scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Protocol of an Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genhua Tang ◽  
Jun Xiong ◽  
Siyuan Zhu ◽  
Zhiying Zhong ◽  
Jun Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Joint Damage ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
Acupuncture And Moxibustion ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is a common chronic disease with an annual incidence of 25 per 10000 of the population, which will result in severe joint damage,disability and death. It is strongly supported by systematic reviews (SRs) as part of the treatment of these patients. However, the evidence has not been methodically integrated. This overview aims to describe,synthesize,evaluate the reliability of evidence come from current systematic reviews of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for RA.Methods: We will search for SRs and meta-analyses from Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, PubMed, MEDLINE, Wan-Fang Databases,China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Citation Information by National Institute of Informatics, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database(CBM),Chinese Scientific Journal Database(VIP Database). Additionally, we will search for the ongoing, unpublished, or recently completed SRs on the PROSPERO database. Two reviewers will assess those SRs, select data independently. Any disagreement will be resolved through discussion or arbitrated by the third author if necessary. The overview of SRs and meta-analysis will be reportedaccording to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)statement.Results: The results in this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusion: The conclusion of our study expects to provide extensive evidence from multiple meta-analysis and systematic reviews for patients with RA.INPLASY registration number:INPLASY202080031.

scholarly journals The Efficacy of Moxibustion and Acupuncture Therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Protocol for an Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Chen ◽  
Jun Xiong ◽  
Lunbin Lu ◽  
Siyuan Zhu ◽  
Zhiying Zhong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ankylosing Spondylitis ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Activity Index ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Complementary Therapy ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Methodological Guidelines

Abstract Background:Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a complex and progressive autoimmune inflammatory disease with a worldwide prevalence ranging up to 0.9%. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses of traditional Chinese medicine alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or moxibustion, have demonstrated the effectiveness of moxibustion and acupuncture in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. However, there is no relevant literature to comprehensively evaluate the evidence.The purpose of this overview is to synthesize and evaluate the reliability of evidence generated in the systematic review (SR) and meta-analysis of moxibustion and acupuncture as a primary or complementary therapy for patients with ankylosing spondylitis.Methods:PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure[CNKI], Chinese VIP Information, Wanfang Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database[CBM] were searched for systematic reviews and Meta-analysis that review the efficacy of acupuncture or moxibustion as the primary treatment for patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis. The literature published before August 2020 will be selected. Additionally, the relevant SRs and Meta-analyses that unpublished or ongoing will be searched in PROSPERO and INPLASY. The methodological guidelines for overviews will be used to reviews and extract data by two reviewers, and their will do it independently.Methodology quality will be analyzed by the AMSTAR-2 and the risk of bias by POBIS. For the included studies, we will adopt the following results as primary evaluation indicators: effective rate, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). Reviewers will assess the certainty of evidence by Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation(GRADE).Results: The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion: This overview will provide comprehensive evidence of moxibustion and acupuncture for patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Registration number: INPLASY202080035

scholarly journals Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e043784
Author(s):  
Naichuan Su ◽  
Michiel van der Linden ◽  
Geert JMG van der Heijden ◽  
Stefan Listl ◽  
Stefan Schandelmaier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
Delphi Consensus ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Science Framework ◽  
Meta Analyses

IntroductionSpin is defined as reporting practices that distort the interpretation of results and create misleading conclusions by suggesting more favourable results. Such unjustifiable and misleading misrepresentation may negatively influence the development of further studies, clinical practice and healthcare policies. Spin manifests in various patterns in different sections of publications (titles, abstracts and main texts). The primary aim of this study is to identify reported spin patterns and assess the prevalence of spin in general, and the prevalence of spin patterns reported in biomedical literature based on previously published systematic reviews and literature reviews on spin.Methods and analysisPubMed, EMBASE and SCOPUS will be searched to identify systematic or literature reviews on spin in biomedicine. To improve the comprehensiveness of the search, the snowballing method will be used to broaden the search. The data on spin-related outcomes and characteristics of the included studies will be extracted. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed with selective items of the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2 checklist. A new classification scheme for spin patterns will be developed if the classifications of spin patterns identified in the included studies vary. The prevalence of spin and spin patterns will be pooled based on meta-analyses if the classification schemes for spin are comparable across included studies. Otherwise, the prevalence will be described qualitatively. The seriousness of spin patterns will be assessed based on a Delphi consensus study.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam Ethics Review Committee (2020250). The study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.RegistrationOpen Science Framework: osf.io/hzv6e

scholarly journals Endovascular treatment for symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e022359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Wang ◽  
Xue Wang ◽  
Kun Yang ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Jichang Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Endovascular Treatment ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Artery Stenosis ◽  
Intracranial Artery ◽  
Intracranial Artery Stenosis ◽  
Literature Database ◽  
Meta Analyses

IntroductionAtherosclerotic intracranial artery stenosis (ICAS) is one of most common causes of stroke, which is the second-leading cause of death worldwide. Medical, surgical and endovascular therapy are three major treatments for ICAS. Currently, medical therapy is considered as the standard of care for most patients with ICAS, while extracranial to intracranial bypass is only used in rare situations. Balloon angioplasty alone, balloon-mounted stent and self-expanding stent, collectively called endovascular treatment, have shown promising potentials in treating specific subgroups of patients with symptomatic ICAS; however, their comparative safety and efficacy is still unclear. Therefore, a systematic review with network meta-analysis is needed to establish a hierarchy of these endovascular treatments.Methods and analysisThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols was followed to establish this protocol. The search will be limited to studies published from 1 January 2000 to the formal search date. Major databases including Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, conference proceedings and grey literature database will be searched for clinical studies comparing at least two interventions for patients with symptomatic ICAS. Primary outcomes include short-term and long-term mortality or stroke rate. Random effects pairwise and network meta-analyses of included studies will be performed on STATA (V.14, StataCorp, 2015). The surface under the cumulative ranking curve and mean rank will be calculated in order to establish a hierarchy of the endovascular treatments. Evaluation of the risk of bias, heterogeneity, consistency, transitivity and quality of evidence will follow the recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not needed as systematic review is based on published studies. Study findings will be presented at international conferences and published on a peer-reviewed journal.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018084055; Pre-results.

scholarly journals TaiChi and Qigong for Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Wei Jiang ◽  
Shaojun Liao ◽  
Xiankun Chen ◽  
Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg ◽  
Gaetano Marrone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Meta Analyses

Background. Depression is a debilitating comorbidity of heart failure (HF) that needs assessment and management. Along with mind-body exercise to deal with HF with depression, the use of TaiChi and/or Qigong practices (TQPs) has increased. Therefore, this systematic review assesses the effects of TQPs on depression among patients with HF. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effect of TQPs on depression in patients with HF were searched by five databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, CINAHL, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)). With standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), random-effects meta-analyses of the effect of TQPs on depressive symptoms were performed. Results. Of eight included RCTs, seven (481 patients) provided data for the meta-analysis. The pooling revealed that TQPs contribute to depression remission in HF (SMD −0.66; 95% CI −0.98 to −0.33, P < 0.0001 ; I2 = 64%). Its antidepressive effect was not influenced by intervention duration or exercise setting, but rather by ejection fraction subtype, depressive severity, and depression instruments. The beneficial effects were preserved when the study with the largest effect was removed. Conclusion. This study suggests that TQPs might be a good strategy for alleviating depressive symptoms in patients with HF. And rigorous-design RCTs, which focus on the identified research gaps, are needed to further establish the therapeutic effects of TQPs for depression in HF.

scholarly journals Which Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Formats Work for Depression in Dementia Family Caregivers ?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 656-656
Author(s):  
Yue Sun ◽  
Zhi-wen Wang
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Intervention ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Delivery Formats

Abstract Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective to delay cognitive decline for family dementia caregivers (DCs). However, whether cognitive intervention could effectively reduce depression through internet, group, telephone, individual, unguided self-help and combined formats remains unclear. Pubmed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Chinese Biomedical Literature database and Wan Fang database were systematically searched. A total of 34 studies were included in our analysis based on a series of rigorous screenings, which comprised 3577 DCs. We conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the relative effects and rank probability of different CBT delivery formats. A series of analyses and assessments, such as the pairwise meta-analysis and the risk of bias, were performed concurrently. Compared with controls, internet, telephone, and individual showed the largest improvement on depressive symptoms, whereas the unguided self-help delivery format was less effective. Internet delivery formats had the highest probability among the five CBT delivery formats. Our study indicated that the internet might be the best delivery formats for reducing the depression of family DCs. The findings from our study may be useful for policy makers and service commissioners when they make choices among different CBT delivery formats.

scholarly journals Guidelines for Reporting Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 412 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Rubio-Aparicio ◽  
Julio Sánchez-Meca ◽  
Fulgencio Marín-Martínez ◽  
José Antonio López-López
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Wide Applicability ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Meta Analyses

<p>Meta-analysis is an essential methodology that allows researchers to synthesize the scientific evidence available on a given research question. Due to its wide applicability in most applied research fields, it is really important that meta-analyses be written and reported appropriately. In this paper we propose some guidelines to report the results of a meta-analysis in a scientific journal as Annals of Psychology. Concretely, the structure for reporting a meta-analysis following its different stages is detailed. In addition, some recommendations related to the usual tasks when conducting a meta-analysis are provided. A recent meta-analysis focused on the psychological field is used to illustrate the guidelines proposed. Finally, some concluding remarks are presented. </p>

scholarly journals Effectiveness and Safety of Plum - Blossom Needle in the Treatment of Myopia：A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siyuan Zhu ◽  
Jun Xiong ◽  
Jun Chen ◽  
Genhua Tang ◽  
Lunbin Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
Myopia Progression ◽  
Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
The Cochrane Library

Abstract Background: In recent years, the prevalence of myopia has increased significantly, and it has become one of the major eye diseases that cause visual impairment in the world,which is particularly prominent among young people. And uncorrected myopia is the leading cause of blindness.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of plum-blossom needle in delaying adolescent myopia progression through systematic evaluation.Methods and analysis:The following electronic databases will be searched from inception to July 2020 regardless of publication status and language: Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBLD), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (CSTPD). RCT registration websites, including http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov and http://www.chictr.org.cn, will also be searched. Review Manager V.5.4 will be used to analysis the statistic. Two reviewers will independently select studies, extract and code the data, assess risk of bias of the included studies, evaluate the quality of evidence for outcomes.Discussion:So far, many studies have been conducted on the treatment of adolescent myopia with plum-blossom needles. However, there is still no clear conclusion on the effectiveness and safety of plum-blossom needles in the treatment of juvenile myopia.In this systematic review and meta-analysis, available data will be pooled together to further inform research and clinical practice.Systematic review registration: Inplasy protocol 202080026

scholarly journals Buteyko method for people with asthma: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e049213
Author(s):  
Karla Morganna Pereira Pinto de Mendonça ◽  
Sean Collins ◽  
Tácito ZM Santos ◽  
Gabriela Chaves ◽  
Sarah Leite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Plain Language ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Meta Analyses

IntroductionButeyko method is recommended as a non-pharmacological treatment for people with asthma. Although the worldwide interest in the Buteyko method, there is a paucity of studies gathering evidence to support its use. Therefore, we aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of the Buteyko method in children and adults with asthma.Methods and analysisWe will search on Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for studies focusing on the Buteyko method for children and adults with asthma. The searches will be carried out in September 2021 from database’s inception to the present. We will include randomised controlled trials comparing Buteyko method alone with asthma education or inactive control intervention. There will be no restriction on language. Primary outcomes include quality of life, asthma symptoms and adverse events/side effects. Two review authors will independently screen the studies for inclusion and extract data. We will assess the quality of the included studies using the ‘Risk of Bias’ tool. The certainty of the evidence will be assessed using the GRADE approach. Data synthesis will be conducted using Review Manager software. Reporting of the review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidance and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.Ethics and disseminationThis study will assess and provide evidence for the use of the Buteyko method in people with asthma. We will analyse secondary data and this does not require ethics approval. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals, at relevant conferences and will be shared in plain language in social media. Moreover, the findings of this review could guide the direction of healthcare practice and research.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020193132.

scholarly journals Add-on effect of Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256429
Author(s):  
Xuqin Du ◽  
Lipeng Shi ◽  
Wenfu Cao ◽  
Biao Zuo ◽  
Aimin Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Symptom Score ◽  
Chinese Herbal Medicine ◽  
Conventional Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
Chinese Herbal ◽  
Wbc Count ◽  
Meta Analyses

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a global pandemic since its outbreak in Wuhan, China. It is an urgent task to prevent and treat COVID-19 effectively early. In China’s experience combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has played an indispensable role. A large number of epidemiological investigations have shown that mild to moderate COVID-19 accounts for the largest proportion of cases. It is of great importance to treat such COVID-19 cases, which can help control epidemic progression. Many trials have shown that CHM combined with conventional therapy in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 was superior to conventional therapy alone. This review was designed to evaluate the add-on effect of CHM in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. Methods Eight electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Clinical Trials.gov website, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Database and China Biology Medicine (CBM) were searched from December 2019 to March 2021 without language restrictions. Two reviewers searched and selected studies, and extracted data according to inclusion and exclusion criteria independently. Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB) tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included RCTs. Review Manager 5.3.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results Twelve eligible RCTs including 1393 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Our meta-analyses found that lung CT parameters [RR = 1.26, 95% CI (1.15, 1.38), P<0.00001] and the clinical cure rate [RR = 1.26, 95%CI (1.16, 1.38), P<0.00001] of CHM combined with conventional therapy in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 were better than those of conventional therapy. The rate of conversion to severe cases [RR = 0.48, 95%CI (0.32, 0.73), P = 0.0005], TCM symptom score of fever [MD = -0.62, 95%CI (-0.79, -0.45), P<0.00001], cough cases [RR = 1.43, 95%CI (1.16, 1.75), P = 0.0006], TCM symptom score of cough[MD = -1.07, 95%CI (-1.29, -0.85), P<0.00001], TCM symptom score of fatigue[MD = -0.66, 95%CI (-1.05, -0.28), P = 0.0007], and CRP[MD = -5.46, 95%CI (-8.19, -2.72), P<0.0001] of combination therapy was significantly lower than that of conventional therapy. The WBC count was significantly higher than that of conventional therapy[MD = 0.38, 95%CI (0.31, 0.44), P<0.00001]. Our meta-analysis results were robust through sensitivity analysis. Conclusion Chinese herbal medicine combined with conventional therapy may be effective and safe in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. More high-quality RCTs are needed in the future.

A Primer on Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (02) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nghia Nguyen ◽  
Siddharth Singh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Biomedical Literature ◽  
Data Abstraction ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Medical Librarian ◽  
Quantitative Synthesis ◽  
Review Protocol ◽  
Meta Analyses

AbstractWith the rapid growth of biomedical literature, there is increasing need to make meaningful inferences from a comprehensive and complex body of evidence. Systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses offer an objective and summative approach to synthesize knowledge and critically appraise evidence to inform clinical practice. Systematic reviews also help identify key knowledge gaps for future investigation. In this review, the authors provide a step-by-step approach to conducting a systematic review. These include: (1) formulating a focused and clinically-relevant question; (2) designing a detailed review protocol with explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria; (3) performing a systematic literature search of multiple databases and unpublished data, in consultation with a medical librarian, to identify relevant studies; (4) meticulous data abstraction by at least two sets of investigators independently; (5) assessing risk of bias in individual studies; (6) quantitative synthesis with meta-analysis; and (7) critically and transparently ascertaining quality of evidence.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document