ABSTRACT
As per guidelines for treating dyslipidemia, the recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level in extremely high-risk patients, including those with coronary artery diseases is 6 months of follow-up, those with a sample size of ≥150 were selected as the final literature for analysis. Risk ratios (RR) using random effects were represented with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the reliability of the results. Results: An LDL-C level of <55 mg/dL was related to significantly reduced events of major CVDs (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80-0.98) and myocardial infarction (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.73-0.90) and a reduced risk of ischemic stroke (RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.69-0.89, mean follow-up=2 years). However, an LDL-C level below 55 mg/dL did not reduce the incidence of CVD in intensive therapy in East Asian patients. Conclusions: A goal LDL-C value below 55 mg/dL was identified to be related to a decreased risk of developing CVD. However, the relation to LDL-C below 55 mg/dL with a decreased risk of CVD was not observed in East Asian patients.
ABSTRACT
Background@#Levothyroxine is an essential drug for the treatment of hypothyroidism or related diseases. Several studies have reported an association between the effects of levothyroxine treatment and time of administration, which can be inconsistent. @*Objective@#This study was conducted to compare the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone or free thyroxine between morning and nighttime dosing of levothyroxine. @*Methods@#We reviewed previously reported relevant articles and conducted a meta-analysis. @*Results@#In total, five studies were included in this meta-analysis. Results showed that thyroid-stimulating hormone (standard difference in means [SE]=0.321; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.016 to 0.657) and free thyroxine (SE= −1.367; 95% CI, -2.943 to 0.210) levels did not differ significantly between morning (before breakfast) and nighttime (before bedtime) administration. @*Conclusion@#This is the first meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of time of administration on levothyroxine levels in patients with hypothyroidism. Based on our results, we suggest considering patients’ lifestyles or daily routines when counselling them on the optimal time of administration for levothyroxine.