adverse effects of Xiaoyaosan for depression.Search Strategy. Electronic databases were searched until December 2009.Inclusion Criteria.We included randomized clinical trials testing Xiaoyaosan against placebo, antidepressants, or combined with antidepressants against antidepressants alone.Data Extraction and Analyses.Study selection, data extraction, quality assessment, and data analyses were conducted according to the Cochrane standards.Results.26 randomized trials (involving 1837 patients) were included and the methodological quality was evaluated as generally low. The pooled results showed that Xiaoyaosan combined with antidepressants was more effective in comprehensive effect, the score of HAMD and the score of SDS compared with antidepressants alone. Xiaoyaosan was superior to antidepressants for the score of HAMD. However, Xiaoyaosan was not different from placebo for the score of SDS. There was no adverse effects reported in the trials from Xiaoyaosan.Conclusions.Xiaoyaosan appears to be effective on improving symptoms in patients with depression. However, due to poor methodological quality in the majority of included trials, the potential benefit from Xiaoyaosan need to be confirmed in rigorous trials and the design and reporting of trials should follow international standards.

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Impact evaluations of drug decriminalisation and legal regulation on drug use, health and social harms: a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035148 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. e035148

Author(s):

Ayden I Scheim ◽

Nazlee Maghsoudi ◽

Zack Marshall ◽

Siobhan Churchill ◽

Carolyn Ziegler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Legal Regulation ◽

Law Reform ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Drug Availability ◽

Drug Law ◽

Before And After ◽

The Usa

ObjectivesTo review the metrics and findings of studies evaluating effects of drug decriminalisation or legal regulation on drug availability, use or related health and social harms globally.DesignSystematic review with narrative synthesis.Data sourcesWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science and six additional databases for publications from 1 January 1970 through 4 October 2018.Inclusion criteriaPeer-reviewed articles or published abstracts in any language with quantitative data on drug availability, use or related health and social harms collected before and after implementation of de jure drug decriminalisation or legal regulation.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts and articles for inclusion. Extraction and quality appraisal (modified Downs and Black checklist) were performed by one reviewer and checked by a second, with discrepancies resolved by a third. We coded study-level outcome measures into metric groupings and categorised the estimated direction of association between the legal change and outcomes of interest.ResultsWe screened 4860 titles and 221 full-texts and included 114 articles. Most (n=104, 91.2%) were from the USA, evaluated cannabis reform (n=109, 95.6%) and focussed on legal regulation (n=96, 84.2%). 224 study outcome measures were categorised into 32 metrics, most commonly prevalence (39.5% of studies), frequency (14.0%) or perceived harmfulness (10.5%) of use of the decriminalised or regulated drug; or use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs (12.3%). Across all substance use metrics, legal reform was most often not associated with changes in use.ConclusionsStudies evaluating drug decriminalisation and legal regulation are concentrated in the USA and on cannabis legalisation. Despite the range of outcomes potentially impacted by drug law reform, extant research is narrowly focussed, with a particular emphasis on the prevalence of use. Metrics in drug law reform evaluations require improved alignment with relevant health and social outcomes.

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Functional Status Assessment of COPD Based on Ability to Perform Daily Living Activities: A Systematic Review of Paper and Pencil Instruments

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v8n3p210 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 210 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Fateme Monjazebi ◽

Asghar Dalvandi ◽

Abbas Ebadi ◽

Hamid Reza Khankeh ◽

Mehdi Rahgozar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Health Measurement ◽

Manual Search ◽

Paper And Pencil ◽

Selection Of

CONTEXT: Activity of daily living (ADL) is an important predictor of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Increasing ADL is important in patients with COPD and assessment of ADL is one of the best ways to evaluate the status of COPD patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this systematic review was to provide an overview of the psychometric properties of paper and pencil instruments measuring ADL in patients with COPD. DATA SOURCES: English papers published from 1980 to 2014 regarding ADL in patients with COPD were searched in Web of Science, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Cochrane, PubMed, ProQuest, and CINAHL databases using the following keywords: “COPD”, “ADL”, “activities of daily living”, “daily activities”, “instrument”, “questionnaire”, “paper-and-pencil instruments”, and “measure”. Following the Internet search, manual search was also done to find article references. STUDY SELECTION: A total of 186 articles were found. Of those, 31 met the inclusion criteria. Full texts of articles meeting the inclusion criteria were studied. Consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments"(COSMIN) were used to assess the quality of the studies. DATA EXTRACTION: Data extraction form based on research aims developed by researchers and psychometric experts, with 17 questions was used. RESULTS: In these articles, 14 pen and paper instruments were identified for examining ADL in patients with COPD; of which, 4 dealt directly with ADL while 9 assessed other criteria i.e. dyspnea as ADL indicator. The majority of instruments only dealt with two main dimensions of ADL: Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), and did not consider Advanced Activities of Daily Living (AADL), which is influenced by cultural and motivational factors. CONCLUSION: Despite several ADL instruments identified, complete psychometric processes have only been done in a few of them. Selection of the appropriate instrument should focus on the aim of the study and the target construct.

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