scholarly journals Methodological Appraisal of Literature Concerning the Analysis of Genetic Variants or Protein Levels of Complement Components on Susceptibility to Infection by Trypanosomatids: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thais Cristina Tirado ◽  
Larine Lowry Moura ◽  
Patrícia Shigunov ◽  
Fabiano Borges Figueiredo
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Genetic Alterations ◽  
Host Susceptibility ◽  
World Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Complement Components ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Wide Range

BackgroundTrypanosomatids are protozoa responsible for a wide range of diseases, with emphasis on Chagas Disease (CD) and Leishmaniasis, which are in the list of most relevant Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) according to World Health Organization (WHO). During the infectious process, immune system is immediately activated, and parasites can invade nucleated cells through a broad diversity of receptors. The complement system − through classical, alternative and lectin pathways − plays a role in the first line of defense against these pathogens, acting in opsonization, phagocytosis and lysis of parasites. Genetic modifications in complement genes, such as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), can influence host susceptibility to these parasites and modulate protein expression.MethodsIn March and April 2021, a literature search was conducted at the PubMed and Google Scholar databases and the reference lists obtained were verified. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the selected studies were evaluated and scored according to eleven established criteria regarding their thematic approach and design, aiming at the good quality of publications.ResultsTwelve papers were included in this systematic review: seven investigating CD and five focusing on Leishmaniasis. Most articles presented gene and protein approaches, careful determination of experimental groups, and adequate choice of experimental techniques, although several of them were not up-to-date. Ten studies explored the association of polymorphisms and haplotypes with disease progression, with emphasis on lectin complement pathway genes. Decreased and increased patient serum protein levels were associated with susceptibility to CD and Visceral Leishmaniasis, respectively.ConclusionThis systematic review shows the influence of genetic alterations in complement genes on the progression of several infectious diseases, with a focus on conditions caused by trypanosomatids, and contributes suggestions and evidence to improve experimental design in future research proposals.

scholarly journals A systematic review of provider-and system-level factors influencing the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation for heart failure

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulina Daw ◽  
Thomas M. Withers ◽  
Jet J. C. S. Veldhuijzen van Zanten ◽  
Alexander Harrison ◽  
Colin J. Greaves
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
System Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Heart Failure Patients ◽  
Barriers And Enablers ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Background There is a longstanding research-to-practice gap in the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation for patients with heart failure. Despite adequate evidence confirming that comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation can improve quality of life and decrease morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients, only a fraction of eligible patients receives it. Many studies and reviews have identified patient-level barriers that might contribute to this disparity, yet little is known about provider- and system-level influences. Methods A systematic review using narrative synthesis. The aims of the systematic review were to a) determine provider- and system-level barriers and enablers that affect the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation for heart failure and b) juxtapose identified barriers with possible solutions reported in the literature. A comprehensive search strategy was applied to the MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, EThoS and ProQuest databases. Articles were included if they were empirical, peer-reviewed, conducted in any setting, using any study design and describing factors influencing the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation for heart failure patients. Data were synthesised using inductive thematic analysis and a triangulation protocol to identify convergence/contradiction between different data sources. Results Seven eligible studies were identified. Thematic analysis identified nine overarching categories of barriers and enablers which were classified into 24 and 26 themes respectively. The most prevalent categories were ‘the organisation of healthcare system’, ‘the organisation of cardiac rehabilitation programmes’, ‘healthcare professional’ factors and ‘guidelines’. The most frequent themes included ‘lack of resources: time, staff, facilities and equipment’ and ‘professional’s knowledge, awareness and attitude’. Conclusions Our systematic review identified a wide range of provider- and system-level barriers impacting the delivery of cardiac rehabilitation for heart failure, along with a range of potential solutions. This information may be useful for healthcare professionals to deliver, plan or commission cardiac rehabilitation services, as well as future research.

scholarly journals Arts-Based Interventions for Professionals in Caring Roles During and After Crisis: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Havsteen-Franklin ◽  
Megan Tjasink ◽  
Jacqueline Winter Kottler ◽  
Claire Grant ◽  
Veena Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Practice Elements ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Crisis Events ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Crisis events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can have a devastating effect on communities and the care professionals within them. Over recent years, arts-based interventions have helped in a wide range of crisis situations, being recommended to support the workforce during and after complex crisis but there has been no systematic review of the role of arts-based crisis interventions and whether there are cogent themes regarding practice elements and outcomes. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review to (i) define the arts-based change process used during and after crisis events, and (ii) explore the perceptions of intermediate and long-term mental health benefits of arts-based interventions for professionals in caring roles. Our search yielded six studies (all qualitative). All data were thematically aggregated and meta-synthesized, revealing seven practice elements (a safe place, focusing on strengths and protective factors, developing psychosocial competencies to support peers, emotional expression and processing, identifying and naming the impact of the crisis, using an integrative creative approach, and cultural and organizational sensitivity) applied across all six studies, as well as a range of intermediate and long-term benefits shared common features (adapting, growing, and recovering; using the community as a healing resource; reducing or preventing symptoms of stress or trauma reactions, psychophysiological homeostasis). The ways in which these studies were designed independently from one another and yet used the same practice elements in their crisis interventions indicates that there is comparability about how and why the arts-based practice elements are being used and to what effect. Our findings provide a sound basis and meaningful parameters for future research incorporating quantitative and qualitative approaches to firmly establish the effectiveness of art-based interventions, and how arts can support cultural sensitivity, acceptability and indicated outcomes, particularly those relating to stress and trauma during or following a crisis.

A systematic review of costing studies for implementing and scaling-up breastfeeding interventions: what do we know and what are the gaps?

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Carroll ◽  
Cara Safon ◽  
Gabriela Buccini ◽  
Mireya Vilar-Compte ◽  
Graciela Teruel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
World Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cost Estimates ◽  
Costing Study

Abstract Despite the well-established evidence that breastfeeding improves maternal and child health outcomes, global rates of exclusive breastfeeding remain low. Cost estimates can inform stakeholders about the financial resources needed to scale up interventions to ultimately improve breastfeeding outcomes in low-, middle- and high-income countries. To inform the development of comprehensive costing frameworks, this systematic review aimed to (1) identify costing studies for implementing or scaling-up breastfeeding interventions, (2) assess the quality of identified costing studies and (3) examine the availability of cost data to identify gaps that need to be addressed through future research. Peer-reviewed and grey literature were systematically searched using a combination of index terms and relevant text words related to cost and the following breastfeeding interventions: breastfeeding counselling, maternity leave, the World Health Organization International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, media promotion, workplace support and pro-breastfeeding social policies. Data were extracted after having established inter-rater reliability among the first two authors. The quality of studies was assessed using an eight-item checklist for key costing study attributes. Forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria, with the majority including costs for breastfeeding counselling and paid maternity leave. Most cost analyses included key costing study attributes; however, major weaknesses among the studies were the lack of clarity on costing perspectives and not accounting for the uncertainty of reported cost estimates. Costing methodologies varied substantially, standardized costing frameworks are needed for reliably estimating the costs of implementing and scaling-up breastfeeding interventions at local-, national- or global-levels.

scholarly journals Towards the best kidney failure prediction tool: a systematic review and selection aid

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1527-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chava L Ramspek ◽  
Ype de Jong ◽  
Friedo W Dekker ◽  
Merel van Diepen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Kidney Failure ◽  
External Validation ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prediction Tool ◽  
Clinical Value ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
And Performance

Abstract Background Prediction tools that identify chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients at a high risk of developing kidney failure have the potential for great clinical value, but limited uptake. The aim of the current study is to systematically review all available models predicting kidney failure in CKD patients, organize empirical evidence on their validity and ultimately provide guidance in the interpretation and uptake of these tools. Methods PubMed and EMBASE were searched for relevant articles. Titles, abstracts and full-text articles were sequentially screened for inclusion by two independent researchers. Data on study design, model development and performance were extracted. The risk of bias and clinical usefulness were assessed and combined in order to provide recommendations on which models to use. Results Of 2183 screened studies, a total of 42 studies were included in the current review. Most studies showed high discriminatory capacity and the included predictors had large overlap. Overall, the risk of bias was high. Slightly less than half the studies (48%) presented enough detail for the use of their prediction tool in practice and few models were externally validated. Conclusions The current systematic review may be used as a tool to select the most appropriate and robust prognostic model for various settings. Although some models showed great potential, many lacked clinical relevance due to being developed in a prevalent patient population with a wide range of disease severity. Future research efforts should focus on external validation and impact assessment in clinically relevant patient populations.

scholarly journals Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Gastrointestinal Involvement: A Systematic Review

Medicinus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Moryella Monica ◽  
Andree Kurniawan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intestinal Flora ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Good Evidence ◽  
World Health ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Gastrointestinal Involvement

<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) toward the end of January 2020. There is still limited evidence to explain the gastrointestinal involvement in COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to further investigate current evidence describing the gastrointestinal involvement in COVID-19 patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181584). A systematic search of literature for observational and randomized controlled trial was conducted in PubMed, PubMed central, and Google Scholar through April 16, 2020. Two reviewers independently searched and selected. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality assessment tool.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1,480 articles were screened from which 12 articles with 5584 subjects were selected. SARS-CoV-2 can invade human body by binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor which also located to small intestinal epithelial cells, crypt cells and colon. The virus itself may cause disorders of the intestinal flora. The diagnosis should be based on a set of symptoms diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort or pain, combined with positivity of faecal PCR test. Treatment of COVID-19 mainly is supportive care. The probiotic may modulate the gut microbiota to alter the gastrointestinal symptoms and reduced enteritis, ventilator associated pneumonia, and reverse certain side effect of antibiotics<strong>.</strong></p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our synthesis of literature showed that there was no good evidence yet in overall area of gastrointestinal manifestations in COVID-19. Future research is needed to explore all areas, especially in mechanism and treatments</p>

scholarly journals Find New RoadsTM? A Systematic Review on the Impacts of Off-Road Vehicle Activity on Soil, Vegetation, and Wildlife

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura W. Ploughe ◽  
Lauchlan H. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Desert Ecosystems ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vehicle Activity

The global use of off-road vehicles (ORVs) in natural environments has accelerated rapidly over the last few decades, resulting in significant social and environmental consequences. As the demand, use, and promotion of light-duty ORVs like all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles, four-wheel drive trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) increases in remote wilderness, the landscape is becoming fragmented into disorganized and destructive networks of trails and roads. Substantial ecological impacts to a wide range of ecosystem structures and functions will likely result from ORV activity. Applying a global systematic review, we examine 105 publications about plant, soil, and wildlife responses to ORV traffic in different habitats to help guide the direction of future research, monitoring programs, and mitigation efforts. Most studies investigated impacts to animals, followed by soils, then vegetative responses. Soil studies primarily focused on physical impacts to the soil (i.e., compaction, erosion, rut depth), but some studies suggest that soil chemical and biological properties may also be impacted by ORV traffic. The literature on plant responses to ORV activities primarily explored vegetation loss, although impacts on the plant community were also investigated. Animal studies investigated impacts of ORV use on invertebrates, mammals, birds, and to a lesser extent reptiles/amphibians, including population-level, community-level, and behavioral responses. Overall, research on environmental impacts of ORV traffic is biased to coastal and desert ecosystems in the northern hemisphere (primarily in the US), often does not address mechanisms that may produce ecological impacts (e.g., intensity of vehicular disturbance and ecosystem- or species-specific sensitivity to ORV activities), and frequently focused on short-term responses. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms that cause the different responses of soil, plant, and animals to ORVs over the long-term in a broad range of ecosystems to support real-time management and conservation efforts.

scholarly journals Social marketing interventions for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs): A systematic review protocol

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaly Aya Pastrana ◽  
J Jaime Miranda ◽  
Claire Somerville ◽  
David Beran ◽  
L Suzanne Suggs
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Hierarchical Model ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
World Health ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Behavioral Determinants ◽  
Language Restriction

Background. Social marketing influences behaviors to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and society, and this approach could be used in the field of public health for the prevention and control Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). NTDs are diseases of poverty that place a burden in individuals, communities and health systems, and that exacerbate the cycle of poverty. Differences in risk and socio-cultural factors make women and children differently vulnerable. Guided by the Hierarchical Model of Social Marketing, this systematic review will assess the breadth of coverage of social marketing interventions about the 17 World Health Organization’s priority NTDs. Additionally, it will use the WHO Gender Assessment Tool (GAT) to assess the gender responsiveness of the included interventions. Methods. This protocol follows the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Searches will be conducted in the databases of PubMed, EbscoHost, ProQuest, Web of Science (WOS), Global Index Medicus and Virtual Health Library (VHL) Regional Portal, and there will be no language restriction. Social marketing interventions implemented at the community, health facility and public policy settings will be included if they target an NTD; it applies at least 1 of the 4 core social marketing concepts, and 1 of the 5 social marketing techniques as described in the Hierarchical Model of Social Marketing. Data management of records will be done in Covidence, a Cochrane systematic review platform, and of data extracted in Excel. The QATSDD Critical Appraisal Tool will be used to assess the quality of individual studies in terms of how they report their research processes. Discussion. The results of this review will contribute to understand the social marketing concepts and techniques that have been used to address NTDs, and their behavioral determinants and behavioral outcomes. Furthermore, the results of this review will bring together the strengths from multidisciplinary fields by integrating gender, social marketing and NTDs in a systematic manner. Systematic review registration. PROSPERO CRD42017063858

scholarly journals Health assets in a global context: a systematic review of the literature

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e023810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tine Van Bortel ◽  
Nuwan Darshana Wickramasinghe ◽  
Antony Morgan ◽  
Steven Martin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Assets

ObjectiveTo provide an up-to-date overview of health assets in a global context both from a theoretical perspective and its practical applications to address health inequalities and achieve sustainable health.DesignA systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Data sourcesA comprehensive search, including 10 electronic bibliographic databases and hand searches, was undertaken to capture the wide range of terms associated with ‘health assets’ and ‘asset-based approaches to health’.Eligibility criteriaAny peer-reviewed published and grey literature in English related to ‘health assets’ or ‘assets’ in a ‘health’ context was included without any date, country or study design restrictions and the quality of evidence was appraised according to the Oxford Level of Evidence.OutcomesA broad consideration of all outcome measures including clinical outcomes, patient-level, community-level and population-level impacts and costs, was adopted.Results478 publications were included. Health assets were researched in 40 countries, predominantly in the West such as the USA and the UK. A number of broad health assets were identified including community and individual assets. Even though research was conducted in a number of different settings, most occurred in the community, clinical, care or educational settings. A wide variety of interventions and approaches were implemented, most commonly related to education and/or training, asset mapping or asset approaches.ConclusionsGlobally, authors most often referred to general ‘health assets’, ‘assets’ or some form of ‘community asset’ in relation to health. Overall, the idea of health assets is framed within a positive paradigm focusing on health creation rather than curative approaches. The sustained credibility of the global ‘health assets’ literature depends on future research on definitional, theoretical and evaluative issues in order to convince policy-makers and service commissioners of its necessity and added value to the traditional deficit approach.

A Systematic Review of State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency-Based Literature

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 352-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heike Boeltzig-Brown ◽  
Allison R. Fleming ◽  
Miriam Heyman ◽  
Martha Gauthier ◽  
Julisa Cully ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Vocational Rehabilitation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Program Outcomes ◽  
Data Collection Methods ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Rehabilitation Services Administration ◽  
Rehabilitation Agency ◽  
Collection Methods

Purpose:To conduct a systematic review (SR) of 550 studies produced between 1970 and 2008 that focus on programs and/or services provided by state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies believed to impact client and/or program outcomes.Method:Authors used a 5-step SR protocol to evaluate and summarize study content and outcomes, study design, and data collection methods.Results:Results indicate that the VR research base is highly varied in terms of the research focus with respect to programs and services, populations, and outcomes and that it spans across a wide range of research designs and data collection methods.Conclusions:The majority of the studies included in this review relied on administrative data, particularly Rehabilitation Services Administration data, and surveys. Only a small number of studies employed some type of experimental design, suggesting a lack of application of this type of research design. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

A systematic review of health economic evaluations in orthotics and prosthetics: Part 1 – prosthetics

2020 ◽  
pp. 030936462093531
Author(s):  
Leigh Clarke ◽  
Michael P Dillon ◽  
Alan Shiell
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Economic ◽  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Health Economic Evaluation ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Wide Range

Background: The extent to which current prosthetic health economic evaluations inform healthcare policy and investment decisions is unclear. To further the knowledge in this area, existing evidence gaps and method design issues must be identified, thereby informing the design of future research. Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to identify evidence gaps, critical method design and reporting issues and determine the extent to which the literature informs a wide range of policy and investment decisions. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: A range of databases were searched using intervention- and health economic evaluation-related terms. Issues with methodological design and reporting were evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economic Checklist – Extended and the Checklist for Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards. Results: The existing health economic evaluation literature was narrowly focused on informing within-participant component decisions. There were common method design (e.g. time horizon too short) and reporting issues (e.g. competing intervention descriptions) that limit the extent to which this literature can inform policy and investment decisions. Conclusion: There are opportunities to conduct a wider variety of health economic evaluations to support within- and across-sector policy and investment decisions. Changes to aspects of the method design and reporting are encouraged for future research in order to improve the rigour of the health economic evaluation evidence. Clinical relevance This systematic review will inform the clinical focus and method design of future prosthetic health economic evaluations. It will also guide readers and policy-makers in their interpretation of the current literature and their understanding of the extent to which the current literature can be used to inform policy and investment decisions.

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