The Protective Effects of the Autophagic and Lysosomal Machinery in Vascular and Valvular Calcification: A Systematic Review

Background: Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic homeostatic process, crucial for cell survival. It has been shown that autophagy can modulate different cardiovascular pathologies, including vascular calcification (VCN). Objective: To assess how modulation of autophagy, either through induction or inhibition, affects vascular and valvular calcification and to determine the therapeutic applicability of inducing autophagy. Data sources: A systematic review of English language articles using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science (WoS) and the Cochrane library. The search terms included autophagy, autolysosome, mitophagy, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-phagy, lysosomal, calcification and calcinosis. Study characteristics: Thirty-seven articles were selected based on pre-defined eligibility criteria. Thirty-three studies (89%) studied vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification of which 27 (82%) studies investigated autophagy and six (18%) studies lysosomal function in VCN. Four studies (11%) studied aortic valve calcification (AVCN). Thirty-four studies were published in the time period 2015–2020 (92%). Conclusion: There is compelling evidence that both autophagy and lysosomal function are critical regulators of VCN, which opens new perspectives for treatment strategies. However, there are still challenges to overcome, such as the development of more selective pharmacological agents and standardization of methods to measure autophagic flux.

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CUPPING THERAPY: A PRUDENT APPROACH IN PAIN MANAGEMENT-A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Pakistan Journal of Rehabilitation ◽

10.36283/pjr.zu.10.1/003 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 5-13

Author(s):

Hafiza Javeria ◽

Yusra Obaid ◽

Ismail Naseem

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

English Language ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Spinal Pain ◽

Cupping Therapy ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Group Differences ◽

Eligibility Criteria

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cupping Therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine for treating variety of musculoskeletal disorders. Number of studies indicated the efficacy of various cupping methods in decreasing neck or back pain intensity within short duration and improves quality of life. DATABASES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA The experimental studies were searched on the electronic databases including Google Scholar, PEDro, PubMed and Cochrane Library from June 2015 to December 2019. It was ensured that all articles were full-text in English language whereas screening was executed on relevant titles and abstracts, evaluated on the basis of cupping therapy and its effects on musculoskeletal pain. RESULTS A total of eight out of ten experimental studies showed significant decrease (p<0.05) in spinal pain in result of cupping therapy except for the two studies that demonstrated no significant pre-post group differences (p>0.05).

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The use and effectiveness of cadaveric workshops in higher surgical training: a systematic review

Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/147870811x582954 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 93 (5) ◽

pp. 347-352 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

J Gilbody ◽

AW Prasthofer ◽

K Ho ◽

ML Costa

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Surgical Training ◽

English Language ◽

Training Session ◽

Skills Training ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Training Tool ◽

Emergency Procedures ◽

Surgical Trainees

INTRODUCTION The aim of this systematic review is to describe the use of cadavers in postgraduate surgical training, to determine the effect of cadaveric training sessions on surgical trainees' technical skills performance and to determine how trainees perceive the use of cadaveric workshops as a training tool. METHODS An electronic literature search was performed, restricted to the English language, of MEDLINE®, Embase™, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL®), Centre for Agricultural Bioscience (CAB) Abstracts, the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC™) database, the British Education Index, the Australian Education Index, the Cochrane Library and the Best Evidence in Medical Education website. Studies that were eligible for review included primary studies evaluating the use of human cadaveric surgical workshops for surgical skills training in postgraduate surgical trainees and those that included a formal assessment of skills performance or trainee satisfaction after the training session. RESULTS Eight studies were identified as satisfying the eligibility criteria. One study showed a benefit from cadaveric workshop training with regard to the ability of trainees to perform relatively simple emergency procedures and one showed weak evidence of a benefit in performing more complex surgical procedures. Three studies showed that trainees valued the experience of cadaveric training. CONCLUSIONS Evidence for the effectiveness of cadaveric workshops in surgical training is currently limited. In particular, there is little research into how these workshops improve the performance of surgical trainees during subsequent live surgery. However, both trainees and assessors hold them in high regard and feel they help to improve operative skills. Further research into the role of cadaveric workshops is required.

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Measuring multimorbidity beyond counting diseases: systematic review of community and population studies and guide to index choice

BMJ ◽

10.1136/bmj.m160 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. m160 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Lucy E Stirland ◽

Laura González-Saavedra ◽

Donncha S Mullin ◽

Craig W Ritchie ◽

Graciela Muniz-Terrera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

English Language ◽

Population Level ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Study Selection ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Index Components

AbstractObjectivesTo identify and summarise existing indices for measuring multimorbidity beyond disease counts, to establish which indices include mental health comorbidities or outcomes, and to develop recommendations based on applicability, performance, and usage.DesignSystematic review.Data sourcesSeven medical research databases (Medline, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, and CINAHL Plus) from inception to October 2018 and bibliographies and citations of relevant papers. Searches were limited to English language publications.Eligibility criteria for study selectionOriginal articles describing a new multimorbidity index including more information than disease counts and not focusing on comorbidity associated with one specific disease. Studies were of adults based in the community or at population level.ResultsAmong 7128 search results, 5560 unique titles were identified. After screening against eligibility criteria the review finally included 35 papers. As index components, 25 indices used conditions (weighted or in combination with other parameters), five used diagnostic categories, four used drug use, and one used physiological measures. Predicted outcomes included mortality (18 indices), healthcare use or costs (13), hospital admission (13), and health related quality of life (7). 29 indices considered some aspect of mental health, with most including it as a comorbidity. 12 indices are recommended for use.Conclusions35 multimorbidity indices are available, with differing components and outcomes. Researchers and clinicians should examine existing indices for suitability before creating new ones.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42017074211.

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The effects of shoe type on lower limb venous status during gait or exercise: A systematic review

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0239787 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (11) ◽

pp. e0239787

Author(s):

Lucie Lerebourg ◽

Maxime L'Hermette ◽

Charlotte Menez ◽

Jeremy Coquart

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Lower Limb ◽

English Language ◽

Venous Pressure ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Flow Parameters ◽

Ebsco Host ◽

Meta Analyses

This systematic review evaluated the literature pertaining to the effect of shoes on lower limb venous status in asymptomatic populations during gait or exercise. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The PubMed-NCBI, EBSCO Host, Cochrane Library and Science Direct databases were searched (March 2019) for words around two concepts: shoes and venous parameters. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) the manuscript had to be published in an English-language peer-reviewed journal and the study had to be observational or experimental and (2) the study had to suggest the analysis of many types of shoes or orthotics on venous parameters before, during and/or after exercise. Out of 366 articles, 60 duplications were identified, 306 articles were analyzed, and 13 articles met the eligibility criteria after screening and were included. This review including approximately 211 participants. The methodological rigor of these studies was evaluated with the modified Downs and Black quality index. Nine studies investigated the effect of shoes on blood flow parameters, two on venous pressure and two on lower limb circumferences with exercise. Evidence was found that unstable shoes or shoes with similar technology, sandals, athletic or soft shoes, and customized foot orthotics elicited more improvement in venous variables than high-heeled shoes, firm shoes, ankle joint immobilization and barefoot condition. These venous changes are probably related to the efficiency of muscle pumps in the lower limbs, which in turn seem to be dependent on shoe features associated with changes in the kinetics, kinematics and muscle activity variables in lower limbs during gait and exercise.

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Pharmacological treatment strategies for neonates with patent ductus arteriosus: a systematic review

Paediatrica Indonesiana ◽

10.14238/pi59.5.2019.229-36 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 59 (5) ◽

pp. 229-36

Author(s):

Oliver Emmanuel Yausep ◽

Adhi Teguh Perma Iskandar

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Side Effects ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Patent Ductus Arteriosus ◽

Ductus Arteriosus ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Patent Ductus

Background Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) has a variety of treatment options, ranging from pharmacologic, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as first line therapy, to surgical ligation. However, treatment with NSAIDs is associated with severe side effects as well as many contraindications. Paracetamol is a non-classic NSAID with the prospect of fewer side effects compared to other NSAID counterparts. Objectives To compare the efficacy and safety of paracetamol to ibuprofen or indomethacin for neonates with PDA by systematic review of the literature. Methods Our literature search was conducted on four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and The Cochrane Library, to find studies that compared paracetamol to ibuprofen or indomethacin in neonates with PDA. Articles were selected based on pre-set eligibility criteria. Outcomes extracted from each study included PDA closure rates as well as adverse events rates. Results Seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this study. Five compared paracetamol to ibuprofen and one used indomethacin as a control. The studies were of good quality, with several variations in methodology. All trials reported similar closure rates of paracetamol compared to ibuprofen or indomethacin. Three studies reported similar rates of adverse events, whereas another three reported safety profiles that favoured paracetamol over ibuprofen. Conclusion Paracetamol has similar efficacy to ibuprofen and indomethacin with regards to rate of PDA closure following a course of treatment. Paracetamol is also reportedly relatively safe in terms of adverse events rates experienced by patients.

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Chasing the Anchor: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Perceptual Anchoring Deficits in Developmental Dyslexia

10.31234/osf.io/amzpj ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kurt D Shulver ◽

Nicholas A Badcock

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Reading Ability ◽

English Language ◽

Prediction Interval ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Visual Assessment ◽

Individual Performance ◽

Future Research ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Eligibility Criteria

We report the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the relationship between perceptual anchoring and dyslexia. Our goal was to assess the direction and degree of effect between perceptual anchoring and reading ability in typical and atypical (dyslexic) readers. We performed a literature search of experiments explicitly assessing perceptual anchoring and reading ability using PsycInfo (Ovid, 1860 to 2020), MEDLINE (Ovid, 1860 to 2019), EMBASE (Ovid, 1883 to 2019), and PubMed for all available years up to June (2020). Our eligibility criteria consisted of English-language articles and, at minimum, one experimental group identified as dyslexic - either by reading assessment at the time, or by previous diagnosis. We assessed for risk of bias using an adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Six studies were included in this review, but only five (n = 280 participants) were included in the meta-analysis (we were unable to access the necessary data for one study).The overall effect was negative, large and statistically significant; g = -0.87, 95% CI [-1.47, 0.27]: a negative effect size indicating less perceptual anchoring in dyslexic versus non-dyslexic groups. Visual assessment of funnel plot and Egger’s test suggest minimal bias but with significant heterogeneity; Q (4) = 9.70, PI (prediction interval) [-2.32, -0.58]. The primary limitation of the current review is the small number of included studies. We discuss methodological limitations, such as limited power, and how future research may redress these concerns. The variability of effect sizes appears consistent with the inherent variability within subtypes of dyslexia. This level of dispersion seems indicative of the how we define cut-off thresholds between typical reading and dyslexia populations, but also the methodological tools we use to investigate individual performance.

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Covid-19 and Autoimmune Diseases: A Systematic Review of Reported Cases

Current Rheumatology Reviews ◽

10.2174/1573397116666201029155856 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

Author(s):

Mariam Ahmed Saad ◽

Mostafa Alfishawy ◽

Mahmoud Nassar ◽

Mahmoud Mohamed ◽

Ignatius N Esene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Autoimmune Disease ◽

Kawasaki Disease ◽

Autoimmune Diseases ◽

English Language ◽

Clinical Evidence ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Thrombocytopenic Purpura ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

Viral Illness

Introduction: Over 4.9 million cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been confirmed since the worldwide pandemic began. Since the emergence of COVID-19, a number of confirmed cases reported autoimmune manifestations. Herein, we reviewed the reported COVID-19 cases with associated autoimmune manifestations. Methods: We searched PubMed database using all available keyword for COVID-19. All related studies between January 1st, 2020 to May 22nd, 2020 were reviewed. Only studies published in English language were considered. Articles were screened based on titles and abstract. All reports of confirmed COVID-19 patients who have associated clinical evidence of autoimmune disease were selected. Results: Among 10006 articles, searches yielded, Thirty-two relevant articles for full-text assessment. Twenty studies meet the eligibility criteria. The twenty eligible articles reported 33 cases of confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who developed an autoimmune disease after the onset of covid-19 symptoms. Ages of patients varied from a 6 months old infant to 89 years old female (Mean=53.9 years of 28 cases); five cases had no information regarding their age. The time between symptoms of viral illness and onset of autoimmune symptoms ranged from 2 days to 33 days (Mean of the 33 cases=9.8 days). Autoimmune diseases were one case of subacute thyroiditis (3%), two cases of Kawasaki Disease (6.1%), three cases of coagulopathy and antiphospholipid syndrome (9.1%), three cases of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (9.1%), eight cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (24.2%), and sixteen cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome (48.5%). Conclusions: COVID-19 has been implicated in the development in a range of autoimmune diseases which may shed a light on the association between autoimmune diseases and infections.

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Biomarkers predictive of treatment response in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review

Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease ◽

10.1177/1759720x211014010 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 1759720X2110140

Author(s):

Conor Magee ◽

Hannah Jethwa ◽

Oliver M. FitzGerald ◽

Deepak R. Jadon

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Psoriatic Arthritis ◽

Treatment Response ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Original Research ◽

Eligibility Criteria ◽

Psoriatic Disease ◽

Subsequent Response

Aims: The ability to predict response to treatment remains a key unmet need in psoriatic disease. We conducted a systematic review of studies relating to biomarkers associated with response to treatment in either psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods: A search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library from their inception to 2 September 2020, and conference proceedings from four major rheumatology conferences. Original research articles studying pre-treatment biomarker levels associated with subsequent response to pharmacologic treatment in either PsV or PsA were included. Results: A total of 765 articles were retrieved and after review, 44 articles (22 relating to PsV and 22 to PsA) met the systematic review’s eligibility criteria. One study examined the response to methotrexate, one the response to tofacitinib and all the other studies to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Whilst several studies examined the HLA-C*06 allele in PsV, the results were conflicting. Interleukin (IL)-12 serum levels and polymorphisms in the IL-12B gene show promise as biomarkers of treatment response in PsV. Most, but not all, studies found that higher baseline levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were associated with a better clinical response to treatment in patients with PsA. Conclusion: Several studies have identified biomarkers associated with subsequent response to treatment in psoriatic disease. However, due to the different types of biomarkers, treatments and outcome measures used, firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Further validation is needed before any of these biomarkers translate to clinical practice.

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Treatment strategies for cerebrospinal shunt infections: a systematic review of observational studies

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038978 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e038978

Author(s):

Joan L Robinson ◽

Dolores Freire ◽

Liza Bialy

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Small Sample ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Csf Shunt ◽

Entry Site ◽

Recurrence Rates ◽

Ovid Medline ◽

Shunt Infections

ObjectiveA systematic review was conducted of studies comparing time to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sterilisation or rate of recurrence with different treatment strategies for CSF shunt infections.MethodsA librarian-directed search was conducted of Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid Medline Daily and Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Wiley Cochrane Library, CINAHL Plus with Full Text via EBSCOhost, Scopus Advanced Search, and Web of Science Core Collection from 1990 to May 2019. Studies of any design that compared outcomes in groups of any age with different management strategies were included. Studies that compared complete versus incomplete shunt removal were excluded. Quality assessment was performed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsThe search identified 2208 records, of which 8 met the inclusion criteria. All were cohort studies of moderate quality. Four studies compared the duration of antibiotics; none demonstrates that a longer course prevented recurrences. Two studies analysed addition of rifampin, with one showing a decrease in recurrences while the other had a small sample size. No studies analysed the addition of intraventricular antibiotics, but one showed equally good results with once versus twice daily administration. One study reported no difference in recurrences with placement of antibiotic-impregnated catheters. Recurrence rates did not differ with shunt replacement minimum of 7 days vs less than 7 days after CSF became sterile. There were no recurrences in either group when shunt replacement was performed after sterile CSF cultures were obtained at 24 vs 48 hours after antibiotics were discontinued. A new shunt entry site did not decrease recurrences.DiscussionThe main limitations are the lack of high-quality studies, the small sample sizes and the heterogeneity which precluded meta-analysis. Addition of rifampin for staphylococcal infections may decrease relapse but requires further study.

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Ionizing Radiation Protein Biomarkers in Normal Tissue and Their Correlation to Radiosensitivity: A Systematic Review

Journal of Personalized Medicine ◽

10.3390/jpm11020140 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 140

Author(s):

Prabal Subedi ◽

Maria Gomolka ◽

Simone Moertl ◽

Anne Dietz

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Ionizing Radiation ◽

Normal Tissue ◽

English Language ◽

Kinase Inhibitor ◽

Personalised Medicine ◽

Model Systems ◽

Second Phase ◽

Limited Information ◽

Eligibility Criteria

Background and objectives: Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) has increased immensely over the past years, owing to diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. However, certain radiosensitive individuals show toxic enhanced reaction to IR, and it is necessary to specifically protect them from unwanted exposure. Although predicting radiosensitivity is the way forward in the field of personalised medicine, there is limited information on the potential biomarkers. The aim of this systematic review is to identify evidence from a range of literature in order to present the status quo of our knowledge of IR-induced changes in protein expression in normal tissues, which can be correlated to radiosensitivity. Methods: Studies were searched in NCBI Pubmed and in ISI Web of Science databases and field experts were consulted for relevant studies. Primary peer-reviewed studies in English language within the time-frame of 2011 to 2020 were considered. Human non-tumour tissues and human-derived non-tumour model systems that have been exposed to IR were considered if they reported changes in protein levels, which could be correlated to radiosensitivity. At least two reviewers screened the titles, keywords, and abstracts of the studies against the eligibility criteria at the first phase and full texts of potential studies at the second phase. Similarly, at least two reviewers manually extracted the data and accessed the risk of bias (National Toxicology Program/Office for Health Assessment and Translation—NTP/OHAT) for the included studies. Finally, the data were synthesised narratively in accordance to synthesis without meta analyses (SWiM) method. Results: In total, 28 studies were included in this review. Most of the records (16) demonstrated increased residual DNA damage in radiosensitive individuals compared to normo-sensitive individuals based on γH2AX and TP53BP1. Overall, 15 studies included proteins other than DNA repair foci, of which five proteins were selected, Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Caspase 3, p16INK4A (Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A, CDKN2A), Interleukin-6, and Interleukin-1β, that were connected to radiosensitivity in normal tissue and were reported at least in two independent studies. Conclusions and implication of key findings: A majority of studies used repair foci as a tool to predict radiosensitivity. However, its correlation to outcome parameters such as repair deficient cell lines and patients, as well as an association to moderate and severe clinical radiation reactions, still remain contradictory. When IR-induced proteins reported in at least two studies were considered, a protein network was discovered, which provides a direction for further studies to elucidate the mechanisms of radiosensitivity. Although the identification of only a few of the commonly reported proteins might raise a concern, this could be because (i) our eligibility criteria were strict and (ii) radiosensitivity is influenced by multiple factors. Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42020220064).

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