Objective
To systematically review the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) and open hepatectomy (OH) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods
PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, WanFang Data, CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect the case-control studies about LH vs. OH for patients with HCC from inception to December, 2015. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies, then meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.
Results
A total of 28 studies involving 1 908 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: the LH group was superior to OH group on complications (OR=0.35, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.48, P<0.000 01), hospital stay (MD=–4.18, 95%CI (–5.08, –3.29),P<0.000 01), and five years overall survival rate (OR=1.65, 95%CI 1.23 to 2.19,P=0.000 7) and disease-free survival rate (OR=1.51, 95%CI 1.12 to 2.03, P=0.006). However, no significant differences were found in one year and three years overall survival rate, disease-free survival rate, and postoperative recurrence rate.
Conclusion
Current evidence shows that the LH is superior to OH for the treatment of HCC, and may be amenable to surgery because of its safety and longtime efficacy. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are needed to verify above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the clinical efficacy and effects on pregnancy outcomes of S-adenosy-L-methionine combined with ursodesoxycholic acid in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
MethodsDatabases such as PubMed, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data were searched for the studies about the clinical efficacy and effects on pregnancy outcomes of S-adenosy-L-methionine combined with ursodesoxycholic acid in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy up to December 31st, 2013. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and evaluated methodological quality. Then meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.0.24 software.
ResultsA total of 11 RCTs involving 776 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, combined medication reduced blood biochemical indexes inlcuding ALT (MD=3.63, 95%CI 0.63 to 6.64, P=0.02), TB (MD=3.70, 95%CI 1.45 to 5.96, P=0.001), and AST (MD=7.61, 95%CI 2.47 to 12.75, P=0.004). Combined therapy significantly decreased the rates of amniotic fluid contamination (OR=0.29, 95%CI 0.19 to 0.45, P=0.000 01), cesarean section (OR=0.53, 95%CI 0.36 to 0.79, P=0.002), postpartum hemorrhage (OR=0.32, 95%CI 0.12 to 0.90, P=0.03), preterm birth (OR=0.36, 95%CI 0.24 to 0.55, P < 0.000 01), fetal distress (OR=0.33, 95%CI 0.19 to 0.58, P=0.000 1) and neonates asphyxia (OR=0.30, 95%CI 0.19 to 0.47, P < 0.000 01). Combined therapy was also beneficial to improving pruritus symptoms (MD=0.20, 95%CI 0.08 to 0.31, P=0.000 08) and benefiting fetus growth (MD=0.45, 95%CI 0.23 to 0.66, P < 0.000 1).
ConclusionThe combination of S-adenosy-L-methionine and ursodesoxycholic acid is superior to ursodesoxycholic acid alone in improving clinical symptoms and pregnant outcomes of patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of physician-nurse-pharmacist collaboration on cardiovascular disease risk factors in diabetes patients.
Methods
Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) on collaboration among physicians, nurses and pharmacists for reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in diabetes patients were collected from Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline (Ovid SP), Embase, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, VIP and WanFang. We screened the retrieved studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, evaluated the quality of included studies, and then performed meta-analysis with the Cochrane Collaboration’s Revman 5.3.0 software.
Results
Seven RCTs were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the change in glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol were significantly reduced in the collaboration group than in usual care group [SMD=–0.39, 95%CI (–0.56, –0.21),P<0.000 1;SMD=–0.30, 95%CI (–0.43, –0.18),P<0.000 01;SMD=–0.37, 95%CI (–0.64, –0.11),P=0.006;SMD=–0.11, 95%CI (–0.16, –0.06),P<0.000 1].
Conclusions
Collaboration among physicians, nurses and pharmacists is effective for reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors in diabetes patients. But its long-term efficacy still needs to be confirmed by performing higher quality, large sample RCTs with long-term follow-up.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of bisphosphonates in preventing and treating glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis.
MethodsDatabases including PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2016), CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis from inception to January 2016. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.
ResultsA total of 20 RCTs were included, which involved 2 330 patients. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with the placebo group, the bisphosphonates group could significantly increase the bone mineral density (BMD) at lumbar and femoral neck (MD=3.70, 95%CI 2.65 to 4.75, P<0.000 01; MD=2.18, 95%CI 1.30 to 3.06, P<0.000 01), but the bisphosphonates group could not decrease the incidence rates of vertebral fracture or non-vertebral fracture (OR=0.66, 95%CI 0.38 to 1.16, P=0.15; OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.42 to 1.28, P=0.28). There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of total adverse reactions and total severe adverse reactions between the two groups (OR=0.89, 95%CI 0.62 to 1.28, P=0.53; OR=0.93, 95%CI 0.62 to 1.39, P=0.72).
ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that, compared with placebo, bisphosphonates canld effectively prevent and treat the decrease of bone mineral density of glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis, not decrease the incidence of fracture, but not increase the incidence of adverse reactions.
Objective To assess effectiveness of chemotherapy versus non-chemotherapy in the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. Methods We searched MEDLINE (1966 to Dec. 2008), EMBASE (1984 to Dec. 2008), OVID (1980 to Dec. 2008), CBMdisc (1980 to Dec. 2008), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We also handsearched Journal of Chinese Oncology, Journal of Chinese Clinical Oncology, and Tumor (from inception to Dec. 2008). The quality of the included studies was evaluated by two reviewers independently and meta-analysis was performed for results of the homogenous studies. Results Six studies involving 836 participants related to primary, high grade, nonmetastatic soft tissue sarcoma were included. All included studies were unclear in reporting randomization and blinding; all studies reported the number and the reason of withdraw; and baseline conditions of all studies were compared. The results of meta-analyses showed that there were no significant differences in 5-year overal survival (RR=0.90, 95%CI0.76 to 1.06), local recurrence (OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.36 to 1.32), distant recurrence (OR=0.83, 95%CI 0.62 to 1.11), and overall recurrence (RR=0.91, 95%CI 0.78 to 1.06) between the chemotherapy group and the control group. But as to 5-year disease-free survival, the chemotherapy group was better than the control group (RR=0.73, 95%CI 0.63 to 0.86). Conclusion There is no advantage for the chemotherapy group over the control group in 5-year overal survival, local recurrence, distant recurrence and overall recurrence. Due to the risk of selection bias, performance bias and published bias, the evidence is not b enough to judge whether chemotherapy is better than control in treating soft tissue sarcoma. Our conclusion suggests that larger-scale randomized trials should be performed in future.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the correlation between the birth number and the risk of breast cancer of Chinese female.
MethodsWe electronically searched databases including the CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases from inception to September 1st 2015, to collect case-control studies about the correlation between the number of births and the risk of breast cancer among Chinese female. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias of included studies. Then meta-analysis was performed by using Stata software.
ResultsA total of 14 case-control studies involving 3 428 patients and 3 906 controls were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that:the females who had term birth had significant lower incidence of breast cancer than those without childbirth history (OR=0.429, 95%CI 0.322 to 0.571). Subgroup analysis based on the number of term birth showed that:Compared with the female without childbirth history, those who had term birth of one time (OR=0.464, 95%CI 0.321 to 0.670), two times (OR=0.394, 95%CI 0.269 to 0.576) and≥3 times (OR=0.340, 95%CI 0.232 to 0.499) had significant lower incidence of breast cancer.
ConclusionTerm birth is a protective factor for breast cancer of Chinese female, and more times of term birth will decrease the risk of breast cancer.
Objective To perform a systematic review on the safety (i.g. cardiovascular, mortality and gastrointestinal bleeding) of clopidogrel versus clopidogrel combined with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the patients with coronary heart disease. Methods Such databases as The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, SSCI, VIP, CNKI, and CBM were searched from the date of their establishment to September 2010. The bibliographies of the retrieved articles were also checked. The data was extracted and evaluated by two reviewers independently. The RevMan 5.0 software was used for meta-analyses. Results A total of 29 studies were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that the use of clopidogrel combined with PPIs was associated with increasing the risk of cardiovascular events (RR=1.27, 95%CI 1.09 to 1.47), as well as myocardial infarction (RR=1.45, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.76), total mortality (RR=1.23, 95%CI 1.06 to 1.43), and rethrombosis (RR=1.37, 95%CI 1.01 to 1.86). However, there was no enough evidence to reach the conclusion that the combination use could benefit the situation of gastrointestinal bleeding (RR=0.84, 95%CI 0.47 to 1.50). Conclusion?Compared with clopidogrel, the combination use of clopidogrel and PPIs increases cardiovascular events, mortality, and the risks of myocardial infarction and rethrombosis. However, more clinical studies are required to assess the effect of reducing gastrointestinal bleeding.
Objective To systematically review prediction models of small for gestational age (SGA) based on machine learning and provide references for the construction and optimization of such a prediction model. Methods The PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CBM, WanFang Data, VIP and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect studies on SGA prediction models from database inception to August 10, 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, evaluated the risk of bias of the included studies, and conducted a systematic review. Results A total of 14 studies, comprising 40 prediction models constructed using 19 methods, such as logical regression and random forest, were included. The results of the risk of bias assessment from 13 studies were high; the area under the curve of the prediction models ranged from 0.561 to 0.953. Conclusion The overall risk of bias in the prediction models for SGA was high, and the predictive performance was average. Models built using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) demonstrated the best predictive performance across different studies. The stacking method can improve predictive performance by integrating different models. Finally, maternal blood pressure, fetal abdominal circumference, head circumference, and estimated fetal weight were important predictors of SGA.
An increasing number of health system researchers use systematic review to synthesize research evidence to inform the development of health policies at global and national levels. However, there are methodological challenges facing the health system research in undertaking systematic reviews of health policy literatures. This paper explored the constraints and promise of systematic review as a tool for evidence-based health system research in developing countries. It introduced the systematic review method and its evolution in health research over the past decades. The paper then discussed the definition of health system research, as system science, and contrasted its features/characteristics to those of medical research. It discussed and analyzed if the systematic review could be an effective tool for evidence-based health system research, particularly in developing countries. The paper concludes that the systematic review may be a very useful tool that can be used for evidence-based health system research to address specific policy issues; however, research on some health system/policy issues may not be appropriate to use the systematic review at all.
