scholarly journals Do Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Promote Good Health in Humans? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Randomized Controlled Trials

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 3701
Author(s):  
Nchanji Eileen Bogweh ◽  
Odhiambo Collins Ageyo

The common bean is a nutrient-dense food empirically known to have beneficial effects on human health. Many studies have looked at the effects of “pulses” on different health issues, providing general overviews of the importance of each pulse in health studies. This study systematically reviews and provides meta-analyses of the effect of bean extract as a supplement or whole bean on four health issues (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cancers) from a dissection of clinical and randomized controlled trials using human subjects. A digital search in PubMed and Google ScholarTM resulted in 340 articles, with only 23 peer-reviewed articles matching our inclusion criteria. Findings indicated that common beans reduced LDL cholesterol by 19 percent, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 11 percent, and coronary heart disease (CHD) by 22 percent. Besides this, we noted variances in the literature on cancer findings, with some authors stating it reduced the proliferation of some kinds of tumor cells and reduced the growth of polyps, while others did not specifically examine cancers but the predisposing factors alone. However, diabetes studies indicated that the postprandial glucose level at the peak of 60 min for common bean consumers was low (mean difference = −2.01; 95% CI [−4.6, −0.63]), but the difference between the treated and control was not significant, and there was a high level of heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 98%). Only obesity studies indicated a significantly high level of weight gain among control groups (mean difference = 1.62; 95% CI [0.37, 2.86]). There is a need for additional clinical trials using a standardized measure to indicate the real effect of the common bean on health.

2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452110038
Author(s):  
C.E. Fernández ◽  
C.A. Maturana ◽  
S.I. Coloma ◽  
A. Carrasco-Labra ◽  
R.A. Giacaman

The dental profession has experienced a dramatic acceleration in the use of communication systems and information-based technologies over recent years, originating new paradigms for the prevention and promotion of oral health. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effect of teledentistry-based (telematic) strategies, reported in randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized trials, with a focus on oral health prevention and promotion–related outcomes in patients of all ages. We searched Medline via PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science from inception until August 2020, regardless of the language of publication. We selected studies for inclusion and conducted data extraction, assessed risk of bias (Cochrane tool), and evaluated the certainty of the evidence (GRADE approach) in duplicate and independently. Out of 898 potentially eligible references, we selected 43 for full-text screening, of which 19 studies proved eligible: 18 randomized controlled trials and 1 quasi-randomized study. Virtual interventions were mostly asynchronous via apps ( n = 9), text messages ( n = 9), or computer-aided learning ( n = 1). The use of teledentistry as compared with conventional strategies may result in a large reduction in the plaque index (standardized mean difference, −1.18; 95% CI, −1.54 to −0.82; I2 = 92%; low certainty) and will likely result in a large reduction in the gingival index (standardized mean difference, −2.17; 95% CI, −3.15 to −1.19; I2 = 97%; moderate certainty) and in the incidence of white spot lesions (risk ratio, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.66; I2 = 0%; moderate certainty), with an increased effect over time. Evidence suggests that teledentistry, particularly mHealth (messages and apps), is a promising clinical tool for preventing and promoting oral health, especially under the accelerated virtualization of dentistry. Future studies should include a broader spectrum of the population, including adults and elders, to better inform policy and implementation of teledentistry (PROSPERO: CRD42020192685).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reetika Khera

Questions of ethics in Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in development economics need greater attention and a wider perspective. RCTs are meant to be governed by the three principles laid out in the Belmont Report, but often violated them, e.g. when local laws are flouted. In other cases, the framework of the Belmont Report itself has proved inadequate: for instance, when there are unintended outcomes or adverse events for which no-one is held accountable. Primarily using RCTs conducted in India, this paper highlights eight areas of concern. RCTs also have a disproportionate influence on shaping research agendas and on policy. Though ethical issues have been raised, there has been little engagement from the RCT community – a manifestation of its power in the profession. As current safeguards (such as oversight by Institutional Review Boards) have failed to protect human subjects, the concluding section discusses possible ways to resolve these issues.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Domínguez-Rodríguez ◽  
Pedro Abreu-González ◽  
Néstor Báez-Ferrer ◽  
Russel J. Reiter ◽  
Pablo Avanzas ◽  
...  

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury represents a critical problem associated with interventional approaches for coronary reperfusion. Pharmacological cardioprotective interventions are advocated to ameliorate IR injury. Melatonin is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent with a wide range of therapeutic properties that may contribute to its cardioprotective effects. No systematic review or meta-analysis has compared melatonin vs. placebo as a cardioprotective agent in humans. The present study, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis, was carried out to assess melatonin's efficacy as a cardioprotective treatment. We performed a systematic review of the available literature. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified and information was extracted using predefined data extraction forms. The primary outcomes were (a) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and (b) blood troponin levels in patients who underwent myocardial revascularization and were randomized to melatonin or placebo. The inverse-variance random-effects method was used to pool the estimates. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. Weighted mean differences or standardized mean differences were calculated. A total of 283 records were screened and seven RCTs met all the inclusion criteria. After the pooled analysis, the results on LVEF were consistent across all studies, and a significant heterogeneity was found in the results on troponin levels. The melatonin-treated patients had on average higher LVEF than the placebo-treated individuals with a weighted mean difference = 3.1% (95% CI 0.6–5.5, p = 0.01). Five works compared the levels of troponin after melatonin or placebo treatment. The melatonin-treated patients had lower levels of troponin with a standardized mean difference = −1.76 (95% CI −2.85 to −0.67, p = 0.002). The findings of this meta-analysis revealed that melatonin administration in humans as a cardioprotective agent attenuated heart dysfunction with a favorable effect on the LVEF.


2020 ◽  
pp. 001857872092538
Author(s):  
Ayman Antoun Reyad ◽  
Kiran Plaha ◽  
Eriny Girgis ◽  
Raafat Mishriky

Background: Fluoxetine is a serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor antidepressant and is the only approved pharmacological treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescent. Methods: We searched the published randomized controlled-trials to review fluoxetine efficacy and tolerability using the databases PubMed, EudraCT, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for fluoxetine role in managing MDD in children and adolescents. A meta-analysis was conducted using the identified 7 clinical trials to assess efficacy using the outcomes: Children's Depression Rating Scale–Revised (CDRS-R), Clinical Global Impressions–Severity of Illness (CGI-S) and Clinical Global Impressions–Improvement (CGI-I) response rate. The risk of discontinuation due to adverse effects and common side effects were examined. Results: The mean difference in change from baseline for CDRS-R was −2.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], −3.96, −1.48) favoring fluoxetine treatment ( P < .001). Similarly, mean difference for CGI-S was −0.21 (95% CI, −0.36, −0.06). The risk ratio (RR) of discontinuing due to adverse events was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.54, 1.83), with RR for headache side effects 1.34 (95% CI, 1.03, 1.74) and rash 2.6 (95% CI, 1.32, 5.14). Conclusion: Fluoxetine demonstrates significant improvements in symptom intensity control in young patients suffering from MDD and is considered well tolerated with similar rates of trials discontinuation; however, fluoxetine was associated with a higher risk of headache and rash side effects. These findings will guide psychiatrists and pharmacists in their clinical role for supporting the care of young mental health patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-112
Author(s):  
Mikyung Kim ◽  
Chang-ho Han

Objectives: ncluding stroke. The aim of this study was to systematically review the clinical evidence of CT for stroke.Methods: To identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting the effectiveness and/or safety of CT, seven databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for articles published from January 2000 to February 2021 without language restrictions. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software and the results were presented as mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD) for continuous variables and odds ratio (OR) for diverse variables with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Assessment of the methodological quality of the eligible trials was conducted using the Cochrane Collaboration tool for risk of bias in RCTs.Results: Twenty-two RCTs with 1653 participants were included in the final analysis. CT provided additional benefit in improving upper limb motor function (Fugl-Meyer assessment for upper limb motor function, MD 6.91, 95% CI 4.64 to 1.67, P<0.00001) and spasticity (response rate, OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.31 to 8.22, P=0.08) in stroke survivors receiving conventional medical treatment. These findings were supported with a moderate level of evidence. CT did not significantly increase the occurrence of adverse events.Conclusions: This study demonstrated the potential of CT to be beneficial in managing a variety of complications in stroke survivors. However, to compensate for the shortcomings of the existing evidence, rigorously designed large-scale RCTs are warranted in the future.


2019 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanping Shao ◽  
Wenda Luo ◽  
Haiyan Xu ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Qunyi Guo

Introduction: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to explore the influence of ferumoxytol versus placebo on iron deficiency anemia. Methods: We search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of ferumoxytol on iron deficiency anemia on PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effects model. Results: Four RCTs are included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the control group for iron deficiency anemia, intravenous ferumoxytol can significantly improve the proportion of patients with a ≥20 g/L hemoglobin (Hb) increase (RR = 18.43; 95% CI = 7.29–46.57; p < 0.00001), the proportion of patients with an Hb level ≥120 g/L (RR = 18.55; 95% CI = 8.66–39.72; p < 0.00001), transferrin saturation (mean difference = 11.08; 95% CI = 9.86–12.31; p < 0.00001) and FACIT-fatigue score (mean difference = 4.60; 95% CI = 3.21–6.00; p < 0.00001), but has no remarkable influence on adverse events (RR = 1.33; 95% CI = 0.84–2.10; p = 0.22), serious adverse events (RR = 1.22; 95% CI = 0.74–2.02; p = 0.44), and death (RR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.05–1.95; p = 0.22). Conclusions: Intravenous ferumoxytol can provide the important benefits for iron deficiency anemia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Xiaojiao Duan ◽  
Haojia Wang ◽  
Jiarui Wu ◽  
Yubo Guo ◽  
Kaihuan Wang ◽  
...  

Introduction. Pediatric bronchopneumonia is one of the common respiratory diseases in pediatrics. Chinese herbal injections (CHIs) are widely used to treat pediatric bronchopneumonia. In this study, we examined the efficacy of CHIs in the treatment of pediatric bronchopneumonia using a network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CHIs combined western medicine (WM) versus WM were searched from electronic databases. WinBUGS 1.4.3 and Stata 13.0 were adopted to compute calculations and prepare graphs, respectively. Results. 168 RCTs with 21917 patients were included. The results revealed that Xixinnao injection (XXN) + WM had the most probability to be the best intervention in the four aspects of rate of clinical efficacy, antipyretic time, cough disappearance time, and lung shadow disappearance time. While as to lung shadow disappearance time, asthma disappearance time, and hospitalization time, Yanhuning injection (YHN) + WM could be the best intervention. The safety of CHIs needs to be further assessed. Conclusions. Based on this NMA, XXN + WM and YHN + WM were potential optimal therapies in pediatric bronchopneumonia, and their safety should be strictly monitored.


Cholesterol ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Komal Shah ◽  
Pratik Shah

Purpose. To assess combined data from seventeen randomized controlled trials studying effect of anthocyanin consumption on levels of various lipids and inflammatory markers with meta-analysis approach. Methods. Various databases, namely, PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Trial Register were used to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating an association between anthocyanins and lipid profile and inflammatory markers. Heterogeneity was assessed using Q and I2 statistics and data was expressed using mean difference with 95% confidence interval. Results. Statistically significant reduction in triglyceride [mean difference (MD) = −9.16, 95% CI: −14.02 to −4.31 mg/dL, I2=33.54%, P=0.149], low density lipoprotein [MD = −8.86, 95% CI: −11.17 to −20.02 mg/dL, I2 = 37.75%, P=0.098], and apolipoprotein B [MD = −7.13, 95% CI: −8.66 to −5.59 mg/dL, I2=20.42%, P=0.287] levels and increase in high-density lipoprotein [MD = 1.67, 95% CI: 0.8 to 2.54 mg/dL, I2=44.88%, P=0.053] and apolipoprotein A-1 [MD = 6.1, 95% CI: 4.51 to 7.69 mg/dL, I2=6.95%, P=0.358] levels were observed with anthocyanin supplementation. Levels of inflammatory markers were found to reduce [TNF-∞ - MD = −1.98, 95% CI: −2.40 to −1.55 pg/mL, I2=0%, P=0.975; IL-6 - MD = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.8 to 1.53 pg/mL, I2=0%, P=0.825; hs-CRP - MD = 0.164, 95% CI: −0.06 to 0.39 mg/dL, I2=0%, P=0.569]. Though the effect on TC, IL-6, and hs-CRP was positive, it was nonsignificant in nature. Conclusion. Anthocyanin supplementation significantly improves lipid profile and inflammatory status. However, future trials with sufficient sample size are recommended to substantiate the findings especially for the parameters showing nonsignificant improvement.


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