Tamsulosin vs. Tadalafil as medical expulsive therapy for distal ureteral stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Purpose: Medical expulsive therapy (MET) is recommended for distal ureteral stones from 5 to 10 mm. The best drug for MET is still uncertain. In this review, we aim to compare the effectiveness of tadalafil and tamsulosin for distal ureteral stones from 5 to 10 mm in terms of stone expulsion rate (SER), stone expulsion time (SET) and the side effect profile. Materials and methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and Web of Science, from inception until April 2023. Only randomized controlled trials were included in the analysis. Results: Eleven publications with 1,330 patients were included. We observed that tadalafil has a higher SER (OR 0.55, CI 95% 0.38;0.80, p=0.02, I2=52%) and the same efficacy in SET (MD 1.07, CI 95% -0.25; 2.39, p=0.11, I2=84%). No differences were found when comparing side effects as headache, backache, dizziness, and orthostatic hypotension. Conclusion: Tadalafil has a higher stone expulsion rate than tamsulosin as a medical expulsive therapy for patients with distal stones from 5 to 10 mm without differences in side effects.

The effect of perioperative pelvic floor muscle exercise on urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy: a meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) is the most common conservative management for urinary incontinence (UI) after radical prostatectomy (RP). We performed this meta-analysis to investigate whether PFME during the entire perioperative period, including before and after RP, can significantly improve the recovery of postoperative UI. Methods: We systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCT) from PubMed, Medline, web of science, Cochrane library, and clinicalitrials.com prior to October 2022. Efficacy data were pooled and analyzed using Review Manager Version 5.3. Pooled analyses of urinary incontinence rates 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively were conducted, using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: We included a total of 15 RCT studies involving 2178 patients received RP. Postoperative UI could be improved after 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, and the OR were 0.26 (95%CI:0.15-0.46) 0.30 (95%CI: 0.11-0.80) 0.20 (95%CI: 0.07- 0.56) in postoperative PFME group compared to no PFME group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in 12 months after surgery, and the OR was 0.85(95%CI: 0.48,1.51). There were similar results in perioperative PFME group compared to no PFME group with the OR of 0.35 (95%CI: 0.12, 0.98) and 0.40 (95%CI: 0.21, 0.75) in 1 and 3 months after surgery. Our results indicated no significant difference between perioperative PFME group and postoperative PFME group. The OR was 0.58 (95%CI: 0.20-1.71) 0.58 (95%CI:0.20-0.71) and 0.66 (95%CI: 0.32-1.38) in 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Conclusion: Application of PFME after RP significantly reduced the incidence of early postoperative UI, and additional preoperative PFME had no significant improvement on the recovery of UI.

Effect of decision aid tools for advance care planning in patients with cancer: a Meta-analysis / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effect of decision aid tools for advance care planning (ACP) in patients with cancer.Methods:Randomized controlled trials about the effect of decision aid tools for ACP in patients with cancer were retrieved from Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, VIP, China National Knowledge Internet and Wanfang Data. The retrieval time was from inception to February 23, 2022. Literature screening, quality evaluation and data consolidation were carried out independently by two researchers. Then, RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta analysis.Results:A total of 13 researches were included, involving 2 151 cancer patients. Meta-analysis showed that the signing of advance directives ( OR=1.81, 95% CI 1.22-2.69, Z=2.95, P<0.01) and knowledge scores related to ACP( MD=0.58, 95% CI 0.35-0.81, Z=4.90, P<0.01) in experimental group was higher than that in control group, but receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation treatment before death ( MD=0.33, 95% CI 0.21-0.53, Z=4.64, P<0.01) and the level of decision confliction ( MD=-3.69, 95% CI-6.43--0.95, Z=2.64, P<0.01) in experimental group was lower than those in control group, and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions:Existing evidence shows that decision aid tools can improve cancer patients′ awareness of ACP, help patients to join in ACP discussions and sign advanced directives, reduce patients' preference for cardiopulmonary resuscitation treatment before death and reduce decision-making conflicts.

Certainty of evidence, why? / Certeza das evidências, por quê?

ABSTRACT Optimal clinical decision-making requires understanding of evidence regarding benefits, harms, and burdens of alternative management options. Rigorously conducted systematic reviews and meta-analyses offer accurate summaries of the evidence. However, such summaries may review only low-certainty evidence, in the process highlighting that no single decision is likely to be best for all patients. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach offers a systematic and transparent method for rating certainty of evidence in systematic reviews. In this paper, we will address the importance of assessing the certainty associated with bodies of evidence; explain how the GRADE system rates the certainty of evidence from systematic reviews; and present the GRADE evidence to decision framework for moving from evidence to strong or weak recommendations in clinical practice guidelines.

RESUMO Para tomar a melhor decisão clínica, é preciso compreender as evidências a respeito dos benefícios, malefícios e ônus das alternativas de manejo. Revisões sistemáticas e meta-análises que sejam realizadas com rigor oferecem resumos precisos das evidências. No entanto, é possível que esses resumos avaliem apenas as evidências cujo grau de certeza é baixo e, ao fazê-lo, ressaltem que provavelmente não existe uma decisão única que será a melhor para todos os pacientes. O Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) é um método sistemático e transparente para avaliar o grau de certeza das evidências em revisões sistemáticas. Neste artigo, abordaremos a importância de avaliar o grau de certeza das evidências; explicaremos como o sistema GRADE classifica o grau de certeza das evidências provenientes de revisões sistemáticas e apresentaremos o evidence to decision framework (quadro para a avaliação de evidências) do GRADE para decidir se as evidências se traduzem em recomendações fortes ou fracas nas diretrizes de prática clínica.

Prevalence and risk factors of incidental prostate cancer in certain surgeries for benign prostatic hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Background: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and clinical risk factors in patients diagnosed with incidental prostate cancer (IPC) during certain surgeries (transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP], open prostatectomy [OP], and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate [HoLEP]) after clinically suspected benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: Literature search of the MEDILINE, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify eligible studies published before June 2021. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the prevalence and clinical risk factors of IPC were calculated using random or fixed-effect models. Results: Twenty-three studies were included in the meta-analysis. Amongst the 94.783 patients, IPC was detected in 24.715 (26.1%). Results showed that the chance of IPC detection (10%, 95% CI: 0.07-4.00; P<0.001; I2=97%) in patients treated with TURP is similar to that of patients treated with HoLEP (9%, 95% CI: 0.07-0.11; P<0.001; I2=81.4%). However, the pooled prevalence estimate of patients treated with OP was 11% (95% CI: −0.03-0.25; P=0.113; I2=99.1%) with no statistical significance. We observed increased incidence of IPC diagnosis after BPH surgery amongst patients with higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.23; P=0.004; I2=89%), whereas no effect of age (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.97-1.06; P=0.48; I2=78.8%) and prostate volume (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96-1.03; P=0.686; I2=80.5%) were observed. Conclusions: The prevalence of IPC was similar amongst patients undergoing TURP, HoLEP, and OP for presumed BPH. Interestingly, increased PSA level was the only independent predictor of increasing risk of IPC after BPH surgery rather than age and prostate volume. Hence, future research should focus on predictors which accurately foretell the progression of prostate cancer to determine the optimal treatment for managing patients with IPC after BPH surgery.

Revisiones sistemáticas: conceptos clave para profesionales de la salud / Systematic reviews: Key concepts for health professionals

El crecimiento exponencial de evidencia disponible actualmente ha hecho necesario recopilar, filtrar, valorar críticamente y sintetizar la información biomédica para mantenerse actualizado. En este sentido, las revisiones sistemáticas constituyen una herramienta útil y pueden ser fuentes confiables para asistir a la toma de decisiones basadas en evidencia. Definimos como revisiones sistemáticas a aquellas investigaciones secundarias o síntesis de evidencia focalizadas en una pregunta específica que, a partir de una metodología estructurada, permiten identificar, seleccionar, valorar críticamente y resumir los hallazgos de estudios relevantes. Las revisiones sistemáticas presentan varias ventajas potenciales, tales como la minimización de sesgos o la obtención de resultados de mayor precisión. La confiabilidad de la evidencia presentada en las revisiones sistemáticas está determinada, entre otros factores, por su calidad metodológica, pero también por la calidad de los estudios incluidos. Para realizar una revisión sistemática, se debe seguir una serie de pasos que incluyen la formulación de una pregunta de investigación a partir del formato PICO; una búsqueda bibliográfica exhaustiva; la selección de los estudios relevantes; la valoración crítica de los datos obtenidos a partir de los estudios incluidos; la síntesis de resultados, a menudo mediante métodos estadísticos (metanálisis); y finalmente una estimación de la certeza de evidencia para cada desenlace. En esta nota metodológica definiremos los conceptos básicos sobre revisiones sistemáticas, sus métodos y sus limitaciones.

The exponential growth of currently available evidence has made it necessary to collect, filter, critically appraise, and synthesize biomedical information to keep up to date. In this sense, systematic reviews are a helpful tool and can be reliable sources to assist in evidence-based decision-making. Systematic reviews are defined as secondary research or syntheses of evidence focused on a specific question that -- based on a structured methodology -- make it possible to identify, select, critically appraise, and summarize findings from relevant studies. Systematic reviews have several potential advantages, such as minimizing biases or obtaining more accurate results. The reliability of the evidence presented in systematic reviews is determined, amongst other factors, by the quality of their methodology and the included studies. To conduct a systematic review, a series of steps must be followed: the formulation of a research question using the participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes (PICO) format; an exhaustive literature search; the selection of relevant studies; the critical appraisal of the data obtained from the included studies; the synthesis of results, often using statistical methods (meta-analysis); and finally, estimating the certainty of the evidence for each outcome. In this methodological note, we will define the basic concepts of systematic reviews, their methods, and their limitations.

Comparison of mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy and standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy for renal stones >2cm: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Background The purpose is to compare the efficacy and safety of mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) versus standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (standard-PCNL) in patients with renal stones >2cm. Materials and Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies before March 8, 2021. Stone-free rate (SFR), operation time, fever rate, hemoglobin drop, blood transfusion rate, and hospitalization time were used as outcomes to compare mini-PCNL and standard-PCNL. The meta-analysis was performed using the Review Manager version 5.4. Results Seven randomized controlled trials were included in our meta-analysis, involving 1407 mini-PCNL cases and 1436 standard-PCNL cases. Our results reveal that, for renal stones >2cm, mini-PCNL has a similar SFR (risk ratio (RR)=1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98 to 1.04, p=0.57) and fever rate (RR=1.22, 95% CI: 0.97-1.51, p=0.08). Standard-PCNL was associated with a significantly shorter operating time (weighted mean difference (WMD)=8.23, 95% CI: 3.44 to 13.01, p <0.01) and a longer hospitalization time (WMD=-20.05, 95% CI: -29.28 to -10.81, p <0.01) than mini-PCNL. Subgroup analysis showed hemoglobin drop and blood transfusion for 30F standard-PCNL were more common than mini-PCNL (WMD=-0.95, 95% CI: -1.40 to -0.50, p <0.01; RR=0.20, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.58, p <0.01). Conclusion In the treatment of >2cm renal stones, mini-PCNL should be considered an effective and reliable alternative to standard-PCNL (30F). It achieves a comparable SFR to standard-PCNL, but with less blood loss, lower transfusion rate, and shorter hospitalization. However, the mini-PCNL does not show a significant advantage over the 24F standard-PCNL. On the contrary, this procedure takes a longer operation time. Trial registration This meta-analysis was reported consistent with the PRISMA statement and was registered on PROSPERO, with registration number 2021CRD42021234893.

Effectiveness of nonsurgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia: an overview protocol / A efetividade dos tratamentos não cirúrgicos na neuralgia do trigêmeo: um protocolo de overview

ABSTRACT Purpose: to present an overview protocol for systematic reviews to synthesize and describe available evidence on the effectiveness of nonsurgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia. Methods: the protocol follows the method proposed by PRISMA-P guidelines for protocol reports. The search will be made in MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, SpeechBITE, PeDRO, and the grey literature (Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses), with no restriction on language or time of publication. A search strategy developed for MEDLINE will be adapted for each database. Two independent reviewers will screen the articles by title and abstract. Then, they will read the full texts of included articles, following the eligibility criteria. In case of disagreements, a third reviewer will come to a consensus. The data will be extracted with a standardized form. Information on the risk of bias and GRADE assessment will be recorded. AMSTAR-2 will assess the overall result reliability of the systematic reviews. Results will be presented in a flowchart, tables, and a narrative description. Final Considerations: once carried out, this protocol will describe the current body of research on the topic and identify existing gaps on the basis of evidence.

RESUMO Objetivo: apresentar um protocolo de Overview das revisões sistemáticas (RSs) para sintetizar e descrever evidências disponíveis sobre a efetividade dos tratamentos não cirúrgicos na neuralgia do trigêmeo. Métodos: o protocolo seguirá o método proposto pelas diretrizes do PRISMA-P para relato de protocolos. A busca será realizada nas bases de dados eletrônicas: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Lilacs, COCHRANE, Web of Science, Scopus, SpeechBITE, PeDRO, além de consulta à literatura cinzenta (Google Scholar e ProQuest Dissertations and Theses), sem restrições de idioma ou período de publicação. Uma estratégia de busca foi desenvolvida para MEDLINE e será adaptada para cada base de dados. O rastreio dos artigos pelo título e resumo será realizado por dois revisores independentes. Em seguida, farão leitura dos textos completos dos artigos incluídos, conforme os critérios de elegibilidade. Em discordância, um terceiro revisor fará o consenso. Os dados serão extraídos por meio de um formulário padronizado. Serão registradas informações de risco de viés e avaliação do GRADE. A ferramenta AMSTAR II avaliará a confiança geral dos resultados das RSs. Os resultados serão apresentados em um fluxograma, tabelas e descrição narrativa. Considerações Finais: a execução deste protocolo descreverá o corpo atual de pesquisa sobre o tema e identificará lacunas existentes na base de evidências.

Diagnostic value of transient elastography in the staging of hepatic fibrosis in patients with autoimmune liver disease: A Meta-analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the value of transient elastography (TE) in the staging of hepatic fibrosis in patients with autoimmune liver disease (ALD). Methods PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP databases were searched for English and Chinese articles on TE in the staging of hepatic fibrosis in ALD published from January 2000 to January 2021. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction for the articles included, and QUADAS2 was used for quality assessment. The bivariate mixed effects model in Stata 15.0 software was used to perform the Meta-analysis. Results A total of 11 articles were included, with 1041 patients in total. In the diagnosis of significant hepatic fibrosis (F≥2), TE had a pooled sensitivity of 0.81 (95% CI : 0.75-0.86), a specificity of 0.87(95% CI 0.79-0.92), and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.91(95% CI 0.88-0.93); in the diagnosis of advanced hepatic fibrosis (F≥3), TE had a pooled sensitivity of 0.81(95% CI 0.74-0.87), a sensitivity of 0.90(95% CI 0.85-0.93), and an AUC of 0.92(95% CI 0.90-0.94); in the diagnosis of early-stage liver cirrhosis (F4), TE had a pooled sensitivity of 0.87(95% CI 0.74-0.93), a specificity of 0.93(95% CI 0.87-0.97), and an AUC of 0.96(95% CI 0.94-0.97). Conclusion TE has a good diagnostic value in evaluating significant liver fibrosis, advanced liver fibrosis, and early-stage liver cirrhosis in patients with ALD, especially with a relatively high diagnostic accuracy for early-stage liver cirrhosis.

Efficacy of artificial liver support system in treatment of acute-on-chronic liver failure: A network Meta-analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To systematically review the efficacy of different artificial liver support systems in the treatment of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) using a network Meta-analysis. Methods PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library, Clinical Trial, CNKI, SinoMed, and Wanfang Data were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on different artificial liver support systems in the treatment of ACLF. Literature screening, data extraction, and method ological quality assessment were performed according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and Stata15.1 software and R4.1.0 software were used to perform a network Meta-analysis. Results A total of 14 RCTs were included, with 1141 patients in total. The network meta-analysis showed different intervention methods had no significant difference in reducing mortality rate based on cross comparison (all P > 0.05). The probability ranking diagram showed that plasma exchange (PE) showed the best effect in reducing 30-day mortality rate, followed by extracorporeal liver assist device (ELAD), fractionated plasma separation and adsorption with Prometheus system, molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS), Biologic-DT liver dialysis device, and PE+MARS. PE showed the best effect in reducing 90-day mortality rate, followed by Prometheus, ELAD, and MARS. Biologic-DT showed the best effect in improving hepatic encephalopathy, followed by MARS, PE+MARS, and ELAD. Patients undergoing ELAD had the lowest risk of bleeding, and compared with standard medical treatment, Biologic-DT might increase the risk of bleeding [risk ratio=1.9×10 8 , 95% confidence interval: (4.6-6.2)×10 27 ]. Conclusion PE might be the best option for reducing 30- and 90-day mortality rates in ACLF patients. Biologic-DT has a better effect in improving hepatic encephalopathy, but it may increase the risk of bleeding.

Comparison between frontalis suspension and levator resection in treatment of blepharoptosis: a meta-analysis / 中华医学美学美容杂志

Objective:To compare the postoperative efficacy and complications of frontalis suspension and levator resection in the treatment of blepharoptosis.Methods:According to the Cochrane systematic review method, we searched PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Wanfang database, VIP Database, and China Knowledge Network database. The randomized and non-randomized controlled trials for comparing frontalis suspension and levator resection in the treatment of blepharoptosis were included. Revman 5.3 Meta analysis software was used.Results:A total of 13 clinical trials were involved in this study, including 1308 patients. Frontalis suspension was performed in the experimental group and levator resection was performed in the control group. The OR value of postoperative efficacy between the 2 groups was 2.91, 95% CI (1.57-5.39), P<0.01, the difference was statistically significant. Postoperative lagophthalmos after frontalis suspension was better [ MD=-1.05, 95% CI (-1.43--0.68), P<0.01], the difference was statistically significant. The OR value of undercorrection between the 2 groups was 0.24, 95% CI(0.16-0.36), P<0.01, the difference was statistically significant. Conclusions:The postoperative efficacy after frontalis suspension is higher. Postoperative complications after frontalis suspension are less.

Dose-response relationships of resistance exercise intensity in frail elderly: a systematic review / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To systematically evaluate the dose-response relationships of resistance exercise intensity in frail elderly.Methods:A comprehensive search of randomized controlled trials on the dose-response relationships of resistance exercise for frail elderly in PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Database. The documents that met the conditions were screened out, and after the data were extracted and the quality of the documents were evaluated, the RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta analysis.Results:A total of 10 eligible randomized controlled trials were included in this study. The subjects of the study were 454 cases of frail and pre-frail elderly. After Meta analysis, there was a dose-response relationships between the training intensity of resistance exercise and the muscle strength, muscle endurance, and physical function of frail elderly. Both low-intensity and high-intensity resistance exercises can significantly increase the leg muscle strength of frail elderly people ( MD=4.58, 95% CI 3.34-5.82, P<0.05) and muscle endurance ( MD=12.27, 95% CI 6.54-17.99, P<0.05). Compared with low-intensity resistance exercise, high-intensity resistance exercise increased leg muscle strength of frail elderly people ( MD=7.97, 95% CI 0.85-15.09, P<0.05) and muscle endurance ( MD=6.94, 95% CI 5.21-8.66, P<0.05) showed more obvious advantages. The analysis of the results of the chair sitting test and the stairs climbing test shows that low-intensity resistance exercise has no obvious advantage in improving the physical function of frail elderly people, while high-intensity resistance exercise can significantly improve the physical function of frail elderly people ( MD=-5.8, 95% CI -7.3--4.29, P<0.05; MD=-1.20, 95% CI-2.17--0.23, P<0.05). Conclusions:Resistance exercise can significantly improve the muscle strength, muscle endurance and physical function of the frail elderly. High-intensity resistance exercise is more effective than low-intensity resistance exercise.

Short-term efficacy and safety of Da Vinci robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy versus traditional laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: A meta-analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To systematically evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) versus traditional laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD), and to provide a reference for clinical research and practice. Methods Chinese and English databases such as PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP were searched to include the cohort studies comparing the clinical efficacy of robot-assisted laparoscopy and traditional laparoscopy in pancreaticoduodenectomy. The quality of included articles was evaluated based on Cochrane systematic review, and Stata15.1 software was used to perform a meta-analysis of related outcome measures extracted. Results A total of 12 cohort studies were included, with 1630 patients in total, and there were 683 patients in the RPD group and 947 patients in the LPD group. The meta-analysis showed that there were significant differences between the RPD group and the LPD group in postoperative bleeding rate (odds ratio [ OR ]=0.66, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 0.48-0.91, P < 0.05), rate of conversion to laparotomy ( OR =0.41, 95% CI : 0.30-0.56, P < 0.05), estimated intraoperative blood loss (weighted mean difference [ WMD ]=-0.77, 95% CI : -1.33 to -0.22, P < 0.05), and length of postoperative hospital stay (WMD=-0.45, 95% CI : -0.80 to -0.11, P < 0.05). Country of publication might be one of the sources of heterogeneity in the incidence rate of postoperative complications between subgroups ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Compared with traditional LPD, da Vinci RPD can reduce postoperative bleeding rate, intraoperative blood loss and rate of conversion to laparotomy and shorten postoperative hospital stay, and meanwhile, it does not increase the operation time and the incidence rate of postoperative complications. Both surgical procedures are safe and feasible.

Risk factors for bile leakage after hepatectomy without biliary reconstruction: A Meta - analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the risk factors for bile leakage after hepatectomy without biliary reconstruction. Methods CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library were searched for English and Chinese study reports on the risk factors for bile leakage after hepatectomy without biliary reconstruction published up to April 2021. The method of Cochrane systematic review was used for literature screening and data extraction, and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. RevMan 5.4 software was used to perform a meta-analysis of the extracted data. Results A total of 16 articles (13 in English and 3 in Chinese) were included in this study, with a total of 16036 cases. The meta-analysis showed that sex (odds ratio [ OR ]=1.27, 95% CI : 1.09-1.48, P =0.003), diabetes ( OR =1.23, 95% CI : 1.07-1.41, P =0.003), past history of liver surgery ( OR =2.50, 95% CI : 1.74-3.59, P < 0.001), anatomic hepatectomy ( OR =1.58, 95% CI : 1.09-2.30, P =0.02), segment I hepatectomy ( OR =2.56, 95% CI : 1.50-4.40, P < 0.001), central hepatectomy (S4, S5, S8) ( OR =3.51, 95% CI : 2.80-4.40, P < 0.001), left third hepatectomy ( OR =3.53, 95% CI : 2.32-5.36, P < 0.001), and intraoperative blood transfusion ( OR =2.64, 95% CI : 1.93-3.60, P < 0.001) were the risk factors for bile leakage after hepatectomy. Liver cirrhosis, preoperative liver function grade, preoperative chemotherapy, and left/right hemihepatectomy were not the risk factors for bile leakage. Conclusion There are complex influencing factors for bile leakage after hepatectomy, and in addition to the patient's own factors such as sex, diabetes, and past history of liver surgery, intraoperative factors, such as surgical procedures, extent of hepatectomy, and intraoperative blood transfusion, are also risk factors for bile leakage after hepatectomy. The surgeon should conduct adequate preoperative assessment and perform careful operation during surgery to reduce the incidence rate of postoperative bile leakage.

Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in South America: a systematic review and meta-analysis / Prevalência da artrite reumatoide na América do Sul: revisão sistemática e meta-análise

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is among the most prevalent chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases worldwide. The aim of this study was to establish a pooled estimate of the RA prevalence in South America by means of a meta-analysis of the available epidemiologic studies. Systematic searches in PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases (updated May 2019) were done followed by a systematic grey literature search to identify original research articles and reports, published after 2000, providing data of RA prevalence in any South American country. Proportion meta-analysis of weighted pooled was performed, with between-trial heterogeneity assessed by the inconsistency relative index. Sensitivity analyses and sub-group analyses were also done. A total of 25 articles, representing 27 population-based studies were included. Pooled prevalence of RA resulted in 0.48% with 591,981 cases in a population of 114,537,812 individuals (I2=99%). Brazil and Colombia presented the lowest rates of RA prevalence 0.22%, and 0.24%, respectively. RA prevalence in indigenous population was higher 1.45%, and studies using COPCORD method reported also the highest rates 1.07%.

Resumo A artrite reumatóide (AR) está entre as doenças autoimunes e inflamatórias crônicas mais prevalentes no mundo. O objetivo deste estudo foi estabelecer uma estimativa conjunta da prevalência da AR na América do Sul por meio de uma meta-análise dos estudos epidemiológicos disponíveis. Buscas sistemáticas nas bases de dados PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO, Scopus e Web of Science (atualizado em maio de 2019) foram seguidas por uma busca sistemática na literatura cinzenta para identificar artigos e relatórios de pesquisa originais, publicados após 2000, fornecendo dados de prevalência de AR em qualquer país da América do Sul. Foi realizada uma meta-análise da proporção de dados agrupados ponderados, com heterogeneidade entre experimentos avaliada pelo índice relativo de inconsistência. Análises de sensibilidade e de subgrupos também foram realizadas. Foram incluídos um total de 25 artigos, representando 27 estudos de base populacional. A prevalência agrupada de AR resultou em 0,48% com 591.981 casos em uma população de 114.537.812 indivíduos (I2=99%). Brasil e Colômbia apresentaram as menores taxas de prevalência de AR 0,22% e 0,24%, respectivamente. A prevalência da AR na população indígena foi maior 1,45%, e estudos pelo método COPCORD relataram também as maiores taxas 1,07%.

Dietary and circulating vitamin D and risk of renal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis of observational studies

ABSTRACT Objective: This meta-analysis is the first to evaluate the associations of circulating and dietary intake of vitamin D with risk of risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Our findings showed that higher circulating vitamin D level and dietary vitamin D intake were associated with a reduced risk of RCC. The possible explanation might be attributed to the anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing cell differentiation and apoptosis. Materials and Methods: We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases from their inception points through December 2018 for observational studies. The pooled relative risks (RRs) with corresponding 95% CIs were calculated using random-effects or fixed-effects models. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was employed to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: A total of 9 publications were included in this meta-analysis. An overall analysis of the highest versus lowest intake levels revealed that circulating vitamin D level was protectively associated with risk of RCC 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64-0.89, P=0.001), with no evidence of heterogeneity (I2=38.8%, P=0.162). In addition, dietary vitamin D intake was associated with a reduced risk of RCC (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 75-0.99, P=0.030). Statistical heterogeneity was not identified (I2=28.8%, P=0.199). Subgroup analyses results showed the gender differences, and the associations were significant in results with women participants (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.55-0.88) and case-control studies (RR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67-0.95). Conclusion: Higher circulating vitamin D level and higher dietary vitamin D intake both might be associated with a reduced risk of RCC. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are required in the future to confirm our results.

Assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews using the AMSTAR tool / ¿Cómo evaluar la calidad metodológica de las revisiones sistemáticas a través de la herramienta AMSTAR?

Abstract Introduction Making decisions based on evidence has been a challenge for health professionals, given the need to have the tools and skills to carry out a critical appraisal of the evidence and assess the validity of the results. Systematic reviews of the literature (SRL) have been used widely to answer questions in the clinical field. Tools have been developed that support the appraisal of the quality of the studies. AMSTAR is one of these, validated and supported by reproducible evidence, which guides the methodological quality of the SRL. Objectives To show a historical, theoretical and practical guide for critical assessment of systematic reviews using AMSTAR to guide the argumental bases for their use according to the components of this methodological structure in health research, and to provide practical examples of how to apply this checklist. Methods We conducted a non-exhaustive review of literature in Pubmed and Cochrane Library using "AMSTAR" and "Systematic Reviews" as free terms without language or publication date limit; we also collected information from experts in the evaluation of the quality of the evidence. Conclusions AMSTAR is an instrument used, validated and supported by reproducible evidence for the evaluation of the internal validity of systematic reviews of the literature. It consists of 16 items that assess the overall methodological quality of a SRL. It is currently used indiscriminately and favorably, but it is not exempt from limitations and future updates based on new reproducibility and validation studies.

Resumen Introducción Tomar decisiones basadas en la evidencia ha sido un reto para profesionales de la salud; se requiere tener herramientas y habilidades para apreciar la evidencia críticamente y evaluar la validez de los resultados. Las revisiones sistemáticas de la literatura (RSL) han sido muy usadas para dar respuesta a preguntas del ámbito clínico. Se han desarrollado herramientas que apoyan la apreciación de la calidad de los estudios. El AMSTAR es una de estas, validada y soportada por evidencia reproducible que orienta la calidad metodológica de las RSL. Objetivos Mostrar un abordaje histórico, teórico y de guía práctica para la apreciación crítica de las revisiones sistemáticas con el AMSTAR, orientar las bases argumentales para su uso, según los componentes de esta estructura metodológica en investigación en salud, y proporcionar ejemplos prácticos sobre cómo aplicar esta lista de chequeo. Métodos Realizamos una revisión no exhaustiva de literatura en PubMed y The Cochrane Library con los términos libres "AMSTAR" y "revisiones sistemáticas'', sin límite de idioma o año de publicación; también, recolectamos información de expertos en evaluación de la calidad de la evidencia. Conclusiones El AMSTAR es un instrumento validado y soportado por evidencia reproducible para la evaluación de la validez interna de las revisiones sistemáticas de la literatura. Consiste en 16 ítems que evalúan de manera global la calidad metodológica de una RSL. Actualmente, se usa de manera indiscriminada y predilecta, pero no está exenta de limitaciones y futuras actualizaciones basadas en nuevos estudios de reproducibilidad y validación.

Cárie dentária em crianças e adolescentes com Diabetes tipo 1: uma revisão sistemática e meta-análise / Dental caries in children and adolescents with type 1 Diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objetivo: O objetivo dessa revisão sistemática e meta-análise foi avaliar estudos que fizeram uma comparação da ocorrência de cárie dentária entre crianças/adolescentes com Diabetes tipo 1 (DM1) e crianças/adolescentes sem essa condição. Métodos:Buscas computadorizadas no Web ofScience, Scopus, Lilacs, PubMed, OpenGrey e Google Scholar foram realizadas até dezembro de 2020. A seleção dos estudos foi feita por dois autores independentemente. Referências que preenchiam os critérios de elegibilidade foram incluídas. O risco de viés foi avaliado com a escala Newcastle Ottawa. Meta-análises foram conduzidas. Diferença média (DM) e intervalos de confiança (IC) foram fornecidos. Resultados: Durante as buscas nas bases de dados, 751 referências foram recuperadas. Após remoção de 102 duplicatas, 649 referências foram avaliadas e 16 estudos foram incluídos nessa revisão sistemática e meta-análise. Os estudos incluídos tiveram resultados discrepantes. Duas meta-análises demonstraram que não houve diferença significativa na média de dentes permanentes com cárie entre crianças/adolescentes com DM1 e crianças/adolescentes sem DM1 (DM = 0,07; IC = -0,68 ­ 0,82) e que não houve diferença significativa na média de superfícies de dentes permanentes com cárie entre crianças/adolescentes com DM1 e crianças/adolescentes sem DM1 (DM = 0,20; IC = -2,22 ­ 2,61). Uma terceira meta-análise revelou que crianças/adolescentes sem DM1 apresentavam uma média de dentes decíduos com cárie significativamente maior do que crianças/adolescentes com DM1 (DM = 0,34; IC = 0,31 ­ 0,37). O maior problema de risco de viés dos estudos foi para a definição dos controles e comparação de casos e controles. Conclusão: A ocorrência de cárie parece ser menor entre crianças/adolescentes com DM1 em comparação a crianças/adolescentes sem DM1.

Aim:The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate studies in which children/adolescents with type 1 Diabetes (DM1) were compared with children/adolescents without DM1 as regards dental caries. Methods: Electronic searches in Web ofScience, Scopus, Lilacs, PubMed, OpenGrey, and Google Scholar databases were conducted up to December/2020. Study selection was carried out separately by two reviewers. References that met the eligibility criteria were included. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle Ottawa scale. Meta-analyses were conducted. Mean difference (MD) and confidence intervals (CI) were provided. Results:In the database searches, 751 references were retrieved. Following the removal of 102 duplicates, 649 references were assessed, and 16 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Discrepancies in results were found among the included studies. Two meta-analyses demonstrated no significant difference between children/adolescents with DM1 and children/adolescents without DM1 regarding the mean number of permanent teeth with caries (MD = 0.07; CI = -0.68 ­ 0.82), as well as no significant difference between children/adolescents with DM1 and children/adolescents without DM1 with respect to the mean number of permanent tooth surfaces with caries (MD = 0.20; CI = -2.22 ­ 2.61). The third meta-analysis revealed that children/adolescents without DM1 had a significantly higher mean number of primary teeth with caries in comparison to children/adolescents with DM1 (MD = 0.34; CI = 0.31 ­ 0.37). The major issues in the risk of bias assessment were the definition of controls and comparison between cases and controls. Conclusion: The occurrence of caries seems to be lower in children/adolescents with DM1 than in children/adolescents without DM1.

Effect of hemihepatic vascular exclusion versus total hepatic vascular exclusion in hepatectomy for primary liver cancer: A Meta-analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the effect of Pringle’s measure (PM) versus hemihepatic vascular occlusion (HVO) in hepatectomy for primary liver cancer. MethodsRelated Chinese and English databases were searched for control studies on HVI versus PM in the treatment of primary liver cancer published up to June 2020. After quality evaluation and data extraction of the included studies, RevMan5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 10 studies were included in the Meta-analysis, with 1272 patients in total. On days 1 and 3 after surgery, the HVO group had a significantly lower level of alanine aminotransferase than the PM group (day 1: mean difference ［MD］=-172.71, 95% confidence interval ［CI］: -289.26 to -56.16, P=0.004; day 3: MD=-130.35, 95%CI: -221.25 to -39.45, P=0.005). On day 3 after surgery, the HVO group had a significantly lower level of aspartate aminotransferase than the PM group (MD=-84.56, 95%CI: -166.47 to -2.65, P=0.04), and on days 1 and 3 after surgery, the HVO group had a significantly higher level of albumin than the PM group (day 1: MD=1.31, 95%CI: 0.06-2.56, P=0.04; day 3: MD=1.81, 95%CI: 027-335, P=0.02). The HVO group had a significantly longer time of operation than the PM group (MD=8.95, 95%CI: 4.30-13.60, P＜0.01). ConclusionHVO is a safe and effective method for vascular occlusion, and compared with PM, it can effectively alleviate liver injury. However, surgeons should select a suitable method for occlusion based on their own personal experience, patients’ conditions, and specific situation during surgery.

Efficacy and safety of CalliSpheres microsphere versus conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: A Meta-analysis / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of CalliSpheres microsphere-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (CSM-TACE) versus conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (cTACE) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through a meta-analysis. MethodsPubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP were searched for all Chinese and English articles on the application of CSM-TACE and cTACE in HCC published up to the end of October, 2020. After quality assessment was performed for the articles included, RevMan 5.3 software provided by Cochrane Library was used for analysis. ResultsA total of 15 studies were included, with 1535 patients in total. This meta-analysis showed that compared with the patients receiving cTACE, the patients receiving CSM-TACE had significantly higher 1-year overall survival rate (odds ratio ［OR］=2.26, 95% confidence interval ［CI］: 1.63-3.13, P＜0.000 01), 2-year overall survival rate (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.20-2.50, P=0.003), and 2-year progression-free survival rate (OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.05-2.43, P=0.03). In terms of safety, compared with the patients receiving cTACE, the patients receiving CSM-TACE had significantly lower incidence rates of postoperative vomiting (OR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.46-0.92, P=0.01), bone marrow suppression (OR=0.17, 95%CI: 0.05-0.54, P=0.003), and neutropenia (OR=0.18, 95%CI: 0.07-045, P=0.000 3), while there were no significant differences between the two groups of patients in postoperative pyrexia, abdominal pain, and ascites (all P＞0.05). ConclusionCSM-TACE has significant advantages in improving 1- and 2-year overall survival rates and 2-year progression-free survival rates and can significantly reduce the incidence rates of postoperative vomiting, bone marrow suppression, and neutropenia. Therefore, CSM-TACE is a safe and effective treatment method.