The use of event-related potentials in the investigation of cognitive performance in people with Multiple Sclerosis: Systematic review.

A biomarker of cognition in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that is independent from the response of people with MS (PwMS) to test questions would provide a more holistic assessment of cognitive decline. One suggested method involves event-related potentials (ERPs). This systematic review tried to answer five questions about the use of ERPs in distinguishing PwMS from controls: which stimulus modality, which experimental paradigm, which electrodes, and which ERP components are most discriminatory, and whether amplitude or latency is a better measure. Our results show larger pooled effect sizes for visual stimuli than auditory stimuli, and larger pooled effect sizes for latency measurements than amplitude measurements. We observed great heterogeneity in methods and suggest that future research would benefit from more uniformity in methods and that results should be reported for the individual subtypes of PwMS. With more standardised methods, ERPs have the potential to be developed into a clinical tool in MS.

Identifying the barriers faced by obstetricians and registrars in screening or enquiry of intimate partner violence in pregnancy: A systematic review of the primary evidence.

INTRODUCTION: Intimate partner violence (IPV) disproportionally affects women compared to men. The impact of IPV is amplified during pregnancy. Screening or enquiry in the antenatal outpatient setting regarding IPV has been fraught with barriers that prevent recognition and the ability to intervene. AIMS: The aim of this systematic review was to determine the barriers that face obstetricians/gynaecologists regarding enquiry of IPV in antenatal outpatient settings. The secondary objective was to determine facilitators. METHODS: Primary evidence was searched using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Maternity and Infant Care, PubMed and Proquest from 1993 to May 2023. The included studies comprised empirical studies published in English language targeting a population of doctors providing antenatal outpatient care. The review was PROSPERO-registered (CRD42020188994). Independent screening and review was performed by two authors. The findings were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Nine studies addressing barriers and two studies addressing facilitators were included: three focus-group or semi-structured interviews, six surveys and two randomised controlled trials. Barriers for providers centred at the system level (time, training), provider level (personal beliefs, cultural bias, experience) and provider-perceived patient level (fear of offending, patient readiness to disclose). Increased experience and the use of validated tools were strong facilitators. CONCLUSION: Barriers to screening reflect multi-level obstruction to the identification of women exposed to IPV. Although the antenatal outpatient clinic setting addresses a particular population vulnerable to IPV, the barriers for obstetricians are not unique. The use of validated cueing tools provides an evidence-based method to facilitate enquiry of IPV among antenatal women, assisting in identification by clinicians. Together with education and human resources, such aids build capacity in women and obstetric providers.

Effects of neuromuscular gait modification strategies on indicators of knee joint load in people with medial knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aimed to determine the effects of neuromuscular gait modification strategies on indicators of medial knee joint load in people with medial knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Databases (Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central, CINAHL and PubMed) were searched for studies of gait interventions aimed at reducing medial knee joint load indicators for adults with medial knee osteoarthritis. Studies evaluating gait aids or orthoses were excluded. Hedges' g effect sizes (ES) before and after gait retraining were estimated for inclusion in quality-adjusted meta-analysis models. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Seventeen studies (k = 17; n = 362) included two randomised placebo-controlled trials (RCT), four randomised cross-over trials, two case studies and nine cohort studies. The studies consisted of gait strategies of ipsilateral trunk lean (k = 4, n = 73), toe-out (k = 6, n = 104), toe-in (k = 5, n = 89), medial knee thrust (k = 3, n = 61), medial weight transfer at the foot (k = 1, n = 10), wider steps (k = 1, n = 15) and external knee adduction moment (KAM) biofeedback (k = 3, n = 84). Meta-analyses found that ipsilateral trunk lean reduced early stance peak KAM (KAM1, ES and 95%CI: -0.67, -1.01 to -0.33) with a dose-response effect and reduced KAM impulse (-0.37, -0.70 to -0.04) immediately after single-session training. Toe-out had no effect on KAM1 but reduced late stance peak KAM (KAM2; -0.42, -0.73 to -0.11) immediately post-training for single-session, 10 or 16-week interventions. Toe-in reduced KAM1 (-0.51, -0.81 to -0.20) and increased KAM2 (0.44, 0.04 to 0.85) immediately post-training for single-session to 6-week interventions. Visual, verbal and haptic feedback was used to train gait strategies. Certainty of evidence was very-low to low according to the GRADE approach. CONCLUSION: Very-low to low certainty of evidence suggests that there is a potential that ipsilateral trunk lean, toe-out, and toe-in to be clinically helpful to reduce indicators of medial knee joint load. There is yet little evidence for interventions over several weeks.

What's old is best again Is anterior plating best for fixation of type-C pelvic fractures? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Type-C pelvic fractures are a rare but potentially fatal injury that often leads to poor outcomes, despite surgical fixation. Many fixation methods are used but the optimal method remains contentious, with failure and complications common. This study compared outcomes for each fixation method. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A search of studies which reported on outcomes after surgically treated type-C pelvic fractures was undertaken. Data retrieved included fixation method, length of follow up, surgical revision, and complications rates (hardware breakage, post-operative outcomes, screw mal-positioning, screw loosening, loss of reduction and infection). Study quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomised Studies (MINORS). Pooled revision, outcome and complication rates were calculated using a quality-adjusted model in MetaXL 5.3. RESULTS: Fifty-two studies met the inclusion criteria representing 1567 patients and 7 fixation methods. The meta-analyses demonstrated high rates of 'less-than-good' outcomes for most fixation methods, with a higher rate for bilateral injuries (overall 23%; unilateral 21% v bilateral 41%). The mean pooled rate for surgical revision rate was 4%, hardware breakage 3%, screw mal-positioning 2%, screw loosening 3%, loss of reduction 5% and infection 4%. Each fixation method had different performance profiles; however, anterior plating outperformed all other fixation methods for patient outcomes, with a 'less-than-good' rate of just 7% vs the pooled mean of 23% and demonstrated at or below pooled mean rates for all complications except revision which was 5%. CONCLUSIONS: Post-operative outcomes for surgically treated type-C pelvic fractures revealed a 'less-than-good' pooled outcome rate of 23% and a revision rate of 4%. Anterior plates outperformed most other systems particularly for patient reported outcomes. Pooled revision, patient-reported outcome and complication rates for type-C pelvic fractures have not previously been reported and these data provide a benchmark for practice and future research.

A scoping review of the perceptions of death in the context of organ donation and transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Socio-cultural perceptions surrounding death have profoundly changed since the 1950s with development of modern intensive care and progress in solid organ transplantation. Despite broad support for organ transplantation, many fundamental concepts and practices including brain death, organ donation after circulatory death, and some antemortem interventions to prepare for transplantation continue to be challenged. Attitudes toward the ethical issues surrounding death and organ donation may influence support for and participation in organ donation but differences between and among diverse populations have not been studied. OBJECTIVES: In order to clarify attitudes toward brain death, organ donation after circulatory death and antemortem interventions in the context of organ donation, we conducted a scoping review of international English-language quantitative surveys in various populations. STUDY APPRAISAL: A search of literature up to October 2020 was performed, using multiple databases. After screening, 45 studies were found to meet pre-specified inclusion criteria. RESULTS: 32 studies examined attitudes to brain death, predominantly in healthcare professionals. In most, around 75% of respondents accepted brain death as equivalent to death of the person. Less common perspectives included equating death with irreversible coma and willingness to undertake organ donation even if it caused death. 14 studies examined attitudes to organ donation following circulatory death. Around half of respondents in most studies accepted that death could be confidently diagnosed after only 5 min of cardiorespiratory arrest. The predominant reason was lack of confidence in doctors or diagnostic procedures. Only 6 studies examined attitudes towards antemortem interventions in prospective organ donors. Most respondents supported minimally invasive procedures and only where specific consent was obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Our review suggests a considerable proportion of people, including healthcare professionals, have doubts about the medical and ethical validity of modern determinations of death. The prognosis of brain injury was a more common concern in the context of organ donation decision-making than certainty of death.

Factors delaying intravenous thrombolytic therapy in acute ischaemic stroke: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This review examined factors that delay thrombolysis and what management strategies are currently employed to minimise this delay, with the aim of suggesting future directions to overcome bottlenecks in treatment delivery. METHODS: A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy included a combination of synonyms and controlled vocabularies from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and EmTree covering brain ischemia, cerebrovascular accident, fibrinolytic therapy and Alteplase. The search was conducted using Medline (OVID), Embase (OVID), PubMed and Cochrane Library databases using truncations and Boolean operators. The literature search excluded review articles, trial protocols, opinion pieces and case reports. Inclusion criteria were: (1) The article directly related to thrombolysis in ischaemic stroke, and (2) The article examined at least one factor contributing to delay in thrombolytic therapy. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two studies were included. Pre-hospital factors resulted in the greatest delay to thrombolysis administration. In-hospital factors relating to assessment, imaging and thrombolysis administration also contributed. Long onset-to-needle times were more common in those with atypical, or less severe, symptoms, the elderly, patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and those living alone. Various strategies currently exist to reduce delays. Processes which have achieved the greatest improvements in time to thrombolysis are those which integrate out-of-hospital and in-hospital processes, such as the Helsinki model. CONCLUSION: Further integrated processes are required to maximise patient benefit from thrombolysis. Expansion of community education to incorporate less common symptoms and provision of alert pagers for patients may provide further reduction in thrombolysis times.