Effects of antidiabetic drugs on psoriasis: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, poses an elevated risk of developing diabetes mellitus. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of antidiabetic medications on psoriasis. DATA SOURCES, STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: We conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis and searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL for relevant randomized controlled trials. Our outcomes included 75% improvement in the psoriasis area and severity index from baseline (PASI 75), change in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, or change in the Dermatology Life Quality Index score under antidiabetic agents. Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias of included studies. Subgroup analysis of different dosages of the antidiabetic agents was also performed. DATA SYNTHESIS: We included 10 randomized controlled studies examining the effect of antidiabetic agents. Eight studies were rated high risk of bias. Pioglitazone demonstrated significant increase in PASI 75 (risk difference = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.18-0.65) and decrease in mean PASI (mean difference = -3.82; 95% CI: -6.05-1.ㄍ59). In subgroup analysis, 30 mg pioglitazone group demonstrated a significantly higher portion of PASI 75 than 15 mg pioglitazone group (P = .003). LIMITATIONS: Some biases are reported high risk in involved articles. The main limitation of the study is in the inclusion of only glitazones. The lack of effect was seen for rosiglitazone and metformin. In the case of metformin, there was only one study available, which is also an important issue. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence demonstrates therapeutic efficacy of pioglitazone, which may be a treatment option in patients with psoriasis and diabetes mellitus.

Association of Multiple Sclerosis with Psoriasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported the occurrence of psoriasis together with multiple sclerosis (MS). Although similar predisposing genes and pathomechanisms have been hypothesized, the relationship between the two remains obscure. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the association between psoriasis and MS. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL in July 2018 for case-control, cross-sectional, or cohort studies that examined either the odds or risk of psoriasis in subjects with multiple sclerosis. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A random-effects model meta-analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) for case-control/cross-sectional studies and hazard ratio (HR) for cohort studies. RESULTS: We included 10 publications that reported a total of 11 studies (5 case-control, 4 cross-sectional and 2 cohort studies). The case-control and cross-sectional studies included 18,456 MS patients and 870,149 controls, while the two cohort studies involved 25,187 MS patients and 227,225 controls in total. Three studies were rated with a high risk of bias in comparability, non-response rate, and selection of controls. MS was associated with increased odds (OR 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.45) and risk for psoriasis (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.32-2.80). CONCLUSION: Patients with MS display both increased prevalence and incidence of psoriasis.

Analgesic effects of local anesthetic cream in cryotherapy for warts: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Local anesthetic cream (LAC) has been used for analgesia in various procedures. However, the analgesic effect of LAC in cryotherapy for warts is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effects of LAC in cryotherapy for warts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of LAC in cryotherapy for warts. We searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and EMBASE on 31 March 2017 for relevant RCTs. Two authors independently selected trials, assessed risk of bias, and extracted data. Disagreement was resolved by discussion with a third author. RESULTS: We included three RCTs with 228 participants. Two included RCTs had a high risk of reporting bias, with one having a high risk of other bias as well. Use of LAC decreased the pain associated with cryotherapy for warts on the hardened skin of children (visual analogue scale, mean difference -20.80, 95 % confidence interval -40.71 to -0.89), but not in adults or on the nonhardened skin of either adults or children. CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence does not support the routine use of LAC applied for ≤ 60 min in cryotherapy for warts.

Analgetische Wirkungen lokalanästhetischer Salbe bei der Kryotherapie von Warzen: eine Meta-analyse randomisierter Studien.

HINTERGRUND UND ZIEL: Lokalanästhetische Creme (LAC) wird zur Analgesie bei verschiedenen Verfahren angewendet. Ihre analgetische Wirkung bei der Kryotherapie von Warzen ist jedoch unklar. Wir untersuchten die Wirkung von LAC bei der Kryotherapie von Warzen. MATERIAL UND METHODEN: Wir erstellten eine systematische Übersicht und Meta-analyse randomisierter kontrollierter Studien (RCTs) zu Wirkungen von LAC bei der Kryotherapie von Warzen. Dazu haben wir MEDLINE, CENTRAL und EMBASE am 31. März 2017 nach relevanten RCTs durchsucht. Zwei Autoren wählten unabhängig voneinander die Studien aus, schätzten das Verzerrungsrisiko ab und extrahierten Daten. Meinungsdifferenzen wurden durch Diskussion mit einem dritten Autor gelöst. ERGEBNISSE: Wir schlossen drei RCTs mit 228 Teilnehmern ein. Zwei dieser RCTs bergen ein hohes Risiko einer selektiven Berichterstattung (reporting bias), wobei bei einer der beiden Studien auch das Risiko anderer Bias hoch ist. Lokalanästhetische Creme senkte bei Kindern den Schmerz bei der Kryotherapie von Warzen auf verhornter Haut (visuelle Analogskala, mittlere Differenz -20,80; 95 % - Konfidenzintervall -40,71 bis -0,89), jedoch nicht bei Erwachsenen oder auf nicht verhornter Haut von Erwachsenen oder Kindern. SCHUSSFOLGERUNGEN: Die routinemäßige Verwendung von LAC ≤ 60 min bei der Kryotherapie von Warzen wird nicht durch Literaturbelege gestützt.

Treatment and electricity harvesting from sulfate/sulfide-containing wastewaters using microbial fuel cell with enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture.

Anaerobic treatment of sulfate-laden wastewaters can produce excess sulfide, which is corrosive to pipelines and is toxic to incorporated microorganisms. This work started up microbial fuel cell (MFC) using enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture as anodic biofilms and applied the so yielded MFC for treating sulfate or sulfide-laden wastewaters. The sulfate-reducing bacteria in anodic biofilm effectively reduced sulfate to sulfide, which was then used by neighboring anode respiring bacteria (ARB) as electron donor for electricity production. The presence of organic carbons enhanced MFC performance since the biofilm ARB were mixotrophs that need organic carbon to grow. The present device introduces a route for treating sulfate laden wastewaters with electricity harvesting.

Power overshoot in two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC).

A two-chamber microbial fuel cell was started using iron-reducing strains as inoculum and acetate as carbon sources. The tested microbial fuel cell had an open-circuit voltage of 0.67 V, and reached 1045 mA m(-2) and a power density of 486 mW m(-2) at 0.46 V before power overshoot occurred. Anodic reactions were identified as the rate-determining steps. Stirring the anolyte insignificantly increased cell performance, suggesting a minimal external mass transfer resistance from the anolyte to the anodic biofilm. Data regression analysis indicates that charge transfer resistance at the biofilm-anode junction was negligible. The order of magnitude estimation of electrical conductance indicates that electron transfer resistance had an insignificant effect on microbial fuel cell performance. Resistance in electrogens for substrate utilization is proposed to induce microbial fuel cell power overshoot.

Antimicrobial drug resistance in pathogens causing nosocomial infections at a university hospital in Taiwan, 1981-1999.

To determine the distribution and antimicrobial drug resistance in bacterial pathogens causing nosocomial infections, surveillance data on nosocomial infections documented from 1981 to 1999 at National Taiwan University Hospital were analyzed. During this period, 35,580 bacterial pathogens causing nosocomial infections were identified. Candida species increased considerably, ranking first by 1999 in the incidence of pathogens causing all nosocomial infections, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Candida species also increased in importance as bloodstream infection isolates, from 1.0% in 1981-1986 to 16.2% in 1999. The most frequent isolates from urinary tract infections were Candida species (23.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (18.6%) and P. aeruginosa (11.0%). P. aeruginosa remained the most frequent isolates for respiratory tract and surgical site infections in the past 13 years. A remarkable increase in incidence was found in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (from 4.3% in 1981-1986 to 58.9% in 1993-1998), cefotaxime-resistant E. coli (from 0% in 1981-1986 to 6.1% in 1993-1998), and cefotaxime-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (from 4.0% in 1981-1986 to 25.8% in 1993-1998). Etiologic shifts in nosocomial infections and an upsurge of antimicrobial resistance among these pathogens, particularly those isolated from intensive care units, are impressive and alarming.