392,528 papers found

This response addresses the commentary by Dr. Moghadam regarding our systematic review and meta-analysis comparing Er:Glass and COlasers for atrophic acne scars. We clarify several methodological considerations to reinforce the validity of our findings. First, while laser parameters across included studies were not ide…

BackgroundCircadian rhythm, the body's internal clock, synchronises with the 24-h light-dark cycle and is influenced by environmental cues such as light exposure and meal timing. Disruptions in this rhythm due to modern lifestyle factors, including irregular eating schedules, are linked to increased risks of cardiometa…

BACKGROUND: Disentangling physiopathological mechanisms of biological systems through high-level integration of omics data has become a standard procedure in life sciences. However, platform heterogeneity, batch effects, and the lack of unified methods for single- and multi-omics analyses represent relevant drawbacks t…

The treatment recommendation based on a network meta-analysis (NMA) is usually the single treatment with the highest expected value (EV) on an evaluative function. We explore approaches that recommend multiple treatments and that penalise uncertainty, making them suitable for risk-averse decision-makers. We introduce l…

INTRODUCTION: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by progressive joint inflammation, pain and functional decline, disproportionately affecting older adults. In Canada, evidence regarding the prevalence, determinants and ethnic disparities of RA among older populations remains fragmen…

BACKGROUND: Gluteal tendon tears-frequently dubbed the 'rotator cuff tears of the hip'-are a common but often underdiagnosed cause of lateral hip pain and abductor dysfunction, especially in middle-aged to older women. While both open and endoscopic repair techniques are used, current literature suggests similar functi…

Network meta-analysis (NMA) synthesizes data from randomized controlled trials to estimate the relative treatment effects among multiple interventions. When treatments can be grouped into classes, class effect NMA models can be used to inform recommendations at the class level and can also address challenges with spars…

INTRODUCTION: Colonoscopy is often associated with significant patient pain and anxiety. Virtual reality (VR) technology has been widely used to alleviate pain and anxiety in patients undergoing invasive surgeries. However, there is a lack of reliable evidence supporting its effectiveness in reducing pain and anxiety i…

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. Both the disease itself and the side effects of its treatments significantly impair the quality of life (QoL) of women with BC. Non-pharmacological therapies (NPTs), including exercise therapies, mindfulness-based interventions, cogniti…

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are essential tools in medical research. Systematic reviews are a type of literature review that uses a systematic process to identify and assess all available literature on a specific research question. A meta-analysis is a statistical method of synthesizing the results of a system…

BACKGROUND: Transitivity assumption underlies the network meta-analysis framework and states that treatment comparisons are similar regarding the distribution of important characteristics that act as effect modifiers. Currently, there is a lack of methods to assess transitivity quantitatively. The methodological gap in…

INTRODUCTION: Patients with cancer frequently suffer from psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, which negatively impacts their quality of life. Music therapy (MT)and Tai Chi exercise are emerging as promising complementary interventions in cancer care. However, their comparative effectiveness remain…

The analysis of risk of bias in systematic reviews (SR) and meta-analyses (MA) is a fundamental task to ensure the correct synthesis of results. To carry out this task, specific tools must be used for each research design of the studies analyzed. The choice of an appropriate tool is currently a challenge for researcher…

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) experience congestion-related symptoms such as dyspnoea and oedema, both of which are associated with poor outcomes. Loop diuretics are the cornerstone to treat congestion and to maintain euvolemia. While furosemide is the most used loop diuretic, other loop diureti…

INTRODUCTION: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, primarily affecting the respiratory and digestive systems. Respiratory rehabilitation techniques play a crucial role in managing pulmonary symptoms an…

INTRODUCTION: Globally, long-distance truck drivers' (LDTDs) risk of exposure to HIV infections is higher compared with other populations in transit. Thus, several HIV prevention interventions have been implemented, though to a narrower extent compared with other most at-risk populations. Consequently, the effectivenes…

INTRODUCTION: Systematic review and meta-analysis occupy the apex of the evidence pyramid, serving as the most comprehensive and reliable form of evidence-based assessment. Data extraction is a crucial juncture in meta-analysis, establishing the underpinnings for the outcomes and deductions drawn from systematic review…

INTRODUCTION: Pain management in patients with cancer is a critical aspect of oncological care, yet remains challenging with current pharmacological therapies. Non-pharmacological interventions, offering potential benefits without the adverse effects of drugs, have gained attention. However, the effectiveness of these…

INTRODUCTION: While cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders (ADs) has been proven to be effective and is commonly recommended, a considerable proportion of patients remain symptomatic, do not respond to treatment or discontinue it. Thus, augmentation strategies…

Meta-analysis is a powerful analytic method for summarizing effect estimates across studies. However, conventional meta-analysis often assumes a linear exposure-outcome relationship and does not account for variability over the exposure ranges. In this work, we first used simulation techniques to illustrate that the li…