ABSTRACT
This meta-analysis aimed to assess the all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes among patients diagnosed with epilepsy. The entire process of this systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure transparency and reporting completeness. A comprehensive search strategy was employed to identify relevant studies in electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, and the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), from January 1, 2010, to January 15, 2024. Outcomes assessed in this meta-analysis included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, and arrhythmias. A total of 12 studies were included in this meta-analysis with a pooled sample size of 7,026,313. The majority of included studies were conducted in Taiwan (n=4). Our study revealed that individuals with epilepsy faced a higher risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and stroke. Although there was a higher incidence of myocardial infarction and arrhythmias among epilepsy patients, this disparity did not reach statistical significance. There is a need for future research to explore the impact of epilepsy types, antiepileptic drugs, and lifestyle factors on cardiovascular outcomes.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the impact of a high-normal and a low-normal mean arterial pressure (MAP) target on outcomes in patients with sepsis or shock. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, two investigators conducted a thorough literature search across online databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EMBASE, spanning from inception to December 10, 2023. The assessed outcomes encompassed all-cause mortality, the need for renal replacement therapy, and the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay. A total of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, involving 3507 participants with individual study participant counts ranging from 118 to 2463. The pooled analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in the risk of all-cause mortality between the two groups (Risk Ratio (RR): 0.94, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.87 to 1.01). Furthermore, there was no disparity in the rates of renal replacement therapy and the duration of ICU stay between the high-normal and low-normal MAP groups. Our findings indicate no significant distinctions in mortality, rates of renal replacement therapy, or ICU stay duration between the two groups. However, future trials with larger sample sizes are warranted to comprehensively understand the nuanced effects of different MAP settings on outcomes in patients with sepsis and shock.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of acetazolamide as an add-on diuretic therapy in patients with heart failure. This meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. A systematic literature search was independently performed by two authors using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify relevant studies assessing the use of acetazolamide in patients with heart failure. The search keywords included "acetazolamide" and "heart failure". The outcomes assessed in this meta-analysis included natriuresis (mmol/L), diuresis (Liters) and decongestion (absence of signs of volume overload) by 72 hours. Other outcomes assessed in this meta-analysis included hospitalization due to heart failure and all-cause mortality. A total of three studies included a total of 569 heart failure patients. The number of patients achieved decongestion was significantly higher in patients receiving acetazolamide compared to the patients randomized in the control group (RR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.06-1.67). Compared to patients in the control group, mean natriuresis was significantly higher in acetazolamide patients (MD: 74.91, 95% CI: 39.85-109.97). Diuresis was significantly higher in patients receiving acetazolamide compared to the control group (MD: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.16-0.72). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of all-cause mortality and hospitalization due to heart failure. In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that acetazolamide may have beneficial impacts on heart failure patients by increasing the number of successful decongestions. Additionally, patients who were treated with acetazolamide had significantly higher natriuresis and diuresis compared to patients in the control group.
