Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 79 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Yang L, Guo Z, Qi S, Fang T, Zhu H, Santos HO, et al.
    Complement Ther Med, 2020 Aug;52:102505.
    PMID: 32951753 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102505
    BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Walnut intake is considered a healthy dietary approach worldwide, particularly as a nutritional tool for the management of obesity and cardiometabolic disorders. Among these lines, leptin and adiponectin, as well as glycemic biomarkers, deserve further attention. We aimed to examine the impact of walnut intake on circulation levels of leptin and adiponectin through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs); secondarily, assessing the glycemic profile as well.

    METHODS: The literature search was implemented in four following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed/Medline, and Google Scholar, thus, determining studies that measured the effects of walnut consumption on adiponectin, leptin, and glycemic biomarkers levels from 2004 up to December 2019.

    RESULTS: Fourteen trials were include in the meta-analysis, with an intervention period ranging from 5 weeks to 12 months.Walnut intake increased leptin (weighted mean difference (WMD): 2.502 ng/mL; 95 % CI: 2.147-2.856, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  2. Rhodes NJ, Liu J, O'Donnell JN, Dulhunty JM, Abdul-Aziz MH, Berko PY, et al.
    Crit Care Med, 2018 02;46(2):236-243.
    PMID: 29116995 DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002836
    OBJECTIVE: Piperacillin-tazobactam is a commonly used antibiotic in critically ill patients; however, controversy exists as to whether mortality in serious infections can be decreased through administration by prolonged infusion compared with intermittent infusion. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to describe the impact of prolonged infusion piperacillin-tazobactam schemes on clinical endpoints in severely ill patients.

    DESIGN: We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis searching MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane Library from inception to April 1, 2017, for studies.

    INTERVENTIONS: Mortality rates were compared between severely ill patients receiving piperacillin-tazobactam via prolonged infusion or intermittent infusion. Included studies must have reported severity of illness scores, which were transformed into average study-level mortality probabilities.

    MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two investigators independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts of studies meeting inclusion criteria for this systematic review and meta-analysis. Variables included author name, publication year, study design, demographics, total daily dose(s), average estimated creatinine clearance, type of prolonged infusion, prevalence of combination therapy, severity of illness scores, infectious sources, all-cause mortality, clinical cure, microbiological cure, and hospital and ICU length of stay. The review identified 18 studies including 3,401 patients who received piperacillin-tazobactam, 56.7% via prolonged infusion. Across all studies, the majority of patients had an identified primary infectious source. Receipt of prolonged infusion was associated with a 1.46-fold lower odds of mortality (95% CI, 1.20-1.77) in the pooled analysis. Patients receiving prolonged infusion had a 1.77-fold higher odds of clinical cure (95% CI, 1.24-2.54) and a 1.22-fold higher odds of microbiological cure (95% CI, 0.84-1.77). Subanalyses were conducted according to high (≥ 20%) and low (< 20%) average study-level mortality probabilities. In studies reporting higher mortality probabilities, effect sizes were variable but similar to the pooled results.

    CONCLUSIONS: Receipt of prolonged infusion of piperacillin-tazobactam was associated with reduced mortality and improved clinical cure rates across diverse cohorts of severely ill patients.

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  3. Selim Ahmed
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Early childhood development (ECD) refers to cognitive, emotional and social development of young children. First three years of life are very crucial for ECD because during this time, brain grows fastest and is most responsive and receptive. Plenty of new connections (synapses) are formed in brain so that children acquire 85% of adult’s brain volume by this age. Proper nutrition and positive stimulation are essential during this time. Play positively stimulates the brain and helps to create more, healthy inter-neuronal connections. The objective of this review was to make a constellation of research works and explore to learn the concept of ECD and its relationship with play. Methods: An extensive literature search was done using the key words: ‘early childhood development and play’; ‘play and brain development in children’; ‘neuroplasticity and play’; ‘how do children learn’; ‘synaptic connections and early childhood development’; and ‘can play make children intelligent’. The databases explored for the resources included Medline (PubMed), PsycINFO, Teacher Reference Center, Child Encyclopedia, Health & Education Advice & Resource Team (HEART) database, Catholic Relief Services database, UNICEF & World Bank databases, and Cochrane review. Results: The result of the review work showed that play has a temporal and linear relationship with cognitive and social development among preschool children. Conclusion: In this era of screen addiction, parents spend free time in social media and the kids playing or watching video games. It is contextual to propagate the concept of ECD and raise the awareness so that parents are motivated to spend more time playing with their children. No investment in human capital can be worth more than this.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  4. Mohd Rosli RR, Norhayati MN, Ismail SB
    PeerJ, 2021;9:e10527.
    PMID: 33520436 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10527
    Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is commonly treated with iron formulations. Despite the expanding acceptance of iron polymaltose complex (IPC) among clinicians, there is sparse and contradictory evidence regarding its efficacy in the management of IDA in children. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness of IPC in the treatment and prevention of IDA in children.

    Methods: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE and Epistemonikos for all randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing oral IPC with standard oral iron supplementation for the treatment or prevention of IDA in children. We independently screened the titles and abstracts of identified trials before the full text of relevant trials was evaluated for eligibility. We then independently extracted data on the methods, interventions, outcomes, and risk of bias from the included trials. A random-effects model was used to estimate the risk ratios and mean differences with 95% confidence intervals.

    Results: Eight trials comprising 493 randomized patients were included and analyzed using three comparison groups. The comparison group of which was used to evaluate IPC and ferrous sulphate (FS) for treatment of IDA showed that IPC is less effective in increasing Hb (MD -0.81, 95% CI -1.08 to -0.53; I2 = 48%, P 

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  5. Zahedi H, Djalalinia S, Sadeghi O, Zare Garizi F, Asayesh H, Payab M, et al.
    Nutr Neurosci, 2020 Dec 14.
    PMID: 33314992 DOI: 10.1080/1028415X.2020.1853411
    OBJECTIVE: Several studies have been conducted on the relationship between breakfast consumption and mental health with conflicting results. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to summarize evidences on the association between skipping breakfast and mental health.

    METHODS: We searched online databases for all related papers through the comprehensive international data bases of Institute of PubMed/ MEDLINE, ISI/WOS and Scopus up to December 2019, using relevant keywords. Overall, 14 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis.

    RESULTS: The total sample size of all selected studies was 399,550 individuals with age range of 6 to ≥65 years old. We found a significant positive association between skipping breakfast and Odds Ratio (OR) of depression (pooled OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.34-1.44), stress (pooled OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04-1.43) and psychological distress (pooled OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.47-1.62). In contrast, there was no significant association between skipping breakfast and anxiety in all age cohort (pooled OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.97-1.65). However, subgroup analysis based on age stratification showed that there was a significant positive association between skipping breakfast and anxiety in adolescences (pooled OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.25-1.77).

    CONCLUSION: In conclusion, skipping breakfast was positively associated with odds of depression, stress and psychological distress in all age groups and anxiety in adolescence, underlining impact of breakfast on mental health.

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  6. Yousuf A, Mohd Arifin SR, Musa R, Md Isa ML
    PMID: 32174997 DOI: 10.2174/1745017901915010153
    Background: Depression is the most common mental disorder and a leading cause of disability, which commonly presents unexplained psychological and physical symptoms. Depression and HIV/AIDS are commonly comorbid. This review provides an insight into the effect of depression on disease progression among people living with HIV.

    Methods: A search for relevant articles was conducted using a database like MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO and CINAHL. Peer-reviewed English journals published between 2015 and 2019 were included in the review.

    Results: A total of eight studies conducted in different settings were included in the review. This review has found that psychosocial, neurohormonal and virologic factors associated with depression affect HIV disease progression. Yet, the chronicity of depression, absence of the hormones that have a buffer effect on depression and lack of examination if depression is a predictor, or an outcome of disease progression, were some of the gaps that require further investigation.

    Conclusion: Considerably, more research is needed to better understand the effect of mental disorder, especially depression, on HIV disease progression to AIDS and future interventions should, therefore, concentrate on the integration of mental health screening in HIV clinical setup.

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  7. Willcox MD
    Clin Ophthalmol, 2012;6:919-24.
    PMID: 22791973 DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S25168
    Pubmed and Medline were searched for articles referring to Pseudomonas keratitis between the years 2007 and 2012 to obtain an overview of the current state of this disease. Keyword searches used the terms "Pseudomonas" + "Keratitis" limit to "2007-2012", and ["Ulcerative" or "Microbial"] + "Keratitis" + "Contact lenses" limit to "2007-2012". These articles were then reviewed for information on the percentage of microbial keratitis cases associated with contact lens wear, the frequency of Pseudomonas sp. as a causative agent of microbial keratitis around the world, the most common therapies to treat Pseudomonas keratitis, and the sensitivity of isolates of Pseudomonas to commonly prescribed antibiotics. The percentage of microbial keratitis associated with contact lens wear ranged from 0% in a study from Nepal to 54.5% from Japan. These differences may be due in part to different frequencies of contact lens wear. The frequency of Pseudomonas sp. as a causative agent of keratitis ranged from 1% in Japan to over 50% in studies from India, Malaysia, and Thailand. The most commonly reported agents used to treat Pseudomonas keratitis were either aminoglycoside (usually gentamicin) fortified with a cephalosporin, or monotherapy with a fluoroquinolone (usually ciprofloxacin). In most geographical areas, most strains of Pseudomonas sp. (≥95%) were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, but reports from India, Nigeria, and Thailand reported sensitivity to this antibiotic and similar fluoroquinolones of between 76% and 90%.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  8. Zin SRM, Kassim NM, Alshawsh MA, Hashim NE, Mohamed Z
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2017 Jul;91:611-620.
    PMID: 28486192 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.05.011
    Anastatica hierochuntica L. (A. hierochuntica) is a desert plant consumed by people across the globe to treat various medical conditions. This review is aimed at providing a summary of the scientific findings on biological activities of A. hierochuntica and suggests areas in which further research is needed. This systematic review was synthesized from the literature obtained from the following databases; PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Ovid Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar and WorldCat. Previous studies have indicated that the methanolic and aqueous extracts of this plant have antioxidant, antifungal and antimicrobial activities. It was shown to have the ability to activate phagocytes and to possess microbicidal activity, thereby causing increased resistance to infection. Both methanolic and aqueous extracts of this plant were also demonstrated to have a hypoglycaemic property, whilst the methanolic extract significantly exhibited hypolipidaemic effects in diabetic rats. Moreover, the methanolic extract of A. hierochuntica has been suggested to have hepatoprotective properties. This is supported by its ability to significantly decrease transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Besides, this desert plant exhibited anti-inflammatory, anti-melanogenic and gastroprotective activities. Even though A. hierochuntica is widely used, studies on this plant are still scarce, thus its reputed biological activities and medical benefits require critical evaluation. Before A. hierochuntica can be used clinically, further studies need to be conducted to increase our understanding of the effects of this plant, its constituents, and possible mechanisms of action.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  9. Wan A, Mat Daud S, Teh SH, Choo YM, Kutty FM
    Malays Fam Physician, 2016;11(2-3):16-19.
    PMID: 28461853
    The Clinical Practice Guidelines on Management of Neonatal Jaundice 2003 was updated by a multidisciplinary development group and approved by the Ministry of Health Malaysia in 2014. A systematic review of 13 clinical questions was conducted using evidence retrieved mainly from Medline and Cochrane databases. Critical appraisal was done using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. Recommendations were formulated based on the accepted 103 evidences and tailored to local setting as stated below. Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is a common condition seen in primary care. Multiple risk factors contribute to severe NNJ, which if untreated can lead to adverse neurological outcomes. Visual assessment, transcutaneous bilirubinometer (TcB) and total serum bilirubin (TSB) are the methods used for the detection of NNJ. Phototherapy remains the mainstay of the treatment. Babies with severe NNJ should be followed-up to detect and manage sequelae. Strategies to prevent severe NNJ include health education, identification of risk factors, proper assessment and early referral.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  10. Kua KP, Lee SWH
    Front Pharmacol, 2017;8:396.
    PMID: 28690542 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00396
    Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of combined epinephrine and corticosteroid therapy for acute bronchiolitis in infants. Methods: Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL) were searched from their inception to February 28, 2017 for studies involving infants aged less than 24 months with bronchiolitis which assessed the use of epinephrine and corticosteroid combination therapy. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias Tool. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool the effect estimates. The primary outcomes were hospital admission rate and length of hospital stay. Results: Of 1,489 citations identified, 5 randomized controlled trials involving 1,157 patients were included. All studies were of high quality and low risk of bias. Results of the meta-analysis showed no significant differences in the primary outcomes. Hospitalization rate was reduced by combinatorial therapy of epinephrine and corticosteroid in only one out of five studies, whereas pooled data indicated no benefit over epinephrine plus placebo. Clinical severity scores were significantly improved in all five RCTs when assessed individually, but no benefit was observed compared to epinephrine monotherapy when the data were pooled together. Pooled data showed that combination therapy was more effective at improving oxygen saturation level (mean difference: -0.70; 95% confidence interval: -1.17 to -0.22, p = 0.004). There was no difference in the risk of serious adverse events in infants treated with the combined epinephrine and corticosteroid therapy. Conclusions: Combination treatment of epinephrine and dexamethasone was ineffective in reducing hospital admission and length of stay among infants with bronchiolitis.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  11. Alhassan AM, Ahmed QU
    J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2016 Oct-Dec;8(4):265-271.
    PMID: 28216948 DOI: 10.4103/0975-7406.199342
    Averrhoa bilimbi Linn. is principally cultivated for medicinal purposes in many tropical and subtropical countries of the world. Literature survey about this plant shows that A. bilimbi is mainly used as a folk medicine in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and as an antimicrobial agent. The prime objective of this review is to accumulate and organize literature based on traditional claims and correlate those with current findings on the use of A. bilimbi in the management of different ailments. Through interpreting already published scientific manuscripts (1995 through 2015) retrieved from the different scientific search engines, namely Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and Science Direct databases, published articles and reports covering traditional and scientific literature related to A. bilimbi's potential role against various ailments have been thoroughly evaluated, interpreted, and discussed. Several pharmacological studies have demonstrated the ability of this plant to act as antidiabetic, antihypertensive, thrombolytic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and hypolipidemic agent. A. bilimbi holds great value in the complementary and alternative medicine as evidenced by the substantial amount of research on it. Therefore, we aimed to compile an up-to-date and comprehensive review of A. bilimbi that covers its traditional and folk medicine uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology. Hence, this paper presents an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the ethnomedicinal uses, different chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of A. bilimbi. So far, the biologically active agents have not been isolated from this plant and this can be a good scientific study for the future antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial implications. Hence, this review targets at emphasizing the diverse traditional claims and pharmacological activities of A. bilimbi with respect to carrying out more scientific studies to isolate active principles through advanced technology.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  12. Norazman Mohd Rosli, Shamsul Azhar Shah, Mohd Ihsani Mahmood
    MyJurnal
    Tuberculosis (TB) is known as a disease that prone to spatial clustering. Recent development has seen a sharp rise in the number of epidemiologic studies employing Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in identifying TB clusters and evidences of etiologic factors. The aim of this systematic review is to determine evidence of TB clustering, type of spatial analysis commonly used and the application of GIS in TB surveillance and control. A literature search of articles published in English language between 2000 and November 2015 was performed using MEDLINE and Science Direct using relevant search terms related to spatial analysis in studies of TB cluster. The search strategy was adapted and developed for each database using appropriate subject headings and keywords. The literature reviewed showed strong evidence of TB clustering occurred in high risk areas in both developed and developing countries. Spatial scan statistics were the most commonly used analysis and proved useful in TB surveillance through detection of outbreak, early warning and identifying area of increased TB transmission. Among others are targeted screening and assessment of TB program using GIS technology. However there were limitations on suitability of utilizing aggregated data such as national cencus that were pre-collected in explaining the present spatial distribution among population at risk. Spatial boundaries determined by zip code may be too large for metropolitan area or too small for country. Nevertheless, GIS is a powerful tool in aiding TB control and prevention in developing countries and should be used for real-time surveillance and decision making.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  13. Muhammad SA, Abbas AY, Saidu Y, Fakurazi S, Bilbis LS
    Biochimie, 2020 Jan;168:156-168.
    PMID: 31678635 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2019.10.016
    Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and secretome are promising therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This meta-analysis aimed to provide a precise estimate and compare the therapeutic efficacy of MSC and secretome in PAH. We searched six databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus) until December 2018 using search terms related to MSCs, secretome and PAH. Twenty-three studies were included for the meta-analysis. The effect size of pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy markers was estimated using random effects model. MSCs and secretome significantly improved pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy compared to control. Comparison between MSCs and secretome indicate no significant difference in reducing right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and medial wall thickening (MWT). However, treatment of PAH with secretome significantly improved mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) (p = 0.018) and right ventricular/left ventricular + septum (RV/LV+S) (p = 0.017) better than MSCs. Meta-regression shows that cell type (p = 0.034) is a predictor of MSCs to reduce RVSP in PAH. Similarly, the effect of secretome on MWT was significantly (p = 0.011) better at 4 weeks compared to 2 weeks of intervention. The overall risk of bias ranges from low to moderate; however, some of the essential elements required in reports of animal trials were not reported. There was evidence of publication bias for RV/LV+S and MWT, but not RVSP. This meta-analysis provides evidence of the therapeutic benefits of MSCs and secretome in PAH and the effect of secretome was similar or superior to MSCs.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  14. Noorsuzana Mohd Shariff, Naim Faiz Ahmad Imran, Nurshafiqa Aqila Abdul Wahab, Zaid Abd Halim, Siti Hawa Hashim, Nizuwan Azman, et al.
    MyJurnal
    Infant feeding is thought to modulate cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. This possible association between patterns of feeding with development of cardiovascular disease later in life provides the opportunity for early intervention and prevention strategies. Among all the feeding methods applied, breastfeeding is thought to be the best method and is said to be attributable to future health benefits. How- ever, current evidence from the literature is weak and inconsistent to advocate risk factors management. Therefore, this narrative review aims to provide current findings in assessing the association of breastfeeding pattern and risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life. We searched three databases (MEDLINE, PubMed and Google Scholar) from year 2000 to 11 July 2018. Findings on the association between breastfeeding and cardiovascular risk factors are equivocal, although positive trend of beneficial effects of breastfeeding in reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood was reported in majority of the studies. Future research should address all limitations that were identified by previous studies such as bias of study design and heterogeneity of samples to establish the association between breastfeeding pattern and cardiovascular disease in later life.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  15. Dahalan NH, Tuan Din SA, Mohamad SMB
    BMJ Open, 2020 02 12;10(2):e029559.
    PMID: 32051294 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029559
    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to map evidence of the association of ABO blood groups with allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (AR), atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma.

    DESIGN: A scoping review.

    DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, Direct Open Access Journal, Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, ScienceDirect and SpringerLink were searched from October 2017 until May 2018.

    ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: We selected all types of studies including case-control studies, prospective or retrospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and experimental studies, and we included reviews such as literature reviews, systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis and scoping reviews that were published in English and associated the ABO blood group with the three allergic diseases (asthma, AR and AD) in humans of all age groups.

    DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts and assessed the full-text articles of the abstracts that met the eligibility requirements. Data from the included studies were extracted, evaluated and reported in the form of narrative synthesis.

    RESULTS: Of the 10 246 retrieved titles, only 14 articles were selected for a scoping review based on the eligibility criteria. The majority of the studies demonstrated a significant association between ABO blood groups and allergic diseases. We found that blood group O is prominent in patients with AR and asthma, while a non-O blood group is common in patients with AD.

    CONCLUSION: This scoping review serves as preliminary evidence for the association of ABO blood groups with allergic diseases. Further studies need to be conducted so that the relationship between ABO blood groups and allergic diseases can be fully established. This could be helpful for clinicians and health professionals in consulting and managing patients who suffer from allergic diseases in the future.

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  16. Borhanuddin B, Mohd Fozi NF, Naina Mohamed I
    PMID: 23304211 DOI: 10.1155/2012/684510
    Background. The effect of vitamin E on health-related conditions has been extensively researched, with varied results. However, to date, there was no published review of the effect of vitamin E on bone fracture healing. Purpose. This paper systematically audited past studies of the effect of vitamin E on bone fracture healing. Methods. Related articles were identified from Medline, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. Screenings were performed based on the criteria that the study must be an original study that investigated the independent effect of vitamin E on bone fracture healing. Data were extracted using standardised forms, followed by evaluation of quality of reporting using ARRIVE Guidelines, plus recalculation procedure for the effect size and statistical power of the results. Results. Six animal studies fulfilled the selection criteria. The study methods were heterogeneous with mediocre reporting quality and focused on the antioxidant-related mechanism of vitamin E. The metasynthesis showed α-tocopherol may have a significant effect on bone formation during the normal bone remodeling phase of secondary bone healing. Conclusion. In general, the effect of vitamin E on bone fracture healing remained inconclusive due to the small number of heterogeneous and mediocre studies included in this paper.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  17. Sakthiswary R, Raymond AA
    PLoS One, 2013;8(1):e55275.
    PMID: 23383135 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055275
    BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among SLE patients than the general population. Over the past decade, many studies across the globe have been carried out to investigate the role of vitamin D in SLE from various clinical angles. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to summarise and evaluate the evidence from the published literature; focusing on the clinical significance of vitamin D in SLE.

    METHODS: THE FOLLOWING DATABASES WERE SEARCHED: MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Knowledge and CINAHL, using the terms "lupus", "systemic lupus erythematosus", "SLE and "vitamin D". We included only adult human studies published in the English language between 2000 and 2012.The reference lists of included studies were thoroughly reviewed in search for other relevant studies.

    RESULTS: A total of 22 studies met the selection criteria. The majority of the studies were observational (95.5%) and cross sectional (90.9%). Out of the 15 studies which looked into the association between vitamin D and SLE disease activity, 10 studies (including the 3 largest studies in this series) revealed a statistically significant inverse relationship. For disease damage, on the other hand, 5 out of 6 studies failed to demonstrate any association with vitamin D levels. Cardiovascular risk factors such as insulin resistance, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia were related to vitamin D deficiency, according to 3 of the studies.

    CONCLUSION: There is convincing evidence to support the association between vitamin D levels and SLE disease activity. There is paucity of data in other clinical aspects to make firm conclusions.

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  18. Chow SL, Ting AS, Su TT
    Iran J Public Health, 2014 Apr;43(4):391-405.
    PMID: 28435811
    This systematic review was conducted to develop a conceptual framework that addresses various factors associated with return to work among cancer survivors. Databases Medline, EMBASE, ProQuest, PubMed and ScienceDirect were systematically searched using medical subject headings [MeSH] for studies published in English from 1990 to 2013. Studies that described adult cancer patients' self-reported data or patients' point of view on factors associated with return to work or employment status following cancer diagnosis were included. Articles selection was conducted in three steps: selection based on title and abstract, retrieval of full text and additions of articles from reference lists and recommendations from experts. Disagreement in data extraction was solved by consultation of third reviewer. Out of twenty seven articles, breast cancer was the most studied type of cancer (30%) while colorectal cancer was studied independently in two articles (7.4%). Conceptual framework on return to work identifies factors under environmental, personal, work demand, work ability, health status and financial factors. Extensive search of scientific databases over last 24 years and the development of the conceptual frame-work are the strength of this review. Conceptual framework reveals the various factors including non-medical factors associated with return to work upon cancer diagnosis. It serves as a reminder to the policy makers to focus on modifiable factors as potential areas for intervention to assist cancer survivors return to work, especially those with little financial assistance and health insurance.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  19. Chong HY, Teoh SL, Wu DB, Kotirum S, Chiou CF, Chaiyakunapruk N
    Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, 2016;12:357-73.
    PMID: 26937191 DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S96649
    BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is one of the top 25 leading causes of disability worldwide in 2013. Despite its low prevalence, its health, social, and economic burden has been tremendous, not only for patients but also for families, caregivers, and the wider society. The magnitude of disease burden investigated in an economic burden study is an important source to policymakers in decision making. This study aims to systematically identify studies focusing on the economic burden of schizophrenia, describe the methods and data sources used, and summarize the findings of economic burden of schizophrenia.

    METHODS: A systematic review was performed for economic burden studies in schizophrenia using four electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and EconLit) from inception to August 31, 2014.

    RESULTS: A total of 56 articles were included in this review. More than 80% of the studies were conducted in high-income countries. Most studies had undertaken a retrospective- and prevalence-based study design. The bottom-up approach was commonly employed to determine cost, while human capital method was used for indirect cost estimation. Database and literature were the most commonly used data sources in cost estimation in high-income countries, while chart review and interview were the main data sources in low and middle-income countries. Annual costs for the schizophrenia population in the country ranged from US$94 million to US$102 billion. Indirect costs contributed to 50%-85% of the total costs associated with schizophrenia. The economic burden of schizophrenia was estimated to range from 0.02% to 1.65% of the gross domestic product.

    CONCLUSION: The enormous economic burden in schizophrenia is suggestive of the inadequate provision of health care services to these patients. An informed decision is achievable with the increasing recognition among public and policymakers that schizophrenia is burdensome. This results in better resource allocation and the development of policy-oriented research for this highly disabling yet under-recognized mental health disease.

    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
  20. Nur Farhana Mohamad, Izzuna Mudla Mohamed Ghazali, Junainah Sabirin, Tan Soek Siam, Rohani Jahis
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Universal HBV and HCV screening among pregnant women is not a current practice in Malaysia. It is aimed to conduct a systematic review on available evidences in an effort to strengthen the national hepatitis screen-ing programs. Methods: Systematic search was performed from databases; Medline, Cochrane, PubMed and IN-AHTA. Relevant studies according to inclusion/exclusion criteria were critically appraised and evidence graded. Re-sults: From 782 titles identified, two systematic reviews, two retrospective cohort studies, two cross-sectional studies, one cost-utility analysis and one cost-effectiveness analysis were included. Universal antenatal HBV screening was associated with almost complete vaccination coverage for newborns. Replacing targeted screening with universal HBV screening was associated with increased identification of newborns indicated for HBV-immunization from 50% to 96%. Universal antenatal HBV screening had incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)s ranged from €2,032 to €26,181 per life year (LY) gained. As for HCV, targeted antenatal screening was associated with low HCV prevalence. Universal screening did not detect significantly more women with HCV infection than did targeted screening. One cost-effectiveness analysis found that universal antenatal HCV screening had ICER of €52,473 per LY gained and one cost-utility analysis reported ICER of £9,139 per QALY gained. Conclusion: Based on the above review, universal HBV screening in pregnant women is effective in increasing vaccination coverage for newborns. However, the ICERs had wide range. Therefore, local economic evaluation is needed to estimate cost implications before considering addition into national screening program. While for HCV, both universal and targeted screening in pregnant women had low detection rate thus high-risk approach screening is appropriate in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: MEDLINE
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator ([email protected])

External Links