scholarly journals Oxytocin levels in individuals with schizophrenia are high in cerebrospinal fluid but low in serum: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazmin Hernández-Díaz ◽  
Thelma Beatriz González-Castro ◽  
Carlos Tovilla-Zarate ◽  
María Lilia López-Narváez ◽  
Alma Delia Genis-Mendoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽  
Comparison Group ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Analysis Software ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Prisma Statement ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Ottawa Scale

Abstract Schizophrenia is a mental and disabling disease. Levels of oxytocin have been proposed as a biomarker of schizophrenia; however, the observed levels of oxytocin in individuals with schizophrenia have been inconsistent across studies. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate oxytocin levels in plasma, serum and cerebrospinal fluid to see if there are statistically different concentrations between individuals with schizophrenia and the comparison group.The meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to guarantee a high quality and reproducibility.Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The quality of the study was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A random-effects model was performed using the Comprehensive Meta-analysis software with the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Serum oxytocin levels in individuals with schizophrenia were significantly lower than that in comparison group (SMD = − 1.74, 95% CI = − 3.22 to − 0.26, p = 0.02) but cerebrospinal fluid oxytocin levels in individuals with schizophrenia were significantly higher than those in the comparison group (SMD = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.05 to 1.04, p = 0.03).Our results suggest that oxytocin levels in cerebrospinal fluid are increased in individuals with schizophrenia but decreased in serum. Therefore, the oxytocin system dysregulation may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and it should be measured in more populations for a possible implementation as a biomarker of schizophrenia.

Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Older Adults Living at High Altitude: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Diego Urrunaga-Pastor ◽  
Diego Chambergo-Michilot ◽  
Fernando M. Runzer-Colmenares ◽  
Josmel Pacheco-Mendoza ◽  
Vicente A. Benites-Zapata
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Language Restriction ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Ottawa Scale

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Dementia is a chronic disease with a variable prevalence throughout the world; however, this could be higher at high-altitude populations. We aimed to summarize the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults living at high altitude. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We searched in PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase and included the studies published from inception to July 20, 2020, with no language restriction, which reported the frequency of cognitive impairment or dementia in older adults living at high-altitude populations. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to calculate the overall prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of cognitive impairment and dementia. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adapted for cross-sectional studies. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Six studies were included (3,724 participants), and 5 of the 6 included studies were carried out in Latin America. The altitude ranged from 1,783 to 3,847 m, the proportion of women included varied from 38.7 to 65.6%, and the proportion of participants with elementary or illiterate educational level ranged from 71.7 to 97.6%. The overall prevalence of cognitive impairment was 22.0% (95% CI: 8–40, <i>I</i><sup>2</sup>: 99%), and the overall prevalence of dementia was 11.0% (95% CI: 6–17, <i>I</i><sup>2</sup>: 92%). In a subgroup analysis according to the instrument used to evaluate cognitive impairment, the prevalence of cognitive impairment was 21.0% (95% CI: 5–42, <i>I</i><sup>2</sup>: 99%) in the MMSE group while the prevalence was 29.0% (95% CI: 0–78) in the non-MMSE group. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults living at high altitude is almost twice the number reported in some world regions.

scholarly journals Association of age and colostrum discarding with breast-feeding practice in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analyses

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 2063-2082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisay Mulugeta Alemu ◽  
Yihun Mulugeta Alemu ◽  
Tesfa Dejenie Habtewold
Keyword(s):  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Feeding Practice ◽  
Timely Initiation ◽  
Inverse Variance ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Meta Regression Analysis ◽  
Meta Analyses

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate whether maternal/caregiver’s age, infant age (0–6 months) and discarding colostrum affects timely initiation of breast-feeding (TIBF) and exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) in Ethiopia.DesignA systematic search of PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, CINHAL, Web of Science and WHO Global Health Library electronic databases was done for all articles published in English from 2000 to January 2018. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted and graded the quality of studies using Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. A weighted inverse-variance random-effects model meta-analysis, cumulative meta-analysis and mixed-effects meta-regression analysis were done.SettingAll observational studies conducted in Ethiopia.ParticipantsMothers of children aged less than 2 years.ResultA total of forty articles (fourteen studies on TIBF and twenty-six on EBF) were included. TIBF was associated with colostrum discarding (OR=0·38; 95 % CI 0·21, 0·68) but not with maternal/caregiver’s age (OR=0·98; 95 % CI 0·83, 1·15). In addition, colostrum discarding (OR=0·53; 95 % CI 0·36, 0·78) and infant age (OR=1·77; 95 % CI 1·38, 2·27) were significantly associated with EBF but not maternal/caregiver’s age (OR=1·09; 95 % CI 0·84, 1·41).ConclusionsThere was no association between maternal/caregiver’s age and breast-feeding practice (EBF and TIBF). Colostrum discarding was associated with both EBF and TIBF. This evidence could be helpful to counsel all mothers of reproductive age and who discard colostrum.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Its Association With Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Community-Dwelling Asian Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Min Chung ◽  
Jun Sung Moon ◽  
Min Cheol Chang
Keyword(s):  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Asian Population ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Geriatric Population ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Diabetic Population ◽  
Ottawa Scale

Purpose: Sarcopenia is a major disease affecting mortality and quality of life in the elderly population. We performed a meta-analysis of studies on the community-dwelling population to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with diabetes.Methods: Databases were searched for studies published up to February 3, 2021, reporting the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with and without diabetes. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.Results: Six articles were included in the systematic review. All the patients were Asian, aged ≥60 years (women 53.4%), and the diabetic and non-diabetic population was 1,537 and 5,485, respectively. In all six studies, the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria were used to diagnose sarcopenia. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 15.9% in diabetics and 10.8% in non-diabetics. Diabetics showed a significantly higher risk of sarcopenia than non-diabetics (pooled OR = 1.518, 95% CI = 1.110 to 2.076, Z-value = 2.611, p = 0.009).Conclusion: Among the Asian community-dwelling geriatric population, the prevalence of sarcopenia was significantly higher in diabetics than in non-diabetics. These results suggest that strategies for the management of sarcopenia are required in Asian elderly patients, especially with diabetes.

scholarly journals Efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in the management of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gollapalle L Viswanatha ◽  
CH K V L S N Anjana Male ◽  
Hanumanthappa Shylaja
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Soc Control ◽  
Ottawa Scale

AbstractBackgroundThis systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) in treating severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsThe electronic search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Google scholar to identify the retrospective observational reports. The studies published from 01 January 2020 to 30th September 2020. Participants were hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Interventions included tocilizumab versus placebo/standard of care. The comparison will be between TCZ versus standard of care (SOC)/placebo. Inconsistency between the studies was evaluated with I2 and quality of the evidences were evaluated by Newcastle-Ottawa scale.ResultsBased on the inclusion criteria there were 24 retrospective studies involving 5686 subjects were included. The outcomes of the meta-analysis have revealed that the TCZ has reduced the mortality (M-H,RE-OR −0.11(−0.18 to −0.04) 95% CI, p =0.001, I2 =88%) and increased the incidences of super-infections (M-H, RE-OR 1.49(1.13 to 1.96) 95% CI, p=0.004, I2=47%). However, there is no significant difference in ICU admissions rate (M-H, RE-OR −0.06(−0.23 to 0.12), I2=93%), need of MV (M-H, RE-OR of 0.00(−0.06 to 0.07), I = 74%), LOS (IV −2.86(−0.91 to 3.38), I2=100%), LOS-ICU (IV: −3.93(−12.35 to 4.48), I2=100%), and incidences of pulmonary thrombosis (M-H, RE-OR 1.01 (0.45 to 2.26), I2=0%) compared to SOC/control.ConclusionBased on cumulative low to moderate certainty evidence shows that TCZ could reduce the risk of mortality in hospitalized patients. However, there is no statistically significant difference observed between the TCZ and SOC/control groups in other parameters.

scholarly journals Diabetes as a risk factor for incident peripheral arterial disease in women compared to men: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyssa Z. Chase-Vilchez ◽  
Isaac H. Y. Chan ◽  
Sanne A. E. Peters ◽  
Mark Woodward
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Relative Risk ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Arterial Disease ◽  
Excess Risk ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Peripheral Arterial ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Ottawa Scale

Abstract Aims/hypothesis Previous meta-analyses have suggested that diabetes confers a greater excess risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, vascular dementia, and heart failure in women compared to men. While the underlying mechanism that explains such greater excess risk is unknown, in the current meta-analysis we hypothesized that we would find a similar sex difference in the relationship between diabetes and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Methods PubMed MEDLINE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Embase were systematically searched for prospective population-based cohort studies, with no restriction on publication date, language, or country. We included studies that reported the relative risk (RR), and its variability, for incident PAD associated with diabetes in both sexes. We excluded studies that did not adjust at least for age, and in which participants had pre-existing PAD. In cases where sex-specific results were not reported, study authors were contacted. Random-effects meta-analyses with inverse variance weighting were used to obtain summary sex-specific RRs and the women: men ratio of RRs for PAD. The Newcastle–Ottawa scale was used to assess study quality. Results Data from seven cohorts, totalling 2071,260 participants (49.8% women), were included. The relative risk for incident PAD associated with diabetes compared with no diabetes was 1.96 (95% CI 1.29–2.63) in women and 1.84 (95% CI 1.29–2.86) in men, after adjusting for potential confounders. The multiple-adjusted RR ratio was 1.05 (95% CI 0.90–1.22), with virtually no heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 0%). All studies scored 6–8, on the Newcastle–Ottawa scale of 0–9, indicating good quality. Eleven of the 12 studies that met review inclusion criteria did not report sex-specific relative risk, and these data were collected through direct correspondence with the study authors. Conclusion/interpretation Consistent with other studies, we found evidence that diabetes is an independent risk factor for PAD. However, in contrast to similar studies of other types of cardiovascular disease, we did not find evidence that diabetes confers a greater excess risk in women compared to men for PAD. More research is needed to explain this sex differential between PAD and other forms of CVD, in the sequelae of diabetes. In addition, we found that very few studies reported the sex-specific relative risk for the association between diabetes and PAD, adding to existing evidence for the need for improved reporting of sex-disaggregated results in cardiovascular disease research.

scholarly journals Low Reporting Quality of the Meta-Analyses in Diagnostic Pathology

2017 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xulei Liu ◽  
Michael Kinzler ◽  
Jiangfan Yuan ◽  
Guozhong He ◽  
Lanjing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Diagnostic Pathology ◽  
Analysis Methodology ◽  
Prisma Statement ◽  
Item Checklist ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
Meta Analyses

Context.— Little is known regarding the reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology. Objective.— To compare reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology and medicine and to examine factors associated with reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses. Design.— Meta-analyses were identified in 12 major diagnostic pathology journals without specifying years and 4 major medicine journals in 2006 and 2011 using PubMed. Reporting quality of meta-analyses was evaluated using the 27-item checklist of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement published in 2009. A higher PRISMA score indicates higher reporting quality. Results.— Forty-one diagnostic pathology meta-analyses and 118 medicine meta-analyses were included. Overall, reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology was lower than that in medicine (median [interquartile range] = 22 [15, 25] versus 27 [23, 28], P &lt; .001). Compared with medicine meta-analyses, diagnostic pathology meta-analyses less likely reported 23 of the 27 items (85.2%) on the PRISMA checklist, but more likely reported the data items. Higher reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses was associated with recent publication years (later than 2009 versus 2009 or earlier, P = .002) and non–North American first authors (versus North American, P = .001), but not journal publisher's location (P = .11). Interestingly, reporting quality was not associated with adjusted citation ratio for meta-analyses in either diagnostic pathology or medicine (P = .40 and P = .09, respectively). Conclusions.— Meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology had lower reporting quality than those in medicine. Reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses is linked to publication year and first author's location, but not to journal publisher's location or article's adjusted citation ratios. More research and education on meta-analysis methodology may improve the reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses.

scholarly journals Hypnotics and Risk of Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 513
Author(s):  
Tzu-Rong Peng ◽  
Li-Jou Yang ◽  
Ta-Wei Wu ◽  
You-Chen Chao
Keyword(s):  
Observational Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Randomized Control ◽  
Hypnotic Drugs ◽  
Risk Of Cancer ◽  
Ottawa Scale

Background and objectives: The association between hypnotic drugs and risk of cancer remains controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate this association. Materials and Methods: Pubmed and Embase were searched systematically to identify publications up to April 2020. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies was used to assess the quality of studies. All included studies were evaluated by two reviewers independently; any discrepancies were resolved through discussion. Results: Twenty-eight studies including 22 case-control studies and 6 cohort studies with 340,614 hypnotics users and 1,828,057 non-users were included in the final analyses. Hypnotics (benzodiazepines and Z-drugs) use was significantly associated with an increased risk of cancer (odds ratio [OR] or relative risk [RR] 1.17; 95% confidence interval 1.09–1.26) in a random-effects meta-analysis of all studies. Subgroup meta-analysis by anxiolytics/sedatives effect (anxiolytics benzodiazepines vs. sedatives group (include sedatives benzodiazepines and Z-drugs)) revealed that a significant association in sedatives group (pooled OR/RR 1.26, 95% CI, 1.10–1.45), whereas no significant relationship was observed in anxiolytics benzodiazepines (pooled OR/RR 1.09, 95% CI, 0.95–1.26). Moreover, a significant dose–response relationship was observed between the use of hypnotics and the risk of cancer. Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed association between use of hypnotics drugs and risk of cancer. However, the use of lower dose hypnotics and shorter duration exposed to hypnotics seemed to be not associated with an increased risk of cancer. Moreover, the use of anxiolytics effect benzodiazepines seemed to be lower risk than sedatives benzodiazepines. A high heterogeneity was observed among identified studies, and results were inconsistent in some subgroups. Randomized control trials are needed to confirm the findings in the future.

scholarly journals Mortality in chronic kidney disease patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruyi Cai ◽  
Jinshi Zhang ◽  
Yifan Zhu ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
Yueming Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Careful Screening ◽  
Ottawa Scale

AbstractAt the beginning of 2020, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to a worldwide pandemic and mass panic. The number of infected people has been increasing exponentially since, and the mortality rate has also been concomitantly increasing. At present, no study has summarized the mortality risk of COVID-19 in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to conduct a literature review and meta-analysis to understand the frequency of mortality among CKD patients infected with COVID-19. A comprehensive systematic search was conducted on the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to find articles published until May 15, 2020. Study quality was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. After careful screening based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 3,867,367 patients from 12 studies were included. The mortality rate was significantly higher among CKD patients with COVID-19 infection than among CKD patients without COVID-19 infection, as indicated by a pooled OR of 5.81 (95% CI 3.78–8.94, P < 0.00001, I2 = 30%). The patients were then stratified into ≥ 70 and < 70 years, and subgroup analysis revealed that among CKD patients with COVID-19 infection, the mortality rate was higher in the < 70 years group (OR 8.69, 95% CI 7.56–9.97, P < 0.0001) than in the ≥ 70 years group (OR 2.44, 95% CI 0.75–6.63, P = 0.15). Thus, COVID-19 patients with CKD have a high mortality risk and require a comprehensive multidisciplinary management strategy.

scholarly journals Assessing the quality of studies in meta-analyses: Advantages and limitations of the Newcastle Ottawa Scale

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Luchini ◽  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Marco Solmi ◽  
Nicola Veronese
Keyword(s):  
Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Ottawa Scale
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