ABSTRACT
Background: Seroma formation is the most common complication of abdominoplasties. Many preventive interventions have been proposed, but none have been recognized as a definitive solution, partly due to varying levels of evidence (LOE) in the literature. Objectives: We aimed to analyze seroma prevention methods supported by high-level evidence. Methods: The PubMed database was queried through August 2023. Primary articles of interest included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective comparative studies, and meta-analyses of these studies. The LOE for each article was determined according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Rating Scale. The "seroma occurrence ratio," or ratio of seroma events in the interventional group to respective control group, was calculated to compare incidence rates between techniques. Results: Twenty articles and 9 categories of techniques were analyzed. Study designs included 10 RCTs, 2 prospective cohort studies, 7 prospective comparative studies, and 1 retrospective randomized study. The use of progressive-tension and quilting sutures had the most data supporting a statistically significant reduction in seroma (occurrence ratio 0.306, P < .001). Tissue adhesives and preservation of Scarpa's fascia were also well reinforced (0.375, P < .01 and 0.229, P < .011, respectively), while increasing the number of drains was not (P = .7576). Meta-analysis demonstrated that compared with 2 drains alone, alternative techniques were more effective at reducing seroma occurrence (pooled risk ratio 0.33, 95% CI, 0.11-0.99). Conclusions: This review highlights multiple seroma prevention techniques for abdominoplasty investigated in recent high-quality literature. We suggest future randomized comparative studies of the various seroma prevention methods to fully ascertain their efficacy following abdominoplasty.
ABSTRACT
Background: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is one of the most widely-used cognitive screening instruments and has been translated into several different languages and dialects. Although the original validation study suggested to use a cutoff of ≤26, subsequent studies have shown that lower cutoff values may yield fewer false-positive indications of cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to summarize the diagnostic accuracy and mean difference of the MoCA when comparing cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults to those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from inception to 22 February 2022. Meta-analyses for area under the curve (AUC) and standardized mean difference (SMD) values were performed. Results: Fifty-five observational studies that included 17,343 CU and 8,413 aMCI subjects were selected for inclusion. Thirty-nine studies were used in the AUC analysis while 44 were used in the SMD analysis. The overall AUC value was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.81, 0.87) indicating good diagnostic accuracy and a large effect size was noted for the SMD analysis (Hedge's g = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.33, 1.64). Both analyses had high levels of between-study heterogeneity. The median cutoff score for identifying aMCI was <24. Discussion and conclusion: The MoCA has good diagnostic accuracy for detecting aMCI across several different languages. The findings of this meta-analysis also support the use of 24 as the optimal cutoff when the MoCA is used to screen for suspected cognitive impairment.
ABSTRACT
Osteomyelitis of the fibula is rare and is especially rare in children. The published literature is limited to case series and is thus lacking a comprehensive description of the disease. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide the first comprehensive summary of the demographics, presenting symptoms, laboratory values, microbiology, and treatment results of osteomyelitis of the fibula in children based on the existing literature. This institutional review board (IRB)-exempt systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P) guidelines. Three search engines were used for a total of 239 studies. Twenty-six studies were screened by full text. Twelve articles underwent a quantitative analysis. Due to limited data and heterogenous reporting, the data were summarized descriptively. The methodologic quality of the studies was evaluated based on the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The average age was 7.71±3.49 years, and males comprised 57% of the 21 cases. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (86%), antalgic gait (57%), and localized tenderness (81%). The most common site of involvement was the distal third of the fibula (90%). The average C-reactive protein (CRP) was 90.1±38.3 mg/L, and the average erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 58.8±21.2 mm/hour. Staphylococcus aureus was the most cultured pathogen reported in 10/21 cases (48%). Open surgery was performed in 17/21 cases (81%), and there were no reported complications. Fever, antalgic gait, and localized tenderness should raise the index of suspicion. Prompt laboratory and radiographic evaluations can help reduce delays in diagnosis and improve outcomes. Blood and tissue cultures are currently performed in about half of the cases. Improvement in our microbiologic diagnosis has the potential to improve antibiotic selection. Local methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevalence must be taken into consideration when starting empiric antibiotic treatment. Surgical treatment is often required with a low complication rate. The clinical and laboratory parameters identified in this study have the potential for integration into a composite clinical score.
