scholarly journals Ear Acupressure for Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Juan Zhong ◽  
Shuqin Liu ◽  
Dan Lai ◽  
Tao Lu ◽  
Yifeng Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Allergic Rhinitis ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Symptom Score ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background. The treatment effects and safety of ear acupressure (EAP) for patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) have yet to be clarified. Objective. To evaluate the effects and safety of EAP in AR patients. Design. Systematic review of published studies. Methods. A total of 24 English and Chinese databases (PubMed, EMBASE (Excerpta Medical Database), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, Informit, ScienceDirect, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences), ProQuest, AMED, Blackwell Synergy, PsycINFO, Panteleimon, AcuBriefs, KoreaMed, IndMed, Ingenta, mRCT, ISI Web of Knowledge, ERIC, VIP Information (http://www.cqvip.com), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (http://www.cnki.net), Cochrane Library, Chinese Cochrane Centre Controlled Trials Register Platform, and Wanfang Chinese Digital Periodical and Conference Database) were searched from their respective inceptions to August 2020 to collect randomized controlled trials of ear acupressure for allergic rhinitis. We performed literature inclusion, data extraction, and trial quality evaluations. Methodological quality was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook. Revman5.3 was used for all analyses. Results. A total of 203 trials were identified and eleven studies involved 1094 participants aged 3–70 years. EAP was better than control group interventions in terms of effectiveness (risk ratio (RR): 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36–0.70; P < 0.0001 ). EAP was superior to sham EAP in terms of improvement of the total nasal symptom score (RR: −0.50; 95% CI: −0.96–0.05; P = 0.03), sneezing score (RR: −0.36; 95% CI: −0.59–0.12; P = 0.003), global QoL score (RR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.04–0.08; P = 0.03), and eye symptom score (RR: −0.36; 95% CI: −0.67–0.05; P = 0.02). Conclusions. Despite the positive results, it is premature to confirm the efficacy of EAP for treating AR. More high-quality studies are needed to confirm safety and efficacy.

scholarly journals Liver-related safety assessment of green tea extracts in humans: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

2016 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 1221-1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Isomura ◽  
S Suzuki ◽  
H Origasa ◽  
A Hosono ◽  
M Suzuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Green Tea ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Abstract There remain liver-related safety concerns, regarding potential hepatotoxicity in humans, induced by green tea intake, despite being supposedly beneficial. Although many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of green tea extracts have been reported in the literature, the systematic reviews published to date were only based on subjective assessment of case reports. To more objectively examine the liver-related safety of green tea intake, we conducted a systematic review of published RCTs. A systematic literature search was conducted using three databases (PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) in December 2013 to identify RCTs of green tea extracts. Data on liver-related adverse events, including laboratory test abnormalities, were abstracted from the identified articles. Methodological quality of RCTs was assessed. After excluding duplicates, 561 titles and abstracts and 119 full-text articles were screened, and finally 34 trials were identified. Of these, liver-related adverse events were reported in four trials; these adverse events involved seven subjects (eight events) in the green tea intervention group and one subject (one event) in the control group. The summary odds ratio, estimated using a meta-analysis method for sparse event data, for intervention compared with placebo was 2.1 (95% confidence interval: 0.5–9.8). The few events reported in both groups were elevations of liver enzymes. Most were mild, and no serious liver-related adverse events were reported. Results of this review, although not conclusive, suggest that liver-related adverse events after intake of green tea extracts are expected to be rare.

scholarly journals The Efficacy and Tolerability of Ubrogepant for Acute Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Diao ◽  
Hang Yang ◽  
Yang Chun Zhou ◽  
Biao Du
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Acute Attack ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Acute Migraine ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Abstract Objective: The aim of this review was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ubrogepant in patients with acute migraine. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov from inception to JULY, 2019. Randomized controlled trials of the efficacy and/or tolerability of ubrogepant for migraine were included. Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 4 RCTs involving 4 163 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed that:compared to the control group, the percentage of participants with PF, the percentage of participants with PR, the percentage of participants with SPF, the percentage of participants with SPR,the absence of phonophobia in sound，the absence of phonophobia in light and the absence of nausea (RR=1.31,95%CI:1.18~1.45，P<0.00001, RR=1.63,95%CI:1.46~1.82，P<0.00001, RR=1.22,95%CI:1.15~1.29，P<0.00001, RR=1.32,95%CI:1.22~1.42，P<0.00001, RR=1.16,95%CI:1.05~1.27，P=0.002), all the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: For adult patients with acute migraine, ubrogepant could effectively abort the acute attack. High-quality, adequately powered RCTs are needed to fully evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ubrogepant for acute migraine.

scholarly journals The Effects of Exercise on BDNF Levels in Adolescents: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6056
Author(s):  
Kesley Pablo Morais de Azevedo ◽  
Victor Hugo de Oliveira ◽  
Gidyenne Christine Bandeira Silva de Medeiros ◽  
Ádala Nayana de Sousa Mata ◽  
Daniel Ángel García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Exercise Programs ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Central Register ◽  
Before And After

The aim of this study was to analyze the evidence available in the literature about the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in adolescents. The literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, SportDiscus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and CINAHL. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled trials performed with adolescents (10–19 years) who underwent different exercise programs and who evaluated BDNF levels before and after the intervention were included. We included six studies, four RCTs and two non-RCTs in the systematic review with a total of 407 adolescents. In two randomized trials and one non-RCT, the intervention groups showed significant improvements in BDNF levels compared with the control group. The results presented in the meta-analysis indicate that despite the positive effect in favor of the intervention, there were no significant differences (standardized mean difference 0.28 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval −0.28 to 0.85; p = 0.32, I² = 0%). The results presented in our review indicate that aerobic exercise programs practiced in moderate- or high-intensity are promising strategies to increase BDNF levels in adolescents. However, further studies are required to support this finding.

scholarly journals Light Therapy Reduces Fatigue in Patients With Cancer: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panpan Xiao ◽  
Siqing Ding ◽  
Yinglong Duan ◽  
Lijun Li ◽  
Yi Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Review Team

Abstract BackgroundFatigue is a common symptom in cancer patients that can occur throughout the course of cancer, with a prevalence ranging from 75% to 100%. Nonpharmacological intervention is currently mainly used to address cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Light therapy has been gradually used to treat CRF and has been found to be effective. However, to date, there is no systematic review on light therapies for reducing CRF to verify its effectiveness. This is a protocol for a systematic review that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of light therapies for treating fatigue in cancer survivors. This systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database.MethodsThis protocol was designed in accordance with the PRISMA-P guidelines. We will search the PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; The Cochrane Library), Embase (OVID), and CINAHL databases as well as relevant sources of gray literature. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental trials that have evaluated the use of light therapy among cancer patients at any survival phase, with fatigue as an outcome measure, will be included. Two members of the review team will independently extract data from the selected studies and assess their methodological quality using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool.DiscussionThis systematic review and meta-analysis will build upon previous evaluations of light therapies in patients during and after cancer treatment. Due to the multifactorial nature of CRF and the growing demand for etiological-based intervention research, this review seeks to highlight a gap in current practice and to strengthen the evidence base of randomized controlled trials in the area.Systematic review registrationCRD42020215446

The Efficacy and Tolerability of Ubrogepant for Episodic Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Diao ◽  
Hang Yang ◽  
Yang Chun Zhou ◽  
Biao Du
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Acute Attack ◽  
Episodic Migraine ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Abstract Background: The aim of this review was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ubrogepant in patients with episodic migraine. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov from inception to JULY, 2019. Randomized controlled trials of the efficacy and/or tolerability of ubrogepant for migraine were included. Meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 4 RCTs involving 4 163 patients were included. The meta-analysis showed that there were significant differences in the percentage of subjects with PF, PR, SPF, SPR, sound without phobia, light without phobia and nausea compared with the control group. (RR=1.31,95%CI:1.18~1.45，P<0.00001, RR=1.63,95%CI:1.46~1.82，P<0.00001, RR=1.22,95%CI:1.15~1.29，P<0.00001, RR=1.32,95%CI:1.22~1.42，P<0.00001, RR=1.16,95%CI:1.05~1.27，P=0.002), all the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: For adult patients with episodic migraine, ubrogepant could effectively abort the acute attack. High-quality, adequately powered RCTs are needed to fully evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ubrogepant for episodic migraine.

scholarly journals Inhibition of Aspirin-Induced Gastrointestinal Injury: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan-tong Zhang ◽  
Miao-ran Wang ◽  
Guo-dong Hua ◽  
Qiu-yan Li ◽  
Xu-jie Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Gastrointestinal Injury ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background: Administration of aspirin has the potential for significant side effects of gastrointestinal (GI) injury mainly caused by gastric acid stimulation, especially in long-term users or users with original gastrointestinal diseases. The debate on the optimal treatment of aspirin-induced gastrointestinal injury is ongoing. We aimed to compare and rank the different treatments for aspirin-induced gastrointestinal injury based on current evidence.Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Chinese databases for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of different treatments for aspirin-induced gastrointestinal injury from inception to 1 May 2021. All of the direct and indirect evidence included was rated by network meta-analysis under a Bayesian framework.Results: A total of 10 RCTs, which comprised 503 participants, were included in the analysis. The overall quality of evidence was rated as moderate to high. Eleven different treatments, including omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, famotidine, geranylgeranylacetone, misoprostol, ranitidine bismuth citrate, chili, phosphatidylcholine complex, omeprazole plus rebamipide, and placebo, were evaluated in terms of preventing gastrointestinal injury. It was suggested that omeprazole plus rebamipide outperformed other treatments, whereas geranylgeranylacetone and placebo were among the least treatments.Conclusion: This is the first systematic review and network meta-analysis of different treatments for aspirin-induced gastrointestinal injury. Our study suggested that omeprazole plus rebamipide might be considered the best option to treat aspirin-induced gastrointestinal injury. More multicenter, high quality, large sample size randomized controlled trials will confirm the advantages of these medicines in the treatment of aspirin-induced gastrointestinal injury in the future.

scholarly journals Effect of Phonophoresis On Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fu-An Yang ◽  
Hung-Lun Chen ◽  
Chih-Wei Peng ◽  
Tsan-Hon Liou ◽  
Reuben Escorpizo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Knee Osteoarthritis ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Abstract Phonophoresis is an alternative treatment for knee osteoarthritis. However, evidence supporting the advantages of phonophoresis remains inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to illustrate the effect of phonophoresis. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies from the date of their inception to 28 June, 2021. The eligibility criteria were: (1) randomized controlled trials (RCTs); (2) patients diagnosed as having knee osteoarthritis; (3) treatment with either phonophoresis or therapeutic ultrasound with placebo gels; and (4) reporting clinical and functional outcomes. Continuous variables are expressed as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. The analysis included nine RCTs covering a total of 423 patients. The intervention group significantly outperformed the control group in visual analog scale score [SMD = −0.65, 95% CI (−1.04, −0.25), P = 0.001], Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score [SMD = −0.71, 95% CI (−1.26, −0.16), P = 0.01], and walk test score [SMD = −0.67, 95% CI (−1.21, −0.13), P = 0.02]. As a result, phonophoresis might alleviate pain and improve function in the short term. Further high-quality, large-scale RCTs are required to confirm the benefits.

Efficacy and Safety of Non-Steroidal Anti-Androgens in Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammed Rashid ◽  
Madhan Ramesh ◽  
K. Shamshavali ◽  
Amit Dang ◽  
Himanshu Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the sixth primary cause of cancer death. However, conflicts are present about the efficacy and safety of Non-steroidal anti-androgens (NSAA) for its treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of NSAAs versus any comparator for the treatment of advanced or metastatic PCa (mPCa). Methodology: MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library were searched. References of included studies and clinicaltrials.gov were also searched for relevant studies. Only English language studies after 1990 were considered for review. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy and safety of NSAAs as compared with any other comparator including surgery or chemotherapy in mPCa patients were included. The outcomes include efficacy, safety and the tolerability of the treatment. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used for quality assessment. Two authors were independently involved in the selection, extraction and quality assessment of included studies and disagreements were resolved by discussion or by consulting a third reviewer. Results: Fifty-eight out of 1307 non-duplicate RCTs with 29154 patients were considered for the review. NSAA showed significantly better progression-free survival [PFS] (Hazard ratio [HR], 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.78; P=0.0001), time to distant metastasis or death [TTD] (HR, 0.80; 95% CI 0.73-0.91; p<0.0001), objective response (Odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% CI 1.06-2.54; P=0.03) and clinical benefits (OR, 1.33; 95% CI 1.08-1.63; P=0.006) as compared to the control group. There was no significant difference observed between the groups in terms of overall survival (HR, 0.95; 95%CI, 0.87-1.03; P=0.18) and time to progression (HR, 0.93; 95% CI 0.77-1.11; P=0.43). Treatment-related adverse events were more with the NSAA group, but the discontinuation due to lack of efficacy reason was 43% significantly lesser than the control group in patients with mPCa. Rest of the outcomes were appeared to be non-significant. Conclusion: Treatment with NSAA was appeared to be better efficacious with respect to PFS, TTD, and response rate with considerable adverse events when compared to the control group in patients with metastatic PCa.

scholarly journals Adjuvant Transarterial Chemoembolization Following Curative-Intent Hepatectomy Versus Hepatectomy Alone for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2984
Author(s):  
Stepan M. Esagian ◽  
Christos D. Kakos ◽  
Emmanouil Giorgakis ◽  
Lyle Burdine ◽  
J. Camilo Barreto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Transarterial Chemoembolization ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Curative Intent ◽  
Randomized Controlled

The role of adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing hepatectomy is currently unclear. We performed a systematic review of the literature using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Random-effects meta-analysis was carried out to compare the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of patients with resectable HCC undergoing hepatectomy followed by adjuvant TACE vs. hepatectomy alone in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore the effect of hepatitis B viral status, microvascular invasion, type of resection (anatomic vs. parenchymal-sparing), and tumor size on the outcomes. Ten eligible RCTs, reporting on 1216 patients in total, were identified. The combination of hepatectomy and adjuvant TACE was associated with superior OS (hazard ratio (HR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52 to 0.85; p < 0.001) and RFS (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.88; p < 0.001) compared to hepatectomy alone. There were significant concerns regarding the risk of bias in most of the included studies. Overall, adjuvant TACE may be associated with an oncologic benefit in select HCC patients. However, the applicability of these findings may be limited to Eastern Asian populations, due to the geographically restricted sample. High-quality multinational RCTs, as well as predictive tools to optimize patient selection, are necessary before adjuvant TACE can be routinely implemented into standard practice. PROSPERO Registration ID: CRD42021245758.

scholarly journals The efficacy and safety of antimuscarinics for the prevention or treatment of catheter-related bladder discomfort: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongbao Zhou ◽  
Yuanshan Cui ◽  
Xiaoyi Zhang ◽  
Youyi Lu ◽  
Zhipeng Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Postoperative Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Facial Flushing ◽  
Blurred Vision ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Abstract Objectives This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antimuscarinics for the prevention or treatment of catheter related bladder discomfort (CRBD). Methods The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (from 1987 to July 2021) were used to search randomized controlled trials. The PRISMA checklists were followed. RevMan5.4.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results Eleven studies involving 1165 patients were involved in the analysis. The study reported that the incidence of CRBD observed in the antimuscarinics group was significantly lower than that of the control group at 0-, 1-, 2-, and 6-h after drug therapy (P = 0.001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0005, and P = 0.001, respectively). For side effects, there were not statistical differences between the antimuscarinics group and the control group, mainly including dry mouth (risk ratio (RR) = 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.95 to 1.80, P = 0.09), postoperative nausea and vomiting (RR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.55 to 1.90, P = 0.87), facial flushing (RR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.43 to 2.61, P = 0.90), and blurred vision (RR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.35 to 2.58, P = 0.91). Besides, rescue analgesics were required less in the antimuscarinics group than in the control group (RR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.32 to 0.80, P = 0.003). Conclusions Compared with the control group, the antimuscarinics group had a significant improvement on CRBD, the patients were well tolerated and the use rate of rescue analgesics was low.

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