scholarly journals Toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised patients in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1503-1510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Ahmadpour ◽  
Ahmad Daryani ◽  
Mahdi Sharif ◽  
Shahabeddin Sarvi ◽  
Mohsen Aarabi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Seroprevalence Rate ◽  
Immunocompromised Patients ◽  
Toxoplasma Infection ◽  
Hiv Aids

Although toxoplasmosis in immunocompetent individuals is generally asymptomatic, in immunocompromised patients (HIV/AIDS, cancer, and transplant patients), it can lead to serious pathological effects. This study included a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively assess the seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma infection in immunocompromised patients in Iran. Electronic English and Persian databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Magiran, Scientific Information Database [SID], IranMedex, and IranDoc), parasitology congresses, and projects and theses of Iranian medical universities, were systematically searched from 1997 to 2013 (published or unpublished data). In this paper, several studies that used serological methods for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis were selected. Analysis of seroprevalence estimates was pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. Twenty-two studies, comprising 2,805 individuals, were included in the meta-analysis. Overall seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma infection in Iranian immunocompromised patients was 50.01% (95% confidence interval, 43.85 to 56.17); however, there was significant heterogeneity among study groups. The results showed that seroprevalence rate of toxoplasmosis among transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS, and cancer patients in Iran was 55.1%, 50.05%, and 45.06%, respectively. In addition, IgM seroprevalence rate was estimated to be 4.85% (95% confidence interval, 2.22 to 8.41). This systematic review and meta-analysis identified a high seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma infection among immunocompromised patients (50%).Consideration of management , design and provision of appropriate control measures of toxoplasmosis is highly recommended.

scholarly journals The association between lithium in drinking water and neuropsychiatric outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis from across 2678 regions containing 113 million

2020 ◽  
pp. 000486742096374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenton Eyre-Watt ◽  
Eesharnan Mahendran ◽  
Shuichi Suetani ◽  
Joseph Firth ◽  
Steve Kisely ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Publication Bias ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Trim And Fill

Background: Lithium in drinking water may have significant mental health benefits. We investigated the evidence on the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and their neuropsychiatric outcomes. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and CINAHL up to 19 January 2020, for peer-reviewed research examining the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and neuropsychiatric outcomes. We used a pairwise analysis and a random effects model to meta-analyse suicide rates and psychiatric hospital admissions. We assessed for publication bias using Egger’s test and Duval and Tweedie’s Trim and Fill analysis. Results: Twenty-seven studies including 113 million subjects were included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis of 14 studies including 94 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with reduced suicide rates ( r = −0.191, 95% confidence interval = [−0.287, −0.090], p < 0.001) and meta-analysis of two studies including 5 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with fewer hospital admissions ( r = −0.413, 95% confidence interval = [−0.689, −0.031], p = 0.035). We found significant heterogeneity between studies ( Q = 67.4, p < 0.001, I2 = 80.7%) and the presence of publication bias (Egger’s test; t value = 2.90, p = 0.013). Other included studies did not provide sufficient data to analyse other neuropsychiatric outcomes quantitatively. Conclusion: Higher lithium concentrations in drinking water may be associated with reduced suicide rates and inpatient psychiatric admissions. The relationship with other neuropsychiatric outcomes and complications remains unclear. Further research is required before any public health recommendations can be made. Trial registration number: The study was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42018090145.

scholarly journals The prevalence of thrombocytopenia and leucopenia among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0257630
Author(s):  
Habtye Bisetegn ◽  
Hussien Ebrahim
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Hematological Parameters ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Aids Patients ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Aids

Introduction Thrombocytopenia and leucopenia are frequently encountered hematological disorders among people living with HIV/AIDS. This systematic review and meta-analysis were aimed to indicate the national prevalence of thrombocytopenia and leucopenia among HIV/AIDS patients. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search was conducted from February 01, 2021 to April 02, 2021 using electronic databases Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Google, EMBASE, SCOPUS and ResearchGate. The quality of the included studies was assessed using Newcastle—Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) adapted for cross-sectional studies. Data analysis was done using STATA version 14 using metan commands. Random effect meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of thrombocytopenia and leucopenia among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. Result Of the 349 initially searched articles, 90 were assessed for eligibility and only 13 articles published from 2014 to 2020 were included in the final meta-analysis. A total of 3854 participants were involved in the included studies. The pooled prevalence of thrombocytopenia was 9.69% (95%CI; 7.40–11.97%). Significant heterogeneity was observed with I2 value of 84.7%. Thrombocytopenia was 11.91% and 5.95% prevalent among HAART naive and HAART exposed HIV/AIDS patients, respectively. The pooled prevalence of leucopenia among HIV/AIDS patients was 17.31% (95%CI: 12.37–22.25%). Conclusion This study showed a high prevalence of thrombocytopenia and leucopenia among people living with HIV/AIDS, indicating the necessity of regular screening of HIV seropositive patients for different hematological parameters and providing treatment.

scholarly journals Cardiac Arrhythmias in Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Hamam ◽  
Ahmed Goda ◽  
Moustafa Eldalal ◽  
Amr Ussama ◽  
Mostafa Fahmy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Cardiac Arrhythmia ◽  
Cardiac Arrhythmias ◽  
Early Identification ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity

Background: Cardiac arrhythmia cannot be overlooked in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it carries a great influence on the outcomes. Hence, this study aimed to build concrete evidence regarding the incidence of cardiac arrhythmia in patients with COVID-19. Methods: We performed a systematic search for trusted databases/search engines including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library and web of science. After screening, the relevant data were extracted and the incidences from the different included studies were pooled for meta-analysis. Results: Nine studies were finally included in our study consisting of 1445 patients. The results of meta-analysis showed that the incidence of arrhythmia in patients with COVID-19 was 19.7% with 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 11.7 to 27.6%. There was also a significant heterogeneity (I2 = 94.67%). Conclusion: Cardiac arrhythmias were highly frequent in patients with COVID-19 and observed in 19.7% of them. Appropriate monitoring by electrocardiogram with accurate and early identification of arrhythmias is important for better management and outcomes.

scholarly journals Quality of Life of People with HIV/AIDS in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza MALEKI ◽  
Naser DERAKHSHANI ◽  
Saber AZAMI-AGHDASH ◽  
Mehran NADERI ◽  
Mahdi NIKOOMANESH
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Academic Education ◽  
Aids Patients ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hiv Aids

Background: Assessing the quality of life in HIV/AIDS patients is of great importance not only for evaluating the effect of the disease, but also to measure the impact of the interventions in order to improve their quality of life in clinical researches. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients in Iran. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the literature search using the related chain of keywords was conducted from 1 Jan 1987 to 30 Apr 2019 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Iranian Scientific Information Database (SID), and Magiran. Moreover, hand search of the key journals and the gray literature was performed. The meta-analysis was performed by CMA2 software. Results: Out of the 1576 retrieved records, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The average age of the patients was 37.15 ± 9.46 years. The average score of quality of life before and after sensitivity analysis was (39.13 [28.36-49.901 95% CI P>0.000] vs. 49.05 [46.31-51.79 95% CI P>0.000]). Moreover, the average score of quality of life was respectively 38.86±3.83 vs. 40±6.37 among married compared with single patients, 56.33±4.67 vs. 43.64±1.94 for employment vs. unemployment status. While quality of life was measured in terms of education level, the score was 29.59±9.34 vs. 41.65±4.45 in the individuals with primary school versus academic education. Conclusion: The QOL score of the HIV/AIDS patients in Iran was significantly low. Therefore, the study highlights the importance of strengthening efforts to undertake necessary investigations in order to provide adequate health insurance, extensive and affordable welfare services, and more appropriate social and mental supports in order to improve the quality of life of the individuals with HIV/AIDS in Iran.

scholarly journals Pulmonary Embolism in Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Hamam ◽  
Ahmed Goda ◽  
Radwa Awad ◽  
Amr Ussama ◽  
Moustafa Eldalal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Pulmonary Embolism ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Systematic Search ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Incidence And Mortality

ABSTRACTBackgroundThere is an increasing evidence that COVID-19 could be complicated by coagulopathy which may lead to death; especially in severe cases. Hence, this study aimed to build concrete evidence regarding the incidence and mortality of pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with COVID-19.MethodsWe performed a systematic search for trusted databases/search engines including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library and Web of Science. After screening, the relevant data were extracted and the incidences and mortality rates from the different included studies were pooled for meta-analysis.ResultsTwenty studies were finally included in our study consisting of 1896 patients. The results of the meta-analysis for the all included studies showed that the incidence of PE in patients with COVID-19 was 17.6% with the 95% confidence interval (CI) of 12.7 to 22.5%. There was significant heterogeneity (I2□=□91.17%). Additionally, the results of meta-analysis including 8 studies showed that the mortality in patients with both PE and COVID-19 was 43.1% with the 95% confidence interval (CI) of 19 to 67.1%. There was significant heterogeneity (I2□=□86.96%).ConclusionPE was highly frequent in patients with COVID-19. The mortality in patients with both COVID-19 and PE was remarkable representing almost half of the patients. Appropriate prophylaxis and management are vital for better outcomes.

Psychopathology in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence

Autism ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Schnabel ◽  
George J Youssef ◽  
David J Hallford ◽  
Eliza J Hartley ◽  
Jane A McGillivray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Psychological Disorders ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder appear to experience high levels of psychological distress, yet little is known about the prevalence of psychological disorders in this population. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the proportion of these parents who experience clinically significant psychopathology. Articles reporting proportions of psychological disorders in a sample of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder were located. The initial search returned 25,988 articles. Thirty-one studies with a total sample of 9208 parents were included in the final review. The median meta-analytic proportions were 31% (95% confidence interval = [24%, 38%]) for depressive disorders, 33% (95% confidence interval = [20%, 48%]) for anxiety disorders, 10% (95% confidence interval = [1%, 41%]) for obsessive-compulsive disorder, 4% (95% confidence interval = [0%, 22%]) for personality disorders, 2% (95% confidence interval = [1%, 4%]) for alcohol and substance use disorders and 1% (95% confidence interval = [0%, 5%]) for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Significant heterogeneity was detected in these categories. Further research is needed to gain more insight into variables that may moderate parental psychopathology. This review and meta-analysis is the first to provide prevalence estimates of psychological disorders in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

scholarly journals Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure Tool for Evaluating the Educational Environment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (F) ◽  
pp. 108-116
Author(s):  
Faraz Ahmed Farooqi ◽  
Soban Qadir Khan ◽  
Abdul Khabeer ◽  
Saqib Ali ◽  
Asim Al-Ansari
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Random Effect Model ◽  
Educational Environment ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
Group 2

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review was to study the literature evaluating the educational environment by using DREEM tool and compute overall mean DREEM score by using Meta-analysis. Further, variation in DREEM score was also studied by distributing studies into different time periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and Web of Science databases, followed by review and analysis. All the studies which used DREEM as a tool, published from 1997 to December 2015 were included. Heterogeneity between the studies was assessed by I2-coefficient and Q-statistics. Where significant heterogeneity existed random effect, model was used. Egger’s symmetric test and Begg’s funnel plot was used to study possibility of publication bias. The PRISMA Guideline for systematics review was used. RESULTS: Out of 128 published DREEM studies, 43 passed the criteria and included in analysis. Overall mean DREEM score through Meta-analysis was 2.426 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.34-2.52). Studies were divided into two groups for analyzing the time effect. Mean score of the studies published during 1997 to 2009 (group 1) was 2.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.35-2.64) and for the studies from 2010 to 2015 (group 2) was 2.39 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.29-2.5). CONCLUSION: Overall DREEM score was more towards positive side than negative. Current review revealed that DREEM has not been used as predictor for achievement of any medical college instead it can be used to predict high and low achievers in a medical school. This review can signify DREEM to be suitable and consistent tool showing learning environment of institute and student’s prerequisites.

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

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.

scholarly journals Impact of interstitial lung disease on mortality in ANCA-associated vasculitis: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 147997312199456
Author(s):  
Peining Zhou ◽  
Jing Ma ◽  
Guangfa Wang
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Interstitial Lung Disease ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Lung Disease ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Anca Associated Vasculitis ◽  
Retrospective Cohort Studies

Several retrospectivee described the association of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). However, the relationship between the ILD and mortality in AAV patients have not been established so far. This study aims to estimate the relevance of AAV-associated-ILD (AAV-ILD) and mortality risk by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.A comprehensive systematic review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses). PubMed, Embase.com and the Cochrane Library (Wiley) were searched for original observational studies. Summary estimates were derived with a random-effects model and reported as risk ratio (RR), tested for publication bias and heterogeneity. Ten retrospective cohort studies were included, comprising 526 AAV-ILD patients enrolled from 1974 to 2018. Meta-analysis yielded a pooled RR of 2.90 (95% confidence interval 1.77–4.74) for death among those with AAV-ILD compared to control group. UIP pattern was associated with an even poorer prognosis in comparison to non-UIP pattern (RR 4.36, 95% confidence interval 1.14–16.78). Sensitivity analysis suggested that the meta-RR result was not skewed by a single dominant study. ILD might be associated with a higher mortality risk in AAV patients.

scholarly journals The high risk of malarial recurrence in patients with Plasmodium-mixed infection after treatment with antimalarial drugs: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aongart Mahittikorn ◽  
Frederick Ramirez Masangkay ◽  
Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui ◽  
Giovanni De Jesus Milanez ◽  
Manas Kotepui
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Infection ◽  
Subgroup Analysis ◽  
Initial Treatment ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Antimalarial Drugs ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background Malaria mixed infections are often unrecognized by microscopists in the hospitals, and a delay or failure to treat Plasmodium-mixed infection may lead to aggravated morbidity and increased mortality. The present study aimed to quantify the pooled proportion and risk of malarial recurrences after the treatment of Plasmodium-mixed infection. The results of the study may provide benefits in the management of Plasmodium-mixed infection in co-endemic regions. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis searched the international Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; ID = CRD42020199709), MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus for potentially relevant studies in any language published between January 1, 1936, and July 20, 2020, assessing drug efficacy in patients with Plasmodium-mixed infection. The primary outcome was the pooled prevalence of Plasmodium parasitemia after initiating antimalarial treatment for Plasmodium-mixed infection. The secondary outcome was the pooled risk ratio (RR) of malarial recurrence in Plasmodium-mixed infection compared with those in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax mono-infection. The pooled analyses were calculated by random-effects meta-analysis. After the initial treatment in different days of recurrences (≤ 28 days or > 28 days), the risk of Plasmodium parasitemia was compared in subgroup analysis. Results Out of 5217 screened studies, 11 were included in the meta-analysis, including 4390 patients from six countries. The pooled prevalence of all recurrences of Plasmodium-mixed parasitemia was 30% (95% confidence interval (CI) 16–43; I2: 99.2%; 11 studies). The RR of malarial recurrence within 28 days after the initial treatment (clinical treatment failure) of Plasmodium-mixed parasitemia compared with the treatment of P. falciparum was 1.22 (p: 0.029; 95% CI 1.02–1.47; Cochran Q: 0.93; I2: 0%; six studies), while there was no significant difference in the risk of recurrence 28 days after initial treatment compared with the treatment of P. falciparum (p: 0.696, RR: 1.14; 95% CI 0.59–2.18; Cochran Q < 0.05; I2: 98.2%; four studies). The subgroup analysis of antimalarial drugs showed that significant malarial recurrence within 28 days was observed in patients treated with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) with no significant heterogeneity (p: 0.028, RR: 1.31; 95% CI 1.03–1.66; Cochran Q: 0.834; I2: 0%). Conclusions The present findings showed a high prevalence of malarial recurrence after the initial treatment of Plasmodium-mixed infection. Moreover, significant malaria recurrence of mixed infection occurred within 28 days after treatment with ACTs. Graphic Abstract

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