scholarly journals The Effects of Ascorbic Acid Over Sepsis: Meta-analysis With Trial Sequential Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Hui-chang Zhuo ◽  
Jiandong Lin

Abstract Background: This meta-analysis is performed to evaluate the effects of AA on the mortality over sepsis patients, focusing on the courses and initiation of treatment as well as AA doses.Methods: Randomized controlled trials concerning sepsis patients treated with intravenous AA were included when searching the database. The meta-analysis was performed using the random (M-H heterogeneity) model to produce summary odds ratio with 95% CI. Trial sequential analysis was applied to evaluated the effect of random errors.Results: The included 12 trials enrolled a total of 1232 patients. Intravenously administration of AA could not lower 28-day mortality over sepsis patients (OR = 0.81; 95% CI (0.54-1.23); p = 0.326). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that when administrating AA alone, in a dose ≥ 10 g/d, or within 6 h of admission, the result may turn to positive (OR = 0.36; 95% CI (0.15-0.86); p = 0.020, OR = 0.50; 95% CI (0.27-0.92); p = 0.025, OR = 0.49; 95% CI (0.27-0.89); p = 0.019, relatively). The quality of evidence is moderate.Conclusion: IV AA may have no effects to lower mortality over sepsis patients. However, when administrating AA alone, in a dose ≥ 10 g/d, or within 6 h of admission, the result may turn to positive. Due to a moderate GRADE certainty of evidence, further studies are required to fully elaborate the effectiveness of AA during the management of the sepsis patients.PROSPERO registration number: CRD 42020170825. 24 Feb, 2020 retrospectively registered.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3389
Author(s):  
Claudio Colombo ◽  
Stefano Salvioli ◽  
Silvia Gianola ◽  
Greta Castellini ◽  
Marco Testa

Aim: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of traction therapy in reducing pain by performing a systematic review with meta-analysis. We also explore the best modality for administering traction to patients with cervical radicular syndrome (CRS). Methods: We searched the Medline, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) electronic databases. Two reviewers independently selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared traction in addition to other treatments versus the effectiveness of other treatments alone for pain outcome. We calculated the mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used Cochrane’s tool to assess risk of bias and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system to evaluate the quality of evidence and summarize the study conclusions. Results: A total of seven studies (589 patients), one with low risk of bias, were evaluated. An overall estimate of treatment modalities showed low evidence that adding traction to other treatments is statistically significant (MD −5.93 [95% CI, −11.81 to −0.04] P = 0.05 and I2 = 57%) compared to other treatments alone. The subgroup analyses were still statistically significant only for mechanical and continuous modalities. Conclusions: Overall analysis showed that, compared to controls, reduction in pain intensity after traction therapy was achieved in patients with cervical radiculopathy. However, the quality of evidence was generally low and none of these effects were clinically meaningful.


Author(s):  
Ali Hatem Manfi Al-Rudayni ◽  
Divya Gopinath ◽  
Mari Kannan Maharajan ◽  
Sajesh K. Veettil ◽  
Rohit Kunnath Menon

Oral mucositis is a debilitating complication of chemotherapy, characterized by erythema, ulcers and oedema of the oral mucosa. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Photobiomodulation in the treatment of oral mucositis using meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis, and also to assess the quality of the results by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). A comprehensive search of three databases, including Embase, Medline and Central, was performed to identify randomized controlled trials studying the efficacy of Photobiomodulation in the treatment of cancer chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. The primary outcome was reduction in the severity of oral mucositis. Secondary outcomes were pain relief, duration of oral mucositis and adverse effects. The meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model, and random errors of the meta-analyses were detected by trial sequential analysis. A total of 6 randomized controlled trials with 398 participants were included in our analysis. Photobiomodulation significantly reduced the severity of oral mucositis when compared to sham radiation (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.93; p < 0.05). Sensitivity analysis by excluding trials with high risk of bias reiterated the robustness of our results (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.48). Trial sequential analysis illustrated that the evidence from the meta-analysis was conclusive. The result of the meta-analyses with trial sequential analysis illustrated that Photobiomodulation is an effective therapeutic intervention for the treatment of oral mucositis, and the evidence gathered can be considered conclusive with a moderate level of certainty according to GRADE. Further trials are recommended to standardize the laser parameters required for the optimal effect.


2018 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 294-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Сhavdar S. Pavlov ◽  
Daria L. Varganova ◽  
Marianna C. Semenistaia ◽  
Ekatherina A. Kuznetsova ◽  
Anna A. Usanova ◽  
...  

Вackground: Non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) is a widely spread disease that needs an effective and safe treatment strategy. One of pharmacological treatments for people with NAFLD is ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). The use of UDCA is pathogenetically justified because of its cytoprotective, antiapoptotic, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic properties. Aim: Our meta-analysis (M-A) aimed to assess the benefits and harms of UDCA in people with NAFLD. Material and methods: We identified trials through electronic searches in the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary (CHB) Controlled Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, SCI, LILACS, eLibrary (May 2018). We considered for inclusion randomised clinical trials (RCTs) assessing URSO versus placebo/no intervention in adult participants with NAFLD. We allowed co-interventions in the trial groups if they were similar. We followed Cochrane methodology, CHB Group methodology using Review Manager 5 and Trial Sequential Analysis to perform meta-analysis (M-A), assessed bias risk of the trials, quality of evidence using GRADE. Results: Four RCT, at high bias risk, low quality of evidence, provided data for analysis: 254 participants at different stages of NAFLD received oral UDCA (median of 18 months), 256 ― placebo/no intervention; age 18 to 75 years. We found no evidence of effect on mortality (there were no deaths) and on histological parameters such as steatosis (MD -0.13; CI -0.40−0.13; participants 323; trials 3; I2=43%), fibrosis (MD 0.00; CI -0.00−0.22; participants 323; trials 3; I2=0%), and inflammation (MD -0.05; CI -0.20−0.10; participants 325; trials 3; I2=0%). Also we found no evidence for significant influence of UDCA on occurrence of serious adverse events (RR 1.45, 95% CI 0.65−3.21; participants 292; trials 2; I2=0%), adverse events (RR 1.52, 95% CI 0.73−3.16; participants 510; trials 4; I2=36%) neither with traditional M-A (random-effects), nor with TSA SAE (CI 0.56−2.91; participants 292; trials 2; I2=0%, D2=0%), AE (CI 0.77–2.21; participants 510; trials 4; I2=0%, D2=0%). There was no evidence of effect on cytolysis, but beneficial effect of UDCA on cholestasis (GGTP) (data from two trials only) (р0.0001). We found no data on quality of life. All the trials were funded by the industry. Conclusion: Based on the small number of trials at high risk of bias, low quality, despite the safety profile observed with our M-A, we can neither recommend nor reject the use of UDCA for people with NAFLD. Further trials with low risk of bias and high quality are required to assess the benefits and harms of UDCA. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Faiza Siddiqui ◽  
Marija Barbateskovic ◽  
Sophie Juul ◽  
Kiran Kumar Katakam ◽  
Klaus Munkholm ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Major depression significantly impairs quality of life, increases the risk of suicide, and poses tremendous economic burden on individuals and societies. Duloxetine, a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is a widely prescribed antidepressant. The effects of duloxetine have, however, not been sufficiently assessed in earlier systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methods/design A systematic review will be performed including randomised clinical trials comparing duloxetine with ‘active’ placebo, placebo or no intervention for adults with major depressive disorder. Bias domains will be assessed, an eight-step procedure will be used to assess if the thresholds for clinical significance are crossed. We will conduct meta-analyses. Trial sequential analysis will be conducted to control random errors, and the certainty of the evidence will be assessed using GRADE. To identify relevant trials, we will search Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica database, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science and Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Social Science & Humanities. We will also search Chinese databases and Google Scholar. We will search all databases from their inception to the present. Two review authors will independently extract data and perform risk of bias assessment. Primary outcomes will be the difference in mean depression scores on Hamilton Depression Rating Scale between the intervention and control groups and serious adverse events. Secondary outcomes will be suicide, suicide-attempts, suicidal ideation, quality of life and non-serious adverse events. Discussion No former systematic review has systematically assessed the beneficial and harmful effects of duloxetine taking into account both the risks of random errors and the risks of systematic errors. Our review will help clinicians weigh the benefits of prescribing duloxetine against its adverse effects and make informed decisions. Systematic review registration PROSPERO 2016 CRD42016053931


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 2852-2867
Author(s):  
Ali Hatem Manfi Al-Rudayni ◽  
Divya Gopinath ◽  
Mari Kannan Maharajan ◽  
Sajesh Kalkandi Veettil ◽  
Rohit Kunnath Menon

Background: This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral cryotherapy in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis using meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis, as well as to assess the quality of the results by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Methods: A comprehensive search of three databases including Medline, Embase and Central was performed to identify randomized controlled trials that used oral cryotherapy for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. The primary outcome was the incidence of oral mucositis for trials employing oral cryotherapy as the intervention for the prevention of oral mucositis. The meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model and random errors of the meta-analyses were detected by trial sequential analysis. Results: A total of 14 RCTs with 1577 participants were included in the present meta-analysis. Patients treated with oral cryotherapy were associated with a significantly lower risk of developing oral mucositis of any grade (risk ratio (RR), 0.67 (95% CI: 0.56–0.81, p < 0.05)). Findings from the subgroup analyses showed that oral cryotherapy significantly reduced the risk of oral mucositis in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (RR 0.69, CI: 0.54–0.89, p < 0.05) as well as chemotherapy (RR 0.66, CI: 0.58–0.75, p < 0.05). Findings from the trial sequential analysis suggested that the evidence on oral cryotherapy as a preventive intervention for oral mucositis in patients with solid malignancies receiving conventional chemotherapy was conclusive. Conclusion: Oral cryotherapy is effective in preventing oral mucositis in patients undergoing chemotherapy for the management of solid malignancies. The use of oral cryotherapy in preventing oral mucositis in bone marrow transplantation settings showed promising efficacy, but the evidence is not conclusive and requires more high-quality randomized controlled trials.


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